Kenilworth Queensland is Well Worth a Visit
For a small town in the Mary Valley, some two hours north of Brisbane, Kenilworth (Queensland) really does pack a punch as a great short drive from the big smoke and a night (or more) away.
Kenilworth is located in the lands of the Gubbi Gubbi First Nation People’s lands and was first ‘settled’ for dairy purposes in 1850 (Wikipedia).
Today, Kenilworth retains much of its ‘old world’ charm through its buildings, its pace and its people.
Main Street, Kenilworth
Getting To Kenilworth Queensland
As a visitor from the big city, or as a traveller on a dash through the area, you’d be best off slowing down (in every sense) and managing your expectations when you turn off the Bruce Highway at Eumundi (just west of Noosa Heads) or travel north through Maleny after heading north-west from Beerwah (behind the Glass House Mountains). This area has a richness that you ought not miss.
Watch out when travelling
If you’re travelling with a load up or towing a trailer, there’s two roads you ought not consider due to their gradient, narrow width and sharp turns. They are:
- Travelling from the South – Do not take the Postmans Track that heads north from Maleny-Stanley River Road at Follow this link
- Travelling from the South – Do not take the Obi Obi Road out of Mapleton at Follow this link down to Kenilworth
Better safe than sorry
NOTE: I know… I know… there’ll be some readers here who’ll say that I’m wrong and that they once went down those roads in their father’s EH wagon towing a 25ft Chesney with no issues. Both these roads are sign posted as ‘unsuitable for caravans’ and I can’t support anyone going down them with a load or a trailer.
If you’re unfamiliar with your rig or want a simple road in, take the turnoff from the Bruce Highway at Eumundi and come in on the Eumundi-Kenilworth Road. You could even pop into Eumundi and try a vanilla slice from the bakery in town.
A more scenic route – the Mary River
For a more scenic route, you could travel down from Maleny along the Maleny-Kenilworth road and follow much of the Mary River on the way.
For the more adventurous with high clearance vehicles (I’m being a little over cautious here) in dry weather, you could take the Brisbane Valley Highway out of Ipswich (just west of Brisbane) and travel up through Fernvale (stopping at the Old Fernvale Bakery), Esk (a little longer but it avoids the hills on the eastern side of Lake Wivenhoe, Jimna (be sure to visit the old Fire Tower just north of town) and then head east along Sunday Creek Road to come out on the Maleny-Kenilworth Road just past Charlie Moreland Campground. Check out an earlier blog at https://campandtravel.com.au/conondale-range-qld/.
Where to Camp at Kenilworth Queensland
The big stay in Kenilworth is perhaps the Showgrounds (Follow this link) right in the middle of town at Follow this link.
Kenilworth Showground Camping
Here, you can have a powered site with showers (coin operated $1 for 3 mins), toilets and a laundry for $22 for two adults per night – or settle back in an unpowered site for $15 for two adults per night.
Then there’s three camping areas on the Mary River just north of town – the Kenilworth Homestead – yes, the Homestead – (has showers, toilets and some powered sites); Kenilworth Camping (has toilets only, no power or showers); and the Bluff Creek Campground (has toilets, hot showers and no power).
A little further afield and in the Conondale National Park, are the Charlie Moreland and Booloumba Creek Camping Areas. Neither have power or showers – but they do have toilets.
Access to the Charlie Moreland Camping Area is along Sunday Creek Road (dirt) – the intersection is on a bend about 6 kilometres south of Kenilworth at Follow this link.
Charlie Moreland Camping Area
The turnoff to the Booloumba Creek Camping Area is a little further on (7 kilometres south of Kenilworth) turning west on Booloumba Creek Road. Access to the camping area is across three creek crossings which can be too deep for conventional vehicles – so high clearance vehicles may be necessary.
Booloumba Creek Camping Area #4
Bookings for the campgrounds in the National Park can be made online at Follow this link.
What to See around Kenilworth Queensland
First off, you cant do better than to pop into the Visitor Information Centre in the centre of town at Follow this link. Here, you can outline your interests and tell them your want-to-sees and they’ll send you off with all you need.
But, a walk up the Main Street (Elizabeth Street) is one way to kill some time. Here you’ll find some interesting shops, a bakery, general store and some coffee shops (my preference is Nanna McGuinn’s between the Visitor Centre and the IGA).
There’s also a Museum in Alexandra Street if you have an interest in finding out more about the Kenilworth region.
See Dayv’s review on this tent by OzTent.
Must see around the area of Kenilworth
Perhaps the most ‘must-see’ place in Kenilworth – and its a bit hard to miss – is the Kenilworth Dairy (almost across the road from the showground). The dairy itself was established in 1950 by the Kraft Corporation. However, “in the late 1980’s Kraft decided to close the Kenilworth factory” and “two employees and a local businessman came up with the idea that perhaps some of the workers could buy the factory” and the dairy reopened in September 1990 (source: Follow this link).
Morning tea, Lunch, Afternoon tea or Dinner treats
You can visit the dairy and by morning tea, lunch, arvo tea or even something to add to your dinner – with a variety of cheeses, yogurts, ice cream, mousse, milk. Heck they even have recipes on their webpage (Follow this link).
4WD at Conondale National Park
If you’re staying in Kenilworth and you’ve got a 4wd you’d be crazy not to explore the Conondale National Park a little further and perhaps take a drive to Jimna on Sunday Creek Road; check out Booloumba Falls and the Breadknife (Follow this link) some 10 kilometres from the Booloumba Creek Camping Area (plus a return walk into the falls); or even take the walk to the Strangler Cairn from Booloumba Creek Day Use Area (Follow this link).
Mapleton and Montville
You could also venture a little further afield and go up to Mapleton and Montville to visit the markets and attractions – and views out over the Sunshine Coast. Just a reminder not to take a trailer up the Obi Obi Road.
View Over Sunshine Coast from Montville
You may like to check out the tabbed ‘Businesses’ page of the Kenilworth Communities webpage at Follow this link before you travel.
Where to Eat in Kenilworth Queensland
Perhaps the no-brainer place in town to have a good feed is the Kenilworth Hotel at the top of town (always good to walk home down hill) at Follow this link.
Then there’s the Bowls Club around the corner and further up hill at Follow this link – but this may require that you drive and you’d be best ringing first in case of any competitions etc.
Nanna McGuinn’s in town is also great for breakfast or a lunch time feed.
See You There
For me, Kenilworth is a great spot to visit and slow down for a couple of nights. I find there’s nothing better than visiting the dairy and bringing back some cheeses to camp to accompany a couple of sundowners with friends (old and new) before dinner. Then, perhaps, a walk to the pub is in order too…
