Roll through Boolboonda Tunnel, trace mining relics, and watch sunset from ridge-top lookouts
Mount Perry blends rugged mining history with scenic drives. Cruise through Boolboonda Tunnel, explore the heritage trail, stand beside the Leopard tank, and soak up Normanby and Schuh lookout vistas.
Mount Perry’s winding roads hide stories of copper booms, pioneering miners, and railway feats. The adventure kicks off with Boolboonda Tunnel, one of the Southern Hemisphere’s longest unsupported railway tunnels carved through hard granite in 1883.
Beyond the tunnel, the township invites you to linger with a self-guided heritage trail, an interpretive museum, a retired Leopard tank landmark, and lookouts offering panoramic views.
Just outside town, Boolboonda Tunnel cuts 192 metres through granite. The tunnel is single-lane, unlit, and home to a colony of bent-wing bats—drive slowly, headlights on, and listen for the chorus as you emerge.
History buffs can continue along the old rail alignment to see timber trestle remnants and interpretive panels explaining the engineering feat.
The tunnel floor can be damp after rain. Check road conditions and avoid entering during heavy downpours.
Back in town, pick up a heritage trail map from the Mount Perry Information Centre. Highlights include the 1904 St Patrick’s Church, colonial banks, miners’ cottages, and the Bicentennial Museum filled with mining artefacts.
Interpretive signs detail the copper smelter boom of the early 1900s. Visit the smelter site to see towering brick chimneys and machinery remnants, testament to the town’s industrial heyday.
Adjacent to Memorial Park stands a restored Leopard tank gifted to the town. It’s a favourite photo stop and a tribute to local defence ties.
Wrap the day by driving to Normanby and Schuh lookouts. Golden hour paints the ranges in peach tones while interpretive signs point out Mount Perry township, rolling farmland, and distant national parks.
Allow a full day to pair history with hilltop vistas. Stay overnight to add the Mount Perry summit hike or markets to your schedule.
Talk with a local expert to build a personalised itinerary, or explore our seasonal guides for inspiration tailored to your travel dates.
Nearby & related
Hike sandstone trails, photograph the Three Moon Silo Art, and trade bunyip tales at the Mulgildie Hotel.
Scramble up Mount Walsh, camp beside Paradise Dam, and chase Biggenden’s heritage photo stops.
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