Gayndah, Queensland: Best things to do and attractions

Aside from the Big Orange, the main attractions of Gayndah, Queensland are the heritage buildings. These include the Gayndah Soldiers’ Memorial Hall, Mellors Drapery, the Gayndah Courthouse and Gayndah Museum.

4 things to do in Gayndah, Queensland

The best things to do in Gayndah are:

Admire the knowingly tacky Big Orange.
Stroll through the town centre, admiring the historic buildings.
Learn about historic rural life in the Gayndah Museum.
Take in the views of the citrus orchards from the McConnell Lookout.

The Queensland town of Gayndah doesn’t fit into too many tourist itineraries. But it is home to one of Australia’s legendary Big Things.

The Big Orange hosts a café, and is a nod to what this inland Queensland town exists for – growing citrus fruits. The town hosts a biennial Orange Festival, but unless you’ve timed your visit for that carnival of citrus, it’s likely that Gayndah’s appeal will lie in its heritage buildings.

rural life in Gayndah, Queensland — Gayndah is, believe it or not, the big smoke in the North Burnett region of Queensland. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland/Vince Valitutti.

Things to do in Gayndah, Queensland: Heritage buildings

Gayndah was founded in 1849, and has done a surprisingly good job of keeping the historic buildings intact. The most photogenic include the Gayndah Soldiers’ Memorial Hall, Mellors Drapery, the Gayndah Courthouse and Brick Cottage.

Brick Cottage is home to the Gayndah Museum. Don’t expect the Gayndah Museum to detain you too long. It’s a well-meaning attempt to show off historic life in rural Queensland, with vintage vehicles and a steam engine display.

What to do in Gayndah, Queensland: McConnell Lookout

If this doesn’t get you deliriously excited, then you can always head to the McConnell Lookout to the west of the town. The McConnell Lookout offers impressive views over the Burnett River and citrus orchards.

Otherwise, stop for a drink at the Burnett Hotel on Capper Street. There’s a Thirsty Camel bottle shop on-site if you want to take some beers away with you.

If you fancy some R&R by the water, then Lake Boondooma is to the south-west.

Getting to the North Burnett region

Gayndah is what passes for the big smoke in the North Burnett region of Queensland. It’s the administrative centre for the North Burnett local government area, despite having a population of around 2,000 people.

If, for some reason, you decide to take the inland route from Brisbane to Rockhampton, you’ll pass through Gayndah on the A3/ Burnett Highway. You’ll join the road at Yarraman, pass through Nanango, skirt the edge of Kingaroy and flit through the dubious delights of Goomeribong and Ban Ban Springs. That’ll take about four hours and ten minutes from Brisbane. It’s another four hours and 20 minutes on the inland route to Rockhampton.

The nearest towns of reasonable interest to Gayndah are Bundaberg, an hour and 45 minutes to the north-east, and Hervey Bay. The gateway to Fraser Island is an hour and 50 minutes to the east via Childers.

Where to stay in Gayndah

The best Gayndah accommodation options are:

For a good quality motel at cheap rates: Gayndah A Motel.
For a more centrally located alternative: Country Roads Motel.

More Queensland towns and cities