Koala Cabins Holiday Accomodation Sunshine Coast

Koala Cabins is a set of self-contained cabins on Flaxton Drive at Mapleton, up in the Sunshine Coast hinterland between Nambour and Montville. It is a genuine dog-friendly stay, but with more structure than most: pets are only accepted in specific pet-approved cabins, booked in advance, and the rules are strict because koalas and other wildlife actually live on and around the property.

Dogs at Koala Cabins

The pet setup is pre-arranged or nothing. You book a designated pet-approved cabin ahead of time and pay a pet fee of $90 per pet, per night. Dogs must be on a lead at all times outside the cabin, and they are not permitted on furniture or beds; a $100 fee applies if dog hair is found on the beds, so bring your dog's own bedding and keep it that way. Confirm any size or number limits when you book, because the website does not publish them.

The cabins and the wildlife

The cabins are self-contained with kitchens, and there are cosy and modern options, some with fireplaces, set in a quiet mountain location with a saltwater pool on the property. Reviews consistently describe the welcome as personal and the cabins as clean and comfortable. The lead rule is not a formality here: koalas inhabit the grounds and surrounding trees, and the property sits near Kondalilla and Mapleton Falls national parks, where dogs are banned outright to protect the same wildlife. A dog that roams unsupervised is the one thing this place cannot absorb.

Getting there and parking

Mapleton is about 25 minutes from Nambour up the Blackall Range, with Flaxton Drive running through the village. Parking is at your cabin door. The drive up from the coast is an easy sealed climb, so no 4WD needed.

Close by with the dogs

Mapleton Dog Park on Delicia Road is the town's off-leash area, a five-minute drive for a proper run your cabin dog cannot get on-site. Skip the national park lookouts with your dog, since Mapleton Falls and Kondalilla are no-dog parks. In the village, the Mapleton Public House is the pub option for a meal, and Mapleton Cabins & Caravan Park is the other pet-friendly base in town if Koala Cabins' pet-approved cabins are booked out.

More options on the range are on the Mapleton destination page, and the full list is in the QLD stays index.

Max: The leash rule exists because koalas live in these trees. Even a dog that would never chase is a threat just being loose near wildlife, so keep the lead on from the car door to the cabin door.