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The Most Welcoming Place In Australia 2025

Two Sunshine Coast Hinterland Villages make up the “Most Welcoming Place for Australia!” The welcome sign is above the doorways to Montville and Maleny. The towns and surrounding hamlets are collaborating to showcase all that this diverse region has to offer, allowing you to enjoy it to the fullest.

The charming High Street of Montville, with its gardenesque village situated on the edge of the rainforest national parks and Baroon Pocket Dam, has taken pole position, closely followed by Maleny, 15 minutes away, on one of the most scenic drives in the land.

Booking.com has announced the winners of the 2025 Traveller Review Awards, revealing the Top Ten Most Welcoming Regions and Cities in Australia. Compiling over 360 million reviews, a record number of 27,432 partners across Australia received a Traveller Review Award in 2025 for their exceptional hospitality.

Montville has an authentic village charm. You will find a pleasant blend of Tudor, Irish and English cottages of log or stone, Swiss and Bavarian chalets, an old mill water-wheel, colonial and old Queenslanders and, of course, one of the most spectacular and panoramic views over a coastal plain you could find in Australia. You will also discover some of Queensland’s most awarded accommodation venues.

As Australia’s most welcoming town in 2022, Maleny came in just behind Montville this year, marking another win for the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. This unique rural community is situated high above the Sunshine Coast, offering stunning views of the Glasshouse Mountains.

Locals say the rolling green hills, deep pockets of rainforest and spectacular views in all directions cast a spell over Maleny. But that’s only part of the story. Unravel the mystery for yourself.

The Sunshine Coast Hinterland offers a spectacular backdrop for any holiday, particularly a self-drive adventure. Explore the open roads and take in the stunning views of lush green valleys and magnificent mountains to the glorious Pacific Ocean.

We can be a little fancy but not pretentious, elegant and charming – it would be way too unorthodox to be too Noosa even though we can be there in an hour to enjoy a little bistro and surf with the best of them, and we are great neighbours.

We are certainly not Sydney but can be a little Melbourne for our arts, foodie cafés, boutique stores, coffee, cheese and brunch, but with a little more bucolic countryside, relaxed vibes and sunshine. Think Country Style meets Vogue Living and Gardening Australia, and you have a stylish location that you can slip right into undetected should you need to refresh your soul.

Enjoy genuine hospitality at charming cafés and restaurants with postcard-perfect views of the coast or nestled in the rainforest. Along the way, explore the unique shops and discover the artisans with galleries and studios showcasing local artists and their original works. You must also stay for Sculpture on the Edge each year in November.

But there is something in the air, the people and the fabric of the Hinterland. Being down-to-earth types, you will notice that many of our tourism providers live and breathe the region. Hence, that love and connection to the place shines through.

It takes a lot to be the Most Welcoming Place in Australia. Still, you will find that it comes naturally, with a smile or a nod in the street, to authentic hospitality that remains genuine.

Come and chat with your unique accommodation provider for your next stay, and feel very welcome.