Scenic Rim Area

The mountains ringing this valley protect the same Gondwana rainforest that stretches into northern New South Wales. Lamington National Park shows it at its best, rope bridges through the canopy and pademelons that barely startle when you pass. Mount Barney offers a genuinely serious climb, while Tamborine Mountain keeps things easier, glow worm caves and Cedar Creek Falls a short walk from the car. Between the lakes and the vineyards below, there's enough open sky after dark to make the stars feel closer than they should.