After some rainy morning exploring (me) and reading (Judie) we checked out of the Novotel and headed to the Sunshine Coast hinterland with Barry at the wheel - again. We climbed the Blackall Range to the village of Mapleton (Can't figure out the name because there are no maple trees). However, we got the best shot yet of a blooming tibochina - jules variety. pic below. We drove along the range southward to Montville, a real tourist destination with shops, galleries and restaurants that resemble the village of Lake Placid, but in a rainforest type setting. And, it rained - intermittently. On a clear day one has great views of the Sunshine Coast and Pacific Ocean over hilly cattle grazing lands and billabongs . We drove further south in Anne's former Shell Oil management district through Manely, Bald Knob, Landsborough and passed Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo before stopping for lunch at the Beerwah Bistro. Re-fortified and now out of the rain, we headed off highway through a state forest where controlled burning of brush was underway to the Glass House Mountains Lookout, where we saw the range of volcanic plugs named in 1770 by Captain Cook because they resmbled glass house ovens in England of the day. Then our journey took us back across the Gateway Bridge through Brisbane to the Gold Coast, and another excellent prawn pasta.
Tibochina - Jules Variety
A picture of a landscape oil painting of the Blackall Range (sneaked) in an Art Gallery
Restaurant and Gallery in Montville
Another Restaurant and a Tibochina
One of the Glass House Mountains - resembles a gorilla
Mt. Coonowrin from the Lookout
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