HEART OF THE SCENIC RIM TOWNS

In the Boonah District of the Scenic Rim, our towns are our lifeblood, the heart and soul of the Fassifern Valley and are well worth a visit.

Boonah

Boonah is the largest urban area in the district and is the commercial centre for the surrounding towns.

The township is the primary service centre which caters for the districts needs with a range of businesses, services and commercial activities.

These include Shopping facilities, Council Office, Civic Centre, Hospital, Retirement Village, Primary & Secondary Schools, Sport & Recreation facilities, Parks & Gardens, Arts & Cultural facilities, Child Care Centre, Day Respite Care Centre, Churches, Laundromats, Hotels, Motels, Caravan Parks & Showgrounds.

Kalbar

The town of Kalbar is situated in the fertile Fassifern Valley with magnificent views of the Scenic Rim.

Kalbar has a rich German history which is reflected in many historic sites around town.  The town acts as a secondary commercial and service centre in the district.

Kalbar offers shopping facilities, civic centre, hotel, heritage bed & breakfast accommodation, showgrounds, school, historical churches, retirement village, parks and gardens.

Attractions include heritage listed buildings of the Wiss Emporium (above right), a hotel, cafes and art galleries.

Aratula

The village of Aratula is located on the Cunningham Highway at the foot of Cunningham's Gap, serving the local rural community as well as passing traffic.

Aratula offers commercial services, arts & crafts, cafes, bakery, service stations, school, School of Arts hall, hotel, motels, caravan park and camping grounds.

Mt Alford, Roadvale, Warrill View, Rosevale, Maroon & Dugandan

These smaller villages provide basic services to their residents and visitors.

There are historic hotels at Rosevale and Mt Alford and basic General Stores in most areas.

Harrisville & Peak Crossing

The village of Harrisville is located 20 minutes north of Boonah. The main street retains many historical buildings including a cafe in the former the National Bank building, the School of Arts and local hotels.

Harrisville was also home to the pioneer film-makers, Charles and Elsa Chauvel, producers of Errol Flynn's first epic, In the Wake of the Bounty. Locations around Harrisville were also used in their first film, The Moth of Moonbi, as well as from Chauvel's property, Summerlands, at Mutdapilly.

Visitors to Harrisville can enjoy local wines, a drink at a country pub, or a meal in a heritage cafe.

Peak Crossing is a small village further north on the Ipswich Road.

Rathdowney

Discover Mount Barney

Rathdowney, is the gateway to the wilderness areas of Mt Barney National Park.

Bushwalkers and other visitors on their way to the mountains can stop at the information centre to find out about the adventures awaiting them in the national park.  Accommodation includes farmstay, self-contained cottages, B & B's and camping grounds.

Dairying, horse breeding and training remain important industries in the area today. Rathdowney with a population of about 350 people, has a local hotel, general store, garage, post office and butcher shop.  

The historical museum at the Visitors Information Centre is a must. 

Killarney 

Killarney is an attractive town and the western gateway to the Heart of the Scenic Rim.

The Queen Mary Falls National Park is 10km on the Boonah side of Killarney and is located on the Falls Drive. There are several waterfalls in the park with the most notable being Queen Mary Falls, which plunges 40m down a sheer rock face.

Located across the road from the walking track to the Queen Mary Falls is a  kiosk. Call in for lunch, a cappuccino and enjoy the wonderful birdlife.

Accommodation is available in self-contained cottages, cabins, camping and caravan parks within the district.