📍21 Best Things To Do In Dalby, Queensland. (Activities & Attractions 2024.)
WANTING TO KNOW WHAT THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN DALBY, QLD ARE?
Sitting halfway between Queensland’s largest inland city, Toowoomba and the Melon Capital of Australia, Chinchilla lies Dalby. As someone who has visited this small rural town for a few days on several occasions over the past decade, I know that from the outset, it looks like a pitstop to stock up on supplies during a longer road trip journey and little else.
But that would be missing out because if you dig a little deeper as I love to do whenever I’m out and about, you’ll discover that there are some fantastic things to do in Dalby that’ll make stopping by and exploring the town and the surrounding areas well worth it.
👉 My top 3 picks for what to do in Dalby & surrounds:
- Camping at Lake Broadwater.
- Exploring Bunya Mountains National Park.
- Stopping by J.S. Fischer Lookout & walking/ biking at Russell Park.
Planning Your Trip? Use My Favourite Resources!
Tours/Experiences: I recommend Viator.
Accommodation: I recommend Booking.com.
Renting Vehicles: I recommend RentalCars.com.
Things To Do In Dalby, Queensland.
1. Dalby Information Centre & Thomas Jack Park.
Dalby is a fair drive out. It’s 90km from Toowoomba and 82km away from Chinchilla, and there’s not a lot in between to stop for, so when you get to town, it’s reasonable to assume you’ll want to go for a walk to stretch your legs.
A great place to do that is at Thomas Park. It’s home to the Visitor Information Centre, so you can find out what to do in Dalby before exploring the picturesque park and gardens or letting the kids run amok on the playground and burn off some of their pent-up energy.
It’s also a great place to have a picnic and just relax before heading off to the next thing.
2. Dalby Heritage Trail.
One of the best things to do in Dalby is to take a stroll through town. It’s the easiest way to get a feel for a place, and as the Darling Downs town is over 170 years old, much of that lies in its beautiful heritage buildings. So hop out of the car and walk the streets and discover some stunning architecture from days gone by.
3. Dalby Pioneer Park Museum.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into Dalby’s history, head to Pioneer Park Museum in the eastern part of town. Roam the old heritage buildings and discover an extensive collection of colonial artefacts, including what may be the largest display of operational agricultural machinery in Queensland. It’s a fascinating insight into the past and is always a great way to keep the lifestyle of the bygone days alive.
4. Myall Creek Parklands Walkway.
Another lovely place you can go for a stroll is along Myall Creek. The Myall Creek Parklands Walkway is a picturesque trail that follows the waterway through town and is a nice place to enjoy the more scenic part of this country town.
5. Dalby Anzac Memorial.
Australia is very proud of their fellow countrymen and women who served to protect their freedoms, and just about every town features a memorial to them. So while you’re in town, be sure to head over to Anzac Park on Patrick Street and visit the touching monument dedicated to the local heroes who sacrificed their lives for Australia at the most poignant Dalby attractions.
6. Lake Broadwater.
Taking out the top spot for the best things to do around Dalby is visiting Lake Broadwater. It lies 30km southwest of the town and is the only naturally occurring freshwater lake in the Darling Downs region. It’s a lovely, serene and picturesque place in the countryside to escape, especially as once you go west of Toowoomba, there are not that many natural spaces to visit.
You can have a picnic, go kayaking or do some bird watching (I saw the incredibly unique royal spoonbill for the first time here!). There’s even a bird hide a little further down the road, so you can observe the beautiful creatures without scaring them off. Make sure you bring binoculars and a camera.
Coming early in the morning gives you the best chance to see more birds, so it’s a good thing that you can also camp at Lake Broadwater, (More on this campground in the accommodation section of this post.) which become one of the highlights of my travels around the small country town. There are even has hot showers, which is a rare find!
What To Do In Dalby’s Surrounding Areas.
If you’re looking for things to do around Dalby’s surrounding areas, there are some fabulous gems waiting for you to discover them.
7. Australian Army Flying Museum.
Most people travelling to and from Dalby do so along the Warrego Highway. And if that’s the route you are taking, one of the towns it goes past is Oakey. But don’t just drive through because it has one of the best things to do near Dalby, particularly for people interested in war or aviation history.
The Australian Army Flying Museum is located at the Oakey Airport and houses an extensive range of military aircraft along with artifacts, stories and memorabilia recovered from various conflicts. It’s a fascinating insight into Australia’s fight for freedom and a great way to acknowledge the sacrifice our armed forces gave to preserve it.
👉 Entry to the museum is free but donations are welcomed.
8. Athlone Cottage, Jandowae.
Athlone Cottage in the tiny township of Jandowae is a beautifully restored, lovingly kept historical museum that takes you back to the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Unlike many museums that towns usually have, the historical items at this museum are where they would have been in correspondence to their functionality within the heritage site, not stored behind glass cabinets as is often the case. This was my favourite thing about it as it gives the displays a more authentic feel and allows you to envision life in the olden days more clearly. Complimenting the historical piece is a stunning floral garden making this place a fantastic historical place to visit.
9. Jandowae Dam.
Also in Jandowae is Jandowae Dam, a small clay-coloured lake perfect for a mini-boating adventure. Take to the water in a kayak or motorized vessel and enjoy some water-based fun while breathing in the clean country air.
Bunya Mountains National Park.
Bunya Mountains National Park is a stunning 1,110m high isolated mountain range 65km northwest of Dalby and is home to the largest remaining concentration of naturally occurring Bunya Pines left worldwide. These unique, distinctively shaped trees that resemble fishbones are prominent throughout the rainforest and hold a deep cultural connection to indigenous Aboriginals.
But that’s not the only reason to visit this beautiful place. Because if you keep reading, you’ll see that Bunya Mountains National Park is the ultimate destination for nature-based things to do in Dalby’s vicinity.
10. Explore The Trails & Discover Lookouts & Waterfalls.
When you visit Bunya Mountains National Park, one of the must-do’s is to go bushwalking. Stroll amongst the revered bunya pine trees to the park’s many waterfalls, beautiful viewpoints and stunning natural lookouts that peer out across the rolling hills to the plains of South Burnett or the Darling Downs. It’s a spectacular place to come for those craving a nature escape, especially when Dalby has a noticeable absence of walking trails.
What’s great about these ones is that they are of different lengths and grades and can either be done individually as a shorter trail or combined with others to create a longer half-day, full-day or overnight hike. It’s sort of like a choose-your-own-adventure kind of thing.
Better yet, because the Bunya Mountains are a rainforest, it’s much cooler than it is in the countryside, so it’s an excellent place to go when the mercury’s up.
11. Try Some Bunya Nuts.
If you do go to Bunya Mountains National Park, one thing you must do is try the Bunya Nuts. Each year the bunya pines that dominate this pristine landscape grow giant cones. These sizeable things weigh up to 10kg each and can contain as many as 100 individual nuts and were an important food source for Aboriginals thanks to the tree’s consistency in producing them.
Every two or three years, like clockwork, the pines would cultivate more cones than usual. The reason they do this is still a bit of a mystery, but Aboriginals from many different tribes would walk long distances to gather here and feast on the surplus of nuts. And they did so in a manner of ways. Raw, cooked or crushed and incorporated in all sorts of dishes and cakes or eaten by themselves were primarily how they were consumed.
Today, you can also try these giant native Australian nuts, also known as Native Jurassic Nuts, at the cafes in Dandabah, the national park’s mountaintop village. They are delicious and surprising as their taste and texture don’t correlate with how nuts typically do. I liken them to tasting like the fluffy insides of hot chips without the crispy outing, which is delightfully strange as the bunya nut is hard all the way through and seemed like it would be crunchy.
👉 Note: Bunya nuts fall like coconuts, so caution is advised when walking the trails during the warmer month.
12. Dandabah Wallabies & Birds.
If you’re looking for wild animals, there are not many places around Dalby where there’s a high probability of seeing many, except some birds at Lake Broadwater. But somewhere that does have an abundance of animals is Bunya Mountains National Park, particularly wallabies in Dandabah, the small mountaintop village on the eastern side of the mountain.
These super adorable cousins of the kangaroo are so prominent in this little mountaintop township that if you don’t see at least one, that would be very strange. They are bounding around everywhere and aren’t afraid to come close. It’s so delightful, and the kids will relish seeing these sweet jumping mammals. You may even see a joey! Seeing so many of them bouncing around are always a highlight of my trips here.
There are also birds flying around, including cockatoos, and in even some places where you can purchase feed for them.
👉 Note: The animals may approach you but don’t get too close to them. They are used to people but are undomesticated, so don’t chase after them, pet them or feed them human food.
13. Bat House.
Wallabies and birds hang around Dandabah year-round, but the Bunya Mountains have another incredible animal that only appears at a certain time of day during a particular time of year.
During the warmer months, cute little chocolate wattle bats fly out of the old timber school house, now known as the bat house, at the northernmost end of the Duranbah village.
They leave at sundown to spend the night searching for insects to chow down on before coming back before the sun rises, and you can witness them emerging from the historic building if you are there at that time. It’s a fantastic wildlife experience, but it’s even better knowing that this is the largest maternal colony of this species of bat known in Australia.
14. Stay The Night.
Bunya Mountains National Park is such a fantastic place to go for a rejuvenating rainforest getaway thanks to its abundance of walks and wildlife, so it’s not unreasonable for people to want to stay an extra day or two to further appreciate this beautiful landscape.
Thankfully, there are numerous mountaintop cabins and lodges to accommodate a range of guests. There are also three car-based campgrounds, Dandabah, Westcott and Burton Well scattered throughout the national park for those looking for that kind of experience too, but more on all these places in the accommodation section of this post below.
15. Stargazing.
The fun doesn’t have to stop when night falls.
What’s fantastic about being in the countryside, away from the cities, is how dark the nights are. It’s great for stargazing and one of the best things to do around Dalby, thanks to the closest city is Toowoomba, 85km east of it.
While you can park almost anywhere away from the town to look up at the universe, the best place to do it is at Bunya Mountains. That’s because not only is the national park home to the largest remaining naturally occurring Bunya Pines in the world, and a refuge for many endemic animals, but it’s also a certified Dark Sky Area.
This means it has some of the darkest skies because it is least affected by light pollution, making stargazing up here exceptional if you’re there on a clear night. So if you’re looking to go stargazing, a great option would be to stay at the Westcott or Burton Wells camping areas or go to J.S. Fischer Lookout.
👉 Note: The Bunya Mountains are also known for having foggy mornings, so people doing timelapse, beware.
16. J.S Fischer Lookout.
Just before you get to Bunya Mountains National Park is J.S. Fischer Lookout, a spectacular viewpoint overlooking the foothills of the mountain range and out across the vast plains of the Western Downs. It’s a gorgeous spot that is great for stretching the legs and getting a first proper look at the surrounding landscape.
Hidden Gems Around Dalby.
17. Jimbour House.
One of the grandest homes in this part of Queensland is Jimbour House. Located halfway between Dalby and Jandowae, this one-of-a-kind heritage-listed sandstone mansion was built in 1876 on the site of the Jimbour Station and is now a stunning tourist attraction.
Thirty-minute self-guided Garden Tours are available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 am to 3.30 pm, while a 60 min guided Residence and Garden Tour only operates on Thursdays at 10.30 am, so some pre-planning is required if you wish to see this magnificent property.
18. Dingo Barrier Fence.
Did you know that Australia is home to the world’s longest fence?
If you grew up in Australia, you probably heard of the “Rabbit-Proof Fence”, or as it is now known, the “State Barrier Fence”. It is a massive preventative fence that spans 3,256 km across Western Australia, designed to keep rabbits and other such “pests” away from the agricultural lands.
Many people might think that’s the longest fence in the world, or at least the country, but that title goes to the Wild Dog Barrier Fence, formerly the Dingo Barrier Fence, which starts near Jimbour and spans 5,531km across Queensland, touches the border of New South Wales before finishing in the middle of the Great Australia Bight in South Australia. While the Rabbit Proof Fence was to prevent introduced species from chomping on crops, this fence was to stop the native dogs from snacking on introduced livestock! Seriously.
And near Jimbour, you can see the start of this extensive fence. Or the end, depending on which way you look at it. There is also an information board at the location telling you key facts about it, so while it’s not the most visually interesting thing to do in Dalby’s surrounding areas, it does give you the unique opportunity to say you’ve seen the grandest landmark in Australia no one has ever heard about.
19. Boiling Springs Lookout.
Located 32km west of Jandowae along Gorge Road, the lovely Boiling Springs Lookout overlooks the picturesque plains of the Darling Downs. The road to the lookout from the Kingaroy-Jandowae Road is a bit rough but is typically reachable by conventional vehicles with caution.
It also follows the Dingo Barrier Fence to the lookout, which unfortunately partially blocks the view, but as it’s a diamond wire type of fence, it’s easy to see through. There’s also a sign talking about the landmark fence and a picnic table so you can enjoy the countryside while sitting down and having a snack. Even though there is not much to it and the views aren’t that notable, I found this place to be surprisingly interesting and memorable.
👉 A 4WD is recommended for driving further north beyond the lookout.
20. Russell Park – Historic Logging Chute Trails.
While many people stop in at J.S Fischer Lookout on their way to Bunya Mountains National Park, few of them know that the clearing they are overlooking to see the plains of the Darling Downs is explorable. It’s known as Russell Park, and it was a logging forest. Since operations ceased, it’s now a recreational place where people can go bushwalking.
Follow the old timber chutes where logs were slid down the mountain to get to the valley. Not much remains of them, but the trails have some lovely views, and one even leads to a waterfall, granted though, it’s often pretty dry as are many of the ones at Bunya.
There are three places where you can start the walks. Munros Camp is the first place you’ll come across when heading up the mountain. This trail leads to Carbines Chute. Further along, the road is the proper area for Russell Park and leads to Chute No.3. If you want to do a longer walk, take a left at the fork as you come back towards the park to go to Cunjevoi Falls. From there, you can head back up the hill to the third entry point at J.S. Fischer Lookout.
21. Russell Park Biking Trails.
As if Bunya Mountains National Park and the Russell Park walking tracks didn’t provide enough things to see and do, the new purpose-built biking trails also at Russell Park are a fantastic addition to this place already jammed-packed with nature-based adventures.
There are 4 trails for beginner and intermediate riders. Wamga Way is a shared path, while the remaining three are for bikers only so you needn’t worry about pedestrians. but you should still be careful in case someone has stacked it.
Just like the walking trails, you can start your bike riding adventure at Russell Park or J.S Fischer Lookout.
👉 Click here for a map of the biking trails at Russell Park.
Best Towns Near Dalby To Visit.
Toowoomba.
Although it’s not a town, Toowoomba is somewhere not to miss. This gorgeous place is Queensland’s second-largest inland city and uniquely sits perched atop the Great Dividing Range. That means high up on its lengthy list of attractions, it has no shortage of excellent viewpoints overlooking the Lockyer Valley.
Along with its title as the Garden City Of Australia, it also has many lovely outdoor natural and curated spaces to enjoy fresh air and exercise, including Queens Park, the Japanese Gardens, Mt Tabletop, three picturesque lakes and Crows Nest Nation Park, which is home to Koonin Lookout, which peers down into the Valley Of The Diamonds, a gorgeous landscape with no visible signs of civilisation.
Distance from Dalby to Toowoomba: 84km southeast along the Warrego Highway(A2).
Chinchilla.
Further inland along the Warrego Highway lies Chinchilla, a gorgeous place famous for its bi-annual Melon Festival celebrating the town’s status as the Melon Capital Of Australia. But when the 4-day event full of fun-filled shenanigans isn’t on, it’s still worth heading out the 82km out here because there are plenty of other fantastic things to do here, such as taking a selfie with the Big Melon, and in the surrounding areas.
Distance from Dalby to Chinchilla: 82km northwest along the Warrego Highway(A2).
Kingaroy.
Over on the other side of the beautiful Bunya Mountains lies Kingaroy, another place that takes the title as a harvesting capital of Australia. This time, it’s the peanut-growing capital. But unlike Chinchilla, which has the Big Melon, there’s no giant legume to emphasise its status as the largest producer. Instead, there are a couple of novelty frames of cartoon peanuts you can stick your head in for fun photos, but it’s not nearly as cool. But you can buy different flavour combinations of the moreish locally-grown snacks and enjoy lovely views of the picturesque countryside from Mount Wooroolin.
Distance from Dalby to Kingaroy: 111km northeast along the Bunya Highway(49).
Dalby Attractions And Activities Map.
Dalby Accommodation: Where To Stay.
➡️ Dalby Mid Town Motor Inn.
Dalby is only a small town with only a few accommodation options, but if you’re looking to base yourself there, the Dalby Mid Town Motor Inn is a great choice.
What makes it stand out from the other places is that the rooms are large, clean and modern. Some even have a spa bath to relax in when you get back. It also has a swimming pool perfect for those hot days and BBQ facilities for people who like to cook on their adventures.
Best of all, it’s also right in the heart of town and is within walking distance from many of Dalby’s attractions and an even shorter walk to the shops, including grocery stores if you need to pick up supplies.
➡️ Lake Broadwater.
Those looking to enjoy a night under the stars will find Lake Broadwater a fantastic place to camp. There are two unique campgrounds to choose from.
➡️ Broadwater Campground.
The main one is Broadwater Campground which is also the day-use area and is right by the lake’s shoreline. The northern side is for tent and van camping, while the southern side is for people with bigger rigs like caravans, motorhomes and buses. There are also toilets and glorious hot showers. Mhm.
I absolutely adored camping here. It was quiet and tranquil with the sound of the water lapping at the shore. I also saw two galahs in the tree who looked like they were in love, rose to an epic sunrise over the lake. The next morning I got to see my first ever royal spoonbill waterbird in the wild. (see photo from Lake Broadwater above.)
➡️ Wilga Busha Camping Area.
A short distance back along the road is the Wilga Bush Camping Area, a primitive campground with pit toilets, no showers and a rough access road.
It’s also significantly smaller and doesn’t have views overlooking the lake, but there’s a track that links the two campgrounds, and it is a great option if you’re looking for a more authentic camping experience.
And the view of the stars on a clear night is pretty sweet too, so those asking what to do in Dalby at night will see that Lake Broadwater is a fantastic place to find out.
👉 Lake Broadwater is accessible 24 hours a day and when I went there fees were paid on-site via an honesty box.
➡️ Bunya Mountains National Park.
Although it may not seem like it, there are over 100 individual cabins, lodges and houses in Bunya Mountains National Park. Many are nestled within the rainforest and can’t be seen from the road as you drive past, so it appears there are only a handful of lodgings when there are actually many.
It makes these retreats isolated and quiet so you can relax in a stunning natural setting while enjoying all the creature comforts. Some have beautiful views overlooking the landscape, like Bunya Spires, while others lie hidden amongst the trees, such as the Tunba Tree House.
There are plenty to choose from, and many configurations for any number of guests up to 22, so you can gather all your friends and family and enjoy a fantastic group bonding experience at Bunya Mountains.
Camping.
Bunya Mountains National Park has three campgrounds suitable for a range of different campers. Best of all, they can also be used for overnight hiking. And because they are close to the road, it’s perfect for people who are trying their first time dabbling in such adventures.
👉 Note: Roads to the Bunya Mountains are not suitable for longer vehicles & setups such as caravans and buses.
➡️ Dandabah.
The largest one is the Dandabah Camping Area. As the name suggests, it’s in Dandabah, the small village on the eastern side of the park and features a large grassy area for people to set up their tents and park their cars around the edge.
It’s great for both small and large set-ups and is within walking distance of all the shops, several walking trails and a whole lot of wallabies. The latter may even come to you!
➡️ Westcott.
Further west along the road is the Westcott camping area. This one is the smallest and the most basic as it only features a drop toilet. However, it’s a great spot for those looking to do the Koondai Circuit, the one-way Westcott to Cherry Plain trail or the Paradise to Westcott track.
➡️ Burton Wells.
The last one is Burton Wells. This medium-sized campground named after a pioneer well located at the end of the day use car park has views overlooking the plains of South Burnett and features picnic tables, BBQs, drop toilets, and a donkey-boiler shower. That means you have to boil the water beforehand, mix it with some cold water to get it to a nice temperature, and then hook it up to a manual device.
This is always the one I pick. I love that it’s spacious, and has that unique shower experience and views overlooking the plains of the South Burnett region. The fact that it is close to very close to the trailhead for Mt Kiangarow and the Cherry Plain to Burton Well Track is a big bonus because I enjoyed hiking before dawn to catch the sunrise from the natural lookout top of the mountain.
Frequently Asked Questions.
What is Dalby Famous For?
Dalby is an agricultural town known for being Queensland’s biggest wheat producer. It also produces other crops, such as cotton, sorghum and beans along with other industries that profit from the abuse and mutilation of innocent animals.
What To Do In Dalby, Queensland For Kids?
There are lots of things to see in Dalby and the surrounding areas for kids. They can enjoy running around at Jack Thomas Park, cycling along Myall Creek, and splashing around in the water at Lake Broadwater or Jandowae Dam. If they like planes, they’ll love the Australian Army Flying Museum at Oakey.
If their interests are animals, Bunya Mountains National Park is an excellent place to go, especially for wallabies. There are also plenty of birds there too, and at Lake Broadwater. And if you stay at either overnight, there is a chance they could come across some nocturnal ones too!
Conclusion: Things To See In Dalby, Queensland & Surrounds.
While it may not seem like a place with many tourist attractions to offer people visiting the rural Darling Downs town, those willing to detour off the highway will find that not only are there some fantastic things to see in Dalby, but the surrounding areas are also full of incredible places to visit.
If you plan to visit Dalby, consider looking at these other posts.
