Australia’s Scenic Rim

Australia has no shortage of memorable sights. That’s especially true in Queensland, which counts The Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest, and the beaches of The Gold Coast among its natural treasures.

But there’s another discovery in Queensland that’s been hiding in plain sight for years: The Scenic Rim. Located about 90 minutes southwest of the buzzing city of Brisbane, which will host the Olympics in 2032, it’s more subtle than its brethren but just as substantial as the state’s other landmarks.

If you’ve never heard of The Scenic Rim, you’re forgiven. Even some Brisbane locals seemed unsure of what it was when I spoke with them.

In short, it’s a vast arc of dormant volcanic mountains interspersed with rolling hills, farmland, and small farming communities. There are also wineries, brewpubs, and eco-lodges, like Spicers Canopy Luxury Tents. The Scenic Rim has six National Parks within its boundaries and hundreds of miles of hiking trails.

Formed roughly 23 million years ago, The Scenic Rim is lush, dramatic, and largely unknown to most Americans. Yet it’s a taste of the famed Outback just an hour and a half from Australia’s fastest-growing city. The Scenic Rim even got a shout-out from Lonely Plant in 2022 when they named it one of the top 10 regions of the world to visit.

Curious to see what it was all about, I took a day trip with Eco Safaris Queensland, a Brisbane-based adventure travel company owned by Tim Scarisbrick, a Tasmanian native now living in Queensland. A friendly and erudite guide with a wealth of knowledge about the Scenic Rim, he was the perfect companion on an eight-hour tour in his comfortable Range Rover HSE.

The day trip aspect was ideal. You can easily pair a visit to Brisbane with this journey back to a rather Edenic landscape. We spend the day on long looping drives, interspersed with some light hiking and many stops to take in the dramatic views from various lookouts. Chief among them was a drive on a dirt track known as Green Hills Road, where Scarisbrick pulled over as we crested a high ridge. We stepped out into a light wind and utter silence, taking in a panoramic view of volcanic mountains, thick green slopes, broad valleys, and few signs of human habitation. Apart from a few sheep grazing in the distance, it seemed almost primeval.

“I’ve been told that Steve Irwin thought that this was the most beautiful road in Australia,” Scarisbrick said, referring to the late Australian zookeeper, conservationist, and television personality who, more than anyone else, was responsible for introducing the world to the wildlife and landscapes of the country.

It was hypnotically beautiful and impossible to argue with Irwin’s claim. But there was more to come later in the day when we paused at Lake Moogerah, drove past landscapes with flame trees and jacaranda trees and forests of eucalyptus trees, where we tried in vain to spot koalas high up in their branches.

We stopped in Boonah, which could have been a film set for an Australian Outback film. Lunch was at Scenic Rim Brewery in Mt. Alford, a small hamlet where Michael and Wendy Webster took over a moribund general store dating from 1884 and turned it into a lively café. Wendy prepares hearty food like bitterballen (beef croquettes) and bratwurst inspired by her Dutch heritage and pairs it with Michael’s beers, which include Digga’s Pale Ale and Fat Man Maroon Ale.

Those who want to see more of The Scenic Rim can walk the Scenic Rim Trail, a four-day trek that stretches 30 miles from Thornton View to Cunninghams Gap. On the other hand, a day trip is perfect for those who want to return to Brisbane and its dynamic restaurant scene (which I’ve written about in Forbes) in time for dinner.

Visit Eco Safaris Queensland.