Region

Scenic Rim

Go only with a car: base in Boonah or Tamborine Mountain 2 nights, drive the rainforest and winery loops by day.

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Key facts · Australia

Best months: Apr–May, Sep–Oct
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Australian dollar (AUD, A$)
Language: English
Plugs: I · 230 V
Time zone: UTC+10 east

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 12

Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
Australia ↗Almost every visitor needs a visa or an electronic authorisation (ETA or eVisitor, depending on passport) before boarding: apply only through the official Department of Home Affairs site or the official AustralianETA app, and check the rules for your passport.
Australia ↗Declare all food, plant material, seeds, wood and animal products on your arrival declaration; undeclared items can bring on-the-spot fines or visa cancellation. When unsure, declare it.
Australia ↗Drive on the left. An overseas licence in English (or with an official translation or International Driving Permit) is accepted for visitors; check the state rules and your rental contract.
Australia ↗Swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches; rip currents cause most beach drownings.
Queensland ↗Marine stinger season runs November to May in tropical waters; swim inside stinger nets or in a protective suit.
Queensland ↗Queensland keeps UTC+10 all year — no daylight saving. Clocks go back an hour crossing from New South Wales in summer.
South East Queensland ↗Translink runs all trains, buses, ferries and trams in the region; a flat 50-cent fare applies per journey with up to 3 transfers (2026 estimate).
South East Queensland ↗Airtrain to or from Brisbane Airport is the exception to the flat fare and costs about A$22 (2026 estimate); book online for a discount.
South East Queensland ↗Swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches only; rips are the main risk, and stinger enclosures are used on some beaches in the warmer months.

The Scenic Rim is farmland and rainforest between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, about an hour from each. Public transport into the region is very limited, so a car is the practical way in and the only way between the towns. Two nights is enough for one rainforest day and one winery or farm day; three nights lets you add the western dams and Boonah.

Where to sleep

4 places in this region

Sleep base

BoonahCity guide
Western side; closest base for Lake Moogerah, Lake Maroon and the Boonah food and farm stops.
Best Apr–May, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Boonah →
Tamborine MountainCity guide
Eastern side; rainforest walks, wineries and the shortest drive from Brisbane or the Gold Coast.
Best Apr–May, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Tamborine Mountain →

Day trip

BeaudesertCity guide
Northern gateway on the Mount Lindesay Highway; services, not a sight in itself.
Best Apr–May, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Beaudesert →
Lamington National ParkGuide: planned
World Heritage rainforest; a full day from either base.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

2 nights: Tamborine Mountain 2 nights: one rainforest day, one winery and gallery day
3 nights: Tamborine Mountain 1 + Boonah 2: add Lake Moogerah and the western farm stops

Trying to see Tamborine Mountain, Lamington and the Boonah dams in one day is three hours of driving with no walk longer than 20 minutes.
Kangaroos and wallabies are on the road at dawn and dusk; avoid driving the rural roads after dark.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Lamington National Park	Boonah	75 min	unknown	Mountain road with tight bends; drive it in daylight and check park alerts first.
Tamborine National Park	Brisbane	70 min	unknown	Short walks from the car park; go early on weekends.
Lake Moogerah	Boonah	25 min	unknown	Camping and caravan park on the lake; popular with anglers.
Beaudesert	Boonah	45 min	unknown	Fuel, food and supplies before the western loops.

Bags between cities

No luggage forwarding here; you are driving, so bags stay in the car.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Boonah	×	×	ok	go	go	ok	ok	ok	go	go	ok	×
Tamborine Mountain	×	ok	ok	go	go	ok	ok	ok	go	go	ok	×
Beaudesert	×	×	ok	go	go	ok	ok	ok	go	go	ok	×
South East Queensland (country-wide)	–	–	–	ok	go	go	ok	ok	go	go	ok	–

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Scenic RimFoothills of the Great Dividing Range, 100–1,100 m	wet	wet	ok	best	best	ok	cool	cool	best	best	ok	wet

best: dry, mildok: workablecool: jacket, greywet: daily rain

Scenic Rim: Subtropical: summer (Dec–Feb) is humid with afternoon storms, winter nights on Tamborine Mountain and at Lamington fall near or below 5 °C (41 °F). Rain is possible year-round; the wettest months are Dec–Mar.Subtropical: summer (Dec–Feb) is humid with afternoon storms, winter nights on Tamborine Mountain and at Lamington fall near or below 41 °F (5 °C). Rain is possible year-round; the wettest months are Dec–Mar.

April–May and September–October give the most reliable walking weather; the same months are the region's event and wedding season, so book beds ahead.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
Brisbane	Beaudesert / Boonah	Car via the Mount Lindesay Highway (National Route 13)	~1 h to Beaudesert, ~1 h 30 to Boonah	The only well-developed highway into the region; the rest is narrow rural road.
Gold Coast	Tamborine Mountain	Car via the Pacific Motorway then Tamborine Mountain Road	~1 h	The shortest approach to the eastern side of the region.
Brisbane Airport (BNE)	Tamborine Mountain	Rental car from the airport	~1 h 15	Pick up the car at BNE; there is no practical rail or bus link into the region.
Gold Coast Airport (OOL)	Tamborine Mountain	Rental car	~50 min	Closest airport to the eastern side; useful for a one-way loop.

Regional passes

Verdict first

Queensland national park entry

buy

Entry to Queensland national parks is free; you pay only for camping permits, which must be booked online before you go.

Winery and distillery tours

check

Local operators run pickups from Tamborine Mountain and the Gold Coast; worth it if you plan to drink, since you are otherwise driving.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Farm-gate produce and dairy	Boonah, Kalbar, Harrisville	The region's farming base; many stalls are weekend-only, so check before driving out.
Winery lunches	Tamborine Mountain and the Boonah side	Book weekend tables ahead; kitchens often stop serving mid-afternoon.
Country pub meals	Beaudesert, Boonah, Rathdowney	Reliable, unfussy and open when winery kitchens are closed.

Go next

South East Queensland

Drive out via the Mount Lindesay Highway or the Pacific Motorway

The region sits between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Greater Brisbane

~1 h by car

Add city nights before or after the farmland.

Noosa

planned

~3 h by car up the Bruce Highway

Coast and hinterland for the next leg north.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 2 bases
Day trips: 4, 25 min to 1 h 15
Nights suggested: 2–3 nights
Ways in: 4 listed
Best months: Apr, May, Sep, Oct

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

Open South East Queensland Up to South East Queensland

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

officialScenic Rim Regional Council
officialQueensland Parks and Forests — Lamington National Park
officialQueensland Parks and Forests — Tamborine National Park
officialTourism and Events Queensland
secondaryWikivoyage: Scenic Rim, revision 5107356 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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