I have been to the wider Brisbane area a number of times as I have many friends scattered between the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. These trips have always been to spend time with those friends however, I always try to include a few new experiences. Over the years I have been to several of the main attractions around Brisbane and a number of places off the beaten track. However, in this blog, I want to share with you my most recent trip. Ten days of old and new experiences from Byron Bay and the Sunshine Coast Hinterlands.
TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN, QUEENSLAND
After landing in Brisbane late on a Saturday afternoon and picking up my rental I headed straight to the Gold Coast where I had planned to spend a couple of nights with a good friend. We had one whole day together so decided we would go and check out Tamborine Mountain as neither of us had explored it before. The trip from Southport by car took us about 45 minutes with a steeper than expected climb up the mountain via Mount Tamborine township. I loved Tamborine so much I went back the next day to explore a little more!
CURTIS FALLS
This is probably the easiest of the waterfalls to reach as it is located in the hub of Tamborine. It is an easy 10-15 minute walk to the falls through a lovely lush forest of eucalyptus. While I was there I so keen to spot a Lyrebird who are known to be the most amazing mimics. Unfortunately, I didn’t find one on this visit but I am sure I will back to try again another time.
GALLERY WALK
The Gallery Walk is a street lined with over 70 eateries, boutique stores, arts & crafts, sweet shops and more. You can easily spend half a day just here exploring all the shops and enjoying great food and wine. Definitely, a ‘must-do’ if you are visiting Tamborine Mountain.
WINE TASTING ON TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN
Tamborine Mountain has a number of vineyards and wineries with many cellar doors making it a popular location for wine tasting. My kind of place! You can book a wine tour with the Vino Bus who do pickups from Brisbane or the Gold Coast. This is a great way to experience the best of what this wine region has to offer. I enjoyed tastings at Hampton Estate Wines who do a great sparkling brut and Mount Tamborine Vineyard & Winery who produce a very nice Shiraz they call Black Shiraz. I also called into Cedar Creek Estate which I will mention in more detail soon for another special reason. Most cellar doors will charge $5 for tastings.
GLOW WORMS
Located at Cedar Creek Estate is a man-made cave that is home to thousands of glowing bums. The Glow Worm Cave is an extremely popular and really educational experience. At the end of the tour, you can visit a frog house that is not only home to a number of different frog species but also other interesting little creatures. For someone like me who has seen plenty of glow worms in their natural habitats I though $14 was great value for money.
EATING OUT ON TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN
There is no shortage of great places to eat but I can recommend The Monkey Tree if you want a good filling meal washed down with a nice cold beer. My best find though was The Fountain of Juice who make the most amazing pies! They are all vegan pies but don’t let that put you off because meat or not these pies are so good! I tried the leek and mushroom which I loved and also the jackfruit curry pie. The curry was a little too spicy for me but if you like a little spice you will love this delectable pastry. Another good find was Lemon Lovers Gelato near Curtis Falls, a few doors up from the Opal Store. So many delicious flavours and for my tastebuds the coconut and cherry was perfection!
STRADBROKE ISLAND, QUEENSLAND
My next stop was Stradbroke Island, just for a night to see another friend and not my first time to North Stradbroke. Getting there is easy on the ferry that leaves hourly from Cleveland. There are buses running on the island so getting around is not difficult at all. The highlight for me on Stradbroke is always the wildlife. I have seen whales passing by, turtles floating around the rocks, kangaroos in front yards and toads that come out at night. Dolphins and manta ray also frequent this island so it really is a great place to come and experience wildlife in its natural habitat.
However, this time my mission was to find a koala in the wild. I have tried to spot them before but never had any luck. My friend was super keen to help me with this mission so she took me out to Amity Point where koala are known to hang out. After strolling the shores and spending over an hour scouring the treetops we finally saw one as we were leaving! And then to add to my luck we saw a second one near the ferry terminal just before I was ready to leave the island. So this trips mission was complete.
Point Lookout is the popular spot for visitors with cafes and a coastal walk around the point where you can look out for whales from May through to September. It is here you may spot a turtle or two and you will see kangaroos for sure.
If you are looking for the best place to eat nice and close to the ferry in Dunwich, then the Island Fruit Barn is great! Delicious food, amazing coffee, and great service. This is a great stop to make when you first arrive or just before you leave Stradbroke Island.
BYRON BAY, NEW SOUTH WALES
After Stradbroke Island, I headed back down the coast to Byron Bay stopping at Burleigh Heads. Being my first time to Byron Bay I was pretty excited to explore somewhere totally new! Byron Bay This popular holiday destination is a vibrant coastal town that attracts tourists from all over. Located on the most eastern point of Australia’s mainland it is also in New South Wales despite being just over an hour south of the Gold Coast. A hive of activity all year round with beach villages and hinterland towns nearby to explore. Definitely a place for the bucket list!
BURLEIGH HEADS
On my way down to Byron Bay, I made a stop at Burleigh Heads to take a walk around the Burleigh Heads National Park. This is just a small park situated on a hill right by the harbour entrance. There are several tracks in the park and I probably spent nearly two hours exploring the area. There are fantastic views, lush rainforests, and wildlife you may be lucky to see or encounter. There is a lookout that is perfect for whale watching, especially during the winter when the humpbacks are migrating. I also discovered at the top of the carpark the Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre. For a good price, they offer walking tours through the park where you can learn about the first peoples who inhabited this area. I wish I had had more time to include a tour on this trip but I will definitely keep it in mind if I go back.
BYRON LIGHTHOUSE
You can reach the lighthouse on foot following a number of walkways or by car if you want to pay to park at the top. The walk is worth it though and just below the lighthouse, you will find yourself at the easternmost point of mainland Australia. You will be treated to some incredible views looking back to Byron and up the coast. If you walk a short distance south from the Lighthouse you will get a fantastic view down the coast following Tallow Beach.
SUNRISE AND SUNSET
Catching the sunset down on the main beach is a ‘must-do’ if you are spending a night in Byron. Spending only two nights I made sure I was there for both. I am not sure if it happens every night but musicians turn up with drums and start the beats around sunset. It sounded amazing and attracted small crowds which was a great vibe to get amongst. Waking early one morning I headed to Tallow Beach for a sunrise which was equally impressive. I wasn’t the only one there though as loads of surfers were also paddling out to catch the morning swell. Such a great way to start the day.
FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION IN BYRON BAY
There are no shortages of great places to eat and from my limited experience, the food is amazing where ever you go. Many places have a happy hour from 4-6pm and finding a decent snack to go with it is no challenge at all.
Fishheads right down on the beachfront is extremely convenient for a bite to eat after watching the sunset. I enjoyed a giant bowl of sweet potato chips and beer one night then fish & chips from their takeaway menu another night.
The Balcony Bar & Oyster Co has $1.50 Oysters from 5-6pm on Wednesdays so of course, I enjoyed a dozen of those with a happy hour beer. Not the largest oysters but at that price, I couldn’t complain. The menu looked really good and the meals I saw appeared very appetising.
My best find though, and it’s a little bias because I love Poké, was Finn Poké. I love a good Poké bowl and there you can build your own bowl to include all your favourite ingredients. It is also worth noting they also have stores in Burleigh Heads, Broadbeach, and Sydney.
I prefer to stay in hostels when I am travelling solo and choosing a hostel in Byron was a challenge because there are so many great hostels to choose from. Finally, I was sold on the Arts Factory Lodge, it was probably the chance to sleep in a teepee that nailed it for me. Although, in hindsight, the teepee option was not the warmest! This place is set up for backpackers for sure, nestled amongst bush with all the facilities a traveller would need. This I would consider being more of a party hostel with events on most nights and a brewery next door. I loved it though and would definitely stay again. A great place to meet people and make friends.
NIMBIN
Known as the hippiest most alternative town in Australia this place is tucked away in the lush hinterlands and comes with some very interesting history. Just over an hour into the hills from Byron Bay, it is worth taking a drive up there if you have time. There are loads of interesting stores to explore and you will find a number of great cafes to dine in. I really enjoyed the drive out to Nimbin as there is so much to explore on the way and then the town itself is so colourful and creative.
MINYON FALLS
There are a number of falls to be found in the hinterlands around Byron Bay but they are quite spread out. I only had time for one so I decided on Minyon Falls. Getting to Nimbin was a small adventure on its own but adding Minyon Falls to the day made it all that more interesting. If there hasn’t been a lot of recent rain the falls might not be so impressive but at 100m they are enormous. Standing on the platform at the top is not for the fainthearted as it is a long way down. You can also view the falls from a distance on the platform at Grassground. If you have time then you can hike into the bottom of the falls from either carpark which I am told it is worth it. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time on this trip.
SNAPPER ROCKS
On the day I left Byron Bay I stopped about an hour north at Tweed Heads to check out Snapper Rocks. It wasn’t too far out of the way and the perfect place to grab a coffee and stretch my legs. I found a good beverage at Cafe Dbar right across the road from the Captain Cook Memorial and then walked down the stairs to discover a film set packing up. There was some signage but I have no idea what the movie might have been. Then I headed down to Snapper Rocks which is an extremely popular surf spot, there were bodies in the water everywhere. It was a very iconic Gold Coast scene with the surfers in the water and the city on the horizon. Very easy to get distracted and wish the day away!
BRIBIE ISLAND
Another island I have visited on several occasions is Bribie Island where I have more friends to hang out with, usually at Banksia Beach. I love the view across the water to the Glasshouse Mountains, where I have watched many stunning sunsets. Apparently the fourth largest sand island in the world, Bribie Island is a fairly quiet and seems to be popular with retirees, families, and weddings. Although an island, it is connected by a bridge so there is no need to catch ferries or boats to get there. There is a gorgeous stretch of shoreline on the eastern side of the island that can be accessed at Woorim Beach. Much of the island is a national park and a great way to explore the park and more coastline is by 4WD with G’day Adventure Tours. A popular place to socialise is at the Sandstone Point Hotel who host a number of great events throughout the year. Although not technically on the island it is just over the bridge so easy enough to get to. There are still a number of experiences I want to have on Bribie Island but there are two in particular that I think I will tick off on my next trip. The first is a cruise through the Pumicestone Passage which is the body of water that separates the island from the mainland. Ferryman Cruises has come highly recommended for that experience. The second is the Bribie Island Butterfly House because I love butterflies!
SUNSHINE COAST HINTERLANDS
I have been fortunate to explore these hinterlands a number of times and I discover something new with every visit. Past highlights have included the Eumundi Markets, Rick’s Garage Restaurant and Bar, Hinterland Feijoas and of course the world-famous Australia Zoo. On this trip, I revisited a favourite town and discovered a few more hinterland treasures.
MONTVILLE
There are lots of great little towns in the Sunshine Coast Hinterlands but Montville is definitely something special. Very similar to the Gallery Walk on Tamborine Mountain, Montville has a main street full of eateries, specialty stores, arts & crafts, galleries, and more. You can easily spend a few hours exploring both sides of the main street. There are plenty of great cafes and restaurants and Montville is a great place to stay if you are looking for a quiet weekend getaway.
CHASING WATERFALLS
I love a good bush walk, especially when it includes waterfalls! On this trip, I decided to check out a few waterfalls that included Mapleton Falls, Kondalilla Falls, and Gardner’s Falls.
Mapleton Falls was my first stop, not too far from Mapleton. When I got there I realised I had been there before but I hadn’t done the short loop walk from the main carpark so I decided to include this in my visit. It is an easy 30-minute walk through a tall open rainforest with another opportunity for views of the falls. At the main carpark is a viewing platform which gives you a great view out across the lush hinterlands.
Kondalilla Falls was my favourite and apparently very popular in the summertime as there is a fantastic little swimming hole at the top of the falls. The lovely bushwalk into the falls took me about 30 minutes and another 10 minutes got me down to a lookout with a better view of the falls themselves. If you visit these falls go prepared for a swim. It was late autumn when I went and a little cool but it didn’t take much to tempt me to take a dip!
Gardner’s Falls, just out of Maleny was my last waterfall stop. From the main car park, it was a short walk along the river to the main waterfall but there are plenty of idyllic spots along the way. A great option for a picnic!
LAKE BARON
I hadn’t included this on my itinerary but a big signpost caught my attention and I was too curious to not go check it out. And I am so glad I did! Lake Baron is a 360-hectare dam that provides water to Queensland residents. It is popular for swimming, fishing and a variety of water sports such as kayaking and paddleboarding. There are picnic tables, shelters, and barbeques scattered around the lakeside which make it the perfect place to spend a warm sunny day.
GLASS HOUSE MOUNTAINS
You can’t miss the Glass House Mountains if you are travelling between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. There are a number of peaks scattered around a large area of relatively flat land which makes them an extremely interesting geological feature. There are several walks you can do on a number of the peaks and on a previous trip I climbed Mount Ngungun. I highly recommend this walk for the amazing 360 views! However, on this trip, I didn’t have much time left at the end of my day so I decided to head straight for Glasshouse Mountains Lookout which you can drive to. This gives you a fantastic view of all the mountains and some really informative plaques to read about the mountains, their formation, and history.
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