What to do in Boonah – a first-timer’s guide to Boonah within the Scenic Rim

Had you said you were off to Boonah in the 1880’s, you’d have received some funny looks. That’s because Boonah was originally named Blumbergville after the opening of the Blumberg Brothers’ stores in 1882. Blumbergville sat between two pastoral runs, Dungandan and Coochin Coochin, and grew in size as each station expanded. When the Fassifern railway line extended to service the area in 1887, the Boonah railway station was built, and the Town’s name solidified. Fun fact: Boonah is a word taken from the Yuggera and Yugumbir language groups, meaning bloodwood or brigalow tree.

Destructive floods in 1887 saw many locals relocate from nearby low-lying Dugandan to the higher grounds of Boonah and, as a result, new schools, shops, churches, and infrastructure were built to support Boonah’s growing population.

Since then, Boonah has flourished into the country town it is today – a hub for agricultural businesses serviced by modern amenities but still sporting heritage-listed buildings true to their original design. As you drive through Boonah, keep an eye out for the heritage-listed Commercial Hotel, Boonah Post Office, and Boonah Butter Factory (now Flavour’s Café), which pay homage to the town’s original architecture.

You’ll need more than a day to satisfy your Boonah ‘to-do’ list, so turn your trip into a multi-night adventure with these Boonah accommodation options.

Milford Country Cottages

Found just four kilometres outside Boonah’s Town Centre, Milford Country Cottages serves up rest, relaxation and tranquillity worthy of the accolade ‘Best of Queensland Experience’ in 2023 and 2024. You’ll find two, fully furbished Queenslander cottages within white wooden fences, serving stunning countryside views from the large patio and thoughtfully designed interiors equipped with all your creature comforts. Their Rose Cottage is fitted with a wheelchair ramp, widened doorways and other accessibility features so all can enjoy its charm.

Ketchup’s Bank Glamping

To make the most of your time in a region that’s been dubbed ‘Switzerland, without the snow’, immerse yourself in your natural surroundings at Ketchup’s Bank Glamping. Ketchup’s Bank ticks all the nature boxes while still offering your favourite amenities. The Glamping Tents at Ketchup’s Bank dial up the pampering with their plush queen bed, yoga mats, Webber BBQ, hammock, bath robes, a private campfire and floor-to-ceiling glass doors looking directly out on the rolling hills of the Scenic Rim. We suspect one try of camping’s glamorous cousin, glamping, and we think you’ll be hooked. Lucky, there’s more places to enjoy glamping where Ketchup’s Bank came from.

Hanoob Views

If you simply can’t part from your tail-wagging companion, pack the leash and make for Hanoob Views – pet-friendly accommodation on a ridgeline just 20 minutes outside Boonah. Lucky guests can take their pick of accommodation from The Hideaway, an accessible cottage on a 10-acre property with modern furnishings and room for six guests (plus pets of course), The Villa, a near-new three-bedroom house with a fully fenced yard, or The Cottage, a two-bedroom house that’s just as accommodating for pets and pairs spacy interiors with panoramic views. Each house comes with a backyard and pet-friendly surroundings, so you can enjoy peace of mind while letting your pooch off their leash to go exploring. Now that your accommodation is sorted, see what pet-friendly experiences await in the Scenic Rim.

Have you ever tasted award-winning produce that’s fresh from the field? You’re about to. Boonah’s proximity to top Scenic Rim farms mean food miles are sliced and diced across the region’s restaurants and cafes.

The Vue Restaurant

When you dine at The Vue Restaurant, you’re letting a local who’s honed their craft over 16 years serve you a curated taste of the Scenic Rim. The Vue’s menu offers a variety of meat-based, vegetarian, and vegan dishes, with local favourites being the 200g Grain Fed Wagyu Rump Cap, Stuffed Pumpkin and Herb Crusted Lamb Rack. Bring your glasses for the menu’s fine print to see which local farm is behind the produce on your plate. There are certainly no bad seats in the house here – with the dining deck serving up golden sunset views alongside your dinner on the regular.

Boonah Tavern

Call the Boonah Tavern a triple threat by the way it delivers mouth-watering eats, chilled beer, and a rocking atmosphere every visit. As the only family-owned and operated pub in Boonah, it’s a place where you’ll encounter local legends who are always up for a yarn. Capitalise on their lunch specials for bargain bites or test their claim to fame ‘best beer in Boonah’ with a pint or two. After the Boonah Tavern leaves a sweet taste in your mouth, enjoy more classic country hospitality at these pubs.

Blume Restaurant

Intimate, intentional and champions of local produce – It’s no wonder Blume has earned a name for itself in many Queensland top restaurant lists. Blume’s menu is constructed to reflect their ethos of ‘time & place’ – it changes to match the harvest season of local farms (plus their own garden) and truly showcases the best of the Scenic Rim. Blume’s commitment to culinary excellence is reflected in their 2025 Australian Good Food Guide Chef’s Hat award, awarded to venues that provide consistently exceptional food to unannounced judges. Open Friday to Sunday only, be sure to reserve a table ahead of time to secure your spot.

Flavours Café

What may appear to be the historic Boonah Butter Factory is actually Flavours Café, a relaxed, country-style diner with a love of big country breakfasts, hearty burgers and chips. Their heritage-listed doors open daily from 7am to 3pm (or 4pm on weekends) for patrons to enjoy the variety of snacks, big bites, cakes and drinks on their breakfast and lunch menus.

Adrenaline-junkies, retail enthusiasts and foodies can all find their fix. Simply pull up your itinerary and add these activities to the list.

Explore High Street

To those with a love of retail-therapy – a wander up and down High Street never disappoints. Flanking the 350m long main strip are jewellers, country boutique stores, a library and cultural centre, butchers, a book shop, gift shops, and a florist to visit. Shopping is hungry work, so be sure to visit the many coffee shops and bakeries peppered between stores.

Boonah Golf Club

Don’t forget your golf clubs as there are 9 holes, 18 tee blocks and 6,069m of lush green fairways to play mere minutes from Boonah. Hone your precision as you play through Boonah Golf Club’s par 72 course navigating bubbling creeks and the odd bunker, with towering mountains serving as your backdrop. After expertly navigating the bunkers on the infamous 9^th/18^th hole, head to the clubhouse for a celebratory drink with a side of panoramic views. There’s plenty more golf to be played in the Scenic Rim – once you’ve played through Boonah, test your swing at these other golf courses.

Wander fields of lavender

Just a 12-minute drive from Boonah lands you in fields of purple on one of the Scenic Rim’s most aesthetic farms: Kooroomba Vineyard and Lavender Farm. Your palette will thank you just as much as your eyes after a meal at the Australian Good Food Guide Chef Hatted Kooroomba Kitchen; the vineyard’s on-site restaurant offering a seasonally-inspired menu paired with their hand-crafted wines. For those who’d like to experience romance among the vines, book a pre-made picnic hamper in advance and BYO rug. Wines, vines, and good times are sure to follow.

Take a hike

Lace up the hiking boots and drop your GPS pin to Mount French for kid-friendly walks that don’t skimp on the visual impact. The first of these is the Logans Lookout track, a 720-metre sealed bitumen track to Loagan’s Lookout, where panoramic views of the Fassifern Valley reward hikers for their efforts.  Looking for something a smidge longer? Mee-bor-rum Circuit, is 840 metres of pure scenery with the trail winding you through open forest and over rocky outcrops to lookouts displaying Tamborine Mountain, Lamington National Park and Mount Barney at one end, and the heathland and southern side of Mount French at the other. This circuit is the more difficult of the two walks with some steep hill sections, rough surfaces to cross and multiple sets of stairs.

Still got more time on your mini break for scrolling? Use it wisely and plan your re-do. Check out the other accommodation options, experiences, food and drink and events in Boonah

Stay a little longer and immerse yourself in fresh produce, heritage buildings and sunflower farms in Kalbar and surrounds. Ready to plan your trip? Discover your perfect escape with our trip planner.