Canungra is a small historic village in the Scenic Rim, about 70 minutes by car from Brisbane, and the usual gateway to Lamington National Park. It makes an easy day out on its own, with a heated public pool, monthly markets, a pub, cafes, a visitor centre and old timber-town history, and most people also drive on up the range to the rainforest.
Plan on a few hours in the village itself. If you also want a walk at O’Reilly’s or Binna Burra, make it a full day.
Things to do in Canungra
The village is compact and easy to wander. The Canungra Visitor Information Centre at 12-14 Kidston Street is the place to pick up maps and brochures, ask about the day’s options, and buy local honey, giftware and handmade crafts. It also holds historical photos and museum items. It is open Monday to Friday from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 3 pm, and it has a car park, a picnic area and a public toilet.
Around the village centre you will find secondhand and rare books at Canungra Books and Art, homewares at My Country Escape and a mix of other small shops. Out of town, O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyards serves lunch and picnics beside Canungra Creek on a grassy lawn, and Mountview Alpaca Farm offers alpaca encounters. Hot-air balloon and hang-glider flights also leave from the area if you want the view from above.
Swimming at Canungra
Canungra Pool
Canungra Pool is the easy, supervised option: a 25 m heated pool in Moriarty Park on Monarch Drive, with a shaded seating area, a children’s play area, a cafe and disabled access and toilets. General entry is $5.50 for an adult, $4.50 for a child or concession and $2 for a spectator.
In school term it is open Monday to Friday 6 am to 10 am and 2 pm to 6 pm, Saturday 8 am to 5 pm and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm. In school holidays it is open Monday to Friday 6 am to 6 pm, Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm, and on public holidays 10 am to 4 pm. It is closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Good Friday. The pool runs a seasonal schedule, so check council’s pools page before you go.
Canungra Creek
Canungra Creek runs past the village and the showgrounds. The Canungra Hotel describes a shady waterhole near the showgrounds that is good for a quick cool-down, and it warns people to avoid swimming at Yerralahla Pool on the West Canungra Creek Circuit in Lamington because of large eels. There are no council or park swimming rules for the creek, so check the water yourself and keep a close eye on children.
Canungra Village Markets
Canungra Village Markets run on the second Sunday of each month from 8 am to 1 pm at Moriarty Park Hall and Showgrounds. It is an open-air market with wine, produce, baked goods, clothing and gifts from makers across the Scenic Rim, plus live entertainment. Dogs are welcome. Check the markets’ Facebook page for the next date.
For a bigger market day, Mammoth Country Markets on Tamborine Mountain is a short drive away.
Where to eat in Canungra
El Social Coffee Bar and Kitchen serves cafe food, and the Canungra Hotel at 18 Kidston Street does family-friendly pub meals, with a bistro and takeaway menu. Canungra Pool has its own cafe, and O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyards is the picnic-by-the-creek option.
A bit of Canungra history
Canungra grew as a timber town. David Lahey ran one of Queensland’s largest sawmills here, and a railway ran to the town from 1915 to 1955. Lahey’s Canungra Tramway Tunnel on Darlington Range Road, a heritage-listed relic of that era, is the best-known reminder. St Luke’s Anglican Church is heritage listed too.
Canungra as the gateway to Lamington National Park
From Canungra the road climbs into the Gold Coast Hinterland and Lamington National Park, which is World Heritage listed and has extensive walking tracks. Our guides cover the two main entrances: O’Reilly’s Rainforest for the Tree Top Walk, birds and the Green Mountains tracks, and Lamington National Park for Binna Burra and the wider walking network. The West Canungra Creek Circuit, a long loop of roughly 13 to 14 km past waterfalls and pools, starts in the Green Mountains section.
Dogs are not allowed in Lamington National Park, so leave them at home or in the village on that part of the day.
Planning your visit
- How long: a few hours for the village, pool and a meal; a full day if you add Lamington.
- Best time: second Sunday of the month for the markets; warm days for the pool.
- Cost: wandering the village is free. Pool entry is $5.50 for an adult and $4.50 for a child.
- What to bring: swimmers and a towel for the pool, water and sunscreen, and sturdy shoes if you are heading into Lamington.
- Dogs: welcome at the markets, with an off-leash area at Moriarty Park; not allowed in national parks.
Getting to Canungra and parking
Canungra is about 77 km by road from the Brisbane CBD, about 70 minutes by car. The visitor centre is at 12-14 Kidston Street, and Moriarty Park is on Monarch Drive and Coburg Road.
There is no public bus to Canungra that we could confirm: the only Translink route listed for the town, route 3340, is a school service. Check the Translink Journey Planner or call 13 12 30, and plan to drive. For more local advice, see the Canungra Visitor Information Centre page. Details can change, so check before you go.
Nearby
- O’Reilly’s Rainforest – the Tree Top Walk and Green Mountains tracks up the range.
- Lamington National Park – Binna Burra, Green Mountains and the walking tracks.
- Mount Tamborine – the other hinterland day out, with galleries, cafes and waterfalls.
- Cedar Creek Falls – a walk and swimming hole on Tamborine Mountain.
- Natural Bridge, Springbrook – glow-worm cave and rainforest circuit.
- Boonah – another Scenic Rim country town.
- Rathdowney – another village on the way to Mount Barney country.
Browse more scenic drives and markets.
Quick answers
How far is Canungra from Brisbane?
About 77 km by road, about 70 minutes by car from the Brisbane CBD.
What is there to do in Canungra?
Visit the visitor centre and village shops, swim at Canungra Pool, go to the second-Sunday markets, have lunch at a cafe, the pub or the vineyard by the creek, and use it as the base for Lamington National Park.
Is there a swimming pool in Canungra?
Yes. Canungra Pool in Moriarty Park is a 25 m heated pool. Adult entry is $5.50 and child entry is $4.50.
When are the Canungra markets?
The Canungra Village Markets run on the second Sunday of each month, 8 am to 1 pm, at Moriarty Park Hall and Showgrounds.
Can you take dogs to Canungra?
Yes in the village: dogs are welcome at the markets and Moriarty Park has an off-leash dog area. Dogs are not allowed in Lamington National Park.
Can you get to Canungra by public transport?
We could not confirm a public bus. Translink lists only a school service, route 3340. Driving is the practical way.
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