Binna Burra Lodge in Gold Coast hinterland destroyed by fire

On the night of 8 September 2019, a bushfire destroyed much of heritage-listed Binna Burra Lodge in Queensland’s Gold Coast hinterland. Binna Burra is situated on the very edge of Lamington National Park and is a dearly-loved destination for walkers.

Binna Burra was founded in 1933 by Arthur Groom and Romeo Lahey. The pair wanted to build a place for people to stay and experience the beauty of Lamington National Park. Over the decades, the lodge has won international recognition and attracted guests from around the globe.

Historically, south-east Queensland’s high humidity and rainfall have meant that bushfires haven’t presented the same risk as in drier parts of the country. The fire that affected Binna Burra was one of several in the Gold Coast hinterland. These fires - as well as their occurrence in early Spring - are causing authorities to re-evaluate fire risk in the region.

Debate is also raging about the susceptibility of rainforest to fire. The Lamington National Park has extensive areas of sub-tropical rainforest. Conventional wisdom, supported by experts, is that rainforest is highly fire resistant. Fire-fighters and others that have witnessed the fires are questioning this.

The owners of Binna Burra Lodge have vowed to re-build. But they warn that they won’t be replicating a structure that suited the climate 85 years ago.