The small rural town of Monto is not on everyone’s radar and being a two-and-a-half-hour drive inland from Bundaberg, it’s not an easy place to visit for most people either.
However, it has become more popular in the recent years due to its Silo Art Trail. When I saw a picture of the Three Moon Silo in a local tourist guide, I knew we had to head to Monto one day. We’d enjoyed some Silo Art trails down in Victoria and I always thought it was such an amazing idea for small rural towns to attract visitors.
We stopped for a night in Monto on our way back from Yeppoon, heading back home to the Sunshine Coast. It was a bit of a detour, but it was worth it. We had a great time exploring the town and the art trail, but we were also thrilled to discover another local attraction that we hadn’t heard of, the Cania Gorge National Park.
Here’s why you should visit Monto, even if just for a day:
The Three Moon Silo
The Three Moon Silo is what brings most tourists to Monto. And for good reason; this silo art is spectacular.
Six kilometres outside of Monto, the brightly coloured Three Moon Silo was completed in July 2020 by artists The Zookeeper and DRAPL. It’s a tribute to a local legend where a swagman was boiling his billy on the banks of the creek and noticed three moons, one in the sky, one reflecting on the creek and one reflecting in his billy.
The Silo Art Trail
Even though the Three Moon Silo is the clear favourite of all the art pieces in town, there is more art to see around town than just the silo. Pick up a map from the Monto Tourist Information Centre and follow along to explore all the other pieces.
The Monto Water Tower
The Royal Hotel
Monto Family at Sunset
The Dairy Cow
The Painted Cow Trail
Art Mural Under the Bridge
The Cania Gorge National Park
The Cania Gorge National Park is 33 kilometres from Monto, and you should really explore it while in the area. There are a few trails to take in the park.
We loved doing the Dripping Rock, Overhang and Dragon Cave hike. It is a 4.5-kilometre hike, meandering through open bushland and crossing the Three Moon Creek. We spotted lots of birdlife and wallabies. The views along the way were stunning and there was barely anyone around which was fantastic.
We also did the Two Storey Cave Circuit which is a shorter 1.3-kilometre loop with more caves to explore and beautiful views.
Hang with the friendly locals
We spent New Year’s Eve in Monto, thinking it’d only be the two of us. But we were wrong! We decided to go for dinner at the local pub, Monto’s Grand Hotel and ended up feeling so welcomed by the owners of the pub and the locals, that we spent the whole night welcoming the new year in with them!
Where to stay in Monto?
If you decide to spend a night in Monto, The Monto Caravan and Camping Park is the place to stay. It’s set on a well-maintained 5.5 acres with a country feel and country hospitality. It is very close to town.
The sites are very spacious and well-kept, and they offer powered, unpowered sites, RV friendly sites, and campsites. They also offer a range of cabins to suit a variety of needs and budgets.
Read More:
A Quick Guide to The Beach Town of Bargara
A Quick Guide to Kingaroy, South Burnett Region
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