If you’re looking for a chilly escape from the city, you’ll find peace on Bunya Mountains, a quiet and cool (literally) locality in Queensland, Australia. (Images by River Huei)
After months of constant stress, I was looking forward to chilling out. Bunya Mountains delivered that and more. Being in Queensland, Australia, it’s definitely off the beaten track for the typical tourist. (Your usual suspects for tourists in Queensland are Gold Coast and Brisbane.) The road trip there gave us time to take in the natural surroundings as we slowly made our way up the mountain, gaining altitude.
Before we go any further, it’s important to recognise that the Bunya Mountains have always been a sacred place for Aboriginal people to gather, coinciding with the harvesting of Bunya Pine Nuts. The Bunya plant is of significant importance to Aboriginal people.
Up the mountain we go
The duration of your time on the road would depend on where you’re coming from—it’ll take a three-hour drive from Brisbane or a 45- to 90-minute drive if you’re from surrounding areas like Kingaroy, Dalby, Nanango, or Toowoomba. The Bunya Mountains website provides detailed information on how to get there, which should help you get sorted.
Prepare for your ears to pop as you make your way up the winding roads, and don’t forget to look out the window to enjoy the views (unless you’re the driver). Also, bring warm clothes, even in summer. You’re going to be at about 1,100 metres above sea level, so it’ll get chilly, especially in the early mornings and at night.
Tuning out and settling into nature
Checking in was pretty simple. There was already an envelope waiting for us at the front office, containing the keys to the cabin we booked, an information booklet on the Bunya Mountains, and a map of the surrounding attractions and amenities.
The cabin and its views were spectacular. The living room had ceiling-high windows that looked out onto a valley. There was really no need to leave the cabin—we were all set for lazy days and cosy nights in. We were prepared to completely tune out, as there was no Wi-Fi provided (most accommodations here don’t) and phone connectivity was choppy at best. But, honestly? I needed that, and it’s the best way to escape while in nature.
I believe there’s Wi-Fi at the cafe if you still need to get work done (why?), but I’d highly suggest taking time to truly switch off at Bunya Mountains. It’s rewarding. Besides, Australians are generally chill and value work-life balance, and will totally be judging you for working on vacation.
There are so many types of cabins to choose from on the Bunya Mountains estate. You’ll have a time choosing your accommodation on the website. Everything from small, spacious cabins for two to bigger holiday homes for families, each unique in its own way.
Nature, ticks and all
September and October are peak tick season in Bunya Mountains, and we were a little unlucky to get a tick on us at the beginning of November. Thankfully, the front office was helpful and got us sorted on that. We also found out later that the general store had a few tools and creams for tick bites and wounds. Generally, you would be fine if you’re well covered in clothes and you avoid brushing up against bushes.
Prepare to see wallabies, dingos, and birds—we are in nature, after all. The general rule of thumb is that if you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you. There is an information book in the cabin with helpful insights on how to navigate the wildlife and ecosystem, so you can read through it if you’d like to. During my stay here, I only saw birds and wallabies, so you needn’t worry too much.
Walking trails at the Bunya Mountains National Park
As much as we would have loved to stay cooped up in our cabin, it would have been a waste not to go out and actually be in nature, as it is healing, after all. If you, like me, don’t have a sense of direction, I hope you’re with someone who does.
Although it was only a short three-minute drive inside the estate, it took us (me) a bit of studying the map to find the start of the walking trails, but once we were there, it was obvious. At the beginning of the trail, there was a station to scrub and wash your footwear, to protect the Bunya Pines from diseases that could kill them. If you’re here in February or March, you might catch a glimpse of Bunya Nuts falling. They’re big nuts, weighing up to eight kilograms. Careful not to park your cars under Bunya Pines when they’re in season.
We saw two small falls (Paradise Falls and Little Falls) along the trail we took. It was an easy trail with some elevated parts and some fallen trees. We made it past the obstacles, and there were people of all ages who took the same trail as us. Definitely wear proper footwear for grip, and bring some water with you to hydrate. My favourite part of the trail was a clearing that had views of the valley and beautiful wildflowers.
Meals at 1,100 metres above sea level
You’re welcome to make your meals at the accommodation as per the terms and conditions set with the property you booked. But, if you’d like to dine out, the Bunya Mountains Tavern and Poppies on the Hill Cafe are the only two F&B outlets on the estate. Naturally, Bunya Nuts is featured in both their menus.
We had breakfast at the cafe one morning, which was lovely. We were having breakfast on a mountain, with the sun shining, birds chirping, and a chilly breeze in our hair. If that’s not the kind of breakfast I get on a mountain vacation, I don’t want it. Poppies on the Hill serves all-day breakfasts, beverages, and dessert, up to about 4pm.
As for the tavern, they have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert menus, and Whisky Paddles (whisky tasting boards) for those who’d like a tipple at Australia’s highest whisky bar. The tavern gets booked up at dinner time, so if you’d like to dine in, you will need to make a reservation way in advance.
The perfect escape
I’d return for a vacation in Bunya Mountains, and that says a lot. It’s not just the natural surroundings, but the peace you feel up there. It’s quiet, it’s green, and you get to really unplug. We did not touch our phones for the days we were there (besides using them to snap photos, of course). Time was spent playing board games, putting puzzles together, and actually being present with each other and nature. We even got the fireplace going at night—it was cosy and romantic. If you’re ever in this part of Queensland, Australia, give Bunya Mountains a visit.
All images courtesy of River Huei unless specified otherwise.
