Where is the Scenic Rim in Australia?

The Scenic Rim is the forested, mountainous region in south-east Queensland. It is often used synonymously with the Gold Coast hinterland.

The Scenic Rim is a term bandied about in southern Queensland, often interchangeably with the Gold Coast hinterland. But what is the Scenic Rim, where is it, and what is there to do there?

Geographically, the Scenic Rim is a slightly hazy concept. It’s a group of forested mountain ranges in South-East Queensland, all part of the Great Dividing Range.

Scenic Rim location

To the east lies the Gold Coast, to the west lies the Southern Downs. And, to the south, lies the New South Wales border.

The Scenic Rim is also a local government area. This mostly, but not totally, coincides with the geographic region.

Scenic Rim tourist attractions near Beaudesert and Tamborine Mountain

The most heavily-visited part of the Scenic Rim is the north-eastern section. This is where you’ll find the regional administrative centre Beaudesert, and tourist hub Tamborine Mountain. There are several wineries in this part of the region. These include O’Reilly’s in the Canungra Valley, Witches Falls in Tamborine Mountain and Albert River Wines in Tamborine.

Lamington National Park in Queensland's Scenic Rim — The Lamington National Park is part of Queensland’s Scenic Rim. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

Curtis Falls, the swimming holes of Cedar Creek Falls and ropes course of Thunderbird Park, are just outside Tamborine Mountain.

Scenic Rim National Parks and beauty spots

There are six national parks within the Scenic Rim region, of which the Lamington National Park in the south-east has the most to offer. Completists may wish to explore the Tamborine National Park, Moogerah Peaks National Park, Main Range National Park, Mt Barney National Park and Mount Chinghee National Park as well.

Other attractions in the Scenic Rim region include the Wyaralong Dam to the west of Beaudesert. The forests around the dam are good for walking, fishing and mountain biking. The Maroon Dam in the south-west near Rathdowney and Lake Moogerah near Mount Alford offer similar. The Scenic Rim Brewery is also in Mount Alford, should you be feeling experimentally thirsty.