In McCarthy Rd, Maleny, there's a dairy with a difference. As in, it's set up as a little tourist attraction. You can tour the factory, feed the calves, enjoy a very relaxed outdoor morning tea or lunch, and generally get a feel for the old-fashioned dairy farm that it isn't any more. You get to buy all kinds of milk products too, including your actual Maleny milk, swimming with actual cream even.
We'll be back there soon to do the factory tour proper, and to stock up with more yummy stuff.
The Buderim Ginger factory, which is in Yandina these days, not Buderim, is one of those 'must-see' local tourist attractions that we've actually postponed seeing until now. Thought it might be a crass tourist experience, but no, it's really pleasant, and really fun. (Or else we've become crass tourists, but so be it!)
They're very proud of the slogan they admit making up themselves: 'The World's Finest Ginger'. It's grown in several locations around Queensland, and processed here. It's definitely pretty good, and they make all kinds of products with it, mostly sweet and yummy.
We did the factory 'tour and taste' experience, lunch in the cafeteria, and a walk around the find-the-gruffalo rainforest loop. Then 4 days later, we were back to ride the Ginger Train. Fabulous fun!
Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets, close together in the evening sky today, along with a bunch of bats heading out for their night's adventures. The planetary alignment was best a couple of nights ago, but we had overcast skies then.
And it's rather excellent. Very trendy, nice coffee - they roast their own.
Strangely, it seems to have two names: 'The Concept', and 'Riba Kai'. I asked the waitress what 'Riba Kai' meant, and she said: "river food".
I don't think that's Kabi Kabi language, and my further research showed me that 'Riba' is river in Catalan, while 'Kai' is food in Maori. Hmmmm........
Like the top of Mt Cooroora, near Pomona, for example. This Wedge-Tailed Eagle was very at home surveying his kingdom.
I was having a well-deserved sit-down, recovering from the exertions of climbing the steep and somewhat challenging track.
The seniors events were held right here in Mooloolaba this last weekend. And what a spectacle!
I was rarely quite sure what was going on, but it was energetic, exciting, and clearly a big deal!
A few action videos below!
Another great Sunshine Coast Hinterland market. This one's on Saturday mornings, and I contrived to get there well before the lunchtime close, just for once!
A yummy breakfast egg-and-bacon pie!
Evening low tide, looking through the heads towards Maroochydore.
Mostly you go to Eumundi on one of its market days. And it's very very busy.
We went there on a Tuesday, and it was nice and quiet.
Why did the bush stone-curlew cross the road? The book says they're usually heard and not seen.
And as for this very cheeky water dragon, he had the absolute run of the place at the nearby Cafe Doonan.
Bribie Island's an island, right?
Yes, but things change. About a year ago it became two islands, when the sea broke through and split off the northern part from the rest of it.
Then, more recently, the sand that was liberated by that repositioned itself, to where, at low tide, it now blocks Pumicestone Passage, the previously navigable waterway, at the point between Bribie and Caloundra's Happy Valley.
And at low tide you can walk across. So I did!
Must make the effort to get there for sunset (or sunrise) one day soon. That's when the real magic happens, I think.
I watched a real surf rescue at Mooloolaba beach. A swimmer had been swept out further than she was comfortable with.
None of that historic
rope ceremony stuff at all, of course. A very fast surf rescue boat, a
surfboard and lots of loudspeaker announcements all featured though.
"The Sunshine Coast of Queensland is a beautiful region of Australia, and it's no surprise that there are several blogs dedicated to exploring and celebrating the area. One of the best of these is 'Sussing Out Sunshine', a blog hosted by Blogspot.
Sussing Out Sunshine is a great resource for anyone looking to visit the Sunshine Coast, providing lots of information about the local towns, restaurants, activities and attractions. The blog is well-maintained, with regular updates and posts from the author, and the content is interesting, informative and fun. Posts range from interviews with local business owners to reviews of the area's best beaches.
The blog also covers some more serious topics, such as environmental conservation and the challenges facing the region. The author takes an unbiased approach to these topics, presenting both sides of the argument and allowing readers to make up their own minds.
Overall, Sussing Out Sunshine is a great blog for anyone interested in the Sunshine Coast. It's full of interesting and informative posts, and it's a great way to get to know the region. Highly recommended!"
It must be true - I asked the ChatGPT artificial intelligence chatbot!
('Write a 200 word review of blogs that cover Queensland's Sunshine Coast, with special mention of the 'Sussing Out Sunshine' blog hosted by Blogspot')
There again, ChatGPT did all its learning from its internet reading in 2021, and Sussingoutsunshine didn't get started till 2022! Let's just say it was very prescient!
Not gloriously easy to get to - it's quite a drive from here - but there's a nice selection of glorious little rainforest walks to wander round.
And a cafe that's very popular with the bikies
It honours the Irwin family, probably the closest the Sunshine Coast has to a royal family!
Steve Irwin himself died a year earlier, not because he put his head in a crocodile's mouth (which I think he did daily), but because he somehow got a stingray offside. And it stabbed him in the heart. Crikey! His children, Bindy and Robert, plus their mother Terry, have kept the show going at Australia Zoo. They're on the news frequently, and their Minyama Island mansion is one of the highlights of the Mooloolaba sightseeing boat cruises.
I can recommend a day at Australia Zoo. It's a bit kitschy, but it's also educational and definitely entertaining.
It's impressive, but what is it exactly?
And is it connected to Chinese New Year - most of the world's big festival of the moment?
No, I worked out a moment ago it's probably more to do with the forthcoming Valentines Day, and there are cards hung on it about love, and who the writers' love is directed at. (Mostly mothers and grandmothers.)
As for the tree, I was reliably informed that it's shaped like a poinciana, but its flowers are those of a jacaranda. We're four months on from jacaranda season, so that seemed all wrong to me!
