Explore Australia

Carbethon Folk Museum and Pioneer Village: many interesting old buildings and over 20 000 items of memorabilia documenting the history of the shire; open 10am–3pm Thurs–Sun; Thallon St. Bullocky's Rest and Applegum Walk: a 1.5 km track follows the creeks to Hartmann Park and a lookout over Pump Hole. Visit in late winter to see the beautiful wildflowers; entry from New England Hwy.

Crows Nest National Park This popular park features a variety of landscapes, including granite outcrops and eucalypt forest. The wildlife is spectacular: see the platypus in the creek and the brush-tailed rock wallabies on the rocky cliffs. A steep track from the creek leads to an excellent lookout over Crows Nest Falls; follow this further to Koonin Lookout for spectacular views over the gorge, known locally as the Valley of Diamonds. (07) 4699 4333; 6 km E (look for sign to Valley of Diamonds).Holland Wines: offers a vast collection of exquisite wines: 5 km N. Bunnyconnellen Olive Grove and Vineyard: perfect getaway for couples with rooms available. Enjoy the magnificent wines and gourmet food; open weekends; Swain Rd, off New England Hwy, 10 km N. Lake Cressbrook: set among picturesque hills is this excellent spot for windsurfing and boating. Fish the lake for silver perch; 17 km E. Ravensbourne National Park: a small park comprising remnant rainforest and wet eucalypt forest with over 80 species of birds, including the black-breasted button-quail that can be seen feeding on the rainforest floor on the Cedar Block track. Many bushwalks start at Blackbean picnic area; Esk–Hampton Rd; (07) 4699 4333; 25 km SE. Beutel's Lookout: picnic area with scenic views across the Brisbane Valley; adjacent to Ravensbourne National Park; 25 km SE. Goombungee: historic town with museum. Famous for running rural ironman and ironwoman competitions on Australia Day; 32 km W.

Lake Wivenhoe 52 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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Bjelke Petersen Dam 102 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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Mooloolaba 125 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 Boondooma 142 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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Clarrie Hall Dam - Fishing Sub-region 181 km

Angling is a buzz when you are into a hot bite. It is also a buzz when discovering new territory or out hooking with other anglers, observing their methods and techniques on their home waters. So it was when I fished... Find out more

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Lake Lenthall 211 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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Hervey Bay 234 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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Mount Coot-tha Forest 93 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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Cycling the Sunshine Coast and hinterland 97 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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Westlander 99 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 100 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 100 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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Tamborine Mountain Distillery 134 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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Hiking on Fraser Island 211 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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Diving and snorkelling around Byron Bay 217 km

Although there is not much in the way of shore dives or snorkelling around Byron Bay, the nearby Julian Rocks Marine Reserve is a top spot if you can get on a boat, with sea turtles, eagle rays, corals, grey nurse and... Find out more

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Dolphin tours around Hervey Bay 233 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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Brookwater Golf & Country Club 94 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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North Lakes Resort Golf Club 96 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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Royal Queensland Golf Club 105 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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Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club 112 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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Pelican Waters Golf Club 113 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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Twin Waters Golf Club 124 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 130 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 139 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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The Links, Hope Island 145 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) 146 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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Mondo Organics, West End 98 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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Castlemaine Perkins (Fourex) Brewery 97 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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Sunshine Coast Brewery 117 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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Foster's Group (Yatala Brewery) 129 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 135 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 164 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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Stone and Wood Brewing 214 km

The popular coastal holiday destination of Byron Bay is the location for one of the country’s newest and most exciting craft breweries – Stone & Wood. The partners behind the venture include a trio of... Find out more

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Crows Nest camping area 6 km

The eucalypt forests of Crows Nest provide a beautiful setting for wildlife watching, hiking and bush camping. You can look for platypus in the creek, spot brush-tailed rock wallabies, or take a walk across the gorge... Find out more

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Lake Cressbrook camping area 14 km

With excellent fishing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing and windsurfing on offer, it’s a watersports wonderland at Lake Cressbrook. For walkers, a 5 km circuit starts at the camping ground and loops around the lake... Find out more

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Emu Creek camping area 33 km

Great for families, with enough space for up to 200 campers, you need to bring firewood and drinking water to this camping area. The gravel road can be steep, narrow and winding at times (be wary of logging trucks), but... Find out more

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Clancy’s camping area 35 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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Swinging Bridge Park camping area 38 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 42 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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Atkinson Dam Waterfront Caravan Park 43 km

Anglers will like this freshwater sport-fishing hotspot, and holiday-makers will enjoy the kitchen, kiosk, cabins and other park facilities. An officially sanctioned local group has plans to stock the water with saratoga... Find out more

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Atkinson Dam cabin village and shoreline camping 43 km

Watersports enthusiasts can enjoy access to the shoreline of Atkinson Dam at this site, 8 km south-west of Coominya. There’s a general store for supplies, fuel and gas bottle refills, plus laundry facilities. Look... Find out more

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Captain Logan Camp 50 km

With as much water as 2.5 Sydney Harbours, Wivenhoe Dam is a major water storage reserve for south-east Queensland and a hub for watersports enthusiasts. With 57 unpowered sites, Captain Logan Camp suits both tent and... Find out more

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Somerset Park camping area 50 km

Waterskiing enthusiasts and keen anglers enjoy staying at this basic site, 25 km north-east of Esk and 26 km south of Kilcoy. The camping ground is on the western shore of the lake, reached via the Esk–Kilcoy Rd.... Find out more

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Crows Nest Caravan Park 1 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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Toowoomba Motor Village Caravan Park 38 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 Toowoomba Garden City Holiday Park 38 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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Yarraman Caravan Park 48 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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Homestead Caravan Park and Cabins 64 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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Newmarket Gardens Caravan Park 96 km

The closest caravan park to Brisbane’s city centre, this older park has good basic facilities. With the city less than 4 km away, it is particularly popular with campers and backpackers.... Find out more

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BIG4 Brisbane Northside Caravan Village 96 km

A good quality park close to the northern approach to Brisbane, this park is ideal for those wanting good access to the city’s northern suburbs. Minimum-booking periods apply.... Find out more

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Glasshouse Mountains Tourist Park 97 km

Set in a subtropical treed area, close to the picturesque Glass House Mountains, this park has all the basic requirements and is well located for those wanting to spend some time at Australia Zoo. Bookings are required... Find out more

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Lake Moogerah Caravan Park 100 km

In a picturesque setting on the shores of Lake Moogerah, nestled among the rugged peaks of the Scenic Rim, the park is 9 km south of Aratula along a sealed road. The lake is a popular destination for waterskiers.... Find out more

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Ocean View Caravan Park 102 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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Bunnyconnellen Olive 
Grove and Vineyard

Stay in The Studio, a renovated old farm building with small kitchen, ensuite, pot-bellied stove, music system (no TV) and two porch areas, one with a barbecue. The setting’s the thing here as you wander through... Find out more

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Glass House Mountains Eco-Lodge 96 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 100 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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Destiny Boonah 106 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 161 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 165 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 169 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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Emerald Valley Villa 204 km

Nestled in the hinterland some 25 minutes drive from Byron Bay, this is way up the high end of ecotourism in this country. You can rent your own five-star palace (they call it a villa), complete with pool, courtyard,... Find out more

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Kingfisher Bay Resort, Fraser Island 229 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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Emeraldene Inn and Eco-Lodge, Hervey Bay 230 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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Coochin Creek Camp Area 107 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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Landsborough Park Area 112 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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Six Mile Creek Rest Area 131 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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Chatsworth Rest Area 136 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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