Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve is a lovely spot in the Sunshine Coast hinterland town of Maleny. It has rainforest walks, views of the Glasshouse Mountains and a discovery centre. If you are spending a day away from the sand and surf on the coast, this is great spot to relax and explore.
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Getting There
Depending where on the Sunshine Coast you start and the route you takie, it is about a 40 minute drive to Maleny and Mary Cairncross Reserve.
If you are going to check out the cafes and galleries in nearby Montville, Maleny is a 10- 15 minute drive from there.
Cost, Parking & Dogs
Unless you get a snack from the café, there is no coast for looking around Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve.
There is also a generous amount of parking which is a bit of a guide to how popular the place is during holidays and on weekends.
Dogs are not permitted in the reserve including the car park.
How long do you need here?
If you are doing a day trip through the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, you should budget 1 to 2 hours here. The main feature is the short, easy rainforest walk but you might stay longer if you grab a coffee or relax in the gardens.
Things to do at Mary Cairncross Reserve
From nature lovers to families, there is a something for everyone to enjoy at Mary Cairncross Reserve. It is an easy place to get around, and not so big that little legs will get tired. The beauty and diversity in the rainforest and displays in the Rainforest Discovery Centre are great if you want to take longer to appreciate the landscape.
Here is a quick rundown of what you can get up to.
Picnic & Play Space
Right next to the car park is a lawned area with a small playground, picnic and BBQ facilities and toilets. If you are looking for a shaded place to have lunch or let the kids burn off some energy, you can start here.
We spotted quite a few kookaburras in the trees around the grass reserve so keep an eye on your sandwiches if you have a meal here. The kookaburras looked ready to swoop!
Richmond Birdwing Butterfly Walk
From the carpark and running along the edge of the playground reserve is the butterfly walk. There is a nice viewing area and I’m sure if you are here at the right time, it would be a lovely spot to catch a glimpse of the spectacular Richmond Birdwing butterflies the track is named after.
No such luck for us, fortunately we had spotted these pretty butterflies at the Tamborine Mountain Skywalk on a trip to the Gold Coast so at least we could use our imagination!
Rainforest Discovery Centre
Spread over a couple of access friendly levels, the discovery centre provides a multi-sensory overview of the rainforest. Listen to frog croaks and bird calls. There are trays of butterflies to look at, and bird and animal displays including an example of a Wompoo pigeon that we couldn’t spot on the Wompoo Trail at Mapleton Falls.
A small theatre shows short videos about the rainforest. There is the Glider Gallery Walk – a short, elevated walk that takes you through the mid story of the forest, a giftshop and lots of helpful volunteers on hand to chat to.
Mountain View Café
Also located near the car park and within the Rainforest Discovery Centre building is the Mountain View Café. There is indoor and outdoor seating. Grab a table outside if you can, it has some of the best views of the Glasshouse Mountains.
The food is pretty good too. We had lunch here and there are plenty of snacks to choose from. There is a good range of salads, sandwiches and yummy cakes. It was pretty relaxing enjoying a cool drink while we looked off into the distance over the Glasshouse Mountain peaks.
Rainforest Walks
And finally, there are the rainforest walks. While a bit sad that there is so little of this subtropical rainforest left, it is good that this patch of remnant forest is still here for us to appreciate.
There are 3 walks you can do – the 1.7km Rainforest Loop, 1.3km Pademelon Loop or the 1.3km Piccabeen Loop. The loops do overlap, a couple of detours will take you all the areas in less than the toal of the 3 tracks.
The walks are all easy and are mostly on dirt tracks with a few small sections on boardwalks. Along the way you see some beautiful forest. Highlights include huge strangler figs, ornate piccabeen palms, twisted vines and enormous birds nest ferns. But really there is something amazing everywhere you look.
The air is filled with a chorus of bird noises – spotting them is much harder than hearing them! There is also a part of the Rainforest and Piccabeen Walk where you can see flying foxes.
The walks are all lovely. Kids will enjoy the variety of plants in the forest and there is plenty of signage along the walks for parents who want to read and share some rainforest trivia.
Things to do Nearby
While you are in the neighbourhood, you might also want to check out some of these nearby attractions. For more information on these, read our separate guides.
- Maleny Botanic Gardens & Bird World (10 minutes away)
- Cafes & Galleries in Montville (12 minutes away)
- Kondalilla Falls & Rockpools (20 minute drive to the car park)
- Baroon Lookout & Rainforest walk (18 minute drive to the car park)
- Glasshouse Mountains Lookout (30 minute drive)
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