Sunshine Coast Hinterland

The Sunshine Coast Hinterland

We have spent a week touring the hinterland around the Sunshine Coast, covering the areas of Caboolture, the Glass House Mountains, Maleny, Montville, Mapleton, Eumundi and of course the beach areas of Caloundra. 

We also took advantage of the CMCA's MSO program (Member Stop Over) for the first time and called ahead to stay with a CMCA member who has opened their property for members to park up for a few nights. We intended staying for 2 nights and were convinced to stay for 7, driving out from their home as our base instead of moving on. We met and made new friends with a very generous couple, I would highly recommend this program to members of the CMCA. On a personal level, it was difficult to bring ourselves to ring a member and ask to stay over as we felt we would be imposing on them. But as we learnt, they would not have placed themselves on the list if they did not look forward to having members visit. This is something we still struggle with, even on our second time around. 

Caboolture Markets was the first stop on the Sunday with an interesting mixture of all things 'markety' and much bigger than we first thought. George had wanted me to use my scooter, but as usual I rejected that idea saying we wouldn't be that long, and once more regretted my stubbornness. We left armed with bags full of fresh vegetables, bread and yoghurt and custard from Maleny Dairies.

We spent the afternoon exploring the Glasshouse Mountains beginning at The Glasshouse Mountains Lookout which had beautiful views over the whole area, especially when you climbed the Fire Tower. 

Next was the Beerwah Mountain lookout, but we were disappointed to find that it was closed due to a rockslide. There was no forewarning of this closure until we drove to the top, but the views on the drive up were well worth it.

Beerwah Mountain and The Organ Pipes in close up.

On the Monday we headed out intending to do a lot of different things in the mountain towns of Maleny, Montville and Mapleton. As it happens we spent so long at our first destination we had to change our plans. First stop was at Maleny and the rainforest at Mary Cairncross Reserve. George had read in the tourist guide that there was a 1.8 km walk there that was wheelchair friendly and decided that was perfect for me and my scooter. Well as I have discovered in the past, wheelchair friendly does not always mean mobility scooter friendly ! It was a typical rainforest walk with all the twigs, rocks and ruts thrown in, suffice to say it would be sarcastic to say I had a very smooth ride. But we laughed and giggled and were stopped many a time by people who wanted to chat. 

We were very excited to have seen our first Pademelons, a miniature type of wallaby. We even managed to see one with a joey in its pouch which we watched close up for ages. There were also scrub turkeys, lots of different birds and wallabies. The volunteers at the desk remarked we were very lucky to see so much wildlife ... I believe it was just the fact I was sitting down so low and stopped often to have a break from the bone shaking drive ! Lol ! George says I need 4x4 suspension !

We spent the afternoon driving through the towns of Montville and Mapleton but other than stopping at the lookouts and driving down to Baroon Dam we did not stop, saving them for a return trip next week with Jessica when she comes up. The town of Montville has a n abundance of shops to explore together. From the lookouts we could view the Sunshine Coast towns and see out to Bribie Island, where we'd visited George's cousin, and Moreton Island.

Wednesday, and it was off to the famous Eumundi Markets. They have a very upmarket style and, as I remarked to George later in the day, very girly oriented. Lots of clothes, jewelry, personal care items, candles, homewares and natural therapies. I wish I had a bank account set up just for buying the grandchildren clothes and other things as there was so much I could have bought for them. Of course there was fresh market goods and food to be eaten as well. 

Our final day was spent touring the beach areas around Caloudra, beginning with Golden Beach and Pelican Point which are on the Pumicestone Passage opposite Bribie Island. All the places in our touring were beginning to link up as we now looked across the Passage to Bribie Island and Caloundra and back to the Glasshouse Mountains. We had lunch at Golden Beach as it began to rain lightly. As we headed around the Caloundra area to the beaches of Caloundra, Shelley, King and Dickey's Beaches the rain became heavier and we decided to call it a day. 

In our next blog Jessica flies in to Brisbane to spend time with us during her college trimester break. 

By Lynne