Location
Boonah – Scenic Rim
What it is?
A small country town about a half hour west of Beaudesert and 1.5 hours from the Gold Coast and Brisbane.
It is a great place to stop for a few days to relax and grab supplies.
There are multiple National parks to hike and explore, and access to lakes where you can swim, boat, kayak, paddleboard, fish, etc.
Seven distinct areas highlight the region’s diversity: Tambourine Mountain, Canungra and Beechmont, Kalbar, Boonah, Rathdowney and Mount Barney, Beaudesert and Kooralbyn, and the Lost World and Christmas Creek.
What it offers?
National Parks in the area are Mount French and Moogerah Peaks.
Tambourine, Mount Barney, Lamington, Main Range, and Mount Chinghee are National Parks that are in the Scenic Rim and easily accessible from Boonah.
Lake Moogerah, Lake Marron, Wyaralong Dam (less adventerous than the other two), and multiple Waterfalls make for fun, adventurous day trips from Boonah
Wheelchair Access?
Facilities are not the best. A couple of waterfalls are accessible (Queen Mary and Doggs).
What we did?
Unfortunately, our exploring was minimal while in the region: Michael was working, and I was in between contracts. It was really hot, and we were also trying to get started on the building of our new home, a 12.5m bus. Michael also contracted Covid and was quite sick for a couple of weeks.
There is an IGA and a Mitre 10 in town, so we were able to get most of what we needed locally.
We spent one weekend chasing the waterfalls, another one doing both the lakes and a couple of afternoon hikes through Mount French National Park.
We had lunch at a local pub and dinner at the tavern, and my girlfriend and I went to a couple of places for lunch.
Highlight?
Lake Moogerah, I don’t know if it is just because our first visit there was at sunset and it was magical, or whether it was just a magical place, but it is somewhere I will return. It was quiet, peaceful, relaxing, and pretty. There were birds and turtles. Take a picnic lunch or early dinner out and enjoy the area.
Would I do it again?
Yes, I have a girlfriend who lives at Croftby, 20 minutes from town. We spent a lot of time at her place as she was kind enough to allow us to park our bus on her property while we worked on it. She had not long moved there and was starting to get farm animals, but now she has expanded the family to include cows, pigs and a German Shepherd. I really want to go back there and meet all her new babies.
What do you need?
As a couple: Pre-downloaded maps on your phone (reception is patchy); water bottles; stainless steel coffee cup; wide-brim hat; sunscreen; bug spray; good sturdy shoes; swimmers and towels; umbrella for sun/rain; jacket; picnic and picnic blanket.
Depending on your toys, a boat, jet ski, kayak, etc., for the lakes.
With Kids: water; snacks; wide-brim hat; sunscreen, bug spray; good sturdy shoes.
With Pets: There is an off-leash dog park next to the information centre.
Yearly Events
- Clydesdale Spectacular: A major annual event celebrating the town’s heritage with Clydesdale horses, often considered the richest in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Boonah Show: A traditional country show featuring livestock, poultry, and sideshows.
- Winter Harvest Festival: Highlights local produce from the Scenic Rim region.
- Boonah Christmas Street Festival: A family-friendly street celebration in December.
- Boonah Country Markets: Held on the second and fourth Saturday of every month at Springleigh Park.
- Scenic Rim Farm Gate Trail: An event running several times a year showcasing local producers.