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The Bunya Mountains is the hidden gem of the Great Dividing Range, and is a spectacular and serene holiday destination that’s a magnet for holiday-makers seeking a nature-based wilderness holiday. Declared a National Park in 1908, the Bunya Mountains remains tranquil, laid-back and unspoilt to this day. This scenic mountain-top paradise is home to rainforest, waterfalls, spectacular scenery, sweeping views, gorgeous sunsets, and a host of friendly native wildlife. It’s the perfect destination for those looking to get away from it all, and will surprise and delight you.

Getting there

Getting to the Bunya Mountains involves a comfortable two-and-a-half to three-hour drive from Brisbane, a four-hour drive from the Gold Coast or Hervey Bay or a 90-minute drive from Toowoomba. There are three main access roads to the Bunya Mountains, and most involve some short periods on non-sealed gravel roads – but the drive is perfectly achievable for most regular cars (you don’t need a four-wheel-drive to access the mountain).

However, what about if you have a caravan and want to holiday with it at the Bunya Mountains?

Caravans at the Bunya Mountains

Well, taking a caravan to the Bunya Mountains can unfortunately be problematic. The Parks Queensland website when talking about the Bunya Mountains states that:

“The Department of Transport and Main Roads advises that all access roads are unsuitable for travel by long and/or heavy vehicles. Discretion is urged with respect to caravans, large motorhomes, and large buses.”

This is because the Bunya Mountains is obviously in an elevated location, and all roads to the Bunya Mountains are steep, narrow and winding. As well, as you get closer to the top, the rainforest closes in around the road, making visibility around corners a bit more difficult. To make things even more difficult, there is no fuel available on the mountain, so you’ll need to keep this in mind when planning your trip.

So, the official position is strongly against taking caravans up the Bunya Mountains. However, people occasionally do it.

It IS possible to get a caravan up the steep winding road to the Bunya Mountains. Of the three access roads to the mountain, the general consensus among people who have taken

caravans up is that the Maidenwell access road is the best when towing. However, if you choose to do so, you’ll need to drive slowly and carefully, and be aware of the potential problems this may cause:

• You’ll need to drive slowly, steadily and cautiously, and this can cause a build-up of frustrated traffic behind you.
• Visibility can be a problem for oncoming traffic on the sharply winding road.
• The caravan may cause issues for oncoming vehicles, who would not be expecting to encounter a vehicle of that size on a tight and winding road. Other vehicles may be squeezed off the road on tight corners, or forced to stop to let the caravan pass. This may create further hazards and traffic problems.
• If your caravan encounters a problem and needs to stop, there is nowhere to turn around on the road up to the Bunya Mountains. Even if you could manage it somehow, it would take a long time, block traffic in both directions and probably damage the van. Reversing the van backwards down the mountain would likewise be extremely difficult.
• The road is signposted as unsuitable for caravans, so if you had an accident on that road, your insurance company would be unlikely to cover any damages.

So, while it is possible to get a caravan up onto the Bunya Mountains, it’s really not recommended, for all the reasons outlined above. The signs and recommendations are there for a reason, and it’s best to abide by them.

So, what do you do if you have a caravan and want to visit the beautiful Bunya Mountains? The alternative option is to park your van at the base of the mountain at somewhere like Yarraman or Maidenwell, or any of the nearby campsites and make day trips up to the Bunya Mountains from there. If you want to stay up on the mountain for a few days, there are plenty of accommodation options at the Bunya Mountains Accommodation Centre, while you leave the van at the bottom.

If you do decide to take your caravan to the Bunya Mountains, leave plenty of extra time for the trip, try and choose a non-busy time to attempt the drive up, approach via the Maidenwell access road and drive with extreme caution. But if you can manage without taking your caravan up the Bunya Mountains, that’s by far the best and safest approach.