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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Boonah
Base here 2 nights only if you hike or climb; otherwise day-trip from Brisbane or the Gold Coast, about 1 h each way by car.
Boonah is a small Fassifern Valley town about 80 km south-west of Brisbane, used as a base for the Scenic Rim: Mt French, Cunninghams Gap, Spicers Gap, Mt Barney and the Main Range. There is no rail link, so you need a car. Most visitors come for one day of lookouts and short walks, or stay two nights to climb and hike.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (heat and storms)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–140 excl. bed · Mid A$140–220 excl. bed · High A$220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From mobiles 112
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$4–6 |
| Pub meal (counter or bistro) | A$22–35 |
| Fish and chips | A$15–25 |
| Bakery pie or sandwich | A$6–12 |
| Fuel, unleaded | A$1.80–2.10 per litre |
| National park camping, per night | A$7–14 per person |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BNE · Brisbane Airport
- About 1 h 30 min by car via the Ipswich and Cunningham highways; no direct public transport to Boonah.
- OOL · Gold Coast Airport
- About 1 h 45 min by car via Nerang, Canungra and Beaudesert.
Typical fares
- Brisbane → Boonah by car
- about 80 km, 1 h 15 min–1 h 30 min (check)about 50 mi, 1 h 15 min–1 h 30 min (check)
- Gold Coast → Boonah by car
- about 100 km via Nerang, Canungra and Beaudesert, 1 h 45 min (check)about 62 mi via Nerang, Canungra and Beaudesert, 1 h 45 min (check)
- Fuel, Boonah
- A$1.80–2.10 per litre (check)
Get around
A car is required: sights are 15–50 km apart with no useful bus service. Fuel up in Boonah before heading to Spicers Gap or The Head. Roads to Governors Chair and The Head are narrow and winding; the Condamine Gorge route is unsealed and needs a 4WD.A car is required: sights are 9.3–31 mi apart with no useful bus service. Fuel up in Boonah before heading to Spicers Gap or The Head. Roads to Governors Chair and The Head are narrow and winding; the Condamine Gorge route is unsealed and needs a 4WD.
See and do
Known for
- Scenic Rim lookouts
- Mt French rock climbing
- Cunninghams Gap and Spicers Gap
- Mt Barney walks
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mt French National Park | Drive south from town, turn right at the Dugandan Hotel; signposted to the summit car park | About 20 min |
| Cunninghams Gap | Boonah–Fassifern Road west, then south on the Cunningham Highway | About 40 min |
| Spicers Gap and Governors Chair | Boonah–Fassifern Road, then the marked road past Aratula | About 1 h |
| Mt Barney and Lower Portals | Drive south towards Rathdowney, then follow signs to Mt Barney | About 50 min |
| Queen Mary Falls and Killarney | South via Carney's Creek and The Head, or the sealed road via Spring Creek | About 1 h 15 min |
| Beaudesert | Drive east on the Boonah–Beaudesert Road | About 45 min |
Sleep
- High Street, town centre
- Pubs with rooms, cafés and the bakery within a short walk; best if you have no car in the evening.
- Dugandan and Mt French road
- Quieter, 5–10 min drive south of town; closest access to Mt French National Park.
- Bigriggen and Mt Barney area
- Camping and bush bases 30–40 min south; bring food and water.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thanks |
| Where is the nearest petrol station? | Where's the servo? |
| Is this road sealed? | Is this road bitumen? |
| Table for two, please | Table for two, thanks |
| Can I pay by card? | Card OK? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- No train or public bus to Boonah: without a car you are stuck in town.
- Mt Barney and Main Range routes are serious full-day walks: carry water, a map and tell someone your plan.
- Summer heat and afternoon storms; start walks at first light.
- Mobile coverage is patchy in the ranges.
- Kangaroos and wallabies on the road at dawn and dusk.
Boonah itself is quiet and safe; the real risks are heat, storms and remote walking routes in the Scenic Rim. Tell someone your plan, carry water and a map, and avoid unsealed roads in a 2WD.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Boonah yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Scenic Rim lookouts
- Mt French rock climbing
- Cunninghams Gap and Spicers Gap
- Mt Barney walks
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Scenic Rim Regional Council — Boonah: www.scenicrim.qld.gov.au/
- Queensland Parks — Mt French National Park: parks.desi.qld.gov.au/parks/mount-french
- Queensland Parks — Main Range National Park: parks.desi.qld.gov.au/parks/main-range
- Wikivoyage: Boonah, revision 4967896 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4967896
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/boonah). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.