Holiday houses in Maleny

Rainforest meets farmland in Maleny, a lush town sitting high in the Blackall Range, creating a green spine through the hinterland of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Waterfalls tumble into swimming holes (Gardners Falls is a favorite for its variety of freshwater pools), while creeks and rivers carve through pastoral countryside dotted with cows. This is prime dairy country, and to prove it, Maleny locals have developed a Cheese Circuit, a trail linking dairies where you can witness cheesemongers in action and sample fresh produce. The bucolic setting is framed by state forest and national parkland to the north and west, the distinctive craggy peaks of the Glass House Mountains to the south, and shimmering beaches of the Pacific Ocean just a few miles to the east.

Thanks to its altitude (1,400 feet), Maleny avoids the searing summer temperatures and humidity of its sea-level Sunshine Coast companions. December through February, daytime highs average 85 degrees Fahrenheit, with cool evenings (65 degrees). This is the wet season, however, and chances of rain are high — the surrounding forest is verdant for good reason. If you’re planning on chasing waterfalls or making the most of nearby beaches, this is the time to do it. Peak season is winter (June through August), when daytime temperatures approach 70 degrees, while humidity and rainfall are at their lowest annual levels.

You’re in the subtropics, so bring a rain jacket and umbrella, as well as sunscreen to protect you during the day. Don’t forget your swimsuit, so you can splash about in waterholes, and walking shoes to trek through the rainforest.

Baroon Pocket Dam

Perched between the towns of Montville and Maleny, this scenic lake is stocked with everything you need for a day of outdoor recreation with the family, including playgrounds, picnic tables, barbecue pits, and plenty of biting Australian bass to keep anglers happy.

Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve

From macadamia to native ginger, tamarind to red cedar, this 135-acre reserve is a living museum dedicated to both Australian and introduced plant species. Discover what other flora and fauna call the rainforest home at the state-of-the-art Discovery Centre, where you can also plot your path along several walking trails, many offering vistas over the Glass House Mountains’ rocky pinnacles.

Gardners Falls

A short hike along the Obi Obi Creek leads you to this small but picturesque waterfall. Surrounded by native forest and grassy meadows, it’s the perfect spot for a midday swim.