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- At 192 m, the longest non-supported tunnel in the Southern Hemisphere
- Drive, cycle or walk through the tunnel and look for the pick axe marks left by those who built it
- Home to hundreds of bentwing bats
- A great feat of engineering in a beautiful rural location
- Railway history and heritage
- Part of the Bicentennial National Trail
The former rail corridor and tunnel are an active road, take care.
Nearby Attractions
- Birds and wildlife
- Good climate most of the year
- Railway history and heritage
- Visit the historic Mt Perry Hotel
- Close to the abandoned Boolboonda gold, silver and copper mine
Last updated: 21 November 2022
Note: no facilities; take all food and water
- You can walk cycle or drive through this 192m tunnel,
- If the tunnel is approached from Gin Gin (east side) it is clearly signposted on the left and close to the Gin Gin – Mt Perry Rd.
- After passing through the tunnel the trail winds for 3km back to the main road giving a good sense of the terrain the trains had to battle through.
- Here there is a sign (if coming from Mount Perry, west side) reading ‘Tourist Drive 6’. It is then about 12km to the historic mining town of Mt Perry. The rail line corridor is still visible in places from the road but what remains is difficult to follow and after leaving the trail portions of it is on private land.
- The tunnel is on the same rail corridor as the Watawa Recreation Trail.
![Tunnel sign [2021]](https://www.railtrails.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Q32-050-Boolboonda-3-2021-09-225x300.jpg)
Tunnel sign [2021]
![Eastern entrance of the tunnel [2022]](https://www.railtrails.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Q32-051-Boolboonda-20220224_Tunnel-Entrance-eastern-end_-300x225.jpg)
Eastern entrance of the tunnel [2022]
![Vegetation reclaiming the cuttings [2022]](https://www.railtrails.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Q32-051-Boolboonda-20220224_Tunnel-Entrance-eastern-end-1-300x225.jpg)
Vegetation reclaiming the cuttings [2022]
![Inside the tunnel [2022]](https://www.railtrails.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Q32-051-Boolboonda-20220224_Inside-the-Tunnel-2-300x225.jpg)
Inside the tunnel [2022]
![Full detail of the rockwork inside the tunnel [2022]](https://www.railtrails.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Q32-051-Boolboonda-20220224_Inside-the-Tunnel-1-300x225.jpg)
Full detail of the rockwork inside the tunnel [2022]
The Masonic Lodge in Mt Perry (2005)
The museum in Mt Perry (2005)
Do you know of a bike hire or transportation service on this rail trail that should appear here? If so, let us know at admin@railtrails.org.au.
Information and Links
The trail is managed by the Bundaberg Regional Council.
Please report any issues to the council
Contact Rail Trails Australia
To contact us about this rail trail, email qld@railtrails.org.au
Background Information
Traditional Owners
We acknowledge the Gurang Gurang people, the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the rail trail is situated.
Development and future of the rail trail
Most of the old railway reserve is now road reserve making it unlikely that the trail could be extended.
Rail Line history
The tunnel was constructed in 1883/1884 as part of a railway from North Bundaberg to Mount Perry. This section of the line closed in 1960.
Nearby Trails
Boyne Burnett Inland Rail Trail
Boyne Valley, 480km north of Brisbane
69 km
Bundaberg to Gin Gin (Watawa) Rail Trail
Gin Gin Township - approximately 50 km west of Bundaberg, 365km from Brisbane
3.4 km
Mary to Bay Rail Trail (Fraser Coast)
288km north of Brisbane
32 km
Nearby Trails
Boyne Burnett Inland Rail Trail
Boyne Valley, 480km north of Brisbane
69 km
Bundaberg to Gin Gin (Watawa) Rail Trail
Gin Gin Township - approximately 50 km west of Bundaberg, 365km from Brisbane
3.4 km
Mary to Bay Rail Trail (Fraser Coast)
288km north of Brisbane
32 km
2 reviews of “Boolboonda Tunnel Heritage Trail”
What a find!! This is a fantastic engineering feature, not to mention hard labour by many workers. Good surface, you can ride, walk and drive through the tunnel.
We went and had a look at this beautiful tunnel today. It is only a few kms from Mount Perry on the Gin Gin road. The access road is really smooth, and the tunnel is only 2km off the main road.
This is a self supporting tunnel through very hard rock, built by hand in 1883. You can drive your car through the tunnel. It is 192 metres long, and is home to a colony of Bentwing bats.
Well worth a visit.