During my time in the UK last year, I missed being outdoors in nature and camping. As we had no car and our camping gear was back in Australia, we just never got around to it (aside from the glamping trip to Wales). So, once we settled back on Brisbane soil, we grabbed the tent and drove to Lake Moogerah Caravan Park for two days of country air.

Lake Moogerah is about 90 minutes’ drive southwest of Brisbane with beautiful scenery along the way so it’s perfect for a day trip. The rustic campsite is situated right on the lake shore and is surrounded by the spectacular scenery of the Scenic Rim — everywhere you turn you’ll see mountains! Joe chose this location as it is a popular destination for boating, fishing, and water-skiing. Unfortunately for him, the water’s edge was too shallow for him to fish. We will have to return one day with a boat. The camping area was spacious and we could pick wherever we wanted so we found a shady tree to camp underneath.

Lake Moogerah Caravan Park

My only negative about this campsite is how dusty it is. Being on the shore and with a breeze coming off the mountains, the dirt got everywhere. We would randomly see tiny dirt dust devils whipping up around the campsite (which are pretty cool to watch) though I am convinced they blew through our tent whenever we were out and about. We’d come back and dirt would be in every nook and cranny. Nonetheless, it’s a small price to pay for the view with a glass of wine.

Lake Moogerah Caravan Park

Not far from the campsite is the Boonah region of the Scenic Rim. This is made up of several rural towns and villages, including the township of Boonah which is the largest urban area in the district. It’s also known as ‘Switzerland without the Snow‘ — an acknowledgment that it is a very pretty little town with lots of timber houses nestled in a valley surrounded by hills. I love that comparison. 

We briefly drove through Boonah on day one to grab a new camp chair from Mitre 10 but returned the following day to explore further. There are many shops, cafes and pubs to choose from — all with a country vibe to them. It felt like we were much further than 90 minutes away from Brisbane! I even popped into Vinnies to grab some CDs for the car. It was roasting hot that day so it felt like we were playing a game of running from air-con to air-con.

While we could have stayed longer in Boonah, I already had a place in mind for lunch — Kooroomba Vineyard and Lavender Farm in Mount Alford. It was a little tricky to find but we got there in the end. The property has a cellar door for light food and drinks, as well as the Kooroomba Restaurant which both overlook a six-hectare vineyard and breathtaking lavender fields. We chose the cellar door for sweet potato wedges and pulled pork burger sliders so we could sit outside to look out over the Scenic Rim mountains. It seems to always happen to us but our order was forgotten so we ended up waiting around 45 minutes which put a damper on the afternoon. I noticed they do wine tasting, as well as lavender scones so I’d love to come back to try those!

Kooroomba Vineyard and Lavender Farm Chapel

Kooroomba Vineyard and Lavender Farm Chapel

Afterward, we had a look around their Lavender Farm Gift shop which sold all things Lavender, from teddy bears and cosmetics to homemade jams and honey. The property also has a beautiful chapel out in their lavender farm that you’re welcome to look around. It was just a coincidence — we weren’t looking for a wedding venue but it is a lovely place to get married. I liked that the chapel had open walls and a stunning view but it’s a little bit too remote for us.

Kooroomba Vineyard and Lavender Farm Chapel

Finally, we headed to a small family-owned brewery in Mount Alford called Scenic Rim Brewery. They have their own selection of ales alongside fun, clear explanations of what it tastes like to help make your choice. Joe got a beer paddle of Ginger Extra Dry, Pale Ale and Milk Stout and I got a cherry flavour cider which we enjoyed out on the back deck with a breeze. I thought the exterior of this brewery was super cute – a traditional Queenslander style. They even offer brewery tours if you want to make a day out of it.

Photo Credit: Scenic Rim Brewery Facebook page

Scenic Rim Brewery

On the final night, back at the campsite, we enjoyed watching the sunset over the lake. This campsite is a photography hot spot for the sunset shots and it’s easy to see why!

We got rid of quite a few camping bits when we moved our things from Sydney to Brisbane (that interstate removalist bill…) so I’m looking forward to building up our collection again and exploring more of Queensland.

Sunset at Lake Moogerah Caravan Park

Sunset at Lake Moogerah Caravan Park