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QLD Activities

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QLD Activities

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Sunshine Coast Hinterland

There's another side to the surf and sun of the Sunshine Coast - every bit as relaxing and just a short, picturesque drive from the beach. It's the Hinterland - the lusher, cooler, fertile lands and fascinating little towns that lie just behind the busy throng of the Sunshine Coast's beach strip.

Art galleries, craft shops, country markets, excellent restaurants and comfortable bed and breakfast guesthouses await.

If you really want to see, smell and feel the Hinterland experience as you pass through then rent a convertible - you'll truly relax with the fresh mountain air flowing through your hair. View some scenic drive ideas here. 

Sunshine Coast Hinterland Accommodation

Spicers Tamarind Retreat, MalenyWith such an amazing array of accommodation affording coastal or mountain views, the Sunshine Coast hinterland is the perfect place for a peaceful holiday.

There are plenty of beautiful bed 'n' breakfasts, cottages and holiday homes to stay in with amazing views of the country side and coast, so check lodging availability and book hinterland accommodation online. 

It’s a region like no other with quaint country towns full of antique stores and sweet cafes, there’s also fine dining options and country markets where you can stock up on local produce.

The Blackall Ranges

Blackall Ranges and MontvilleThe Ranges, deep in the heart of the lush Sunshine Coast Hinterland offer the ideal short break from Brisbane. The trip is a breeze - an hour and a half leisurely motoring through pine tree plantations, fertile farmlands, past classic weatherboard Queenslander houses and colourful roadside fruit stalls.

Be sure to stop and select a few local pineapples, freshly picked lychees, macadamia nuts, ruby red strawberries, and homemade preserves - the gooseberry and rosella jam didn't last a week!

To the east rolling green hills give way to cow studded pastures, crops and clusters of houses and apartments along the coastline from Caloundra to Coolum.

To the west are the Connondale Ranges and Lake Baroon - perched like a mirror in the velvety green undulations of the Obi Obi Valley and to the southwest the imposing Glass House Mountains.

You can visit the main villages of Montville and Maleny as a day trip, but excellent bed and breakfast guesthouses and self-contained cottages, fine restaurants, art and antique galleries and craft studios as well as graded rainforest walking tracks, swimming holes and waterfalls in the Kondalilla National Park make a few days very easy to fill.

National Parks

Mapleton Falls LookoutIf you’re feeling a bit more active head to the walking tracks of Kondalilla National Park. The park is named for the remarkable Kondalilla Falls, a 90 metre cascade into a rainforest valley. Visually spectacular, the Kondalilla National Park is an important refuge for many native plants and animals.

The pick of picnic spots is Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, with its panoramic views to the Glasshouse Mountains.

Set in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland on the Blackall Range, Mapleton Falls National Park is only 105km north of Brisbane. As its name might suggest, the park has excellent views of Mapleton Falls, but also the Obi Obi Valley.

There are several short walks through tall, open bushland and rainforest. The park is a small but important reminder of the forests that once covered the Hinterland.

Sunshine Coast Hinterland Restaurants

The Terrace of Maleny is renowned for its fresh prawns, crabs and fish and its views to the Coast, where the seafood comes from!

The cosy Hotel Maleny serves hearty steaks and other great country pub meals. In the summer enjoy your meal out on the deck or sit by the roaring fire during the winter months.

The veranda of the Mapleton Hotel is a great place to watch the world go by while tackling a Ploughman's lunch you’d struggle to jump over! Find more Sunshine Coast hinterland restaurants to satisfy your palate.

Weather & Climate

Residents and visitors can enjoy a sub-tropical climate tempered by the ocean - therefore, it is never blazingly hot and rarely too cold. Tropical lightning storms often deliver an amazing lighting display in the summer months.

The temperature ranges from 21°C to 28°C in the height of summer and 10°C to 20°C in winter. Visit the Weather page for more information about the Sunshine Coast climate and current weather conditions.

Getting to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland

The Sunshine Coast Hinterland is located on the mountain range (Blackall Ranges) about 35 minutes’ drive from Maroochydore west up into the mountains (to Montville). Maleny is about 15 minutes further south of Montville, and Mapleton is about 15 minutes north of Montville. If you're coming directly from Brisbane, these mountain townships are about 100km via the Bruce Highway into Steve Irwin Way into Maleny-Montville Road. Visit our Getting to the Sunshine Coast and Getting Around the Sunshine Coast pages for transport options.

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