Kingaroy

Heritage Museum: formerly the Kingaroy Power House, the museum depicts the history of Kingaroy under the themes of people, power and peanuts. Historical displays include machinery, photos and videos on the peanut and navy-bean industries; Haly St. Art Gallery: local and regional artists; open 10am–3pm Mon–Fri; Civic Sq, Glendon St. The Peanut Van: sales of local 'jumbo' peanuts; Kingaroy St. Apex Lookout: panoramic views of town; Carroll Nature Reserve, Fisher St.

Bunya Mountains National Park The Bunya Mountains sit on an isolated spur of the Great Dividing Range, a cool, moist region of waterfalls, and green and scarlet king parrots. This important park the world's largest natural Bunya-pine forest, a species much depleted by early timber-getters. It is a significant Aboriginal site as many feasts were held here with the bunya nuts as the main fare. There are many walking trails for beginners and the experienced alike, including the short Bunya Bunya Track, the 8.4 km return Cherry Plain Track, or the easy 4-kilometre Scenic Circuit from the Dandabah camping area, which winds through rainforest to Pine Gorge Lookout. Have a bush picnic and see the many butterflies or go spotlighting to glimpse owls and mountain possums. (07) 4668 3127; 58 km SW.Aboriginal Bora Ring: preserved site; Cnr Reagan and Coolabunia rds;17.5 km SW. Mt Wooroolin Lookout: excellent views over Kingaroy's farmlands; 3 km W. Bethany: tour the Bjelke-Petersen's property and taste the famous Bjelke-Petersen pumpkin scones; open Wed and Sat, bookings essential; (07) 4162 7046; off Goodger Rd; 9 km SE. Wooroolin: quaint town with many heritage buildings including the Grant Hotel (1916). The Gordonbrook Dam is an excellent spot for picnics and birdwatching from the hides; 18 km N. Scenic aeroplane flights: over the Burnett region daily; (07) 4162 2629. Scenic glider flights: over surrounding area; (07) 4162 2191.

Bjelke Petersen Dam 29 km

Lake Barambah is a 22 sq km water about 15 km south-east of Murgon. It is regarded as one of the state’s best waters for big bass, but also has yellowbelly, silver perch and saratoga. It is relatively shallow for a... Find out more

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Lake Boondooma 63 km

Situated on the Boyne River to the west of Bjelke Petersen Dam, this lake is about 15 km from Proston. Since its construction in 1983, a variety of species have been stocked here. Australian bass, silver perch and... Find out more

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Lake Wivenhoe 114 km

Impoundment fishing for native species in southern Queensland has enjoyed phenomenal growth and it all began at Lake Wivenhoe. Situated about 80 km west of Brisbane on the Brisbane Valley Highway, Wivenhoe has a surface... Find out more

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Mooloolaba 130 km

It’s 6am on the Mooloolaba waterfront behind Kawana Waters Hotel. The temperature is mild enough to be wearing shorts and a shirt. All is quiet amid the moored boats except for the eager anglers sitting around the... Find out more

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Lake Lenthall 144 km

Anyone who has read about the barramundi boom in Queensland’s impoundments will know about lakes like Awoonga, Faust and Callide. But there are many, less- known waters that also offer excellent fishing, and one of... Find out more

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Wuruma Dam 173 km

Situated 35 km north of Eidsvold, this 18 sq km little-known water contains Australian bass, barramundi, saratoga, silver perch, yellowbelly and sleepy cod. A Stocked Impoundment Permit is required. There is a large... Find out more

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Hervey Bay 175 km

Hervey Bay and Fraser Island are inseparably linked to each other and to fishing. Variety and quality of species is a true measure of a fishing destination and here you can catch longtails (northern bluefin tuna),... Find out more

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Lake Monduran 185 km

Lake Monduran is near Gin Gin, a four-hour drive north of Brisbane on the Bruce Highway. Although it appears narrow, it has a surface area of 53 sq km and a holding capacity of 585 900 ML of water, which is about 1.6... Find out more

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Fraser Island 219 km

The world’s biggest sand island, Fraser Island is 123 km long and has become Australia’s most famous beach-fishing venue, albeit one that also offers rock- and offshore fishing. The list of inshore species... Find out more

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Cania Dam 227 km

Located close to Monto, Cania Dam holds yellowbelly, silver perch and Australian bass to 3 kg. Cania’s big drawcard though is the saratoga. Initially stocked with only 200 individuals, the saratoga have bred to a... Find out more

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Cycling the Sunshine Coast and hinterland 104 km

Join a half-day or longer guided bike tour with Bicycle Tours of Queensland, particularly the popular Sunshine Coast ride or Maleny to Glass House Mountains. A back-up bus is included if it all gets too much.... Find out more

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Mount Coot-tha Forest 152 km

The largest natural area in Brisbane, this 1500 hectares of open eucalypt forest holds more than 18 kilometres of walking tracks, 12 kilometres of mountain-biking tracks and a further 31 kilometres of multi-use tracks.... Find out more

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Westlander 157 km

Take the overnight train ride from Brisbane to Charleville or Quilpie, travelling over the Great Dividing Range and through some of Queensland’s rich farming areas.... Find out more

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Cycling and mountain-biking around Brisbane 157 km

Brisbane has a growing network of great cycling trails and some excellent rides for tourists – a five-to-20-kilometre ride along the shores of the Brisbane River comes highly recommended. There is also a great ride... Find out more

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Rock climbing around Brisbane 158 km

Brisbane’s Kangaroo Point is perhaps the friendliest city rock-climbing spot in the country, with views over the Brisbane River, a range of climbs for absolute beginners and upwards, and established anchor points... Find out more

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Hiking on Fraser Island 163 km

Fraser Island, with its 1653 square kilometres encompassing 200-metre-high sand dunes, 80 beautiful lakes and pockets of rainforest, is a delight for those prepared to put on a pack. Hikers can camp beside some of the... Find out more

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Dolphin tours around Hervey Bay 173 km

All year-round Blue Dolphin Marine Tours runs eco-tours to see the two species of dolphin in the area – the bottlenose, and the rare Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin. You have a 95 per cent chance of seeing the... Find out more

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Tamborine Mountain Distillery 204 km

There is a multitude of chemical-free schnapps, gins and vodkas to try here, many of which come from the fruits grown on the farm. Try lemon myrtle vodka, the multifaceted choc’n’chili liqueur, forest... Find out more

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Twin Waters Golf Club 125 km

By the end of the 1980s, Queensland’s Sunshine Coast had a handful of good member clubs. In the ’90s, as the region became home to Australia’s fastest growing population, more golf courses and more... Find out more

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Hyatt Regency Coolum Resort 125 km

Resort courses are sometimes labelled, perhaps unfairly, as all being similar to one another: wide fairways, big undulating greens, large bunker schemes, the obligatory drinks cart. Some might even say a round of golf... Find out more

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Noosa Springs Resort 125 km

Laid out across 50 hectares of bushland on the shore of beautiful Lake Weyba, Noosa Springs takes you on a gently rolling journey between rainforest pockets, along the edges of lakes and through bloodwood forest,... Find out more

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Pelican Waters Golf Club 129 km

It took 54 years for his dream to be realised, but when Pelican Waters Golf Club finally opened for play in 2000, not even the visionary behind the original idea could have imagined it would turn out as good as it... Find out more

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North Lakes Resort Golf Club 139 km

Good course designers have tricks up their sleeves when it comes to spurring golfers to rise to the challenge. They can visually intimidate you with large schemes of bunkers or water hazards encroaching on the best... Find out more

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Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club 141 km

Challenging the best players without alienating casual and beginner golfers is the fine line every course designer treads in coming up with a new creation. One designer who does it better than most is Ross Watson. His... Find out more

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Royal Queensland Golf Club 159 km

Of all the golf courses in this book, Royal Queensland has undergone the most dramatic changes in recent years. Originally opened in 1920, on reclaimed mangrove swampland on the north bank of the Brisbane River, ... Find out more

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Brookwater Golf & Country Club 163 km

Brookwater opened to considerable fanfare in 2002, with many observers quick to draw comparisons with Augusta National, venerable home of the US Masters. The varied terrain, inventive bunkering and undulating putting... Find out more

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The Links, Hope Island 211 km

When Hope Island opened for play in 1993 it was a unique addition to Australia’s golfing landscape. Here was a links-style layout seemingly uprooted from Scotland and transplanted on to the sunny northern... Find out more

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Sanctuary Cove Golf & Country Club (Pines course) 211 km

Sanctuary Cove’s Pines layout, designed by Arnold Palmer, has reigned for more than two decades as one of the Gold Coast’s best courses. At various stages during that time it has also ranked among the... Find out more

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Booie Bello Vista

The Burnett region is a fertile one and this restaurant makes use of its products, as well as offering plenty of fresh fish dishes. It is housed in the same building as the unusual Booie Range Distillers and has tastings... Find out more

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Mondo Organics, West End 156 km

Australia’s first organic restaurant when it opened in 2000, Mondo Organics serves a range of organic meats, including beef, chicken, duck and lamb, and the fish is chosen for the sustainability of the catch. The... Find out more

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Sunshine Coast Brewery 120 km

Queensland’s longest-running microbrewery has been operating from an industrial estate on the outskirts of Maroochydore since 1998. It was established by Jim Robinson and Queensland craft-beer pioneer Graham Howard... Find out more

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Castlemaine Perkins (Fourex) Brewery 155 km

The pages of Australian brewing history are littered with take-overs and acquisitions, and while Castlemaine Perkins sounds like a merger, it was, in reality, yet another buy-out. As the name suggests, the Castlemaine... Find out more

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Foster's Group (Yatala Brewery) 193 km

This brewery site, located at Yatala, midway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, was established by the Power Brewing Company, which launched Powers Bitter in 1988. Four years later a joint venture between Powers and... Find out more

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Mt Tamborine Brewery 205 km

As we went to press, one of Queensland’s more ambitious craft-brewing operations was about to come to fruition at Mount Tamborine, in the Gold Coast hinterland. The 24-hectolitre microbrewery is the original plant... Find out more

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Burleigh Brewing Company 233 km

Queensland has generally suffered from a dearth of craft breweries so the Burleigh Brewing Company is a welcome and relatively recent addition. Co-owner/brewer Brennan Fielding boasts considerable experience as a... Find out more

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Broadwater Recreational Reserve camping area 20 km

Known to be a good birdwatching area, this campsite is suitable for self-sufficient campers. Signposted access is via Broadwater Access Rd off the Burnett Hwy, 22 km north of Nanango. Drop into the visitor centre for... Find out more

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Seven Mile Diggings camping area 29 km

You can still dig around in this old fossicking area 11 km south of Nanango, though it’s unlikely you’ll find any gold. Accessible by 4WD only via Old Coash Rd/Old Esk North Rd, this site has no facilities... Find out more

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Yallakool Tourist Park 31 km

Outdoor movies and friendly tennis competitions might not be typical tourist park activities, but Yallakool offers more bang for your buck. Situated 13 km south-east of Murgon, there’s sheltered swimming areas;... Find out more

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Maidenwell rest area 34 km

This free stopover has a barbecue, toilets and picnic tables on Coomba Falls Rd in Maidenwell, 25 km south-west of Nanango. Have a hot shower in the town hall (pick up the key from the general store), and bring your own... Find out more

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Burton’s Well camping area 44 km

Camp among the ancient grass trees with beautiful forest surrounds at this large site, 8.5 km north-west of the QPWS information centre. The carpark is a short walk from the 50 designated camping spots. A gas/fuel stove... Find out more

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Westcott camping area 44 km

Suitable for tents only, there is no vehicular access to this small partly shaded campground, but parking is just 20 m away. There are fireplaces but use the firewood sparingly. The site is 4 km north of Dandabah on... Find out more

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Dandabah camping area 45 km

Dandabah has large, open grassy areas conveniently close to a small general store, restaurant and public phone. There are sites for up to 70 campers and it can be reached by conventional vehicle. The site is on Bunya... Find out more

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Swinging Bridge Park camping area 49 km

This site has no showers or toilets, but the Cooyar Hotel nearby is happy for you to use their facilities; they charge a small fee for showers. If you are using one of the powered sites, collect the key to the power box... Find out more

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First Settler’s Park rest area 49 km

Suitable for a single-night stopover, this site has access for caravans and trailers. It is in Benarkin, signposted off the D’Aguilar Hwy south-east of Nanango.... Find out more

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Clancy’s camping area 56 km

Beside Emu Creek (a tributary of the Brisbane River) and adjacent to the Bicentennial National Trail, this campground has sizeable, open grassy areas suitable for large groups. The site is accessible with conventional... Find out more

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Homestead Caravan Park and Cabins 22 km

This is a quiet park off the highway where every site has its own ensuite. It is a great stopover on the journey north or a good base from which to explore the Bunya Mountains. The ensuite sites are good value.... Find out more

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Bjelke-Petersen Dam Tourist and Recreation Park (formerly Yallakool) 31 km

This is a large park on the shores of the Bjeilke-Petersen Dam. Modern extensions have seen the installation of ensuite sites. It is an ideal location for breaking the journey, catching up on some rest or catching a... Find out more

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Barambah Bush Caravan Park 35 km

This is a bush area with a caravan park. There are good facilities and several kilometres of bushwalking trails. Bookings required at peak periods and a minimum-length stay at Easter and long weekends.... Find out more

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Yarraman Caravan Park 35 km

Perched high on a hill about 1 km north of Yarraman, the park has a great outlook over the surrounding areas. This is an easy park to access. It has a large number of sites and is popular with caravan clubs who can use... Find out more

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Crows Nest Caravan Park 84 km

Only 1 km south of Crows Nest on the New England Highway, the park has a popular licensed restaurant and offers easy access for vans and larger motorhomes. It is good value for money.... Find out more

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Ocean View Caravan Park 113 km

High above the coastal plain with views to the sea, this park is being improved and further developed. Situated midway between Maleny and Landsborough, it is well located for those exploring the hinterland. Bookings are... Find out more

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BIG4 Toowoomba Garden City Holiday Park 116 km

Colourful, manicured gardens greet you at the entrance of this high-quality park in a quiet spot, about 3 km from the city. The park has great amenities and is a good base for exploring this wonderful city and... Find out more

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Toowoomba Motor Village Caravan Park 117 km

Located on the southern approach to Toowoomba, this is an older establishment but has good facilities and amenities and is an ideal base for exploring the local area.... Find out more

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BIG4 Forest Glen Holiday Resort 118 km

This award-winning park is set on over 19 ha of parkland. There is a large pool, tennis court, squash court, minigolf and a licensed restaurant. The Bruce Highway is close by and the Sunshine Coast beaches are just 15... Find out more

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BIG4 Noosa Bougainvillia Holiday Park 119 km

With good facilities, this is a quality park opposite the Noosa golf course. It is very popular year-round and a great base for spending a holiday in the Noosa area. Bookings are required in peak periods and a... Find out more

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Bethany Cottages

John and Karyn Bjelke-Petersen have four self-contained one- and two-bedroom guest cottages on Bethany farm, home of John’s parents, former Queensland Premier the late Sir Joh Bjelke Petersen and his widow, former... Find out more

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Deshon’s Retreat

This self-contained cottage for four is perfect for a stay in the bush and is situated some 9 kilometres north of Kingaroy. It is private and secluded, and has an open fire. Hosts Frank and Jayne Deshon supply breakfast... Find out more

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Taabinga Homestead

This working cattle property 18 kilometres south of Kingaroy and close to Bunya Mountains National Park also produces grain, beans, peanuts, wine grapes and olives. Its homestead is part of the National Estate, built in... Find out more

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The Quilter’s Rest

The name says it all. Quilters can meet others with the same interest on the 400-hectare cattle property, Tamalba. They can attend classes, finish their own craft projects in a tranquil setting or simply enjoy the... Find out more

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Glass House Mountains Eco-Lodge 118 km

The simple, down-market rooms here include the use of old train carriages for a communal kitchen and group area. An old church has also been recycled, and all greywater and blackwater is used on site to irrigate the... Find out more

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Brisbane Marriott Hotel 157 km

By no means the greenest accommodation in this book, the Marriott still deserves inclusion as one of the better options in large hotels. It gained the Green Globe Benchmarked Bronze status and is AAA-rated for its water-... Find out more

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Emeraldene Inn and Eco-Lodge, Hervey Bay 169 km

The 14 hotel-style rooms here, including two disabled rooms, have solar hot water and an envirocycle treatment system so that all sewage and greywater is treated and reused on site. The lodge has a solid environmental... Find out more

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Kingfisher Bay Resort, Fraser Island 175 km

With 1000 beds, and a choice of pools, restaurants and bars, this is the largest accommodation place mentioned in this book, but it has a longstanding reputation as being a positive role model for large ecotourism... Find out more

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Destiny Boonah 186 km

Set on 80 hectares of Land for Wildlife property, this self-contained three-bedroom cottage is solar- and wind-powered. You are encouraged to bring a mountain bike or go bushwalking on the property, which is located near... Find out more

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The Mouses House, Springbrook 235 km

Set in a beautiful rainforest at more than 800 metres above sea level, this luxury resort has 11 self-contained chalets, hot tub, sauna, tennis court and bikes, a sensible environmental policy and eco-accreditation. It... Find out more

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Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat 238 km

Located near Murwillumbah and surrounded on three sides by World Heritage–listed national parks, this secluded couples-only resort on the Queensland border has minimal-impact, self-contained bungalows and cabins.... Find out more

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Cottages on the Creek 241 km

This 2-hectare establishment is managed as a Land for Wildlife property and the two, onebedroom spa cottages have composting toilets, protecting Currumbin Creek with its turtles, catfish, platypus and yabbies.... Find out more

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Chatsworth Rest Area 90 km

6 km N of Gympie (L) or 55 km S of Tiaro (R) Large grassed area just off the highway. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S26 09.01 E152 37.47  ... Find out more

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Six Mile Creek Rest Area 92 km

162 km N of Brisbane (L) or 6 km S of Gympie (R) Large grassed area just off the highway. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S26 13.901 E152 41.849... Find out more

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Gunalda Rest Area 96 km

29 km N of Gympie (R) or 32 km S of Tiaro (L) Large area just off the highway. Good facilities. Limited shade. GPS: S25 59.184 E152 34.259... Find out more

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Tiaro Camp Area 117 km

Middle of town Small area just east of the highway via Inman Street. Limited shade. Toilets at adjacent town park. GPS: S25 43.722 E152 35.059... Find out more

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Petrie Rest Area 117 km

T/O 1 km N of Tiaro (L) or 81 km S of Childers (R) Small secluded area 1 kilometre west of the highway in a pleasant setting on the riverbank. Good shade and facilities. GPS: S25 42.905 E152 34.533... Find out more

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Landsborough Park Area 122 km

83 km N of Brisbane (L) or 85 km S of Gympie (R) Small area located 500 metres off the highway via Landsborough exit. Good shade. GPS: S26 46.409 E153 02.252... Find out more

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Coochin Creek Camp Area 126 km

T/O 73 km N of Brisbane (R) or 95 km S of Gympie (L) Coochin Creek campground is located 5 kilometres east of the highway (via Bells Creek Road and Roys Road) in a pleasant forest setting in Beerburrum State Forest.... Find out more

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Wongi Camp Area 141 km

T/O 36 km N of Tiaro (L) or 42 km S of Childers (R) Large secluded campground located 10 kilometres west of the highway in a native bush setting in Wongi State Forest. Good facilities and shade. NOTE: Unsealed... Find out more

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