9 Best Queensland Towns For A Weekend Trip
Two days off can go a long way in Queensland, especially when the weekend involves a boat trip to the Great Barrier Reef or a leisurely lunch overlooking Noosa Main Beach. Port Douglas puts reef cruises and Daintree Rainforest adventures within easy reach, while Noosa Heads has golden sand and Hastings Street restaurants worth lingering over. For a change of scenery, Montville offers mountain cafés and local art galleries, while Stanthorpe's Granite Belt wineries make a convincing case for a weekend in the countryside. Whether it's a coastal escape or a quiet retreat in the hinterland, these nine Queensland towns are worth clearing the calendar for.
Port Douglas
When it comes to travel destinations in Australia, Port Douglas stands above the rest. The town is renowned across Australia for its beautiful scenery and proximity to two of the country's most famous areas: the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. Visitors can see the reef up close by booking a tour with Quicksilver Cruises. They take travelers up close to the Agincourt Reef on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef for an unforgettable weekend. For those who want to explore the Daintree Rainforest, Back Country Bliss Adventures offers tours. They offer a relaxing river drift through the rainforest or a full-day adventure through Mossman Gorge.
But Port Douglas offers plenty even if you never leave the town. The Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort and Spa sits right near the coast and offers luxury pampering during a weekend trip. It's right by Four Mile Beach, the seemingly endless strip of sand that can easily take up a whole weekend by itself.
Noosa Heads
Noosa Heads is a popular weekend destination for banana benders during its annual Noosa Festival of Surfing. The gathering is the country's largest surfing festival, running over a week with surfing competitions, live music, and plenty of food. The main festival hub sits on Noosa Main Beach, a rare north-facing beach on the east coast that is worth enjoying whether the festival is on or not. Many festival visitors choose to stay at Elysium, which offers opulent, relaxing accommodations right by the beach.
Even if it isn't festival weekend, there's still plenty to enjoy in Noosa Heads on its historic Hastings Street. Foodies will enjoy some of the best restaurants the Sunshine Coast has to offer. Bistro C offers seaside views, an upscale atmosphere, and modern Australian food. Or for something a little more low-key, there's Yo-Chi for a delicious frozen yogurt dessert to enjoy by the water.
Cooktown
Cooktown is an ideal spot for a weekend visit for history buffs. The town takes its name from Captain James Cook, who beached his ship on the site of the future town for repairs. That famous scene is recreated every year during the town's Cooktown Discovery Festival. The festival runs over a weekend in June and showcases the town's local culture, with live music, a car show, banana-eating competitions, and the landing reenactment as the main event. The Cooktown Motel offers affordable accommodation during the festival weekend and easy access to Charlotte Street.
For more history, there's the Cooktown Museum downtown. The museum has artifacts from Cook's ship Endeavor, as well as exhibits about the town's gold rush history and the influx of Chinese immigrants. Anzac Park offers a chance to relax in a city park and remember the sacrifices made by ANZAC soldiers during World War I. The park also features a preserved Leopard tank.
Montville
Montville has one of Queensland's best main streets, with an arts scene that sets it apart from many nearby towns. The Montville Art Gallery on Main Street features artwork by local artists such as Alan Roberts, Denise Murray, and Kim Herringe. And Montville and its neighboring hinterland towns come alive for the Rangebow Festival. The festival celebrates the arts and cultures of the Sunshine Coast while pushing boundaries to create new artistic creations. The Montville Mountain Inn offers convenient lodging right next to the festivities, with 26 suites right on Main Street.
Main Street is also home to several excellent cafes, perfect for a weekend of walking and trying everything they have to offer. Little May Espresso offers cold brew, espresso, and breakfast favorites made from locally sourced produce. Just down the street is Poets Cafe, a European-style bistro that's perfect for a brunch meal and coffee.
Tamborine Mountain
Tamborine Mountain (or Mount Tamborine) offers uniquely breathtaking natural vistas to explore. The town sits on a plateau formed 22 million years ago by a volcanic eruption. The main natural attraction is the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk, a bridge that takes visitors through the rainforest's upper canopy for a unique view of nature. The nearby eco gallery provides context for the local rainforest flora and fauna.
Back in town, visitors can find plenty of charming shops and attractions. Witches Falls Cottages is an excellent place to stay, offering charming cottages with seasonal fireplaces, double spa baths, and breakfast hampers delivered each morning. Just up the road is Witches Falls Winery. It has a quiet, charming atmosphere and an extensive selection of reds and whites. And for more shopping, the Gallery Walk on Long Road has everything you need. The street has a variety of artisanal stores, restaurants, and wineries for a day of retail therapy.
Maleny
Maleny sits just south of Montville and draws plenty of weekend travelers to enjoy the outdoors. The Maleny Hotel downtown offers affordable accommodations with easy access to the many outdoor activities that make the town famous. It also has a built-in bistro and bar for a great way to start and end a weekend trip.
The town's most famous attraction is the Maleny Botanic Gardens. The gardens stretch across 18 acres, with 6 kilometers of paths to walk and see the thousands of plants. And the Bird World is home to more than 700 native and exotic birds across four aviaries. After getting a taste of the natural flora, see it up close at the Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve. The reserve is a subtropical rainforest with trails where you can spot animals in their habitat. Gardners Falls is a scenic waterfall just outside of town where many choose to swim or just take some time for quiet reflection.
Bowen
Bowen is known for its quirky attractions and excellent fishing. The quirky attraction in question is the Big Mango. The mango stands 10 meters tall and has been a fixture just outside of town since 2002. It sits by the town's visitor center and the Ocean View Motel, which offers great views of the Coral Sea with the mango as a backdrop.
The town's beaches and fishing are famous throughout Queensland. The Bowen Jetty offers plenty of space to cast a line into Port Denison with the chance to catch bream, Spanish mackerel, coral trout, and more. For creek fishing, there's Adelaide Creek, which is accessible by boat ramp. The creek is great for catching mangrove jack and whiting. And if you don't have a successful day fishing, you can still enjoy fish at Bird's Fish Bar, voted as having the best fish and chips in Queensland.
Stanthorpe
Stanthorpe is in the heart of the Granite Belt and its many wineries and breweries. One of those breweries doubles as a hotel and an excellent spot to stay. The Granite Belt Brewery offers 19 cabins and a variety of craft beers. For more brews, there's the Stanny Brewhouse, with live music on the weekends, handmade burgers, and plenty of choices for wine and beer.
Stanthorpe also has an artistic spirit that sets it apart from other Granite Belt towns. The Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery displays local artwork with new exhibitions throughout the year, including birdlife paintings by Rob Allen and black-and-white artwork from Laurie's Larrikins.
Rainbow Beach
Rainbow Beach offers an excellent weekend getaway, especially in October. The town is home to This is Livin' Fest, one of Queensland's best musical festivals. The festival brings in artists like The Angels, Dragon, and Chocolate Starfish for one day only, transitioning from a sunny afternoon to the headliners under the stars. The festival is just down the street from the Plantation Resort at Rainbow, which offers luxury apartments downtown with great views of the town and coast.
After the festival is over, there's still plenty to enjoy in town, especially for nature lovers. The beach just outside of town seems to stretch on forever, and is just as popular with surfers as it is with those who just want to relax in a beach chair. And those who love bushwalking will find the starting point of the Cooloola Great Walk in southern Rainbow Beach. The trail runs all the way to Noosa North Shore, across the river from Noosa Heads, with picturesque views along the way.
Perfect Stops Around Queensland
A great weekend away doesn't need a packed itinerary, and these Queensland towns offer plenty of reasons to slow down. Spend an afternoon fishing from Bowen Jetty, wander through Cooktown's maritime history, or take in the rainforest canopy from Tamborine Mountain's Skywalk. Maleny rewards visitors with waterfall walks and lush gardens, while Rainbow Beach has miles of sand and scenic trails for those who prefer the coast. Each town offers its own way to unwind, whether that means browsing Montville's galleries or settling into a cabin in Stanthorpe with a local craft beer. Sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery and a couple of days to enjoy it.
