Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of the Scenic Rim Regional Council area were the Mununjali, Yugambeh and Ugarapul Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

European settlement dates from the 1840s, following exploration in the 1820s. Land was used mainly for timber-getting, sheep and cattle grazing, and crop and vegetable growing. Growth took place from the late 1800s into the early 1900s, aided by the opening of the railway line from Brisbane in the 1880s and the establishment of many small townships. Land was declared for various National Parks from 1909. Tourism became an important industry from the 1920s, particularly around Lamington National Park. Population growth occurred from the post-war years, particularly in and around the townships of Boonah and Beaudesert. From the 1960s beef cattle became a more predominant industry than dairy farming. Growth continued from the 1980s, with the population of the Council area rising from about 23,000 in 1986 to about 28,000 in 1996. The population then continued to rise, reaching nearly 41,000 in 2016. Much of the recent growth has been in Beaudesert, Gleneagle and Tamborine Mountain.

Land use

The Scenic Rim Regional Council area is predominantly rural, with most of the population living in the townships and villages of Aratula, Beaudesert, Beechmont, Boonah, Canungra, Harrisville, Kalbar, Kooralbyn, Peak Crossing, Rathdowney and Tamborine Mountain (including Eagle Heights and Mount Tamborine). The largest towns are Beaudesert and Boonah. Rural land is used largely for agriculture (particularly beef and dairy cattle and grain growing) and horticulture, with equine activities and tourism also being important industries. The Council area encompasses a total land area of about 4,250 square kilometres.

Transport

The Scenic Rim Regional Council area is served by the Cunningham Highway and the Mount Lindesay Highway.

Major features

• Major features of the Council area include Lamington National Park,
• Main Range National Park,
• Moogerah Peaks National Park,
• Mount Barney National Park,
• Mount Chinghee National Park,
• Tamborine National Park,
• Maroon Dam (Lake Maroon),
• Moogerah Dam (Lake Moogerah),
• Wyaralong Dam (Lake Wyaralong),
• Knapp Creek Conservation Park,
• Rosins Lookout Conservation Park,
• Cameron Falls,
• Coomera Falls,
• Curtis Falls,
• Denham Falls,
• Elebana Falls,
• Morans Falls,
• Yarrabilgong Falls,
• Witches Falls,
• QLD Moto Park,
• Mt Joyce Recreation Park,
• O’Reillys Rainforest Retreat,
• Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk,
• Thunderbird Park (tourist complex),
• Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens,
• Kokoda Barracks and Australian Army Land Warfare Centre,
• Museum of Australian Military Intelligence,
• The Beaudesert CBD,
• The Boonah CBD,
• Boonah Cultural Centre,
• Beaudesert Historical Museum,
• Tamborine Mountain Heritage Centre,
• and numerous wineries,
• vineyards,
• breweries,
• galleries and accommodation places.

Included areas