Imbil Lookout is located at the top of a steep climb from next to the town’s IGA store with views over the area, in particular towards the coast and the north.
The lookout is only 800 metres from the main road through Imbil but you climb up quite high providing great views of the surrounding area. The parking area is only a few spots and you are presented with the views towards the coast immediately.
There is a podium with compass directions to features you can see in the distance but it appears to be a little out. Mount Cooroy in particular stands out in the distant horizon, close to 28 kilometres away.
Above the car park is a ramp up to a bench seat giving a few more metres to the lookout and a general view from east to north to west. The mountain continues up to the south so you can’t see anything in that direction and there is no way to continue upward.
To the left of the car parking spots is a grass area and a couple of picnic tables offering a pleasant spot to have a picnic lunch to go with the views. Unfortunately, we left our lunch back at camp where we were staying at Lake Borumba so we settled for a quick snack and headed back to camp.
The brown sign for Imbil Lookout is greatly faded – it doesn’t look brown anymore, rather it looks grey. There is a new brown sign next to it indicating the lookout is steep, too steep for caravans. This is definitely true but it isn’t just steep, there is no were to turn around properly, especially if there are a couple of vehicles already up there parked. There are only four parking spots and not much more room.
You may get by with a camper trailer but be aware it is steep and you may need to do a bit of manoeuvring to turn around at the top.
To Get There
The Imbil Lookout is found in Imbil on the Mary Valley Tourist Drive.
From the Bruce Hwy heading north, take exit 244 heading to Lake Borumba. Turn left at the end of the exit onto Old Bruce Hwy and follow for 4.6km. Turn left into Kenilworth Skyring Creek Rd at the brown sign for Tourist Drive 42 and follow for 5.6km. Turn right into Tuchenkoi Rd to continue on Tourist Drive 42 and follow for 4.6km to the end and turn left onto Mary Valley Rd. Follow Mary Valley Rd for 4.5km and turn right into Brooloo Rd, again following the brown sign for Tourist Drive 42 and Lake Borumba. After 2.2km you will reach another turn to follow the tourist drive. Do not turn and continue straight ahead on Yabba Creek Rd into Imbil. Follow Yabba Creek Road for 550m and turn left onto Elizabeth St at the brown sign for Imbil Lookout. Follow Elizabeth St for 800m to the top with parking at Imbil Lookout.
If coming from Gympie, head south and after passing the McDonalds, take the Mary Valley Road exit to follow the Mary Valley Tourist Drive 42. At the overpass, turn right, then follow the directions from Mary Valley Rd below.
From Gympie Visitor Information Centre, turn right to head north on the Bruce Hwy for 1.8km and exit left onto Mary Valley Rd and the Mary Valley Tourist Drive 42. Follow Mary Valley Rd for 24.2km and turn right into Kandanga Imbil Rd at the brown sign for Tourist Drive 42. Follow Kandanga Imbil Rd for 8km to the end, turning right onto Yabba Creek Rd after crossing the bridge over Yabba Creek. Follow Yabba Creek Road for 550m and turn left onto Elizabeth St at the brown sign for Imbil Lookout. Follow Elizabeth St for 800m to the top with parking at Imbil Lookout.