Grapes and Galleries
From Sunshine Coast’s macadamia nuts with unique flavours, to award-winning restaurants on the Blackall Range, fresh and unique produce at the many recurring markets (such as Eumundi’s twice weekly affair), to the hinterland’s renowned cooking schools: the opportunities to be fed, to learn, and to take home highest quality produce are plentiful. Gourmets will delight in the array of specialty foods grown and manufactured here.
Seek out Maleny and Kenilworth cheeses, award-winning ice-creams, handcrafted fudge and chocolates, macadamia nuts, crayfish, organic coffee and a huge variety of fruit and vegetables. The vineyards are ideally positioned to take advantage of differing altitudes and rainfalls, broadening the grape varieties grown. This translates to greater depth in tastings between cellar door experiences. The lush beauty of the landscape continues to inspire local artists and the Blackall Range is rife with galleries showcasing locally crafted art, woodwork, jewellery, ceramics and pottery.
These ancient volcanic crags have always intrigued people, from the Kabi Aborigines, who wove legends around their craggy shapes, to Cook, who gave them their present name as he was sailing by in 1770 - and children in the back seat today still peer to see the glowering face hidden in hulking Tibrogargan’s pitted scarp. Glass House Mountains National Park protects eight of the peaks, along with rare plants, animals and birds. To find a picnic site with close-up views, you can detour through the townships of Beerburrum, Glass House Mountains, Beerwah and Landsborough, or take the Beerburrum Forest Drive through Beerburrum State Forest and Forest Reserve.
These little townships are ideal places to buy provisions for a hike, or refreshments on your return. A longer stay at one of the comfortable B&B’s, motels or tourist parks with camp sites and cabins will allow you to explore at your leisure. For unusual perspectives, check out the views from Glass House Mountains Lookout on the forest drive and Wild Horse Mountain Lookout east of the Bruce Highway.
Beerburrum
Nestled among pineapple plantations and other small-crop farms is the tiny township of Beerburrum, on the Glass House Mountains Road. Nearby you’ll find various attractions, among them the Glass House Mountains National Park, an Aboriginal bora ring and the Wild Horse Mountain Lookout. At the start of Beerburrum Forest Drive, you can climb the track to Beerburrum Mountain Lookout, where the fire tower gives spectacular views.
Glass House Mountains
South of the tiny township of Glass House Mountains is Matthew Flinders Park and the turnoff to the main Glass House Mountains Lookout. The lookout offers unsurpassed views of these remarkable weathered volcanoes and the surrounding farms and forests. You can base yourself here for trips to Mt Beerwah and Mt Ngun Ngun. The newest walking trail, ‘the Tibrogargan Circuit’, offers completely new viewing aspects.
Beerwah
Beerwah, on the Steve Irwin Way, has splendid views of the 13 spectacular volcanic plugs that rise abruptly from the pine plantations and pineapple farms of the surrounding countryside. The town takes its name from one of the peaks.
This friendly town, surrounded by macadamia-nut plantations and citrus orchards as well as the ubiquitous pineapple plantations, has loads of country charm. Between Beerwah and Landsborough is Australia Zoo, renowned for the exploits of TV’s famous crocodile hunter Steve Irwin. Get as close as you dare when the ravenous crocodiles are fed and visit the new exhibits including elephants, tigers and cheetahs. If you fancy a carefree trip there and back, take the ‘Crocodile Train’ to Beerwah and phone Australia Zoo for a free pick-up.
Landsborough
This historic town, named after explorer William Landsborough, was once a Cobb & Co. staging post. While you’re here, step inside the old Landsborough Hotel opposite the Railway Station to experience living history. Don’t miss the superb Landsborough Historical Museum; it has over 4000 exhibits portraying local pioneer life and a magnificent mural showing the story of the Sunshine Coast. North of Landsborough towards the Bruce Highway is the Big Kart Track, and on the Maleny Road you’ll find De Maine Pottery and Gallery, home of renowned ceramicist Johanna De Maine.
Mooloolah
A pleasant sidetrack off the Steve Irwin Way is Mooloolah. This peaceful country town winds through the Diamond Valley to the start of the Mooloolah River and makes for great horse riding. Take a walk into Dularcha National Park between Mooloolah and Landsborough where an old railway tunnel is home to a bat colony. Enjoy a picnic under the trees in Ewen Maddock Park then take one of the walks to explore Ewen Maddock Dam.
for more
information contact:
Caloundra Visitor Information Centre
Matthew Flinders Park,
Glass House Mountains
P 1800 644 969 or (07) 5420 6240
E tourist.info@caloundratourism.com.au
W www.caloundratourism.com.au
