Canungra is a small, picturesque, rural township in the Scenic Rim Region local government area of South East Queensland, Australia. Its economy depends on tourism, being a popular destination for short drives from the Gold Coast and Brisbane. Canungra, also called the "Valley of the Owls", is situated in the Gold Coast hinterland, west of the Gold Coast and south of Brisbane. At the 2011 census, Canungra had a population of 746.
One of the origin of the town's name comes from the Aboriginal word for small owls, "Caningera". The most notable owl found in the area is the Southern Boobook Owl, which appears in various logos & symbols associated with Canungra. In 2005, the local Post Office released a special limited-release frank featuring Canungra & the Boobook Owl.
Residents and business in Canungra get their water supply from Canungra Creek, a tributary of Albert River. The slopes around Canungra are steep and forested with some cleared farmlands and rural homes in the flatter valley areas.
History
Canungra owes its existence to the timber industry and once boasted one of the largest stands of timber in the colony. The father of Romeo Lahey owned one of Queensland's largest sawmills at Canungra. By the 1940s most of the timber had been cut and sawmills were closing. The historic Lahey's Tramway Tunnel is the only remnant of the past sawmilling activities in the area. Following this logging era came beef cattle and dairying.
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