Boolboonda Tunnel and Lake Monduran

The Boolboonda Tunnel is Australia’s longest unsupported man-made tunnel, stretching 192 metres through solid rock. Built in the 1880s as part of a railway line linking Mount Perry’s copper mines to the coast, it was carved entirely by hand using pick, shovel, and dynamite—no timber or steel reinforcements were needed thanks to the hard granite. The railway closed in 1960, but the tunnel remains a popular local attraction, now part of a gravel road that you can drive or walk through. It’s also home to a colony of bent-wing bats, so visitors might hear fluttering overhead as they pass through the dim, cool interior.

Lake Monduran, just north of Gin Gin, is a large freshwater reservoir created by the Fred Haigh Dam on the Kolan River. Completed in 1978, it was originally built for irrigation and water supply, but it’s now best known as one of Australia’s premier barramundi fishing spots—anglers regularly land trophy fish over a metre long. The lake is surrounded by bushland, offering quiet spots for camping, kayaking, and birdwatching, with picnic areas and boat ramps making it easy to access. Its sheltered waters are ideal for water sports, and the surrounding parklands provide a relaxed, scenic setting for a day trip or an extended stay.Read more