Your guide to Mapleton, the Sunshine Coast’s hidden gem

Celeste MitchellBy Celeste Mitchell
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Discover the Sunshine Coast’s hidden gem, where national park hikes, farm-to-table meals and enlightening cultural tours are just the start.

You’d be forgiven for thinking the Sunshine Coast Hinterland began and ended with Maleny and Montville. But there’s a forgotten sibling sharing impressive real estate on the Blackall Range: the town of Mapleton. And its time to shine has arrived.

Petite in size but certainly not in nature, this hinterland hub at the junction of Jinibara and Kabi Kabi Country fosters lesser-known national parks, outstanding sustainable stays and paddock-to-plate dining worth clocking up the kilometres for.

Start your Mapleton exploration on the right foot with this guide.

Falls Farm, Mapleton
There’s beauty everywhere in Mapleton.

Best Mapleton hikes

While Maleny and Montville have their fudge shops, art galleries and crystals, Mapleton is all about putting nature first. You’ll find a pond smothered in lily pads right in the centre of town, and there are short walks throughout Mapleton Falls National Park and Mapleton National Park . Depending on which section you tackle, you’ll be surrounded by piccabeen palm groves, ancient bunya pines and pencil-straight blackbutt forests as you stroll.

For one of the best returns on minimal exertion, head to the wheelchair-accessible Mapleton Falls Lookout to see the 120-metre drop, or follow the short Wompoo Circuit to the soundtrack of the wompoo fruit dove as you wind through rainforest and eucalypt forest.

If it’s not a hike without a rock scramble or 20, tackle the multi-day Gheerulla Full Loop Hike . Outdoor Adventure Australia offers two-day guided walks, which make a great initiator for any Survivor-style goals.

Mapleton National Park, Gheerulla Falls
Head to Mapleton National Park to see Gheerulla Falls.

Where to eat in Mapleton

Start your day with coffee at La Botiga , which, if it were on a ’90s sitcom, would be the Central Perk of the Mapleton community. Next door, stock up on sandwiches and pastries for a day of hiking at Sweet and Flour Bakery Cafe .

Jess Huddart and Ben Johnston from Mapleton Public House feel there’s still a big gap in people’s knowledge about the food they’re putting into their bodies, and how it’s grown.

La Botiga Cafe, Mapleton
Grab a coffee at the popular La Botiga Cafe.

After drawing up plans for a restaurant on their property, The Falls Farm , which supplies some of Noosa and Brisbane’s top restaurants, one day they pointed at their local pub and said, “what about that?" Ex-Spicers chef, Cameron Matthews, was immediately on board, and is now pushing the boundaries of what pub grub can be, inspired by the farm’s produce.

Falls Farm, Mapleton
Visit The Falls Farm to try fresh produce at their onsite restaurant.

While you can still tuck into a free-range schnitzel or a really good cheeseburger, it’s the more unconventional dishes that have punters flocking to the venue. A recent example? Inspired by the ginger and turmeric grown on the regenerative farm, as well as locally caught spanner crab, Cameron turned out a delicate chawanmushi (Japanese custard), cooked in an old pie warmer. Nab a spot on the deck for the best view in town.

Mapleton is also food stall country, so keep some cash on you and be ready to pull over and load up on farm-fresh avocados, pineapple and honey.

Mapleton Public House
Treat your tastebuds to unique dishes at Mapleton Public House.

Best Mapleton accommodation

Stock up on local cheese, wine and anything else you think you might crave while sitting in front of a fire before making your way to Round Hill – you won’t want to leave once you’ve plugged in your entry code and stepped inside this sleek sustainable retreat.

A few minutes out of town, the 110-year-old Gracie Cottage sits perched above a working rose farm. It’s been thoughtfully updated and filled with vintage treasures and local artworks, but the best views of all are from the clawfoot outdoor tub overlooking the Obi Obi Valley.

Round Hill Retreat, Mapleton
Get cosy at Round Hill Retreat.

A stay at Mapleton Springs not only comes with an infinity pool, cinema and games room, but also the chance to join a wildlife tour with the owners, who care for injured and orphaned koalas and kangaroos.

Set on a ridge on The Falls Farm, Smith House – the oldest house in town (c. 1908) – plays host to those who come in search of dreamy views of the Obi Obi Valley and the delicious fare of its owners’ pub (Mapleton Public House).

Smith House, Falls Farm, Mapleton
When you’re done eating at Mapleton Public House, settle into Smith House.

Other top things to do in Mapleton

If you’re at least a semi-experienced mountain biker, take to the forgiving forest trails of Mapleton National Park to feel dwarfed by towering blackbutts. A ride to Oaky Creek Lookout is about 18 kilometres and promises views over the Mary Valley, while shared trails will also take you through rainforest, over creek crossings or to see Kureelpa Falls.

To immerse yourself in Kabi Kabi culture, the First Nations-owned Triballink Activity Centre offers private tours for groups (minimum 20 people).

Triballink Activity Centre, Mapleton
Join a private tour by First Nations-owned Triballink Activity Centre.

Other places to visit while you’re there

Take a bite out of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk by hiking the Kondalilla Falls Circuit . The 4.7-kilometre loop includes over 300 stairs, but you can reach the rock pools with less exertion on a 2.4-kilometre return track.

Head to Flame Hill Vineyard for a tasting experience that’s anything but stuffy. Then, with your preferred tipple in hand, dine overlooking the vines on this 120-hectare Montville farm, knowing the beef and much of the vegetables come from within eyeshot.

Kondilla National Park
Chase waterfalls at Kondilla National Park.
Celeste Mitchell
With visions of hosting Getaway, Celeste Mitchell graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism and entered the hard-hitting world of boy bands, puberty, and fashion, writing for magazines like Girlfriend, Total Girl, CLEO and TV Hits in the early noughties (there was a lot of Twilight references). Since switching gears to full-time freelancer in 2013, focused exclusively on travel, she’s criss-crossed the globe, opened a co-working space, lived in Mexico, and co-founded slow and sustainable site, Life Unhurried. The Sunshine Coast-based author (Life Unhurried & Ultimate Beaches Australia, Hardie Grant) and mum of two regularly pinches herself that she gets to explore new places and ask all the nosy questions she wants in the name of work.
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You haven’t heard of this Qld outback town, but history buffs can’t miss it

    Kassia ByrnesBy Kassia Byrnes
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    Under wide-open outback skies, discover a fossicking gem that’s managed to slip under the radar.

    While the name Clermont may feel new to even the most intrepid traveller, its gilded history stretches back centuries. You’ll find it just off the highway, humming quietly under the hazy veil of Queensland’s outback sun. It’s here, hemmed in by mountains and perched atop soil heavy with the earth’s treasures, that one of Australia’s most accessible outback adventures awaits.

    Thanks to deposits of gold, copper and gemstones – souvenirs left by exploding supernovas and the heave of tectonic plates – Clermont became a centre point of Queensland’s Gold Rush. And now? Australia’s fossicking capital is yours to discover.

    Getting there

    car driving along Capricorn Way in queensland
    Take a drive through Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. (Image: Sean Scott/ TEQ)

    You’ll find Clermont in Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. To get here, it’s an easy three-hour drive over sealed roads from Mackay. Or, if you’re heading from the Sapphire Fields of Emerald, the drive will carve out just over an hour from your day.

    Whether you’re road-tripping through outback Queensland or just tracing your way through all that Australia has to offer, Clermont is remote but easily accessible.

    Best accommodation in Clermont

    Theresa CreekDam in clermont
    Camp by Theresa Creek Dam. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    All accommodation comes with a generous helping of country hospitality here. The choice is yours between modern hotels, parking up the camper or pitching a tent.

    Theresa Creek Dam lies just outside town. Begin each day with crisp country air and bright outback sunrises. Spend the night under the sparkling country stars and your days out on the dam fishing or kayaking. Even if you aren’t camping, be sure to save space in your itinerary for an afternoon on the red dirt shore.

    To stay closer to town, opt for a central hotel to base yourself between exploring and fossicking, like Smart Stayzzz Inn and Clermont Country Motor Inn .

    Things to do in Clermont

    three people on a tour with Golden Prospecting
    Join a tour with Golden Prospecting.

    One does not visit Clermont without trying their hand at fossicking. There are strict rules when it comes to fossicking, so stick to areas dedicated for general permission and make sure you obtain your license beforehand. Try your luck at McMasters , Four Mile , Town Desert, McDonald Flat and Flat Diggings . To increase your odds, sign on for a tour with the expert team at Golden Prospecting . They’ll give you access to exclusive plots and expert advice along the way.

    Once you’ve tried your luck on the gold fields, head to the Clermont Township and Historical Museum . Each exhibit works like an archaeologist’s brush to dust away the layers of Clermont’s history. Like the steam engine that painstakingly relocated the entire town inch by inch to higher ground after it was decimated by flooding in 1916. See the tools that helped build the Blair Athol mine, historic fire engines, shearing sheds and all sorts of relics that make up Clermont’s story.

    The historic Copperfield Chimney offers a change of pace. Legend has it that fossickers found a solid wall of copper here, over three metres high, kick-starting Queensland’s first-ever copper mine.

    Bush Heli Services flying over clermont queensland
    See Clermont from above with Bush Heli Services. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    For hiking, nearby Dysart is the best place to access Peak Range National Park. Here, mountainous horizons stretch across the outback as if plucked from another world. Set off for a scenic drive along the Peak Downs Highway for access to countless geological wonders. Like the slanting rockface of Wolfang Peak. Summit it, and you’ll find yourself looking out across a scene surely conjured up by Banjo Paterson. Dry scrub dancing in the warm breeze, grazing cattle, eucalypts and the gentle creak of windmills. Don’t miss visiting Gemini Peaks, either, for one of the park’s best vistas, and a blanket of wild flowers after rain.

    Then, take to the skies with a scenic helicopter tour with Bush Heli-Services . Shift your perspective and cruise above all the sights from your trip. Spots like Lords Table Mountain and Campbell’s Peak are best viewed from the skies.

    Before you head home, be sure to explore the neighbouring townships. Spend a lazy afternoon in the shade of Nebo Hotel’s wrap-around verandahs . The hotel’s 1900s dance hall has since been replaced with one of the area’s biggest rodeo arenas, so consider timing your trip to line up with a boot scootin’ rodeo. Or, stop by a ghost town. Mount Britton was once a thriving town during the 1880s Gold Rush. It’s been totally abandoned and now lies untouched, a perfect relic of the Gold Rush.

    Best restaurants and cafes in Clermont

    meal at Commercial Hotel
    Stop into the Commercial Hotel Clermont.

    Days spent fossicking, bushwalking and cramming on history call for excellent coffee and hearty country meals. Luckily, Clermont delivers in spades.

    Lotta Lattes Cafe is beloved by locals for a reason. Start your days here for the best caffeine fix in town and an impeccable brunch menu.

    For a real country meal, an icy cold beer and that famed country hospitality, head straight to the town’s iconic hotel: the Commercial Hotel (known endearingly to locals as ‘The Commie’). It’s been a staple in Clermont since 1877. The hotel even survived the flood of 1916 when it was sawn in two and moved to higher ground.

    Naturally, time spent in the outback must include calling into the local bakery. For delicious pies and a tantalising array of sweet treats, make Bluemac Bakehouse your go-to while in town.

    Discover more of The Mackay Isaac region, and start planning your trip at mackayisaac.com.