Maleny: Things to Do, Markets, Walks and Getting There

Maleny is a small dairy town on the Blackall Range, about 85 minutes by car from Brisbane, known for its Sunday market, cheese, rainforest walks and swimming at Gardners Falls. It sits in rolling green hills at roughly 425 to 450 metres above sea level, so it is usually a little cooler than the coast.

The town works best as a full day out. Wander Maple Street, buy cheese and coffee, then add one or two of the nature stops just outside town.

Things to do in Maleny

Maple Street and the Sunday market

Maple Street is the main street, with shops, cafes and a visitor information centre at 2/23 Maple Street (07 5499 9033).

The Maleny Sunday Market runs every Sunday from 8 am to 2 pm at the Maleny RSL hall on Bunya Street. It is undercover, so it goes ahead in the rain, with fresh produce, handmade crafts and food stalls.

Cheese, dairy and food

Maleny grew up on timber, then dairy. The Maleny Butter Factory opened in 1904, and dairy farming is still the town’s identity. Today you can taste hard and soft cheeses and yoghurt at Maleny Cheese, where you can watch the cheesemakers at work, or browse more than 200 cheeses at Maleny Food Co. Opening hours change, so check each business before you go.

Gardners Falls

Gardners Falls is a short, level walk downstream from town, with a freshwater swimming pool below the falls and grassy picnic spots. Sunshine Coast Council does not actively encourage swimming here: natural water, submerged objects and changing conditions make it risky, and there have been deaths and injuries. Do not dive or jump from the rocks, do not use rope swings, and watch children every second. Dogs are not allowed. See the full guide to Gardners Falls.

Rainforest at Mary Cairncross

Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve is council-run rainforest just outside town, with walking tracks and views towards the Glass House Mountains. The walks are open 7 am to 6 pm daily and the Rainforest Discovery Centre is open 9.30 am to 3.30 pm. Only accredited assistance dogs are listed as permitted. Read more about Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve.

Lake Baroon and the gardens

Baroon Pocket Dam, also called Lake Baroon, sits between Maleny and Montville with picnic tables, free barbecues, playgrounds, kayaking and bass fishing. See Baroon Pocket Dam. Maleny Botanic Gardens and Bird World, at 233 Maleny Stanley River Road, Wootha, has gardens, ponds, an aviary and a farm friends area, and is open 9 am to 4.30 pm daily except Christmas Day.

Is Maleny dog friendly?

Under Sunshine Coast Council rules, dogs must be on a leash in public places unless a sign marks an off-leash area. Dogs are not allowed at Gardners Falls or in Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve (accredited assistance dogs excepted at the reserve). In the Maleny Community Precinct dogs are allowed on a leash on signed trails. Council’s dog rules changed on 3 July 2026, so check council’s dog access map for the park you are visiting.

Planning your visit

• How long: half a day for the town and market; a full day if you add Gardners Falls, Mary Cairncross or Lake Baroon.
• Best time: Sunday for the market. Summer for a paddle at Gardners Falls.
• Cost: the town and parking are free. Entry to Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve is by gold coin donation. Food, cheese and the gardens cost extra.
• What to bring: swimmers, a towel, a jumper (it can be cooler than the coast) and cash or card for the market.

Getting there and parking

Maleny is about 92 km and about 85 minutes by car from the Brisbane CBD, without allowing for traffic. It is a scenic drive up the Blackall Range, so allow longer on weekends and holidays. Montville, Mapleton and the Glass House Mountains make good stops on a loop.

Council provides free on-street and off-street parking throughout Maleny. If Maple Street is busy, try Teak Street, Fig Street, Bicentenary Lane or the IGA car park (when you are shopping there).

By public transport, bus 891 runs between Maleny and Landsborough station seven days a week. Bus 890 runs between Maleny and Nambour via Montville, Flaxton and Mapleton, Monday to Friday only. Go cards are not valid on these services, so check fares with the Translink Journey Planner or call 13 12 30. Services are limited, so plan your return trip first.

More visitor information is on Visit Sunshine Coast. Details can change, so check before you go.

Nearby

• Montville – the Blackall Range village along the ridge, with shops and views.
• Kondalilla Falls – a rainforest walk to a waterfall on the same range.
• Mapleton Falls – another falls lookout in the hinterland.
• Mount Beerwah and Mount Tibrogargan – the peaks you can see from the Maleny hills.
• Eumundi Markets – another market if you are making a day of the hinterland.

Browse more scenic drives and the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

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