23 minute read
OUT AND ABOUT ........pages
Even trees wear jumpers
By Tania Phillips
It gets cold in Warwick – so cold that even the trees wear jumpers in July – though that’s more to do with Queensland’s Quirkiest winter festival.
That’s right the folk out at Warwick (and other places in Queensland) have been busy with knitting needles and crochet hooks as they prepare to yarn bomb their own town.
One of the victims of last year’s Covid lockdown, Warwick’s colourful, quirky and fun Jumpers and Jazz in July Festival has bounced back this year.
If you’ve never been, it’s one of those bucket-list events for we Queenslanders, a chance to get a bit of cold weather and some even cooler jazz.
After a year off, Warwick Community is rolling out the welcome mat once again for the much-awaited winter migration for the JJJ festival.
Brimming with colour and vibe, the Festival will once again feature a kaleidoscope of creative yarn bombing, ‘get-up-‘n-dance’ live jazz everywhere, eclectic showcase of exquisite crafts, and the Art Gallery’s superb yarn bombed display inside and out.
Businesses and community across the region missed the festival in 2020, and the Jumpers and Jazz volunteer committee have been working hard to bring back this vital link towards a bright and healthy community and financial vibe for Warwick and the whole Southern Downs Region.
The event will feature a variety of Markets including the new look “Showcasing our Ateliers” pop-up shops and other fun events including the Grand Automobile Display and Celebration of Local Flavours. Tickets are now online and selling like hot cakes for the much anticipated return of signature Festival Events: the festival launch - ‘Jumpin’ Jazz Laneway Party’ on Friday, 16 July at Warwick Town Hall , and on Saturday 24 - ‘Twilight Jazz in the Park’.
The hand-carved timber doors at the Maleny Community Centre. 235324 Maple Street, Maleny. 235324
Ambling around Maleny
By Erle Levey
Fresh air and rolling hills, waterfalls and creeks, quiet areas to sit and reflect ... Maleny is all this and more.
A blend of whimsy and nostalgia with innovation and culture.
At the southern end of the Blackall Range, it is a country town that has retained its identity in the face of the urban spread of Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.
With a vibrant art scene, bookshops to browse in, food, music and access to some wonderful bush walks, it is a place where you can feel grounded again, sit and reflect on life away from the hustle of a city.
A day on the Range is like stepping into happiness and nostalgia. Where the streets and roads and lanes are beautiful enough to have a walk down - you needn’t be in a forest to have a beautiful hike.
The best food, the best op shops, antique stores, and such friendly people.
One of my daughter’s favourite stores is Maple & Sage in the Main Street of Maleny. Beautiful cakes and interesting goods; fantastic candles and the sweetest service.
A drive through the Range is like going back to a time when people had their doors unlocked and trusted their neighbours, and teenagers wore cargo pants instead of mini skirts.
When going for a drive was an activity, not a means to an end.
Being in this area makes you feel alive again; a place to visit just to feel ‘like myself’ once more; to tap into my younger me.
You can have a picnic on the side of any road and feel like you’re in an Enid Blyton book.
The properties are gorgeous no matter how new or old or big or small.
And a walk pretty much anywhere along Obi Obi Road at Mapleton is a cure for any bad mood; and a little secret, best done towards sunset and with a loop of Mapleton Falls at the end of the day.
Then there is Kondalilla Falls at Flaxton to explore, especially during the dry time of winter, and Gardners Falls at Maleny is a good place to cool down on a hot day.
The area around Maleny was originally populated by the Nalbo and the Dallambara - two aboriginal tribes of the Gubbi Gubbi language group - and was known for its feasts when the giant bunya tree was in fruit.
The first European to document Maleny was the explorer Ludwig Leichhardt who describes the area in his travel diary in 1844.
The Tesch brothers established a timber mill at Witta in 1917
The first European settlement followed in the wake of the Gympie gold rush of 1867.
A day in the Range is the best activity for a day out with a friend; stopping at Maleny Food Co for the finest cheeses, and an ice cream. Rummaging among the bits and pieces at an antique or vintage treasures store. Enjoying a hot bowl of pumpkin soup for lunch with a couple of slices of sourdough bread.
Maleny offers the rust colours of autumn leaves, the stark bare branches of winter, then the jacaranda and silky oak blossoms of spring.
Continued page 28
A bend in the road at Maleny. 235324
Steel and rust ... part of the charm of the Blackall Range. 235324
From page 27
The two huge hand-crafted timber doors opening to the Maleny Community Centre serve as a hint at the past and an indication of what’s in the future.
The community has been owned and run by the community of Maleny for more than 100 years and works collaboratively with many other community organisations to provide social and cultural amenity in the region.
The hand-carved 4m by 4m local red cedar “wootha” entry doors are an example of the effort that goes into making Maleny such a liveable community.
From farming and timber backgrounds to the present-day co-operative store and alternate lifestyle, Maleny offers old-fashioned values together with modern attitudes and visions.
Maleny Folk Festival was born in the back room of the local hotel but the event quickly outgrew its original venue of the Maleny Showgrounds and became Woodford Folk Festival .. one of the biggest and best known in the country.
Instead of falling into the trend in the ‘80s of becoming a dormitory town for the rapidly expanding coastal areas Maleny retained its identity ... the character represents so many Australian country towns but the cultural activity sets its diary.
There’s a hospital and medical services, high school and golf course. The old butter factory is now a veterinary surgery.
The library is another community focus.
Just out of town is Maleny Dairies, an award-winning, family owned and operated business, that has been bottling milk for two decades. There are tours of the dairy six days a week.
For spectacular views of the Glasshouse Mountains, the Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve is essential.
It’s ideal for a picnic but also to find out more about the ecology of the area and the history.
The much-awarded discovery centre responds directly to the magnificent views to the Glasshouse Mountains to the south and an old growth remnant rainforest to the north.
The wonderful design and construction of the centre helps tell the story of the land and the indigenous people who have links going back thousands and thousands of years.
And you can immerse yourself on a weaving journey through the rainforest boardwalk.
Mary Cairncross is a wonderful legacy, brought about by Mabel Thynne who was born in 1874, the third child and eldest daughter of Andrew Joseph Thynne and his wife Mary Williamina Cairncross.
The land had been divided into three farms for their son Ted; son Andrew; and for Mabel and her sister Kate together.
Throughout the 1930s there were attempts to have their area of scrub preserved for posterity.
The value for wildlife and for tourism was increasingly obvious.
Mabel asked the Council if the entire Landsborough Shire could be made a bird sanctuary, but was refused.
Finally a solution was reached. Mabel handed over the scrub and the Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve became a reality in October 1941, held In trust by the Landsborough Shire Council, now the Sunshine Coast Regional Council.
It is because of the Thynne family that the reserve is here today.
If you love walking and hiking and nature most of all, or simply ambling along lanes and pathways, the Range offers that in spades.
The colours of Maleny. 235324 Places to stop and browse. 235324
Maple Street, Maleny. 235324 Delicacies on Maple Street. 235324
Backboard menu at Maleny. 235324
The Glasshouse Mountains from Mountain View Road. 235324 At home on the Blackall Range. 235324
Crackling fires and beauty
By Tania Phillips
History, natural wonders and the novelty of four seasons, Tenterfield in Northern NSW is a beautiful holiday spot, the gateway to the New England region of NSW and just an easy and scenic drive away.
While it has plenty to offer in all seasons -particularly in the golden leafed splendor of autumn, winter is something special in Tenterfield.
It’s a town that has done it tough in recent years thanks to fires, drought and border closures but it is a town that has managed to maintain a warm welcoming country feel – even (or especially) in the cooler months.
Coming into winter you can find a warm, crackling woodfire in most of the historic towns cafe’s, restaurants and pubs and with a plethora of motels and hotels through the centre of the township as well camping grounds and boutique accommodation which includes beautiful old buildings renovated for to provide the perfect weekend getaway (including Commercial Boutique hotel an art deco building and the luxury accommodation of the beautifully restored old Council Chambers) there is something for everyone and every budget.
But the best thing about Tenterfield, though it feels like another world, it really is not that far away – only three and a half hours from the centre of Brisbane. Even that journey is part of the holiday if you take the scenic Mt Lindsay Highway stretching from Brisbane out through Beaudesert down to Rathowdowney and across the border past Woodenbong to where the Tenterfield shire starts.
The Mt Lindsay road is an attraction in itself, a beautiful scenic route with places to stay and things to see along the way. Take time to check out the old Cobb and Co coach on display at Liston – fully enclosed with information boards.
And of course as well as lots of quaint little villages dotted along the road, the Mt Lindsay road is the gateway to three of the region’s main national parks Bald Rock, Boonoo Boonoo and Basket Swamp.
Basket Swamp and Boonoo Boonoo falls are currently at their best, both are full of water and are expected to remain that way for a chunk of the year thanks heavy summer rains. And while Bald Rock may not be achievable for the less fit of us, a walk at Boonoo Boonoo falls maybe an easy option with a 600m bitumen walk with handrails from the carpark to a beautiful viewing platform with stunning views over the gorge.
Take a drive down the Mt Makenzie tourist drive – tourist drive number nine, taking in Kildare Road and Mt McKenzie Road. The lookout from Mt McKenzie allows tourists to get a birdseye view of Tenterfield before they reach the town.
Tenterfield is the gatepost to the beautiful New England High Country choosing to come in from the gorgeous wineries of Stanthorpe – you can start your trip with a stop off at Border town Jennings -have a bite at the local pub and put one foot in Qld and NSW before making your way down to Tenterfield or drive out to some of the many little regional villages to find hidden gems like 2 Wild Souls Meadery at Torrington.
One of the other big key drawcards of a visit to Tenterfield is the history and heritage.
Mt Mackenzie. Picture: CAT_FOOD_TACO
Experience THE BEST THIS COUNTRY has to Offer
CT TRAVEL
Coolum Tours & Travel
Senior Coach Tours including: 5 Star Coach Travel All Accommodation Tours and Entry Fees All Dinners & Breakfasts Most Lunches Home Pickup & Return*
July 21 - 27, 2021 (7 Day Tour)
Lightning Ridge
Share/Double $2220.00pp / Single $2495.00 July 29 – August 9, 2021 (12 Day Tour)
Queensland Outback to Coast
Share/Double $5129.00pp / Single $5984.00 August 10 – 17, 2021 (8 Day Tour)
Tropical North Queensland
Share/Double $3400.00pp / Single $4010.00 August 18– 24, 2021 (7 Day Tour)
Central West Queensland
Share/Double $3022.00pp / Single $3400.00 August 26 – September 1, 2021 (7 Day Tour)
Carnarvon Gorge & Wallaroo
Share/Double $2500.00pp / Single $3130.00 September 6-9, 2021 (4 Day Escape)
Fraser Island Whale Watch Tour
Share/Double $1530.00pp / Single $1771.00 September 17-20, 2021 (3 Day Escape)
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
Share/Double $995.00pp / Single $1095.00
Bookings
PHONE (07) 5391 1648
M 0409 278 971 E tours@cttravel.com.au For more detailed itinerary information on any of these tours, please visit our website:
www.cttravel.com.au
Who hasn’t heard the classic Peter Allen song Tenterfield Saddler – the story of Allen’s grandfather. His old shop, where he was saddler for 52 years, sits on High Street – filled with memoriabilia including plenty to see for the Peter Allen fan. This little slice of history is open every day except for Monday.
Also for the history buff, you could take a wander down to the Tenterfield Railway Museum, staffed by friendly volunteers, it is open every day except Monday and Tuesday. The Centenary Cottage museum in an old workers cottage in Logan Street, is also worth a visit during your stay in the town.
But the absolute must-see is the Sir Henry Parkes School of Arts Museum which incidentally also houses the local cinema offering discounting movies every Tuesday while on Friday evenings they have partnered with Our Place Wine and Expresso Bar across the road offering a discount and a discounted movie ticket if you book for dinner.
The museum itself is a fascinating look into Australia’s past and it’s journey to Nationhood. Henry Parkes is known as the Founding Father of Federation – giving his famous Tenterfield Oration in the town in 1889 to kick-start the push for Federation. The museum is centred on the banquet room and table where he gave that famous speech.
If you like your history to be living, head to Wood Street to see the Old Cork Tree which locals believe is the largest cork tree in Australia. Planted in 1861 it has never had it’s cork harvest so it has been sitting their growing for a long time – a beautiful specimen of nature it’s a tourist favourite. Not bad for a tree which came to the town in a jam jar from England and has been growing in Wood Street ever since flourishing in the New England Climate.
But that’s the lovely thing about Tenterfield, it’s a very different landscape to what we are used to close to the coast – beautiful granite country taking you back to the time of bushrangers like Captain Thunderbolt, who had a lair near the town which is accessible off the Mt Lindsay Road and well signposted.
Tenterfield offers something for everyone – a chance to reconnect with nature, slow down your pace and immerse in history, country living and just sit by a crackling fire with a good book and your favourite tipple. And then - if you’re lucky - it sometimes snows in Tenterfield. Welcome to Tenterfield.
Tenterfield Saddler. Pictures: MADELEINE JONES Bluff Rock.
Boonoo Boonoo falls - looking good after the summer rains. Thunderbolt’s Hideout, Tenterfield.
Boonoo Boonoo Falls
The view from the Boonoo Boonoo Falls Lookout is like a scene straight out of Jurassic Park – find the falls About a 40 minute drive north of Tenterfield off the Mount Lindesay Highway, you’ll find Boonoo Boonoo (pronounced Bunna Bunnoo) National Park, accessible via Boonoo Boonoo Falls Road. Once off the main highway, the road is dirt but it’s well graded. Drive until you reach the carpark at the end of the road, with a toilet, picnic tables, and two gas BBQs in an undercover area.
Bald Rock National Park
A trip to Tenterfield isn’t quite complete without a visit to Bald Rock National Park. For those up for a vertically inclined challenge, the Bald Rock Summit Walk heads up the rockface of the largest granite monolith in the southern hemisphere – guaranteed to get the heart pumping.The park is easily accessible via Mt Lindesay Road, about 30km north of Tenterfield. Upon arrival, there is a carpark area, picnic tables and toilets – all close by to the start of the walking tracks. Bushfire tore through Bald Rock National Park in 2019 and destroyed most of the vegetation, but it’s a particularly beautiful time to visit the park during its regeneration. It also means parts of the park and granite outcrops are now more visible. Bald Rock rises dramatically from the horizon at almost 1300 metres above sea level.
Tenterfield Saddlery
Immortalized by Peter Allen in honour of his grand father George the Saddlery’s history began in 1858, when one of the original graziers in the region, Sir Stuart Alexander Donaldson, purchased the land that the saddlery sits on for 32 pounds 10 shillings. Sir Stuart was the owner of Tenterfield Station, after which the town was eventually named, and went on to become the first Premier of New South Wales. In 1870, it was sold to Charles Pavel, the first saddler, for 34 pounds. He then sold it to the Australian Joint Stock Bank in 1874. The old building was perfect for use as a bank as the granite walls were over 20 inches thick. From 1895-1897 the building was a private home, before being sold to the town’s second saddler, Dan Egan. George Woolnough, Allen’s grandfather, became the next saddler to trade from the building in 1908. Following George’s retirement in 1860, a further two saddlers followed, Ted Daly and Trevor Gibson. The National Trust of Australia classified the Tenterfield Saddlery in 1972. Apart from maintenance, the saddlery is in its original condition and houses memorabilia and leather goods.
The Sir Henry Parkes School of Arts.
Another must-see the School of Arts offers a fresh and exciting approach to Australian history, culture and environment, with a focus on Federation. Stories of Australia’s history are told through exciting and innovative displays and the museum features the Banquet Hall, where Sir Henry Parkes delivered his famous Federation speech in 1889. A display of memorabilia from Parkes’ personal life, including a compelling portrait by Julian Ashton, ivory carvings and journals are situated in the Parkes Gallery. The School of Arts is owned by the National Trust, and in 1957 was the first building in NSW to be gifted to the trust by an act of parliament.
The Snow must go on!
It’s GO for the SNOW in Stanthorpe and Queensland’s high altitude Granite Belt region this winter. Careful planning and unprecedented demand have come together to ensure that the Snowflakes in Stanthorpe Winter Festival is Covid safe and is set to bring thousands of snow seekers to Stanthorpe during the July Queensland school holidays.
To be held between 2 and 4 July, the three-day festival is a family-friendly celebration that perfectly complements the high altitude, cool climate that Stanthorpe is so famous for.
The huge outdoor snowfield and the 90-person iceskating rink are two of the feature attractions at Snowflakes.
Despite the cold weather, the welcome is warm for visitors with a myriad of activities to take part in.
There will be markets, entertainment, local produce, snow globes, sled dogs, igloo making, children’s crafts and the famous Ice Man Challenge are just the start in this feast of the senses for all ages.
“Snowflakes in Stanthorpe is held every two years in Stanthorpe. We are grateful to be able to show off our region in a Covid Safe way at the 2021 event” Snowflakes in Stanthorpe Media Co-ordinator Robyn Henderson said.
“Our town loves being in the spotlight when it comes to cold temperatures. Over the last few years, we have created an iconic event that caters for kids and kids at heart” said Robyn said.
Friday is a celebration of our Main Street with entertainment, markets and activities ending with a lantern parade on Quart Pot Creek.
Entry is free. Saturday and Sunday are held at the Stanthorpe ‘Snowgrounds’ and tickets are available online, including great value weekend options.
For tickets, detailed program and accommodation information, see snowflakesinstanthorpe.com.au
on the on the Granite Belt Granite Belt
Pinnacle Food/Wine Experiences: Pinnacle Food/Wine Experiences:
• Epicurean Lunch – 5 courses, • Epicurean Lunch – 5 courses, 10 wines Thurs-Sunday 10 wines Thurs-Sunday • 5-Senses Degustation Dinner, • 5-Senses Degustation Dinner,
Black Tie – 3rd Saturday Black Tie – 3rd Saturday every month every month
Heritage Estate Winery 747 Granite Belt Dr, Cottonvale 07 4685 2197 www.heritageestate.wine
Perfect midweek getaway
Aaronlee Retreat at Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast Hinterland, is the perfect place to stay for a short mid week getaway.
Located less than a three-hour drive from Noosa, guests will feel like they are in another world. Temperatures on the mountain are generally five – 10 degrees cooler than Brisbane and Aaronlee’s rustic, country, rural charm will delight all who visit.
From its perch at the very top and edge of the mountain, Aaronlee Retreat offers a variety of accommodation, yet reasonably priced and available now are discounted Senior Special packages.
The Federation homestead is a 10-minute drive from town and is set amongst acres of lawns and pretty flowering garden beds.
All rooms have fire places, ceiling fans, kitchenette, outdoor seating and are fully self contained, (some with spa baths).
Guests enjoy the selection of board games, books and magazines on offer.
The Retreat has BBQ facilities, a swimming pool and there are so many places to sit and relax whilst breathing in the pure mountain air. The views from the lawns are uninterrupted and simply breathtaking.
Popular Wineries (and local sites) Tours depart daily from Aaronlee and includes a delicious sit down restaurant luncheon at a local winery.
Tamborine Mountain offers beautiful bush walks, lookouts and waterfalls. Visit the rainforests, swim in rock pools, shop the famous Gallery Walk, be pampered with an Aaronlee in house massage and spa treatment, take a stroll through the Botanical Gardens, play a game of golf or lawn bowls, take a short day trip to the Gold Coast or explore the Scenic Rim region. Details and maps are provided by your host when you check in.
The Retreat is very popular and rooms are filling fast.
Seniors Today bookers from now to November will receive a Complimentary Tasting Session at the world famous Tamborine Mountain Distillery. Ring Kirsten on 5545 3121 to reserve your room, book for your friends or come with a group and yes that is the price for four nights!
SENIORS SPECIAL
4 nights mid week (Sun to Thurs) Studios - $219 p/p twin share Spa Suites - $259 p/p twin share Bacon and Eggs included
Delightful retreat offering uninterrupted and breathtaking views of Lamington National Park And the Gold Coast from it’s perch at the very top and edge of the mountain Set in 10 acres of lawns and gardens, pool, bbq, ponies and picnic areas with views
Departs: 03/07/21 Adult: $6088pp Single Supp: $1343pp
Departs: 20/09/21 Adult: $6090pp Single Supp: $1343pp
Departs: 02/11/21 Adult: $4179pp Single Supp: $1050pp
Down Under Coach Tours
Specialising in Senior’s Coach Holiday Packages
Have a great time Down Under!
16 Day Corner Country, Lake Eyre & Flinders Ranges Highlights:
Highlights:
Highlights:
Highlights:
Departs: 15/09/21 Adult: $3270pp Single Supp: $759pp
15 Day Birdsville & Lawn Hill Gorge
11 Day High Country Spring Touring & Marvellous Melbourne
Departs: 11/10/21 Adult: $2560pp Single Supp: $560pp
Departs: 12/11/21 Adult: $5584pp Single Supp: $1401pp
9 Day Tumut Lanterns on the
Lagoon & Canberra Floriade Highlights:
Highlights:
Highlights:
7 Day Cobb & Co Tourist Route, Scenic Rim & O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat
13 Day Melbourne, Phillip Island & East Coaster
12483597-JW11-21
TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN
13 Munro Crt, Tamborine Mountain, Qld 4272 Ph: (07) 5545 3121
Departs: 23/12/21 Adult: $2876pp Single Supp: $563pp
6 Day Sail Away Sydney Christmas Celebrations
Departs: 30/03/22 Adult: $tba pp Single Supp: $tba pp
