Mount Morgan – A quaint town of the Australian Gold Boom Era

Just a stone’s throw from the city of Rockhampton, nestled in a valley of the Great Dividing Range in Central Queensland is the tiny town of Mount Morgan.

Once a thriving hive of activity during the region’s gold mining days, the now economically depressed Mount Morgan relies on tourism as its main industry.

While the once-buzzing town is now small and sleepy, the historic relics of its booming past stand as a reminder of the gold rush days.

Mount Morgan is particularly famous for its historic buildings. No matter where you go in the town you are sure to find buildings that will conjure up grandeur images of the old days. Quaint little shopfronts, rather old-fashioned in appearance, line the streets of Mount Morgan. While the town isn’t a fantastic shopping experience, the semi-historical appearance of the main street is still certainly a sight worth the drive up the Mount Morgan range. There are various cafes in the town which offer a range of meals, snacks and drinks, and The Chocolate Shop is a particular favourite with many of the towns locals and visitors alike.

There is certainly plenty to see and do in Mount Morgan. The Mount Morgan Mine site is the town’s biggest reminder of the gold boom, with the open cut pit seeming to almost protectively shadow the town. We took a tour through the mine site and were enthralled by the stories behind the old mine site and the buildings within it. The site, which was also a copper mine for many years, forms the basis for Mount Morgan’s very interesting past, so during your visit touring the mine should definitely be on your must-do list.

Mount Morgan is also not without its share of prehistoric wonders. Genuine dinosaur footprints, perhaps made by Theropods at least 170 million years ago, can be seen on the ceiling of a man-made cave in the Mount Morgan Mine site and are open to public viewing year round. In the 1950’s fossils identified as the vertbrae of a plesiosaur was found 150m north of the Mount Morgan mine. While the real fossils are now in the Queensland Museum a latex cast of these fossils can be found in the Mount Morgan Historical Museum.

The town, which in recent years has grown in popularity with property investors and retirees, has a number of buildings of key interest. These include the Mount Morgan State High School, St Mary’s Catholic Church, the School of Arts, Post Office and the Railway Precinct.

Of particular interests are the funeral posts, some of which can still be seen on corners around the town. Dating back to the 1890’s and early 1900s, the posts, which measured about 23cm square) would have the funeral noticed pinned to them with tacks. It was said it was unlucky to remove the tacks from the posts, and one of the posts, complete with its tacks, can be found in the Mount Morgan Historical Museum.

Famous for its good old fashioned country hospitality like no other, Mount Morgan is a must during your next trip to Central Queensland. Take a walk down the town’s sleepy main street and stop and chat to the locals, or head out to the Big Dam for a picnic and a relaxing afternoon. If you’re lucky you might even spot the dam’s resident crocodile!

If you’re visiting at the right time of year a trip up to Mount Morgan for the annual Golden Mount Festival is a fantastic addition to any itinerary. The Golden Mount Festival, which runs May Day Weekend, is an opportunity for the townsfolk to join visitors and come together to celebrate the town’s history. This festival is host to the famous Running of the Cutter competition – a relay which salutes the old Mount Morgan tradition of running the cutter. There are a few variations of running the cutter. Men from the mine used to send the children to the pub with their billy can (cutter) to get it filled with beer in time for the break or for the end of work. Apparently rising costs caused the Publicans to put an end to the custom of Running the Cutter.
Today the Running of the Cutter involves its competitors running to the pubs of the town and drinking down a beer as fast as they can before moving onto the next. The first competitor to return to the finish is the winner, and anyone, provided they be of legal age, is eligible to enter.
Mount Morgan is also home to a swinging bridge and a fabulous historical railway station. Why not take a ride on their old steam train?
Although now a small sleepy town engulfed by economic breakdown, Mount Morgan is still a gold mine – a mine of information on the days of gold. Various projects are underway which could see the revival of the gold mining industry and bring Mount Morgan back to its former glory, but for now the town’s saviour is the tourism industry, with its quaint shopfronts, dinosaur footprints and historical sites that take you for a walk down memory lane. Next time you’re in Central Queensland why not stop in Mount Morgan? I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Pub Life in Outback Queensland
By Helen Chryssides

Visiting the Outback can be thirsty work, as you roam a region where there are endless sunny days. Why not stop for a cool drink and soak up some unique Outback hospitality?

Here are just a few of the region’s unique pubs, full of charm and colourful characters.

Royal Mail Hotel

Located just inside the Dingo Fence, this is the only hotel in Australia that you’ll need to open a gate to reach. That is, if you’re entering Queensland from New South Wales. The Royal Mail Hotel is in Hungerford which boasts a population of 10 and lies about 1,000km west of Brisbane and 200km from Cunnamulla. Built in 1873, the heritage-listed building is made of corrugated iron and cypress pine. A Cobb and Co stopover, travellers would sink a beer on the verandah as they looked at the kangaroos and emus. You can do the same today. There are plenty of rooms for overnight stays as well as a bunk house which sleeps 15.

For more information:
Mark & Sheree
Tel +61 7 4655 4093

Eulo Queen Hotel

Named after Isobel Robinson, who was known as the Queen of Eulo, this hotel sits between the Yowah and Duck Creek opal fields, a thriving mining area in times past. Its fiery namesake, who came to Australia in the late 1870s, became known as an outstanding horsewoman, shot and gambler. She was said to have one of the finest opal collections in the world, incredible beauty and three husbands. Today the Eulo Queen is the perfect rest stop offering good country atmosphere and delicious meals. There is both budget and five-star accommodation available.

For more information:
Ken & Marlene Manktelow
Tel +61 7 4655 4867

Walkabout Creek Hotel

Featured in all three Crocodile Dundee movies, this large breezy pub sits on the Matilda Highway, 108km south of Cloncurry. It may be a hundred years old but it’s full of modern movie history, with photographs, props and memorabilia from Paul Hogan’s popular movies. There’s even a crocodile – but stuffed. Enjoy a Dundee Burger on the wide verandah overlooking distant plains. Publican Paul Collins may share a yarn with you but not the secret recipe. There is motel accommodation as well as caravan and camping areas.

For more information:
Paul Collins
Tel +61 7 4746 8424

Hotel Corones

The Raffles of the West, as it became known, was created in the late 1920s by Greek immigrant Charalambos Coroneos who arrived in Australia in 1907. He started his new life with a new name, Harry Corones, and went to live in Charleville two years later. The palatial hotel he built occupies an entire block in the town’s centre. For an outlay of 500,000 pounds and five years work, he constructed sweeping staircases, ornate hand-crafted plaster ceilings and reputedly the largest bar in the southern hemisphere. There were even double rooms with private facilities, unheard of in country pubs in those days. Hotel Corones became the social hub of this sheep station area.

Harry was fascinated by flying and consequently visitors included English aviatrix Amy Johnson and other aviators. Qantas started its first regular flights between Charleville and Cloncurry and early Qantas meetings were held here. Other famous visitors over the years have included rock and roll singer Johnny O’Keefe, actor Bryan Brown, former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and English singer Gracie Fields. With the original colonial furniture still in place, Hotel Corones is as elegant and opulent as it was in times past. Karl Aschhoff will give you a fascinating two-hour tour, between March and October, complete with sensational stories and scrumptious scones. His trip into history is truly outstanding.

For more information:
Karl Aschhoff or Graham Clark
Tel +61 7 4654 1022

Blue Heeler Hotel

Kynuna may be small, with a population around 19, but you’ll be sure of a big welcome at the must-see Blue Heeler Hotel. It’s worth the three and a half hour drive from Mount Isa if just to admire the walls covered with graffiti and signatures from all over Australia. Soak up a cold beer as you soak up the local history. It was here that bush poet Banjo Paterson brokered a truce between land owners and sheep shearers in 1895, with champagne passed out through the hotel’s guillotine window as a gesture of goodwill. Why not visit during the Kynuna Surf Festival, held in aid of the Royal flying Doctor Service. Surf? There’s heaps of sand in the area but no sea. “But there’s lots of froth on the beer,” laughs hotel owner Barbara Matthews.

Stay in the motel or hotel accommodation. There is also a camping and caravan park.

For more information:
Barbara Matthews
Tel +61 7 4746 8650

Middleton Hotel

This charismatic pub is the only surviving Cobb and Co changing station between Winton and Boulia. Middleton is well off the beaten track, situated 170 kilometres west of Winton on the sealed Min Min Byway. The only other buildings in this tiny settlement are a rundown town hall and the Hilton Hotel, a bower shed. The pub offers cold beer, food, fuel and friendly service. There is air-conditioned accommodation and a nearby camping area. Who knows, you may spot the mysterious but elusive Min Min light. Named after the old Min Min Hotel, the first documented sighting was in 1912 , the light spotted by a horserider travelling between Boulia and Winton at 2am. The light hovers and does not travel. Explanations range from fire flies to Aboriginal spirits and atmospheric forces including gas escaping from bores.

For more information:
Karen Robinson
Tel +61 7 4657 3980

Winton Hotel

Amazing memorabilia adorns the bar of the Winton Hotel. Saddle and pack bags hang from the ceiling, photos dating back decades adorn the walls and old tools and shearing gear are everywhere. This mini-museum also offers cold beer, hearty meal and comfortable bed for the night. Dating back to 1899, this old-style pub is an ideal spot for a yarn with the locals and owners Kevin and Jo Fawcett. Historic it may be but it boasts modern facilities – a drive-through bottle shop, affordable accommodation and eight of the latest pokie machines.

For more information:
Kevin & Jo Fawcett
Tel +61 7 4657 1519

Noccundra Hotel

This heritage-listed hotel was built in 1882 from sandstone that was quarried locally. A border post for police patrols, Noccundra was also a stop for drovers and camel trains. Today the population is just four. Check out photographs from the district’s past in the bar and learn more from present owners John and Jill McNamara. Cabin-style accommodation is available and so are powered van sites. You can camp at the nearby waterhole and the fishing’s good there too.

For more information:
John & Jill McNamara
Tel +61 7 4655 4317

North Gregory Hotel

Have a toast to bush poet Banjo Paterson at the hotel where Australia’s unofficial national anthem, Waltzing Matilda, was first performed, in 1895. The song’s chorus and the swagman’s image have been sandblasted into the hotel’s glass doors by renowned sculptor Daphne Mayo. This is actually the fourth incarnation of the Winton hotel. The previous three, on the same site, were all destroyed by fire. The hotel has another claim to fame. Engine trouble forced Lyndon B. Johnson (before he was US President) to overnight here when the Flying Fortress plane in which he was travelling landed on nearby Carisbrooke Station in 1942. The North Gregory Hotel features self-contained rooms and is run by David and Prue Strang.

For more information:
David and Prue Strang
Tel +61 7 4657 1375

Birdsville Hotel

If you visit during the Birdsville Races in September, there’ll be 6,500 in town. The rest of the year there’s only 90 folk and you may have a chance to chat with hotel owners Kym and Jo Fort. Dating back to 1884, this hotel is a Birdsville icon, out in Channel Country with the Simpson Desert on one side and Sturt’s Stony Desert on the other. There’s plenty of race memorabilia to check out and the food’s pretty good too, with an a la carte menu featuring emu, camel and goat. There are 18 full self-contained rooms.

For more information:
Kym & Jo Fort
Tel +61 7 4656 3244

The Royal Hotel

This is the furthest pub – and town – from the sea in Australia. If you’ve made it this far, you deserve a drink and make that a cold one. Eromanga, after all, means hot, dusty plain. John and Georgina Walker run this hotel together with son Scott. The building may be over a hundred years old and once a Cobb and Co Staging post but the rooms now provide air-conditioned comfort.

For more information:
John & Georgina Walker
Tel +61 7 4656 4837

Gidgee Inn

Named after the outback tree, this wonderful complex blends the new with the old and the exotic with the everyday. The five-year old building is made with recycled timber which is featured within its rammed earth walls. Owned by the Pearson family, there are 40 motel rooms and the restaurant can seat up to a hundred. You can admire the surrounding bush, landscaped with native gums, gidyeas and vibrant exotic bougainvilleas, from the sweeping verandahs.

For more information:
Russell Pearson
Tel +61 7 4742 1599

Bulloo River Hotel Motel

The Bulloo River flows through the heart of a shire that covers a staggering 73,500 square kilometres and is home to just 240 people, at Thargomindah. The Bulloo River Hotel Motel is located in this small Outback town on the edge of Queensland’s Channel Country. Proprietors Duck and Daisy can provide you with a cold beer on a hot day and air conditioned comfort in one of their six motel units. The area boasts prolific birdlife on the scenic river and nearby lakes.

For more information:
Duck and Daisy
Tel +61 7 4655 3125

Cameron Corner

Former Melbourne long-distance truck driver Bill Mitchell was in search of a different lifestyle and he’s found it here. Together with nephew Mark Spence, he now owns the shop and licensed bar at this remote outpost, “in the far bottom left-hand corner of Queensland”. Accommodation for up to 25 is available here, the area where three States – New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland – meet. This is corner country, named after a peg used here by surveyor John Cameron in 1880. Today you’ll see a white post marking the spot in this red sandhill country. Stroll just 200m to see it and then come back for a cold beer and a cool break at this typical Outback pub. “Depending on which direction you’re headed, we’re the last exit from or the first entry point to Queensland,” says Bill, saying the two main beers on offer are, naturally, Victorian and Queensland brands – VB and Fourex Gold.

For more information:
Bill Mitchell
Tel +61 8 8091 3872

Noosa… fun and excitement for everyone!

Sun, surf, fashion and celebrities. If you’re one for fun, class, and funk you can’t beat Noosa.

Home of the famous Hastings Street, Noosa is a place of elegance and style yet still maintains a relaxed atmosphere.
Hastings Street is perhaps Australia’s most exclusive street of boutique shopping, and plays host to a wonderful array of upmarket stores that stock a wide range of wares – everything from designer gowns and other clothes to imported miscellaneous items from all over the world.

While shopping in Noosa can be fun, be prepared to make a serious assault on your credit card or restrain yourself and window shop. If you like to partake in retail therapy on a budget Hastings Street isn’t the street for you. On our last visit there we found boutiques selling cocktail dresses and evening gowns for well over $1000, with the cheapest we picked up off the racks priced at about $650.

However, there are a few shops that don’t break the piggy bank too much and will still keep you looking trendy while you wander down the exclusive Noosa boulevard.

After satisfying your need for retail therapy, why not buy an ice cream from one of the many ice cream parlours that line Hastings Street and head to the beach? If you don’t feel like getting your feet sandy wander along the boardwalk. We’ve found in Noosa there are a few nice spots to lay out a blanket and have a picnic as long as you don’t mind lots of people walking past.

If you feel like a dip you can’t go past Noosa’s main beach for plenty of surf. Surfing competitions are held annually here and you can find learn to surf schools on the main beach if you’re keen to have a go. The main beach is usually packed with swimmers, tanners, families and lifeguards, so if this isn’t your scene it might be worth making the short walk to Little Cove, just along the boardwalk.

For a touch of exercise while we were there we found you can’t beat a leisurely stroll through the Noosa National Park. There are plenty of walks and scenic stops along the way, and the National Park is well within walking distance from Hastings Street. Make sure you take plenty of water and your swimmers, because there are plenty of beaches along the walks in the National Park – stop on your way and cool off with a quick dip in the cool, blue, clear waters.

There is definitely plenty to see and do in and around Noosa. Whether it be for a romantic getaway or a family holiday, next time you’re looking to change your lifestyle for a weekend, why not head to Noosa?

No lack of Outback Spas and Stars
By Christine Retschlag

Spring has sprinkled her magic over Nardoo station, fox tail wild flowers blow cunningly in the warm breeze and baby lambs bellow the change of seasons.

Old man emu and his six chicks cast proud, black silhouettes against the thirsty earth – an Outback omen there could soon be rain.

Emus, the male of which looks after the young, rarely nest unless they believe rain is imminent.

Nardoo voodoo, perhaps, but the 110,000 acres of open Mitchell grass country west of Charleville is as parched as a summer shearer.

Nardoo, named after the poisonous plant which saw the early demise of Burke and Wills, has an average rainfall of 16in but in the past three years has witnessed just 8in of water drop from the startling signature skies of the Outback.

In bush parlance, station life is a mug’s game, but David Meurant, who manages the southwest Queensland property with his wife Carmel, says it’s the lifestyle that keeps them there.

So fierce is the Outback hospitality, that David says a one and a half hour drive can take him between five and seven hours as passing neighbours keep pulling up for a good, old fashioned chin-wag.

It’s when the mulga trees start talking to you, that it’s time for a break in the city, according to David.

The hospitality at Nardoo station is rivalled only by Carmel’s creative cooking and her latest dish, Yabby Dabby Do – yabbies fresh from the Paroo, and drenched in garlic, tomato paste and cream, is worth shouting about.

Nardoo is also famous for its bore water spa baths which gurgle at around 36 degrees and are said to have healing properties.

And a new addition to this Outback day spa, is the “sheep dip” – a jet stream of hot water sprays and pure heaven for the weary traveller.

About an hour further west, in eclectic Eulo, Nan and Ian Pike have been growing dates for the past 20 years and turning them into dry, medium and sweet wines at Australia’s most remote winery.

According to Ian, there is no wastage in their product, as what isn’t turned into wine, becomes food product such as date chews or moisturising creams.

“What gets away here is about bugger all,” Ian says. “Dates are a lot easier to muster than cattle and sheep, I’ll tell you.”

If the Eulo date farm is Australia’s most remote winery, than it is also Australia’s most remote health retreat as Nan and Ian now turn their minds to mud which is forced up from the shales on their property.

The dynamic duo have branched into the beauty business with charming claw foot baths the setting to soak in mud which Ian believes has all the “you-beaut qualities of dead-sea mud”.

“I’d been eyeing it off for a long time,” Ian says. “It makes you feel a hell of a lot better. It has a very similar effect to high sulphur pools in New Zealand.

“It will take the bend out of corrugated iron.”

Eulo is also home to the annual World Lizard Races which started in 1967 and attracted up to 5,000 people, prepared to bid up to $1,500 for a racing lizard.

These days, the event attracts more modest numbers, and lizards go for around $70 at the pre-race auction where shinglebacks, it is fabled, race better than frilly necks.

While in Eulo, meander into the Eulo General Store, where live bees take pride of place among every John Williamson tape ever recorded.

Back in Charleville, visitors take a star trek to the Cosmos Centre which combines innovative interactive day-time displays with night-time shows of the sky.

The centre hosts Symphony Under the Stars each November. Coming up in early June this year is the Transit of Venus. By early 2005, the Cosmos centre hopes to be in possession of its $80,000 telescope which will drop images on to the internet to be beamed around the globe.

The night sky at Charleville is considered particularly spectacular, as the township sits at latitude 26, has a totally flat horizon and low light pollution.

Cosmos Centre Manager Jane Morgan says during the appearance of Mars last year they were conducting three shows a night.

“Nobody talks at a high level here, we keep it simple. People can’t just simply grasp 14 million light years,” she says.

“I think what we’ve got now is a very high level of acceptance of the Cosmos Centre. “We like to use a lot of Outback humour here.”

Indeed at the Cosmos Café, you can order a Light Year Latte, Cosmic Cappuccino, Mercury Muggacino or a Terrestrial Tea.

And if you think this part of the Outback is light years away, think again. Brisbane visitors can board a Qantas flight around 1:30pm on Friday, take in Charleville, Eulo and Nardoo station, all at a leisurely pace, and be back on the plane around 6pm on Sunday evening.

Outback Queensland… beam me up.

Queensland… Epicurean’s delight

Queensland. A tantalising landscape for the biggest appetite and the most jaded palate.

queensland food

With arguably the most vast and varied landscape in the country, Queensland’s gourmet travelling potential would wear down Odysseus, and have Bacchus calling for the bill.

From the outback to the beach, from the rainforest to the reef, from the southeast capital to the tropical north, Queensland is a banquet for the gourmet traveller. Spectacular locations, fresh local produce, fine local wines and a melting pot of cuisines served up by some of the country’s best chefs.

And with tourism being one of the state’s major industries, visitors are superbly catered for with a wealth of award-winning restaurants and world-class hotels and resorts in the most spectacular settings.

The epicurean will feel right at home. Many visit and never leave.

Queensland serves up its own unique cuisine – a fusion of Asian and Mediterranean, home-grown and exotic, earth and sea, blue sky and sunshine. Much of the fine, fresh food you enjoy at restaurants around Australia comes from here – from Moreton Bay Bugs to Bowen mangoes, export quality organic beef to wild barramundi.

Brisbane’s bustling population of some two million supports a feast of fine restaurants. From yum-cha in Chinatown to a seafood platter by the bay, Brisbane is a sunny smorgasbord.

The Gold and Sunshine Coasts have attracted some of the best cooks in the country. In fact, the Gold Coast has more restaurants per capita than any other region in Australia. The Sunshine Coast’s Noosa has rapidly become one of Australia’s premier destinations.

The cooler southeast Queensland country hosts a wide range of wineries, many of which offer fine dining and accommodation. These regions are famous for their vineyards and orchards, gardens and National Parks, oh-so-cosy Bed and Breakfasts (B&Bs) and grand homesteads.

If you’re searching for the essence of Australia, you may well find it in the Queensland outback – the home of Waltzing Matilda and the birthplace of Qantas. A hearty meal at an outback pub is a quintessentially Australian experience. Here, you’ll also find traces of earlier travellers, from ancient rock paintings to dinosaur tracks.

Queensland has an amazing mix of natural attractions. In fact, it’s home to five World Heritage areas: the Wet Tropics Rainforests, the Riversleigh Fossil Fields, the Central Eastern Rainforest, Fraser Island and the Great Barrier Reef.

Fraser Island is the world’s largest sand island and an ecological masterpiece, with pristine freshwater lakes, towering ancient rainforests and a diversity of flora and fauna. An award winning resort provides the perfect base for exploring the World Heritage island.

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s most diverse coral reef system. Home to some 6,600 species of marine life, it spans 3,000km of Queensland’s east coast. The spectacular diving and deep water fishing lure seasoned enthusiasts from around the globe.

In the turquoise waters of the Whitsundays, you have your choice of 70-something islands. Several have resorts, including one of the ‘Leading Hotels of the World’. Many more remain untouched. Take a bareboat charter and explore them all. With the largest charter fleet in the country, this is where maxi racers come to retire, the Whitsundays is the pleasure boating capital of Australia. Catch a reef fish for dinner and have a barbecue on the deck.

The cosmopolitan yet relaxed cities of Townsville and Cairns are gateways to the tropical north, the Reef and Gulf, the resort towns of Port Douglas and Mission Beach, and another world of adventure and fine, fresh local food. A cornucopia of exotic fruits. The freshest seafood and deepwater fish. Gulf barramundi and mud crabs. Plantation fresh tea and coffee. Scuba diving and game fishing. Rainforest hiking and white-water rafting. And year-round outdoor dining in the balmiest of climates.

A hearty meal at an outback pub. Silver service at a reef island resort. A barbecue on-deck, under sail. A banquet at a country homestead. Fish and chips at a beach café. Or the haute cuisine of a Gourmet Traveller Restaurant of the Year.

Queensland is a banquet for the gourmet traveller. Dig in!

On the Platypus trail
By Neville Allen

Platypus spotting is one of the most popular and rewarding of all tropical ecotourism activities.

But it’s tricky.

Just knowing where to look is not an art that can be learnt from a textbook. And if you are lucky enough to spot one of these bizarre little creatures, the moment it spots you, chances are it will dive, disappear and not resurface for you.

That is, unless you have a wildlife expert from Wildscapes Safaris to escort you

into the platypus habitat. Wildscape Safaris run daytime and nocturnal tours, each of about eight hours’ duration.

“The Platypus in the Tropics” tour is the better one for those whose main interest is Australia’s elusive, duck-billed enigma and this starts with a 6am pick-up from your accommodation in Cairns.

Our guide and owner of Wildscapes Safaris, Alberto Vale, has operated wildlife tours for years. For more than two years he has devoted every spare moment of his time to his favourite passion – the study of tropical platypuses.

There are several advantages to be derived from taking one of these escorted tours over trying to do it yourself. Firstly, an expert guide knows which streams in the region support platypus and which ones don’t. Such a guide also knows which of these streams are accessible and he also understands the habits of the creatures that live in their waters. In Alberto’s case, he has a permit to enter otherwise restricted territory, which just happens to be home to at least a dozen of these timid, furry mammals.

The tour I joined recently took our group of four an hour or so into the Atherton Tablelands before setting out cross-country for a couple of kilometres. We halted 50m from a wide, slow-flowing waterway. On one side the banks were steeped in luxuriant, impenetrable rainforest from which the call of whip birds and the brilliantly-coloured Azure kingfisher could be heard. We had been warned not to wear garments of bright colour so it was a sombre-looking group that cautiously approached the stream.

It wasn’t until Alberto said, “Fatty has a burrow that extends underneath where we are now standing”, that we realised he actually knew the various inhabitants of the waterway by name. We were then instructed to “freeze” the moment a platypus surfaced and to refrain from taking pictures until told.

Moments later a mere ripple on the surface saw Alberto motioning us to become statues.

No one moved, I don’t think anyone breathed.

The animal that suddenly appeared, 20m distant, was darker than I had expected.

Twisting and turning, a little like an otter at play, it dived and vanished after about 10 seconds.

“Quick, follow me,” our guide beckoned peremptorily as we ran to keep up with him. “He’s heading this way. Once he’s beneath the water he swims with his eyes, ears and nose closed. But as soon as he surfaces, all his senses are acute.”

Alberto stopped abruptly. Lifting his arm like an Indian chief to signal us to stop all movement, he said, “have your cameras ready. He’ll come up right beneath us.”

And that’s precisely where, to the whir and click of cameras, he did.

During the next three hours, focussed on watching, stalking and photographing this unique Australian mammal, we recorded 11 sightings of seven individual platypuses. We had to take Alberto’s word on this latter fact as telling one platypus from another was obviously a job for experts only.

Now it was time for morning tea. A small but beautiful riverside beach became the setting for a wood fire and the chance to discuss our sightings.

The two biologists in our group could barely contain their excitement. So many close sightings in such a pristine environment had virtually “blown them away”. And as we sipped billy tea and munched on home-made muffins, we learned more about the reticent, web-footed object of our search.

“There have been some quite intensive studies completed on platypus in regions south of here,” Alberto Vale told us. “But not in the tropics. While it appears to be much the same creature, its habitats in North Queensland are very different to those elsewhere and possibly so too are its habits.”

Surprisingly, I learned, no one has ever witnessed a platypus laying eggs and that the species lives as far north as Cooktown and in streams in the very south of Tasmania.

Having experienced little change in its make-up for 50,000 years, the platypus is very much a living fossil.

As well as operating Wildscapes Safaris, Alberto Vale spends a considerable amount of time working on a six year project which studies the behavioural patterns of platypus in the wild. This, he says, is performed in conjunction with Dr Tom Grant of the University of New South Wales who advises Alberto on research procedures while Alberto completes most of the in-field work.

Before clambering aboard the 4WD, our group was shown a life-size model of a platypus and given detailed explanations of its bodily structure and functions.

We drove away leaving nothing but footprints in the sand and mud. This is one of the many strict policies of this operator whose two tours have won National Ecotourism Advanced Accreditation classification.

Earlier today, on the highway from Cairns, we had stopped at a termite mound.

Measuring roughly 1.5m high and wide, this natural monument is home and work place to millions of tiny ants, so small they can be barely seen with the naked eye. Chipping a small piece off the mound, Alberto provoked a flurry of activity. We felt the rock hard piece’s inner edges. They were sticky like glue.

“Many people drive past termite mounds every day without realising what a fascinating story lies inside,” he said. “I will now replace the broken piece and in less than an hour the ants will have sealed it all together with that sugary glue you felt that they manufacture from chewing grass.”

Our only other detour before platypus spotting was a short drive off-road to visit a colony of Spectacled Flying Foxes which are endemic to North Queensland rainforests.

Nearby Lake Boreen is a peaceful retreat fringed by lush rainforest and with an unusual resident.

Henry, a magnificent old cassowary, struts regally around the National Park occasionally posing for photographs. There’s an interesting boardwalk here. Starting close to the lake, it enters the rainforest where two giant, 1,000 year old bull kauri trees, host to a variety of ferns and orchids, which germinate high in the canopy, reach 50m skyward. This area was once home to thousands of these towering wonders and no one knows how these two stately giants missed the logger’s axe.

Wildscapes Safairs’ other expedition, the Rainforest at Night, takes a maximum of six passengers and has a different focus.

An hour or so is spent on platypus spotting prior to taking a hearty country meal in the pioneer setting of a Tablelands’ restaurant. The Atherton Tablelands is a high plateau of the Great Dividing Range. Its rich, red volcanic soil supports an assortment of crops as well as wet sclerophyll forests that are home to many endemic and endangered species of plants and animals. One species of mega flora visited on this tour, at Yungaburra, is a Curtain Fig Tree, believed to be at least 500 years old. More than 50m high, this giant measures 39m around its base.

The Rainforest at Night tour penetrates the darkness of the Mt Baldy rainforests in search of pademelons, quolls, several varieties of possums and owls and, the most intriguing of all creatures that exist here, the Lumholtz tree kangaroo.

Unlike their ground-dwelling cousins, this species has hindlegs that can move independently. Why they returned to a chiefly arboreal existence (kangaroos evolved from tree-dwelling ancestors) no one knows but these thick furred marsupials of the Wet Tropics are always a favourite with night tour members.

Another popular rain forest inhabitant is the curious Northern leaf tail gecko. Difficult to locate because of its ability to take on the appearance of a leaf or branch, this remarkably shaped reptile can measure up to 25cm. But for any rainforest safari group, the most fascinating talent of this creature is the manner in which it washes its eyes with its tongue.

The wilderness area covered on this tour is about six kilometres. Most spotlighting is done from the vehicle.

“Everyone has their own spotlight and we use only low powered lights with red filters so as not to frighten or harm the animals,” Alberto said.

And for those who miss a particular sighting, Alberto catches most of the action on film for passengers to view on his Wildcam video on the 4WD’s return trip home.

What’s Your Beef?
By Tony Walsh

Not content with grazing a third of the total Australian beef herd in their region, Rockhampton folk have also erected six bull statues between the southern and northern entrances to the city. Small wonder Rockhampton is known as the Beef Capital of Australia.

Yet while the same good folk are equally proud of this huge mass of beef on the hoof, there is palpable dissension in this usually close-knit society on which cattle subsequently produce the best steak – grass or grain-fed beasts.

Asked his opinion about the merits of either feeding process, Mr Peter Prim, the manager of the Gracemere Saleyards, which has a through-put of nearly 150,000 head of beef cattle per year was succinct, “I would not give you two bob for grain-fed beef.”

Others in the industry are more reluctant to voice their preference so publicly.

However, during my visits to feed lots with their rows of concrete troughs and to cattle properties with herds grazing on river flats, I was subjected to convincing and predictable arguments from the respective cattle producers in favour of their own fattening process.

But, in this age of food and wine tourism, can the visitor to this bovine heaven on the Tropic of Capricorn expect to enjoy a delicious, mouth-watering steak from the local paddock?

While not always the case in past years, the answer is now good news, with some local restaurants and hotels in Rockhampton adhering diligently to the “paddock to the plate” principle that is now driving growth in regional tourism throughout Australia.

The mantra for Rockhampton could be, “This is the Beef Capital of Australia, so expect to eat the best beef.”

The iconic Queensland hotel, The Great Western, with its wide verandahs, timber and tin construction and rodeo ring out the back, serves a fine rib-on-the-bone, while the Flame Char Restaurant at the Cambridge Hotel serves local aged beef supplied as Acton Super Beef which is grown by grazier, Graeme Acton.

New man in town during the past few years and now manager of the Coffee House Apartments, Café & Wine Bar on William Street, Grant Cassidy, asks the important question on behalf of his regular clientele and visitors to Rockhampton expecting a consistently good steak, “How do we know that what we are serving, how can we basically say we can guarantee it?”

Taste, Tenderness & Consistency
This criteria is focussed on TTC: Taste, Tenderness and Consistency, whether it be grass-fed orgrain-fed beef. Purely personal preference for one or theother feeding method is subject to on-going debate.

Though some factors in Rockhampton are a given, as Grant explains, “It’s because we know the origins. We know where it is coming from, or how many days it has been on grain and that really assists us at the other end of the market – the kitchen.

“Half the battle is getting a good cut of meat, the second half is being able to cook it properly.”

Fortunately for steak aficionados, Grant and his expert team of chefs at the Coffee House now have both angles covered. Grass-fed Brangus beef is mainly sourced from the nearby Kabra area, while 120 daygrain-fed,Teys Gold Beef Droughtmasters come from a Duaringa cattle property and then through the Inverrio feed lot.

So next time you are in Rockhampton, you can be sure of a great steak whether that be from grass or grain-fed cattle, and that’s no bull!

Travel Access
Right in the heart of Central Queensland, Rockhampton is a vibrant city with heritage precincts and the nearby coastal islands. Situated on Highway One linking Brisbane and Cairns, Rockhampton is now a destination in its own right with easy access to the Gemfields and Outback.

Drink the mango daiquiri, then down the Bowen Berocca

If Airlie Beach is the party animal of the Whitsundays, then Bowen must surely be the Berocca.

In the cocktail shaker of Queensland tourist destinations, Bowen is the mango daiquiri to Airlie’s martini.

With its yawningly wide streets and gracious heritage buildings, Bowen’s charm is captured in the canvas which still adorns its movie theatre streets.

The eight award-winning beaches positioned in delicate bays lend Bowen much of its understated charm.

Rose Bay Resort, which offers absolute beachfront accommodation, is a gorgeous bud on the tip of the Whitsundays tree.

From the front yard of the four-and-a-half-star property, you can snorkel over delicious coral 50 metres off shore, or laze in a bath tub with a view of the ocean.

Around the corner at Horseshoe Bay, take the time to dine at the cafe where delights made from local produce await. There’s also the more upmarket 360 On The Hill, a gastronomical gem which serves panoramic views of Bowen’s sleepy hollow along with five-star dining.

And if that’s not enough to whet your appetite for Bowen, make sure you visit one of her many fruit or vegetable factories before you leave. You’ll never look at a capsicum the same way again.

The Whitsundays wears many faces; one of her least seen personas is her ecological side.

One of the best ways to sink your teeth into the ecological side of things is on a Whitsunday Crocodile Safari along the Proserpine River.

Here, in the murky depths, there are said to be 150 crocodiles in existence, and the tour has an almost 100 per cent strike rate of sighting one of these reptiles.

If you’re lucky on this trip, you’ll also see a mud skipping fish which walks on land. The trip includes an open-air wagon wetlands tour, nature walk, mud crab capture and display, barbecue lunch and bushman’s billy tea and damper.

For those more interested in the ecology of the Great Barrier Reef, take a Fantasea day tour out to Reefworld where you’ll snorkel and scuba dive in the world’s largest marine park. You’ll almost certainly stumble across Wally, a giant Maori wrasse fish so friendly you half expect him to do the haka.

Reefworld also offers tourists the chance to sleep on the Great Barrier Reef through ReefSleep in a kingsize bed or four bunks on the giant pontoon.

Back on the mainland and in search of another eco adventure, Salty Dog Sea Kayaking may have the answer with its variety of tours. A typical half-day tour may take you to the tiny national park island of White Rock and over to abandoned shacks on Cane Cocky’s beach before kayaking with the turtles back to Shute Harbour.

And after all that adventure, one of the best places to relax with a bird’s eye view of Airlie Beach, is Pinnacles Resort and Spa. The five-star resort offers uninterrupted 180 degree views of the Coral Sea and out towards the islands through its 29 Queensland tropical apartments.

Take a dip in the 20m wet edge pool or, better still, have a spa knowing you’ve sucked in all the essence of another wondrous Whitsunday day.

Just like a Bowen mango.

Culture, shopping and excitement… that’s Sydney!

Arguably Australia’s most famous city, Sydney is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

A city of culture, diversity and lifestyle, Sydney is home to several internationally recognised landmarks. These include the Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

One of the world’s most appealing and cosmopolitan cities, Sydney is a mecca for fine dining and shopping on all budget levels.

If it’s a nice meal you’re looking for – whether it be a romantic dinner for two or something a little more suited to the family, try heading down to Darling Harbour. There you will find a wide selection of restaurants offering all the latest delicious dishes and delicacies as well as some good, old time favourites.

If you’re after a spot of adventure look no further than the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Sound strange? Climbing tours to the summit of the bridge are offered on a regular basis and no climbing experience is necessary. BridgeClimb also offers NightClimb tours, which allow you to climb to the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge at night. Talk about an adrenalin rush! From the top get the best views of Sydney you’ll find and feel a real sense of achievement. The whole climb takes about three hours, so be prepared for a real hike. Just a warning though – while it’s definitely on our Must Do in Sydney list, Climbing up the Sydney Harbour Bridge isn’t easy on the wallet.

If these don’t take your fancy why not hit one of Sydney’s famous beaches, perhaps Bondi Beach? Go for a ride on the Manly Ferries across the harbour or head out to Homebush and check out the 2000 Olympic Stadium.

Whatever your tastes, if you want somewhere that has a bit of everything head to Sydney!

Sample the Sunshine Coast’s Sensational Wine
By Alison Shaw

From the glorious beauty of the Sunshine Coast mountains and valleys, to the relaxed life style of the beaches and harbour, the Sunshine Coast wineries encompass some of the best wine Queensland has to offer.

The Sunshine Coast is a geographically stunning wine region featuring boutique wineries and vineyards producing premium award winning wines. The cellar doors and restaurants of this region offer the visitor a personalised and varied wine tourism experience. The Sunshine Coast wineries are situated a short hour from Brisbane and 10 minutes from Noosa.

The Sunshine Coast wine region is one of the most diverse and fastest growing wine regions in Queensland. It encompasses vineyards situated high up in the cooler climate Blackall Range, Kenilworth and Traveston areas through to the milder climates in the valleys near the coast.

This diversity of micro climates allow for a wide range of grape varieties to be grown within the region. These range from plantings of Shiraz, Chambourcin and Chardonnay through to Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. All are small boutique vineyards who hand-pick their grapes and hand prune their vines. The personalised attention in the vineyards allow for wines that are distinctive in character.

The cellar doors are filled with people passionate about their vineyards and wine, and who love to share the experience of Queensland wines for the Queensland life style. With 10 cellar doors, the region offers diverse tourism experiences. From verandah dining overlooking vines, barrel tastings in the cellar doors, relaxing with a glass of great Queensland wine by the harbour or having a break in some of the gorgeous vineyard cottages and guest houses, there is something for everyone.

The Sunshine Coast wineries celebrate the enjoyment of wine and good food. Many of the wineries offer restaurants, cheese platters, gourmet picnics and winery and vineyard tours.

So, if you’re looking for a relaxing wine experience amongst some of the most scenic countryside in Queensland, the Sunshine Coast wine region is for you. Daily tours of the wineries are available from both the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.
The Little Morgue Winery

The Little Morgue Winery is one of the most unique cellar doors in Australia. Situated in a building that was previously a working morgue, the building is a landmark in the area. Originally built as a textile factory it was then converted to a morgue, and now into winery and cellar door. The building style is Gothic with lovely wrought iron through out. The new interior brings the new and the old aspects of the building together.

The cellar door is on the upper level that was originally the chapel. With high vaulted ceilings, there is a viewing platform into the winery operations below where the coffin used to appear. The lower level is dug into the ground making it the perfect environment for a cellar.

Michael and Hannah Van Der Merwe opened the winery on 6 December 2003.

The first major event was a Black Friday dinner in March with dinner guests all turning up as witches, undertakers and even skeletons. Wine such as Supreme After Life, a Touch of Coffin and meals such as Mummified Flesh and Sudden Death by Chocolate were devoured.

The Little Morgue Winery now hosts many events and a gourmet Sunday lunch is enjoyed by many, dining al fresco on the terrace or in the chapel for a more wholy experience.

The Little Morgue Winery is also available for small private functions and weddings.

Tour groups are welcome by appointment for lunch or a tasting of the wines produced on site in the boutique winery located in the previous embalmment area.

The Little Morgue Winery is on the way to the Ginger Factory and Eumundi markets.

For more information:

Michael and Hannah Van Der Merwe
Tel +61 7 5441 5951

Settlers Rise

The picturesque Blackall Range in the hinterland of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is the setting for Settlers Rise – one of Australia’s most beautifully situated boutique wineries. The Cellar Door conducts professionally presented wine tastings and information on the special qualities of Queensland wines. Local produce and cheese platters are available to accompany the wines.

A visit to the Settlers Rise Cellar Door facility is a memorable experience. On the wrap-around verandahs of the lovely old Queenslander there are spectacular views of the Sunshine Coast to the east and the Obi Obi valley to the north.

Early settlers in the area, German immigrants who settled mainly around nearby Witta (which was known as “old Teutoberg”) grew grapes and made wine which was sold to the hotel at Landsborough – delivered on horseback, packed in saddlebags!

Wine has again become an important industry in the area where vines thrive in the rich volcanic soil and maritime climate of the Blackall Range. The Settlers Rise vineyard was planted several years ago with Chardonnay and Verdelho, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz to prepare for the Cellar Door opening in July 2000.

Grapes from Settlers Rise are blended with grapes sourced from other Queensland vineyards to produce wines of excellent quality, particularly suited to the Queensland lifestyle.

Visitors to the Cellar Door can enjoy wine tasting, morning or afternoon tea or coffee, cheese and local produce platters. Special arrangements can be made for group bookings which can range from a simple wine tasting to more in depth wine education or a really fabulous wine and food matching experience.

The Sunshine Coast and Hinterland area is a treasure chest of fascinating things to do and see, taste and buy. Wine tasting…homemade fudge and Goats Cheese…arts, crafts and designer fashions…Sunday jazz on the river…. There’s something for every taste. Settlers Rise will help you plan a romantic weekend for two or a fun-filled break for your group.

Settlers Rise is situated just one hour north from the outskirts of Brisbane, less than half an hour from the Sunshine Coast beaches and just around the corner from the famous Montville village. Our Cellar Door provides an opportunity to relax, taste and buy quality wines, whilst enjoying breathtaking views of the mountains and the Sunshine Coast. Hours: 10am – 5pm Open every day of the year except Good Friday, Anzac Day & Christmas Day

For more information:

Christine Harvey
Settlers Rise
Tel +61 7 5478 5558

Maroochy Springs, Eumundi

Nestled in the valleys near Eumundi is Maroochy Springs Wines. Having retired from their corporate life with Nestlé, Jack and Margaret followed their dream of owning and planting their vineyard in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

Maroochy Springs harvested their first vintage Monday, 17 February 2003. Assisted by a dedicated team of friends and neighbours, the picking was accomplished in just one hour and 40 minutes.

It was a difficult first vintage, with Mother Nature throwing just about everything at the Connellys; the driest year for 101 years (the big drought); the hottest summer for more than 90 years; a hail storm (which on 1 December 2002 dumped hail the size of walnuts for over 40 minutes on the small grapes); and 220mm of rain 1½ weeks before harvesting.

For more information:

Jack and Margaret Connolly
Tel +61 7 5442 8777
The Big Barrel Vineyard and Winery, Maleny

For the Pagano family, the Big Barrel Vineyard and Winery is a dream come true after having been in the wine industry in Australia for more than 40 years.

The family already was successful in making wines in Italy in the foothills of Mt Etna in Sicily for more than 100 years. When Sebastian and Maria first saw the Maleny area overlooking the Glass house Mountains some 11 years ago, it reminded them of Mt Etna and they soon saw the potential of the rich volcanic soil that surround the Blackall Ranges. The Blackall Range, and Maleny in particular, is well know for its spectacular views, rolling green hills, cool nights, cabin and guest house accommodation.

Selecting the right vine varieties has always been a priority for Sebastian, a fourth generation grape grower. “As a viticulturist, it is extremely important to find the right grape varieties for the climate. Because this area is very wet and warm, we had to research what vine would best suit this area. Another consideration was creating the most effective form of canopy management.”

The Maleny winery was established in the year 2000 and is now growing local grapes and processing them on site. The winery produces about 15 varieties of fine premium wines available only in the cellar door. The distinctive cellar door is housed in a large barrel shaped winery, made from New Zealand laminated pine commonly used in ship building.

For more information:

Sebastian Pagano
Tel +61 7 5429 6300
Barambah Ridge Winery

Barambah Ridge has rapidly made its mark in the wine industry, producing premium wines crafted to be drunk in the Queensland sunshine. With a dedication to growing and sourcing quality wine grapes with intense flavours, and the pursuit of best practice wine making techniques and winery equipment, Barambah Ridge is recognised as one of the leading wineries in Queensland.

Consistently winning wine awards in state and interstate wine shows, Barambah Ridge aims at giving visitors a taste of the some of the best wines to emerge from Queensland.

With the winery and vineyards situated in the South Burnett, ninety minutes from Noosa and two hours from Brisbane, and with cellar doors at Redgate, Maryborough, and Noosa, Barambah Ridge welcomes guests to experience the wines of Queensland.

The Winery and Vineyards

Barambah Ridge Winery is a story of the vision of a group of people, passionate about Queensland wine, who commit themselves to establishing a large winery and vineyards to produce some of the best wines to come out of this state.

A state of the art winery was built in 1998, and has seen rapid expansion since then to accommodate the enormous growth in the amount of wine grape crushed at Barambah Ridge. The 2003 vintage crushed 500 tonnes of grape. Barambah Ridge is also the contract winemaker for many other Queensland wineries.

Barambah Ridge – Noosa Wine Bar and Cellar Door.

In keeping with this expansion, Barambah Ridge has cellar doors right throughout Queensland, including the Barambah Ridge Noosa Wine Bar and Cellar Door overlooking Noosa Harbour.

Noosa is a holidaymakers paradise, with sun drenched coast and gourmet restaurants on the boardwalk. The wine bar is open every day from 10am to late, and serves light meals and cheese platters. Live music is also in the wine bar every Thursday through to Sunday.

Wine tastings are held every day 10am to late, and free delivery within the Noosa Shire is available for those who would like to restock their cellars. The Noosa cellar door also is a stop for the River Flight Ferry, so after lunch, visitors can catch the ferry and take a scenic trip down the Noosa River to Hastings Street. Alternatively, the ferry is a great way to come from Hastings Street.

For more information:

Barambah Ridge Winery
Lynne Merrell
Noosa Cellar & Wine Bar
Tel +61 7 5474 0511

Glastonbury Estate Wines, Gympie

Enveloped in the hills of Glastonbury, hidden up in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, are vineyards unlike any others in Australia. Glastonbury Estate is the vision of Steve Davoren, who saw the spectacular countryside in the foothills of the Great Divide, and imagined a village of wine lovers, with vineyards scattered through the valleys and cut in high up on the crests. Over the past three years, this property that was originally Australian bush land, has been transformed into one of the most unique vineyards in Australia.

The vineyards are terraced into the hills, with deep cuts made in the sides of the mountainside. The trellises follow the contours of the hills, sweeping around the curves. The vines are then planted on raised beds, with the terracing sloping away on both sides allowing for great drainage. Terracing also allows for good airflow around the vines, an important factor in the Queensland climate. The vineyards are set at the base of the Great Divide, 400m above sea level, and 12km from the Sunshine Coast town of Gympie.

In all, more than 16 acres of vineyard have so far been planted over six sites, all with their own individual microclimates. A total of eight vineyards are planned for the property. Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon have so far been planted, with a small first crop taken from these vines in 2002. The Cabernet Sauvignon vines came originally as cuttings from vines from South Australia. A second stage planting of Verdelho, Chambourcin, and further Chardonnay and Shiraz plantings are in planning stage.

Viticulturist Murray Smith, well recognised for his comprehensive knowledge of growing wine grapes in the Queensland climate, is confident of the potential of the estate. The vineyards are all irrigated, with a pure water source being collected in the numerous lakes on the property. Being surrounded by virgin bush land, the vineyards are well protected from chemicals from other properties or sources. This combined with the favourable soils and terracing system give great hope for premium quality crops to come from the estate.

Glastonbury Estate is probably best know for its well awarded 200 Emotions Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. The Emotions is one of the most awarded wines in Queensland, having won Best Queensland Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy at the nationally recognised Australian Small Winemakers Show in Stanthorpe in 2002. Emotions also took out the trophy for the Best Queensland Red Wine over all classes at the Brisbane Wine Festival 2002 and was awarded a silver medal at the 2002 Queensland wine awards.

Emotions is the signature wine of Glastonbury Estate Wines, and the grapes are sourced from cool climate Inglewood vineyards that are renowned for producing grapes of density and flavour weight. It is a big wine with a blood-red colour and significant oak seasoning from 15 months in new French and American barriques. Made by renowned Master of Wine Peter Scudamore Smith and Stuart Range, the wine is testament to the quality and sophistication of wines being produced in Queensland today.

Accommodation

Nestled amongst acres of terraced vines, surrounded by state forest and just fifty minutes from the heart of Noosa, Glastonbury Estate Lodge offers either total seclusion or a springboard for local adventure.

With its wrap around verandah overlooking neighbouring districts and vines , the fireplace for a cosy night in and even the modest herb garden, Glastonbury Estate Lodge has all the charm of a vineyard cottage.

However the luxury of modern convenience is not bypassed, as guests can make themselves at home in a fully self-contained kitchen and air conditioned bedrooms.

Containing three double rooms the lodge comfortably sleeps three couples or one couple and four singles alternatively. Two king size beds, each convertible to two single beds and one queen size bed are available. Each room has an en suite, television, tea and coffee facilities and a view of surrounding valleys and farmlands.

Cellar Door is located in the small township of Eumundi adjacent to the markets. It is open seven days a week.

For more information:

Steve Davoren
Glastonbury Estate Wines
Tel +61 7 5484 9106

Noosa Valley Winery Bed and Breakfast

Just 10 minutes from the heart of Noosa is a glorious bed and breakfast set in rolling vineyards. Noosa Valley Winery is owned and operated by George and Sue Mullins who came out from Ireland more than 30 years ago and never left. Purchasing the property in 1999, George and Sue originally opened the bed and breakfast side of the business, quickly realizing that they wanted to be a part of the burgeoning Sunshine Coast Wine industry. Some 550 Chambourcin vines were planted in 2000 at the front of the 13 acre property, and they harvested their first crop early 2003. The grapes were sent to Robinson Valley Winery at Ballandean.

Noosa Valley Winery acts as a satellite cellar door for Robinsons wines. Robinsons was established by John and Heather Robinson at Ballandean in 1969. Heather comes from the winemaking family of W Salter and Son who established Saltrams Winery in the early 1800s in the Barossa. Robinsons have a long history of wine awards. The cellar door at Noosa Valley Winery is open Wednesday to Saturday 11am to 5pm.

The Bed and Breakfast side of the property is perfectly placed for guests to take in the tourist attractions of the Sunshine Coast, all within a very easy day trip. It is just 10 minutes from Noosa’s Hastings Street and beaches, and the same time from the renowned Eumundi markets. There are several comfortable double rooms with en suites, and dayroom equipped with television, tea making facilities and bar fridge. Large deep saltwater pool is great for the warmer months, and the B&B also has a golf driving range, pool table and BBQ area. The property is mostly suited to an adult getaway.

All the facilities are in place to make this a destination for corporate events, weekend getaways or relaxing day trips. It can also be used as a wedding venue.

For more information:

George and Sue Mullin
Tel +61 7 5449 1675

Kenilworth Bluff Winery

Kenilworth Bluff Winery is situated in a hidden valley beneath the striking Kenilworth Bluff. It is the Sunshine Coast’s first established vineyard. Established in 1993, the vineyard is currently planted with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Semillon and Chardonnay grape vines.

Access is well signposted. Turn off on the Imbil/Brooloo Road about 1km north of the Kenilworth township and follow the signs.

Coaches are welcome by prior appointment at any time.

Tastings of a range of our wines, local liqueurs and Kenilworth cheeses are available.

A visit to our winery allows a magnificent drive through the Mary River Valley, a visit to the Kenilworth Cheese Factory and an excellent Art Gallery in the town.

The proprietors, Roger & Lesley Kitchen, look forward to seeing you at the vineyard. Open Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm.

For more information:
Roger Kitchen
Tel +61 7 5472 3723