The Scenic Rim is a region located in South-East Queensland, Australia. In 2022, the region was named as one of Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Hottest Places to Visit. This beautiful region is on our family’s doorstep and it’s a place we visit often.
Known for its picturesque landscapes across mountains and farmland, the Scenic Rim region contains part of the Great Dividing Range and national parks which form part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Listed Area.
For day trips, we love Tamborine Mountain and the Gold Coast hinterland, or Boonah and the rural areas close to Ipswich. For overnight stays, we recommend O’Reilly’s or Binna Burra. Some of our favourite destinations and activities in the Scenic Rim are outlined below.
Tamborine Mountain
We have family in this beautiful part of the world, so we are up on Tamborine Mountain fairly frequently. The drive up the mountain is a little tricky, but relatively safe – just take it slowly as there are many bends in the winding road. There is something for everyone on Tamborine Mountain, whether you like adventure, shopping or food, or even just sitting to take in a great view.
Bushwalking is a free activity that is fun for the whole family. There are many easy walking tracks and waterfalls, with some great swimming opportunities in the right season as well. This website provides a useful overview of the most popular trails and waterfalls. PLEASE be mindful of safety if you decide to take a dip in a waterhole. Never swim alone, don’t jump into water if you can’t see the bottom (too many people injure themselves on unseen rocks), avoid swimming holes around rainy times when conditions can change quickly, never run on rocks and be mindful of your own swimming capability. Follow all safety signs.
If Tamborine Mountain is where you’d like to have a rainforest experience, but you need greater accessibility than typically found on bushwalking tracks, you might like to consider the Tamborine Mountain Skywalk. This picturesque walking trail includes suspended bridges up in the canopy of the forest and there is even a cantilevered platform out into the treetops (for those who aren’t afraid of heights!). There are various points of interest along the trail that add value to this experience as well. Just be mindful that there is a cost to enter the Skywalk (understandably, since a lot of work has gone into it and must go into maintaining it), whereas regular bushwalking is free. It’s a great option for prams or an easy walk though, and the café and gift shop on site enhance this experience. We enjoyed this experience and found it worth the cost for us.
Glow worms are also found in caves on Tamborine Mountain, but for a short, family-friendly and highly educational experience, we’d recommend the Tamborine Mountain Glow Worm Experience. This short tour guarantees glow worm viewing and it’s very accessible. A guide stands with the group inside a man-made cave and provides information about these fascinating little luminescent creatures. There are also some other fun things to do on the site, including photo opportunities.
For more active adventures, consider a visit or even an overnight stay at Thunderbird Park. There are many activities on offer here, including high ropes courses, thunder egg hunting, laser tag, mini golf and more. They describe themselves as “Australia’s largest adventure playground”, which is a pretty big claim and one which will no doubt appeal to the adventurers in your family. We have a few thunder eggs floating around our house (they’re rocks with crystals inside) and a few children who would be very keen to return to Thunderbird Park, if given the chance!
The Tamborine Mountain Gallery Walk is another day trip stop and a great place to view local art, collect souvenirs and enjoy a stroll. It’s not too long and it’s a flat street, making it nice and accessible. While many of the galleries are clearly targeted to adults, there are some cute confectionery shops, and just wandering along the bustling Gallery Walk is fun.
There are places to eat along the Gallery Walk, but there are also quaint cottages and cafes all over Tamborine Mountain. Some of these offer views - to the coast on one side, or the valley on the other. Others are themed. It’s worth doing a bit of research before you visit the mountain to check opening hours, but if you decide to try your luck, we promise you’ll find SOMETHING!
If you’re still on the mountain at sunset, there are a couple of beautiful spots to watch it from, located along the western ridge. Hang Gliders Lookout and Rotary Lookout are great spots that can get quite busy. Sometimes hang gliders do leave from the mountain as well, and it can be pretty special to see them sailing out over the Canungra Valley.
Lamington National Park, Binna Burra and O’Reilly’s
Lamington National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed national park located approximately 100 kilometres south of Brisbane. Within Lamington National Park are two areas we recommend for family travel.
The first of these is Binna Burra, which is located on the eastern side of Lamington National Park and is accessible from the Gold Coast. It provides stunning views of the Coomera and Numinbah Valleys. Binna Burra is great for bushwalking and it offers a range of accommodation options, from Binna Burra Lodge right through to campsites. I stayed here with friends as a young adult, doing what would be described as ‘glamping’ today – staying in a permanent tent with beds included.
The other part of Lamington National Park we really enjoy is O’Reilly’s, which includes O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat - eco-friendly accommodation options which have been provided by the O’Reilly family for several generations. O’Reilly’s is our pick for family accommodation in Lamington National Park, because accommodation here includes individual cabins with their own decks offering views out over the valley. These cabins are more like little mountain chalets, with raked ceilings, well-appointed kitchens and cozy living rooms including fireplaces. Many also have on-deck spas which are heated, making these cabins a great option in any season. During the warmer months, there is also a centre which offers and infinity pool with views over the valley as well.
In addition to accommodation options, O’Reilly’s has a main hotel area which includes a restaurant and eateries, a small nature centre/museum, wildlife talks, bird feeding and guided tours (including Segway tours). There are many short walks from the main building and the most well-known of these is the treetops walk, which includes several suspended bridges through the canopy and the option to climb high into the trees through a caged ladder to high viewing platforms. This is an adrenaline-lover’s paradise, but it’s also very accessible for those who aren’t seeking anything more than a pleasant forest walk – and we’ve done it with quite young children with no issues.
Boonah, Peak Crossing, Kalbar & Harrisville
If mountains aren’t your thing, or if you just feel like taking a country drive, you’ll find plenty of other great, family-friendly activities in the Scenic Rim.
One kid-friendly (pun intended!) place to visit is the Naughty Little Kids goat dairy at Peak Crossing. This goat farm offers small, guided tours, goat feeding and taste testing of goat milk products. We visited on an open day which was overrun with children and vehicles, however I have since seen many positive reviews from families who visited when it was quieter.
If a goat dairy isn’t unique enough, consider a sheep dairy! Towri Sheep Cheeses, located near Boonah, offers a firsthand experience of a sheep dairy, including tasting sheep cheeses.
Similarly, there is a camel farm at Harrisville – Summer Land Camels – which offers an educational experience up-close with these gentle giants, sells camel milk products (including ice cream!) in an on-site café, and provides camel rides for a small fee. This child-friendly activity offers something pretty unique, and within an hour’s drive of Brisbane.
Of course, there are also many traditional cow dairies which often open their doors/gates to the public. One of these is Tommerup’s Dairy Farm, which has open days and offers farm stay opportunities.
Once you’ve visited some of these dairies, you’ll no doubt be looking for somewhere nice to eat. The town of Boonah is laid-back and welcoming, and makes a great place to stop for a coffee, a meal or a play in one of their excellent playgrounds. Another lovely stop for a meal is the Scenic Rim Farm Shop, just outside Boonah, which offers casual outdoor dining on a lawn dotted with shady trees. This is the perfect spot to try some Scenic Rim produce while allowing the kids to let off steam in the relaxed setting. There’s even a shop dog who may come and visit your table! Kooroomba Vineyards and Lavender Farm is another option, offering spectacular views and delicious food - and while this isn’t a venue that targets families, it is still pretty family-friendly, allowing guests to wander through the lavender fields, learn about lavender cultivation and try lavender-based products.
Brisbane and Ipswich locals are spoiled to have both the coast and this beautiful hinterland region within an hour’s drive of home. This makes the Scenic Rim perfect for a family day out or a weekend getaway. We’d love to hear about your own experiences in this picturesque region.
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