Mount Perry
Set amongst the mountains between the North Burnett and Gin Gin, the township of Mt Perry undulates through beef cattle grazing lands dotted with gum trees and classic Queenslander-style houses elevated on wooden stumps serving as the station homestead. There's invariably a lazy Southern Cross windmill; its blades motionless under a cloudless blue sky.
Access is by good gravel road from the Burnett Highway (A3) near Gayndah, bitumen from Eidsvold and part bitumen from Monto.
Mount Perry is a small township founded on mining and the timber industry. Dominated by the peak of Mount Perry rising 750 metres above sea level, historic buildings and remnants of the town copper mining past can still be seen today. Rugged walking tracks take keen bushwalkers through native hoop pine, scrub and rainforest to the peak of the mountain. Red shouldered wallaby, echidnas and koalas can be seen on the mountain.
This scenic area is home to one of Queensland's largest gold mines at Mount Rawdon. Attractions include a Historical Museum and Arts Centre, Schuhs Lookout offering a panoramic view over the valley and the magnificent Boolboonda Tunnel, the southern hemisphere's longest hand cut unsupported tunnel, an engineering feat.
The tunnel is located 2 km off the main road with the last 1.8 km section, a well-maintained dirt surface, and well worth the detour. The railway line (closed in 1962) which ran through the tunnel carried copper from Mt Perry to Bundaberg. The dirt road that runs through the 'bat tunnel' leads past an abandoned Molybdenite mine and rejoins the main road some 5 kilometres further on.
The Mount Perry Races are a highlight to the regions Calendar, held once a year. A hilarious feature of the annual races is the 'Jocks Plate'. All the local boys dress down to their jocks and run up the straight!
A good bitumen road leads back to Gin Gin.
