Editing Kondalilla National Park (section)

==History==

===Bonyee festival===

For countless generations, the [[Blackall Range]] has held spiritual significance for many Aboriginal people throughout South East Queensland.<ref name="Queensland 1">{{cite web|author=State of Queensland, Department of Environment and Science|access-date=2019-08-21|title=Kondalilla National Park - Nature, culture and history|url=https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/kondalila/culture.html|website=Queensland Government - Parks and Forests|date=19 October 2009 }}</ref>

Abundant [[Araucaria bidwillii|bunya pines]] growing throughout this area produced large nut crops, providing enough food for huge gatherings. When the nut crop peaked every three years, [[Gubbi Gubbi people|Kabi Kabi]] and neighbouring [[Wakka Wakka]] people hosted the Bonyee Festival. Many invited guests travelled great distances from coastal and inland areas to share food, songs and dances, arrange marriages, and other social interactions. A large grassy area near Baroon Pocket was an important gathering place.<ref name="Queensland 1"/>

===Pastoralists and timber-getters===

From 1842 until 1860, the Blackall Range was part of a large reserve declared by [[George Gipps|Governor Gipps]] to protect the [[Bush tucker|bunya pine food source]] for local Indigenous groups. It was illegal to settle or clear land where bunya pines occurred.<ref name="Queensland 1"/>

When reserve status was rescinded, pastoralists and timber-getters came. In the 1880s, prized timber including red cedar, white beech, bunya pine, blackbutt and [[Eucalyptus microcorys|tallowwood]] was logged in the Blackall Range. The forest around Kondalilla was logged heavily and the ring-barked trees can still be seen today along the Picnic Creek circuit. Widespread clearing of the tableland forests ensued as settlement proceeded. However, some small areas were set aside for recreation.<ref name="Queensland 1"/>

===Recreational use===

From the early 1900s, people began visiting this area for its "natural scenery, waterfalls and spectacular views".<ref name="Queensland 1"/>

The first area to be protected was Kondalilla—in 1906 it became a recreational area, then a national park in 1945. Since then, reserves have been added across the Blackall Range to protect remnants of its natural communities. Kondalilla National Park (327ha) was linked to Obi Obi National Park in 1988. With other additions, including former State forest, the park has increased in size to 1591ha.<ref name="Queensland 1"/>

Mapleton Falls (26ha) became a national park in 1973, after being a reserve for recreational and scenic purposes for 38 years. Mapleton National Park (10064ha) was gazetted on 28 March 2014 and is an amalgamation of Mapleton Forest Reserve and Delicia Road Conservation Park.<ref name="Queensland 1"/>