most of the terrain in mowbray is mountainous with peaks such as mount garioch , mount charlie and harris peak . most of this mountain terrain is within a number of protected areas: mowbray conservation park and mowbray national park to the west (covering the great dividing range) and macalister range national park for the hilly land in the east. most of the unprotected land is in the north of the locality around the valleys of the mowbray river and its tributary spring creek. the residential areas are in these valleys. the captain cook highway passes through the locality from south to north, hugging the coral sea coast for much of the way. the low-lying river flats are used to grow sugarcane.