Visit fields of sunflowers: With summer now in full swing, Instagram’s favourite bright yellow sun-facing flowers are in bloom. That’s right, it’s sunflower season and the best places to visit these fields of gold is in Southern Queensland Country. You’ll find the best around Allora – home of acclaimed Mary Poppins author PL Travers and Warwick, the rose and rodeo city. Pack a picnic and snack within the sunflowers for a picture-perfect moment that will have you saying “we’ll remember this forever”.
Chase whimsical waterfalls: Ah waterfalls. There’s something about them that makes us want to chase them, despite TLC telling us not to. There is certainly no shortage of cascading waters in Southern Queensland Country, which is home to an abundance of recreation areas and national parks that create a happy hunting ground for waterfall lovers. Head to the Southern Downs and Granite Belt region and take Spring Creek Road access to Kilarney’s Falls or embark on the 45-minute walk to Queen Mary Falls. The latter will prove well worth the hike, especially when you set your sights on the 40-m tumbling wall of water (the ultimate backdrop for a snapshot). Travel just 30 minutes from Toowoomba to Crows Nest Falls to admire a spectacular 20-m waterfall and cool off in the Cascade and Kauyoo pools below.
Soak up stunning scenery: Love a walk through nature? Explore the rainforests, rugged mountains, ancient eucalypts and cascading streams of the Main Range National Park around Cunningham’s Gap and Spicers Gap, or get snap happy at Girraween National Park, as you make your way through a maze of huge granite boulders that tower above spectacular forests. You can also pack a picnic and pick a spot amongst breathtaking Bunya Pines, a diverse range of wildlife and mountain scenery at Bunya Mountains National Park.
Seek out street and silo art: You don’t need to visit a gallery to see beautiful artwork – everything is a canvas in Southern Queensland Country. Packed with an abundance of art to explore outdoors, from the sides of buildings to water towers and disused silos, there are loads of incredible works to see. Head here for guides and trails to follow for all of the best outdoor art in Southern Queensland Country.
Travel back in time: take a step back in time to the 1800s at Miles Historical Village Museum, where you will find preserved history presented in a streetscape style. Make your way through 30 buildings housing incredible collections that bring a bygone era to life. History buffs can also experience a slice of transport history at the Cobb + Co Museum in Toowoomba, which is home to the National Carriage Collection. This collection displays a vast range of vehicles from the horse-drawn era, including farm wagons and delivery carts to the Rolls Royce of carriages – the landau.
Chill amongst cotton clouds: If you can’t make it to the snow fields this year, head to the cotton fields around Goondiwindi instead! Around Easter time, just before harvesting, witness a mind-bending field of white for as far as the eye can see. Get up close and personal with a guided farm and factory tour, where you will learn about the history of cotton, its evolution from field to fabric and access plenty of behind-the-scenes photo opportunities.
Indulge with a view: Have dinner with a jaw-dropping backdrop of the Great Dividing Range and the valleys below at The Peak at Maryvale. Here you can indulge in a dining experience that reaches new heights, as you feast on innovative dishes from the very best local produce. To book a table at Myrtille Bistro at Crows Nest for a little pocket of Paris in the mountains of the Great Dividing Range.
Ready to start planning your trip to Southern Queensland Country? Be sure to pack your camera as SCQ’s Moments like this – by you competition is open now! Capture an original photo of your memory-making moment in Southern Queensland Country, post it on Facebook and Instagram and tag @sqcountry, anytime before March 31 for your chance to win $1000 to holiday in the region. All entrants must be 18 years of age or older. Head to the SQC website for more information.
This article was written in partnership with our friends at Southern Queensland Country.