Vandalism at a sacred indigenous site in the Sunshine Coast hinterland has been labelled a 'disgusting act'.
And the offenders could face fines of more than $500,000 plus two years in prison.
The attack took place inside the Glass House Mountains National Park, with a short religious message carved deeply into rock at the base of Mount Beerwah.
The damage, discovered early this week, has angered traditional owners, hikers and park rangers.
Rangers say it appears the vandalism was carried out using power tools last weekend.
Senior ranger Nat Smith said it was a disgusting act.
"They've cut the words in lines in the rock, maybe a centimetre deep, up to two centimetres," Mr Smith said.
"This was reported to us on Monday morning by a very concerned climber.
"A lot of people love that mountain, it holds a lot of significance to a lot of people, including the Jinibara people, it's an extremely culturally significant site."
Jinibara custodian B-J Murphy said he became emotional when he learnt of the vandalism.
"I'm not gonna lie, I actually I almost cried," Mr Murphy said.
Mr Murphy said Mount Beerwah was seen by the the Jinibara people as an ancestral spirit.
He said the site was used for sacred ceremonies and Indigenous women gave birth alongside the mountain.
"We see her as a mother and, you know, for someone to go and carve into her that deep … it's sort of like, someone's gone and, and cut into our ancestral mother," Mr Murphy said.
Indigenous custodian fears attack is retaliation
Last month, Mr Murphy began a peaceful protest to pressure authorities to close the hiking trail up the culturally significant mountain.
Mr Murphy camped at the foot of Mount Beerwah for more than a week in early April to educate visitors on the cultural harm caused by hiking.
"I wanted to make a peaceful statement and share culture and our story with the hikers and why we'd rather them choose to hike a beautiful trail rather than climb one of our ancestral mountains," he said.
He believes the vandalism may have been retaliation to his protest.
"I'm also concerned and worried that by me sticking up for Mother Beerwah … that this may have been somewhat of a backlash towards me," he said.
Mr Murphy said Mount Beerwah should be treated with the same respect as Uluru and Mount Warning in New South Wales where hiking is not permitted.
"All I can say is that someone that's done this is someone that just has absolutely no respect for culture," he said.
"I mean, people have died [climbing the mountain]. You know this is where I get so lost and confused as to what it's going to take for them to close it?."
Culprit faces huge fine
Mr Smith said those responsible for the vandalism could face fines of more than $500,000 plus two years in prison.
"The vandalism is a serious offence under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and carries a maximum penalty of $431,250 or two years' imprisonment," he said.
"It's also an offence under the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003, with penalties of up to $143,750 for individuals."
He is encouraging anyone with information to report it to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.
"This vandalism is deliberate and destructive, and someone in the community will know who did it," he said.
"Anyone who defaces our national parks will be fined because rangers investigate every incidence of environmental vandalism."
