South Burnett · Tours from Brisbane · 2026 development
South Burnett tours from Brisbane.
Four South Burnett tour formats currently in active development for 2026 launch — the Bunya Mountains Day, the Moffatdale wine region tour, a heritage circuit through Kingaroy and the South Burnett villages, and a 3-day weekend across the full region. Private & bespoke South Burnett tours are available right now while the scheduled departures are being developed. Brisbane-based specialists since 1991.
This is the South Burnett tour catalogue from Cooee Tours — honest about the current development state of the region. The South Burnett is one of Queensland’s most distinctive inland regions: the Bunya Mountains rainforest (with the iconic ancient bunya pines), Queensland’s second-largest wine region at Moffatdale near Murgon, the Kingaroy peanut country, and a network of country villages (Nanango, Goomeri, Murgon) with strong heritage character — all within 2 to 3.5 hours of Brisbane CBD. Four tour formats are in development for 2026 launch.
In the meantime, private & bespoke South Burnett tours are available now as our standing offering. This is the same approach we’ve used to develop every Cooee tour region — private tours come first, they refine the route and supplier relationships, and scheduled group tours follow once the format is locked in. For travellers wanting the South Burnett right now, the private tour path produces a more personalised experience than waiting for the scheduled tours to launch. For travellers happy to wait, register interest via the enquire form and we’ll notify you of first-departure dates when the scheduled tours go live.
The South Burnett region we travel and tour across is the Country of the Wakka Wakka People and several connected First Nations Peoples of the broader Wakka Wakka language family. The Bunya Mountains have particular cultural significance — ancestors of the Wakka Wakka and many neighbouring First Nations Peoples gathered triennially at the Bunya Mountains for the bunya nut harvest, one of the most significant pre-colonisation Indigenous gatherings in eastern Australia. The Cherbourg Aboriginal community near Murgon is a contemporary First Nations community established in 1900. Cooee Tours acknowledges Traditional Custodians and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
South Burnett tour formats in development
Four tour formats launching 2026
Each format covers a different angle of the South Burnett. All depart from Brisbane CBD. Register interest via the enquire form for first-departure notification, or book a private tour to visit the region now.
South Burnett Wine Tour
Moffatdale and Murgon cellar doors — Queensland’s second-largest wine region
Full-day tour from Brisbane covering the Moffatdale wine area near Murgon — Queensland’s second-largest wine region after the Granite Belt. The South Burnett wine cluster includes Clovely Estate, Hunting Lodge Estate and a small group of producers working volcanic basalt soils into distinctive Verdelho, Shiraz and Chambourcin. Long-day departure from Brisbane (3 hours each way) with country lunch.
Bunya Mountains Day
Ancient bunya pine forest, summit walks, World Heritage National Park
Day tour from Brisbane to Bunya Mountains National Park — one of Queensland’s most significant remnant ancient rainforest areas, home to the iconic bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii). Walks of varying difficulty including the easy Pine Gorge circuit, the moderate Big Falls track, and the harder Mt Kiangarow summit. Strong cultural significance to the Wakka Wakka and broader First Nations Peoples whose ancestors gathered triennially for the bunya nut harvest.
South Burnett Heritage Loop
Kingaroy peanut country, Goomeri villages, Nanango heritage
Full-day heritage circuit covering the South Burnett’s commercial heart at Kingaroy (peanut capital of Australia, Joh Bjelke-Petersen heritage), the Goomeri villages, Nanango (one of Queensland’s oldest inland towns), and Murgon. Country pub lunch and unhurried country pace. Strong context-and-history focus — suits travellers who enjoyed our Fassifern Heritage Loop.
3-day South Burnett Weekend
Bunya Mountains, the wine region, Kingaroy & the South Burnett villages
Three-day small-group weekend covering the full South Burnett. Day 1 the Bunya Mountains. Day 2 the South Burnett wine region (Moffatdale cellar doors) and Kingaroy heritage. Day 3 the village circuit (Goomeri, Nanango, Murgon) and return. Country accommodation, all meals included. Designed to give the region the depth it deserves — single-day tours from Brisbane only scratch the surface.
Available right now: private South Burnett tours
While the four scheduled tour formats are in development, private and bespoke South Burnett touring is our standing offering — design your own day or weekend.
How private tours work
Tell us what you want to do (Bunya Mountains walking, the wine region, Kingaroy heritage, the village circuit, multi-day combinations), your group size (2-12 typical), your preferred dates, and any specific interests (wine, walking, history, photography, food). A Brisbane-based Cooee specialist designs the itinerary, sources accommodation and lunch venues, and assigns a guide who knows the region. Pricing is per-vehicle and per-day rather than per-person — for groups of 4 or more this often works out competitive with what scheduled tours would charge.
What private tours offer that scheduled tours don’t
Pick your own date (not just the scheduled departure days). Pick your own pace (longer at the cellar doors, less time at the villages, or whatever balance suits you). Pick your own group (just you, or invite a wider party). Pick your own departure time. Pick your own accommodation level (heritage country pub, mid-range motel, farm stay, boutique B&B). For couples, special-interest groups (wine, walking, photography), corporate or wedding-party day trips, the bespoke approach is usually the better experience anyway.
Where private tour designs typically focus
The most-requested South Burnett private tour combinations are: (1) Bunya Mountains day from Brisbane with a walks-focused itinerary (Pine Gorge, Big Falls, Mt Kiangarow depending on fitness); (2) Moffatdale wine region day with Murgon lunch; (3) 2-day Kingaroy heritage weekend combining peanut country, Goomeri villages and Nanango; (4) 3-day full-region tour combining Bunya Mountains, the wine cluster and the heritage circuit. Other combinations welcomed — the region rewards creative itineraries.
Where to start: Email contact@cooeetours.com.au with a rough idea of what you have in mind (interest area, group size, preferred dates) — we’ll come back within one business day with itinerary suggestions and per-vehicle pricing. No fixed format required at the enquiry stage; the conversation shapes the tour.
Why visit the South Burnett?
What makes the region tour-worthy — and what makes it different from the Scenic Rim, Sunshine Coast hinterland, or Lockyer Valley alternatives.
The Bunya Mountains — ancient pine forest
Bunya Mountains National Park is one of Queensland’s most significant remnant ancient rainforest areas, home to the iconic bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii) — tall conifers that produce massive nut-bearing cones every three years. The Bunya Mountains have profound cultural significance to the Wakka Wakka and many neighbouring First Nations Peoples whose ancestors gathered triennially for the bunya nut harvest. Walking tracks for all levels including the easy Pine Gorge circuit, the moderate Big Falls track, and the harder Mt Kiangarow summit.
Queensland’s second-largest wine region
The Moffatdale area near Murgon is Queensland’s second-largest wine region after the Granite Belt. A cluster of cellar doors including Clovely Estate and Hunting Lodge Estate work volcanic basalt soils into distinctive Verdelho, Shiraz and Chambourcin. Less polished than the Scenic Rim cellar door experience but more authentic country-cellar character — suits travellers who prefer working farms to manicured estate gardens.
Kingaroy — peanut country and Joh heritage
Kingaroy is the commercial heart of the South Burnett and Australia’s peanut capital — the Peanut Company of Australia operates here, the streetscape includes the iconic peanut silos, and the broader district produces a substantial share of Australian peanuts. The Kingaroy Heritage Museum covers the region’s history including the Bjelke-Petersen political legacy (Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Queensland Premier 1968-1987, was a Kingaroy peanut farmer). Strong inland-Queensland country town character.
The village circuit — Nanango, Goomeri, Murgon
The South Burnett village circuit runs north from Nanango (one of Queensland’s oldest inland towns, established 1847) through Murgon to Goomeri (famous for its annual Pumpkin Festival in May, when locals roll giant pumpkins down the main street). Country pubs, heritage main streets, antique stores and unhurried country pace. Pairs well with the Bunya Mountains day or as part of a multi-day region tour.
What the South Burnett is NOT
Honest counter: the South Burnett doesn’t offer the dramatic mountain scenery of the Scenic Rim, the beach access of the Sunshine Coast hinterland, or the polished food-and-wine sophistication of the Granite Belt. It’s a working country region with strong agricultural character, distinctive natural areas, and authentic country towns. Suits travellers who value depth and authenticity over polish — not the right region for travellers wanting resort experiences or coastal day-trip combinations.
Related South Burnett & Cooee resources
Continue your South Burnett planning
South Burnett region guide
The full South Burnett destination guide — sub-region overviews, what to do, when to visit, where to stay across the wider region.
Read the region guide →
Scenic Rim tours catalogue
Our most developed Queensland tour catalogue — four active tour formats from Brisbane. Useful reference for what a full tour catalogue looks like; the South Burnett will follow this template.
View Scenic Rim tours →
Toowoomba region
The nearest established Cooee tour region to the South Burnett — pairs well as a multi-region combined tour if you’re visiting south-east inland Queensland.
Read Toowoomba guide →Enquire: private tour
The fastest path to visiting the South Burnett with Cooee — design your own day or weekend itinerary. A Brisbane-based specialist replies within one business day.
Start an enquiry →Honest answers about South Burnett tours
Questions about the development state, private tour alternatives, and what makes the region tour-worthy.
Are South Burnett tours bookable right now?
Not as fixed-departure group tours yet — the South Burnett is in our active tour development queue for 2026 launch. What IS available right now is private and bespoke South Burnett touring from Brisbane — design your own day or weekend itinerary, choose your stops, set your group size and departure date. Private tours are how we built up every Cooee tour region; some of our strongest current products started as bespoke requests. Email contact@cooeetours.com.au to discuss what you have in mind.
Why don’t you run scheduled South Burnett tours yet?
Honest answer: tour development is hard work. Each tour product takes months to refine — route planning, supplier relationships (cellar doors, accommodation, lunch venues), guide training, pricing, marketing. We don’t launch products until we’re confident in their quality. The South Burnett is in our development queue but the four planned tour formats won’t go live until we’re happy with each. Private tours fill the gap in the meantime, with the bonus that bespoke design often produces a more personalised experience than scheduled group tours anyway.
When are South Burnett scheduled tours launching?
The current development plan targets 2026 launches across the four tour formats — Bunya Mountains Day, South Burnett Heritage Loop, and the 3-day South Burnett Weekend are likely earliest (mid-2026), with the South Burnett Wine Tour planned for late 2026 once the cellar-door supplier network is locked in. Register interest via the enquire form to be on the first-departures notification list.
Can I visit the South Burnett on a private tour now?
Yes. Cooee Tours runs custom private day tours and weekend tours into the South Burnett from Brisbane right now — build your own itinerary across the Bunya Mountains, the Moffatdale wine region, Kingaroy, Nanango, Goomeri, Murgon. Suits couples, small groups, special-interest groups (wine enthusiasts, walkers, heritage buffs), corporate or wedding-party day trips. Pricing is per-vehicle and per-day rather than per-person, which often works out competitive for groups of 4-12.
How far is the South Burnett from Brisbane?
Kingaroy is approximately 2h 30m from Brisbane CBD via the D’Aguilar Highway. The Bunya Mountains National Park entrance is approximately 3h 15m. The Moffatdale wine area near Murgon is approximately 3h. The South Burnett works best as a full-day or weekend trip rather than a quick half-day — the drive each way is significant. This is why the 3-day weekend format is the strongest fit for the region.
Whose Country is the South Burnett on?
The South Burnett region we travel and tour across is the Country of the Wakka Wakka People and several connected First Nations Peoples of the broader Wakka Wakka language family. The Bunya Mountains have particular cultural significance — ancestors of the Wakka Wakka and many neighbouring First Nations Peoples gathered triennially at the Bunya Mountains for the bunya nut harvest, one of the most significant pre-colonisation Indigenous gatherings in eastern Australia. The Cherbourg Aboriginal community near Murgon is a contemporary First Nations community established in 1900. Cooee Tours acknowledges Traditional Custodians and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
Are there cultural tours that include Cherbourg?
Cherbourg-focused cultural tours can only be developed in genuine partnership with the Cherbourg community — with appropriate cultural protocols, community benefit-sharing, and Elder involvement. This isn’t something Cooee Tours has rushed to launch unilaterally; it requires authentic relationship-building over time. If we do develop Cherbourg cultural tour offerings in the future, it will be with full Cherbourg community partnership and approval. Until then, we don’t offer Cherbourg-specific tours.
How big are the groups when South Burnett tours launch?
Hard cap of 24 across all Cooee tour formats — the same standard we apply to our existing Scenic Rim, Fassifern Valley, Toowoomba, Outback and Atherton Tablelands tours. Most departures run with 14-20 travellers. Private tours support 2-12 typical group sizes; larger groups (school groups, corporate days, wedding parties) handled separately.
What about self-driving the South Burnett?
Self-driving works well for the South Burnett — sealed roads throughout, no 4WD required for any main tourist site. The D’Aguilar Highway is the main route from Brisbane. We will publish a dedicated South Burnett transport guide as part of the 2026 tour rollout; in the meantime, our Scenic Rim transport guide covers the general driving-conditions approach (wildlife caution at dawn/dusk, storm-season notes, hire car notes) that applies similarly across South Queensland rural regions.
How do I register interest?
Email contact@cooeetours.com.au with your interest area (Bunya Mountains, wine, heritage circuit, 3-day weekend) and preferred season — we’ll add you to the first-departure notification list and contact you when scheduled tours go live. Or call 0409 661 342 (Brisbane office Mon-Fri 9am-5pm AEST). Or use the enquire form linked from every Cooee page.
Two paths to a South Burnett tour
Register interest or book a private tour now
Two ways to visit the South Burnett with Cooee Tours. Register interest in the four scheduled tour formats and we’ll notify you of first-departure dates when they launch in 2026. Or book a private tour now — the bespoke path that often produces a more personalised experience than scheduled group tours anyway.