The Royal Hotel, Harrisville – 151 years
Standing proudly since 1875 and the oldest pub in the region, the Royal Hotel is one of the Scenic Rim's oldest and most beloved pubs. From its early days serving cotton and cattle workers, to today's live music nights and hearty meals, the Royal has remained the heart of Harrisville. Its verandahs catch the afternoon breeze, the beer is always cold, and the atmosphere is as welcoming as it was a century and a half ago. In addition, caravans & campers are welcome to stay in the picturesque grounds of The Royal Hotel. Home - The Royal Hotel Harrisville
- Fun fact 1: The Royal has survived multiple fires over its history, and legend has it the ghost of a 19th-century publican still keeps an eye on the bar!
- Fun Fact 2: Margaret Wholey was one of the first female publicans in Queensland - having built the Hotel in 1875, and according to the owners, Margaret is one of the resident ghosts!
- Fun Fact 3: In January 1887 there was a huge flood, this is the only recorded time of water entering the premises, later flooding have gone under the Hotel.
- Fun Fact 4: The Royal Hotel Harrisville (The Royal James Hotel as it was called in those days) was extensively damaged by fire on 2 June 1916. Nobody perished in the fire, however, there are many articles written to state otherwise. The only recorded death in the Hotel was in 1934 a Mr Neaves who died of a heart attack whilst boarding at the Hotel.
- Fact 5: In 2003 The Royal Hotel featured in the "Fat Cow Motel" mini series aired on the ABC with many locals working as extras!
The Dugandan Hotel – 140 years
Affectionately known as "The Dugie," this Boonah-era pub has been a gathering point for generations. The timber building that stands today was first established in the 1880s by Carl Stumer as a general store, serving the growing township just outside Boonah. It wasn't until 1913 that the building was converted into a hotel, complete with accommodation, cellar, kitchen and servants' quarters, quickly becoming a gathering place for farmers, timber workers and travellers moving through the region. One hundred and forty years on, the Dugandan remains exactly what a great country pub should be: welcoming, relaxed and deeply connected to its community. Set against sweeping views of the Scenic Rim and Mt French, locals and visitors alike gather on the wraparound verandah or in the sprawling beer garden known as "The Chook Yard," where live music, hearty pub classics and cold beers are the order of the day. Today it's a magnet for weekend day-trippers, motorcyclists and families exploring the Scenic Rim, proof that some places don't just survive the years, they become part of the landscape itself. dugandanhotel.com.au
St Bernards Hotel, Tamborine Mountain – 111 years
Perched high on Tamborine Mountain with sweeping views across the Scenic Rim, St Bernards Hotel is one of the region's most iconic pubs. The property was originally built in 1881 by Robert Muir as accommodation connected to early agricultural ventures on the mountain, before being moved to its current site in 1898 and eventually granted a hotel licence in 1915. Over the decades it has worn many hats, from guest house to wartime accommodation and even a convalescent retreat.
More than 111 years after becoming a licensed hotel, St Bernards remains a beloved destination for locals, day-trippers and tourists. Sitting on the edge of an ancient volcanic escarpment, the venue boasts panoramic views across Tamborine Valley, Guanaba Gorge and out to the Pacific Ocean, the kind of outlook that makes a long lunch stretch effortlessly into the afternoon. But there's more! Guests are famously welcomed by the venue's resident St Bernard dogs, a tradition that has become as much a part of the hotel's identity as the view itself, and there's also a resident peacock! St Bernards Hotel | Accommodation, Restaurant, Weddings & Functions
Canungra Hotel – 100 years
The Canungra Hotel has been the heart of its township for a century. Originally a timber guesthouse, it became a licensed pub in 1928, surviving fire and rebuilds to remain a social hub for locals and visitors. Today it offers hearty meals, cold drinks, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere for anyone exploring the valley. It's famed for its iconic black and white paintwork, and for its wraparound verandah, a perfect perch for afternoon sun, people-watching, and stories about the town's timber and timber mill heritage.
Canungra Hotel | Bar, Gaming, Bistro and Accommodation
O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat – 100 Years
From historic pubs to rainforest retreats, the Scenic Rim's Famous Five prove that places with history, heart, and a connection to community don't just survive, they thrive, continue to draw crowds, and keep the stories flowing in one of Queensland's most beloved regions.
VISIT THE SCENIC RIM! Find out all you need at visitscenicrim.com.au
Just an hour from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, the Scenic Rim stretches from Canungra to The Lost World, Beaudesert to Boonah, Tamborine Mountain to Kalbar and is home to the ancient World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests, six historic national parks, charming towns and villages, adventure parks, farm stays, craft breweries, boutique wineries, ecolodges, tantalising gourmet and locally led food experiences, world class camping and glamping and breathtaking spaces in between. It's a region of more than 4,200 square kilometres of rich volcanic soil surrounded by ancient mountains and home to thousands of farmers and food creators, more than 30,000ha of parkland, plus three dams - Lake Moogerah, Lake Maroon and Wyaralong Dam.
