Google “the art of living well” and you will end up with all manner of unhelpful philosophical quotes from the like of Aristotle and Epicurus. The statues of these antiquarians tell a tale of a life without prunes or basic roughage.  

For example “The greatest good is to seek modest pleasures in order to obtain a state of tranquillity” which is fine if you are into “modest” and “tranquillity”.  

For those of us seeking a bit of immodesty and self-indulgence the answer does not lie with the philosophers of old. Today’s world is all about pressure.  

Let’s assume you have a partner and possibly a ‘noise with dirt’ (a boy) and a ‘sulk with an iPhone’ (girl). You have both done the heavy lifting to build a home and raise the family. Painfully you have come to realise you are not an LBGT, green, indigenous, muslin, minority refugee with a stuffed boat now working for the ABC and thus have little standing in Australia today. 

For you discretionary time is at a premium. The weekends are an unpaid Uber blur of children’s sporting activities where you are probably paying for them to aspire to the standards of behaviour of a Nick Kyrgios.  

If you plan to survive into dotage you need to schedule some down time. I can hear you saying that the family/job/pets would not survive without you. The reality is of course that the sun will continue to set, the moon will rise and Trump’s comb over will still be the biggest cover-up in the Whitehouse since Watergate.  

So if you really want to embark on the discovery of “the art of living well” turn your mind to a calculated escape and discover that there is some sanity left in the world.  

You will need to find somewhere to stay and this needs to be within a couple of hours drive. Thus the Sunshine Coast Hinterland is simply a no brainer. Forget the idea of an air b & b or similar as so often it can be be suburbia in a paddock. Someone’s 1960 investment property with plastic Gladioli and International Roast with all the excitement of tired magazines rejected from a dentists waiting room. There may be no one to greet you and you will still have to cook and clean which makes the whole exercise pointless. 

Hunchy Hideaway has five self contained cottages in a delightful rainforest setting. Each cottage is located to ensure privacy, with elevated private walkways up off the forest floor, bringing nature to your door and spiriting you toward your own secluded hideaway. Light the fire, slip into the double spa, surround yourself with candles and forget the world.

If you want to live well choose from the best. Grab a quality cottage with hot croissants at 8am. The bed linen will not be off cuts from a discarded sail from the Endeavour and smell like a crucial from the Fleming Institutes mould laboratory. The bathroom soaps will not be Solvol nor the toilet paper ‘500 wet or dry’. There will be plenty wood for the fire and it will be set, ready to go. There will be fresh flowers and a sublime breakfast for your indulgence and proper coffee not those packets that look like cheap condoms. 

Oh, and turn off the iPhone. Stephen Spielberg said that “It interrupts our own story, interrupts our ability to have thoughts or a daydream…” Make it a tool, not a taskmaster. 

You will meet the people who own your cottage and who take enormous pride in creating legends. Their objective being to have you come back, to make their place your place. 

Terrace of Maleny Seafood Restaurant is considered one of the best seafood restaurants in the region. This restaurant comes alive day and night. With spectacular views of the Sunshine Coast mountains and coast line; guests are indulged as they enjoy the views while dining on delights from the sea. Terrace of Maleny is open Tuesday to Sunday for more information visit www.terraceofmaleny.com.au

There are brilliant restaurants to discover. Forget the diet as no one has satisfactorily explained to me why those who work in health food shops always look so unhealthy.  

Seek out the fine wines from our award winning vineyards. There will be restaurant transport so you can dine and wine and get back safe but be smart enough to avoid a hangover (the wrath of grapes) when you sleep in late the next morning. 

There are walks and parks, views and waterfalls guaranteed to re-energise and re-invigorate. Wonderful local produce to take home and extraordinary galleries to amaze you. Fall in love with a special piece of original artwork. Take it home to bring light and joy to remind you to return.  

“The Art of Living Well” starts with a mindset that it is “OK” to reward yourself for the sheer guts and toil it takes to hold down a job and bring up a family. If you get that then it’s time to enjoy some quality time together. To quote Grace Hanson, “Don’t be afraid your life will end – be afraid that it will never begin!”

Article written by Angus Richard for Oct/Nov Edition of Come on Up   

The post The art of living well appeared first on Hinterland Tourism.

If you enjoy breathtaking maintain scenery, clean air and hiking in unspoilt wilderness, your next trip to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland would not be complete without a visit to the Glass House Mountains. 

The Glass House Mountains is a group of eleven hills that rise majestically from the coastal plain on the Sunshine Coast. 

The highest mountain is Mount Beerwah which is 556 meters above sea level but the most notable peak is Mount Tibrogargan which faces in an easterly direction looking out to sea.  

Located about 70km north of Brisbane on the Bruce Highway, take the Glass House Mountains Tourist Drive exit and follow the signs to the Glass House Mountains. 

The area was named by Captain James Cook in 1770 whilst sailing north up Australia’s east coast and it’s believed that Cook gave the area the name of Glass House, because the mountains reminded him of glass-making furnaces in England.  

The Glass House Mountains area was a special meeting place where local Aboriginal people gathered for ceremonies and trading.  

This place is considered spiritually significant with many ceremonial sites still present and protected today. 

The area around the mountains produces many tropical fruits such as avocados, pineapples and papaws as well as strawberries, vegetables and nuts but eco tourism is the area’s largest industry. 

Whilst planning your journey, you can get all the information you need from the Glass House Mountains Visitor and Interpretive Centre.  

This accredited Visitor Information Centre offers a one stop shop for travel information including maps, brochures, and itineraries.  

The Centre is staffed by local volunteers who have a wealth of information on things to do when visiting the Glass House Mountains including sightseeing, camping, walks and abseiling. 

The Centre is also an interpretive centre with interactive displays on the history of the area and offers free Wi-Fi for visitors and is open from 9.00am until 4.00pm daily.  

The Centre is located in Settlers Rotary Park on the Corner of Bruce Parade and Steve Irwin Way Glass House Mountains.  

Article written and published for Oct/Nov Edition of Come on Up 

You can also read the story and history of the Glasshouse Mountains available as a soft cover book, written by Ivon Northage.

This 76 page book is the perfect gift or memento of the Glasshouse Mountains, and is the ideal reading material to include in any hinterland accommodation.

Get your copy for only $16.00 including postage

The post Discover untamed beauty in the Hinterland appeared first on Hinterland Tourism.

If you are stuck for ideas of how to keep the family entertained during the holiday season you may want to consider a couple of fantastic natural destinations located right here in the Hinterland. 

Ewen Maddock Dam is located in the picturesque Mooloolah Valley and is only about an hour’s drive north of Brisbane.  

To get there simply take the Landsborough Exit off the Bruce Highway and then turn onto Steve Irwin Way. Follow this road along and then take the Mooloolah Connection Road and in no time you have reached your destination.   

Work on the dam began in 1976 and in 1982 the 660 metre-long dam was constructed across Addlington Creek. The dam was named after Ewen Maddock who was one of the first European settlers who pioneered the area. 

Once at the dam, you can enjoy a raft of outdoor activities including fishing, swimming, bushwalking and kayaking, as well as a selection of excellent trails which are ideal for horse riding and mountain biking which are all located beneath the spectacular Glass House Mountains. 

Ewen Maddock Dam is also a fantastic place for picnics and barbeques as well as being the perfect spot for birthday parties, weddings and family get togethers. 

After you have explored all that Ewen Maddock Dam has to offer you could drive up the range towards Maleny and visit Gardner’s Falls. 

To get to Gardener’s Falls, turn off of Landsborough-Maleny Road onto Obi Creek Road. Follow Obi Creek Road to the car parking area. From here, there is a sealed path that follows the Obi Obi river and leads you right to the falls. 

When you get to the falls you will be amazed by the natural beauty of the rainforest and the rock pools that are ideal for young children to explore and splash about in. 

For the more adventurous, there is a large rock pool with rope swings.  

Once at the falls you could try your luck at fishing or perhaps come prepared with a picnic and take advantage of the tables which are located right at the water’s edge.  

Article written and published for Dec/Jan Edition of Come on Up 

The post Holiday Ideas in the Hinterland appeared first on Hinterland Tourism.

When someone mentions “handcrafted” my mind immediately springs to the imagined character of those involved. “Handmade” or “handcrafted” has a real sense of individual contribution. In my imagination I conjure up dedicated artisans in remote cottages hunched over peat fires in the Hebrides with outside toilets, horizontal driving rain, subsisting on dried fish and whiskey, with questionable standards of personnel hygiene and an unhealthy attraction to stocky damp hairy cattle with horns. 

The Hinterland has an enviable reputation for handmade and handcrafted items which correctly reflects its artistic heritage. Alas there are to my knowledge no peat fires here. The food is just brilliant, we wash frequently and drink our fine wine and handcrafted beer even more frequently.  

I have always hoped that the crafts person of yore, the “hand maker” of fiction, might just be still lurking in the bowels of Booloumba or the wilderness of Witta. Take for example the Woodcarver. I picture a shingle clad cottage with ageing timber slabs against the wall. Moss covered apple trees, a stone hearth and an old man with a profusion of white hair, wispy beard, leather apron and hands like ancient tree roots endlessly whittling with pipe in mouth. He wears a yellow waist coat to match the colour of his teeth. On his shoulders it is sawdust not dandruff and there is a strong smell of linseed oil and French polish. He sits knee deep in wood shavings carving cuckoo clock cases. 

Then there’s the visual Artists. To be an acceptable visual Artist in the “Handcrafted” idiom you need a garret and we don’t seem to have plentiful garrets in the Hinterland. Also you need a paint- besmirched smock and to be in the final stages of consumption. It is essential that you imbibe significant quantities of Absinthe, a 19th century drink of the ‘artistic set’ with an alcohol content that makes you lose arguments with inanimate objects. I have a theory that the French Impressionist movement was fuelled by Absinth. That vague, hazy Renoir look was in fact what you actually see if you consume too much of “the Green Fairy”. It was never “impressionism” rather the reality of overindulgence. You could say there was essentially a belief amongst artists of that era that “Absinthe makes the art grow stronger!” 

My image of Basket Weavers is that they should live in a clay and wattle cottage by a pond with an outbreak of reeds and goats and with underwear crafted from potato sacks drying on the line. They have carrot red hair and a beard to match that resembles a poorly tended shrubbery highlighting early elements of lichen and the remains of last night’s vegan pie. They need piercing blue eyes, look marginally demented and can trace their ancestry back to a lamentable and eminently forgettable bog in southern Ireland. 

Some of you may find basket weaving as interesting as a village cricket match in Pakistan with all the glamour of a blunt farm instrument. You are wrong. Place an imaginary basket weaver of Celtic extraction on the dance floor, fuelled with some doubtful alcohol extracted from decaying potatoes. With the screech of fiddle and a manic Gaelic songstress who sings about something personal that she eternally lost on the banks of the Liffey (a sound similar to a 747 with engine trouble) he will dance just as he weaves with extraordinary energy and fury. The danger of course is that at the end of this musical interlude he will envelope you in an embrace of everlasting brotherhood, the fumes of the fermented spud and the rancour of the underarm. All of which is about as appealing as bowel surgery in the rainforest with a stick.  

On the other hand my image of Potters and Ceramicists is one of peace and tranquillity with an inclination to absentmindedly hum. Light of weight, lank of hair and fair of face they have gaunt and slender hands with long stringy arms that trail at their knees reflecting the badge of a life at the wheel. Their hue is of clay and their legs slightly bowed. They are often named Harry and dwell in old cow sheds at one with the elements heated by kilns with mysterious glazes.  

Of course none of this is actually true. Our wood workers seldom wear yellow waistcoats and have fine teeth. Our artists, they say, imbibe in moderation. Our basket weavers probably have a Ph.D. and lecture at the University of the Sunshine Coast and our potters may well be rotund, rosy and jolly and play the bagpipes on wet Thursdays. What is true is the fact that collectively they produce truly world class art. Christmas beckons and the challenge again arises to seek out that gift of unique and special quality. Come up to the Hinterland. The art will speak for itself. The artisans I will leave to your imagination!  

Article written by Angus Richards and published for Dec/Jan Edition of Come on Up 

The post The Hand Crafters of the Hinterland appeared first on Hinterland Tourism.

One of the attractions of a getaway in the beautiful Sunshine Coast Hinterland is the opportunity for some unique shopping experiences. Come on up for a day or stay for a week and you will fill your days with ease.  

Montville is famous for the many artisan shops and the ideal place to find a huge range of unique handcrafted goods.   

There is something for everyone, from admiring and choosing clothing from some beautiful boutiques owned and managed by creative designers, browsing in wonderful galleries showcasing stunning works of art, to discovering cute and quirky specialty shops for gifts and souvenirs.  

Wood and glass feature strongly in the work of Hinterland artists and retail outlets offer a beautiful range of work.  Here we are spoilt for choice and both local and overseas visitors are sure to find a gift or memento that reminds them of their visit to the Hinterland.  Antique lovers and those seeking unique and special home wares will also find they have much to entertain them.  Those who shop with a social conscience will find stores that support local craftspeople and growers as well as overseas orphanages.  

Maleny is a great place for shopping in its many boutique gift and craft shops. Home to many authors and book shops, the town is an interesting place to pick up the latest copy of your favourite author, or something from one of the locals and sit in a café and watch the world go by. 

The Hinterland has a wealth of beautiful food available and there is fun to be had in choosing delicious sweet treats aplenty or more down-to-earth hearty fare from local dairies food producers. 

There really is something for everyone and great supplies to get you through the trip! No shopping trip is complete without a good coffee break, and the Hinterland has great coffee and cake.  Come on up and try for yourself. 

Don’t forget to bring your recyclable bags too or enter shopping heaven at one of our local markets. Stock up on fresh local produce, specialty fare, original creations and old treasures.   There is something for everyone.  

Article written and published for Dec/Jan Edition of Come on Up 

The post Explore boutique shops, markets, galleries and so much more  appeared first on Hinterland Tourism.

There is a strong history of fine original art on the Blackall Range. Inspired by the outstanding natural beauty, many professional artists have chosen to live in the area and so there is a wealth of art and galleries to be found in the region. ‘Art on Cairncross’ has a reputation for showing a remarkable diversity of visual art from professional artists with substantial careers.

“Mountain Aspects”, porcelain, lustre and gold by Johanna De Maine

“Dance of the Blue Wrens”, watercolour by Rex Backhaus-Smith

The exceptional quality is apparent, from the unique style of senior painter Rex Backhaus-Smith depicting the very essence of the outback to the exquisite porcelain works by internationally renowned ceramicist Johanna De Maine, many of which feature her interpretations of the Glasshouse Mountains. There are finely executed watercolours, delicate bronze bird sculptures, elegant marble sculptures by Fiona McCarron and breathtaking still life paintings by Ian Mastin. But the works become even more enthralling with Michael Taylor’s leather mask sculptures and Steve Thompson’s steampunk pieces. These are a few examples from the stable of 42 artists in the gallery, where each month finds a different feature or exhibition to be experienced in one room and the eclectic mix across the rest of the space. 

The levels of creativity and craftsmanship make this a destination gallery, as many have discovered in their over 23 years in business, but directors Tony Gill and Jane Caraffi still pride themselves on ensuring that their service is of an equally high standard. “We believe strongly in our role as the artists’ representatives and love to share the stories behind each work of art…because that is another important aspect of every piece being individual” says Tony. “We are lucky enough to know all of our artists well and know their influences and see them at work, which allows us to relay the background to interested viewers”. Jane adds “There is still great joy in seeing an artist’s progression and in helping a client discover the right art work”. 

“Plume”, marble by Fiona McCarron

There are many treats in store at ‘Art on Cairncross’ where there truly is something to engage everyone. So don’t miss this opportunity when visiting the hinterland. Situated at Cairncross Corner en route to the best views of the Glass House Mountains and the beauty of Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, this is a further feast for the sense. 

www.artoncairncross.com.au Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.  

Article written and published for Dec/Jan Edition of Come on Up 

The post Fine Original Art appeared first on Hinterland Tourism.

An ingenious new xylophone that utilises the sounds of the various frogs found at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, allowing visitors to play their own “summer frog symphony” has been opened at the reserve’s Discovery Centre. 

The new frog xylophone – otherwise known as a Gaya-Phone – at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, Maleny. The unusual educational and entertaining installation was funded from the gold coin donations of visitors to the reserve. Photo: Richard Bruinsma

When played like an everyday xylophone – or Gaya-Phone in honour of the traditional local Jinibara word for frog – it emits the sounds made by sixteen local frog species. 

The Gaya-Phone has two key settings, utilising the sounds of eight of the frogs as they are resting and then the other eight as they sing. There is a third setting that utilises the sounds of the Tusked frog, which has been changed to different tones, so users can actually play it like a musical instrument. 

The display includes photos of the frogs as well as phonetic spellings of the sounds they make – for example, the “pluck pluck pluck” of the tusked frog, “kraaaaaawk” of the Orange-eyed tree frog, the “tuk tuk tuk” of the Striped marsh frog and more. 

The display complements an existing bird wall in the main Discovery Centre hall, which allows visitors to press different buttons to hear the calls of native birds at the reserve. 

Denise Wave, of Caloundra, and Jan Leard, of Bribie Island, get a closer look at the Glasshouse Mountains through the new telescopes at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve. The telescopes were funded from the gold coin donations of visitors to the reserve. Photo: Richard Bruinsma

Another new attraction at the centre is two new telescopes, so visitors can get a closer look at the Glass House Mountains. 

Both the telescopes and the Gaya-Phone were funded by the gold coin donations paid by visitors to the Discovery Centre. 

Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve includes a wide array or attractions, from the tranquil and easy walks through the subtropical rainforest that is the centrepiece of the 55-hectare reserve, through to lovely picnic grounds – complete with barbecues, sheltered picnic tables, expansive lawn and play equipment for the children – and the new and modern Discovery Centre and café building. 

The Discovery Centre includes numerous displays that provide an insight into the world that exists among the thick foliage and towering trees. It features a number of displays, interactive learning activities, and multi-media presentations that all help to reveal more of this wonderful natural attraction.  

The beauty of the Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve walking path. Photo: Richard Bruinsma

Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve provides a understanding of the rainforest that once covered the entire area, and provides an opportunity to take a relaxing wander among diverse birdlife and native animals, as well as a wide array of plant life, from the towering buttressed trees that stretch to the canopy, through the tiniest of mushrooms that feed on the rotting vegetation in the undergrowth below.  

The reserve sits on the edge of Maleny’s southern escarpment, and provides a stunning uninterrupted view towards the Glasshouse Mountains on the plain below.  

The picnic grounds and barbecues are free at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve; however, entry to the walking track is via the Discovery Centre, which charges the gold coin entry fee. 

The Rainforest Walk is open 7.00am – 6.00pm. The Discovery Centre is open 9.00am – 4.30pm daily, but closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day and also closed on Anzac Day from 9am – 12noon.  

Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve is located at 148 Mountain View Rd, Maleny, Qld, 4552.  Ph: (07) 5429 6122.

Article written and published for Dec/Jan Edition of Come on Up 

The post Mary Cairncross xylophone creates summer frog symphony appeared first on Hinterland Tourism.

In putting pen to paper on the subject of “from Paddock to Plate” I have to confess that like Me Too, crowd funding,

Visit Kenilworth Dairies and experience the freshest, highest quality milk from their dairy farms in the Mary Valley. Try their ‘Udderly’ delicious and nutritious cheese, yoghurt and dairy foods.

toxic masculinity, search engine optimisation, butler’s pantries and pelvic floors, I had only the vaguest idea of the concept behind the name of what “from Paddock to Plate” really means.

We live in a digital society where we are bombarded through social media with the latest concepts, fashions and hip words. So often we lack the time to take on board any form of real understanding. It would seem we have achieved the intellectual vibrancy of day time television! We are transfixed on what sort of world will we leave to our children at the expense of what sort of children will we leave to our world.

All of which brings me back to the concept of “from Paddock to Plate” and my ignorance of the thought behind the idea.

Initially you could envisage someone with a shotgun from Goodna stomping across a field in pursuit of aeronautically challenged birds seeking to transform them into puffs of white feathers from which to extract a riddled carcass for consumption at home. A very basic if both noisy and messy concept of from paddock (to pot) to plate and unlikely to be broadly adopted.

It then occurred to me that the essence of the concept might well be the simplicity of it. The idea of going forth at sunrise naked to stalk a lettuce in the kitchen garden, throw yourself upon it, slaughter it and consume for breakfast seemed to have a strong appeal specifically to those vegan and vegetarian herbivores amongst us. On reflection it loses its attraction in not delivering the thrill of the chase as lettuce are not known for their speed across the ground. Vegetables are living things but just easier to catch.

I came to the conclusion that this form of paddock to plate had a limited future as a sole entity. The growing and consumption of vegetables from your garden is certainly very attractive but is limited in its variety. I suspect an over indulgence of root vegetables on their own over an extended period could lead to anti-social outcomes like line dancing. I was once a vegetarian but gave it away when I started leaning towards the sunlight.

Banging a beast on the head in the proverbial back paddock to butcher and eat at home seems to full fill the geographic immediacy of paddock to plate. One minute “Daisy” is out there loved and pampered doing her reflective bovine thing and the next, somewhat unfairly, she’s in cry vac in the freezer. It would seem that the concept has an element of minimising processing, transport and preparation. Clive James appears to have succinctly summed this up when asked at a famous restaurant how he would like his steak shot back “Just knock off its horns and wipe its arse!”

Thus I was somewhat confused. There seemed to be any number of answers to the concept of “from paddock to plate”. To arrive at a conclusion was about as difficult as mustering cats.

I then had a “Road to Damascus” moment. I should seek help from our local oracle on all things food, Rob Outridge who owns and operates the brilliant IGA Supermarket in Maleny.

Rob was as anticipated patient, lucid and helpful. He explained it was all about being as close as possible to the grower or producer. This reduces the lunacy of avoidable transport costs. He has a retail mate in Bowen who found he was buying Bowen tomatoes from the Brisbane Markets and bringing them back up to Bowen to sell. These tomatoes were doing the round trip and will now certainly have enough frequent flyer points for a seven day escorted coach holiday in Portugal. Bowen tomatoes should be re-named “Grey Nomads” as they spend most of their time on the road.

Flamehill Vineyard and Restaurant in Montville and famous for its stunning views, unique wines and sustainable production of the ingredients used in delicious meals. Open 7 days a week for wine tastings and Al fresco dining.

It is of course all about freshness. When you pick or harvest a product it starts to die. The speed at which you get it to market determines the degree of death. If you are sourcing locally your product will be fresher and with less product loss due to spoilage and most importantly less transport costs and thus the price will be lower and the quality will be higher. The money stays in the local area and you are dealing with friends. The longer term underlying story is about sustainability.

Rob is proof positive that our hinterland growers, producers and retailers understand and practice this concept. So there you have it, the real story behind “from paddock to plate”.

If at the next P & C function some bright digitally self-absorbed young parent speaks in support of the truly daft fad of teaching feminist, gender and post- colonial theories to primary school children jump in smartly with your proverbial Bowen tomatoes and blow them away with the conceptual beauty and practicality of “from paddock to plate”. Oh and do please mention the Sunshine Coast Hinterland as a destination to experience it for yourself!

Article written by Angus Richard and published for Feb/Mar Edition of Come on Up 

Header image Maleny Dairies cows have the best views!

The post Behind the concept of ‘From Paddock to Plate’ appeared first on Hinterland Tourism.

Have you wondered where and when markets in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland are happening. Here is all you need to know.

James Cutcliffe and Mel Shieldhouse discuss some of the ginger that James brought to one of the recent the Obi Surplus Enjoyment events, which are held on the first Wednesday of each month from around 9am to 12noon. Photo: Richard Bruinsma

Blackall Range Growers Markets
The Blackall Range Growers markets features a whole range of locally grown produce, including fruit and vegetables, honey, and more.
The markets are held in the grounds of the Old Witta School Community Centre, at Witta, one of the most historic and quaint areas of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
The Blackall Range Growers Markets are held on the third Saturday of each month, at 316 Witta Road, Witta, from 7.30am to 12 noon.
Witta is about eight minutes by car from Maleny, and 20 minutes from Montville.

Crystal Waters Country Markets
The Crystal Waters Country Markets are a friendly and relaxing market that provides a wide variety of produce and foods.
Crystal Waters is located at 65 Kilcoy Lane, Conondale. The markets are held on the first Saturday of each month, from 8am to 12noon.

Mapleton Markets
Those bizarre but alluring vegetables, the choko, big well-priced avocados, Bunya Nut pesto, traditional fruits and vegetables, bric a brac, hand-made craft items and homewares, a regular sausage sizzle, and more are among the items on sale at the Mapleton Markets.
Funds raised from stallholder fees and the sausage sizzle at the Mapleton Markets go towards the upkeep of the Mapleton Hall.
The markets are held at the Mapleton Community Hall, 31 Obi Obi Road, less than one kilometre from the Mapleton Hotel, on the fourth Saturday of each month.

Montville Local Produce Market
The Montville Market features a wide range of items, from local fresh produce through to arts and crafts, with visitors free to browse in the friendly atmosphere while enjoying live relaxing music.
The market is conveniently located in the Montville CBD, and is walking distance from local shops, cafes and major car parking.
The Montville Market is held in the grounds of the historic Village Hall, Main Street, Montville, on the second Saturday of each month, from 7am to 12noon.

Obi Surplus Enjoyment
The Obi Surplus Enjoyment market allows locals to bring their surplus items – including home grown fruit, vegetables and herbs, home-made jams and chutneys, clothing and anything else they regard as surplus to their needs but may benefit someone else – to give freely to attendees.
The event also includes a speaker at most events, who discusses and demonstrates an interesting skill – in the past, guests have shown how to pickle grapes, the use of Bach flowers as remedies for common ailments, and even how to prepare a live chicken for the oven,
The Obi Surplus Enjoyment is held at the magnificently-restored Obi Obi Hall, on Obi Obi Road, which is located about 10 minutes drive from Mapleton. It is held on the first Wednesday of each month from around 9am to 12noon.

Maleny Sunday Markets
The Arts and Crafts, Bric-a-Brac, and Collectables Markets are held at the Maleny RSL Hall every Sunday from 8am to 2pm.
The markets feature a wide range of items, including local produce, in a convenient location in the Maleny CBD, opposite the Maleny Hotel.

Landsborough Markets
The Landsborough Markets are held at the School of Arts Memorial Hall, 189 Old Landsborough Road, in Central Landsborough, on every Saturday from 7am (8am in winter) to 1pm.
Landsborough is 13 minutes drive from Maleny, and 16 minutes from Montville.

Beerwah Village Craft Markets
The Beerwah Village Craft Markets are held at the Scouts Hall, on Steve Irwin Way, on the first Saturday of each month from 8am to 1pm.
Beerwah is 18 minutes drive from Maleny and 21 minutes drive from Montville.

Glasshouse Mountains
The Glasshouse Mountains market is held at 58 Coonowrin Road, Glasshouse Mountains, on the second Sunday of each month, from 8am to 1pm
Glasshouse is 20 minutes drive from Maleny and 24 minutes drive from Montville.

Forest Markets, Buderim
Described as an artisan market, the Sunshine Coast Forest Market provides spray-free produce, delicatessen and gourmet goods, quality arts and crafts, jewellery and gifts, hot food, coffee and more.
The market is hosted by Bloomhill Cancer Care, with all proceeds from stallholder fees going toward supporting those of all ages on the Sunshine Coast to live well with cancer.
The Forest Market is held on the first Saturday of each month at Bloomhill Cancer Care, 58 Ballinger Road, Buderim, from 7am to 12noon.
Buderim is 24 minutes by car from Montville, and 33 minutes from Maleny.

Yandina Plant and Produce Markets
The Yandina Markets are perhaps the largest of the local markets, with a very wide range of goods on offer, from locally grown fruit and vegetables, plants and flowers, freshly baked bread, olives, spices, drinks, trash and treasure items, collectables, garden tools and much more.
The markets cover almost an entire soccer field at the Yandina Sports Ground, North Street, Yandina. Parking is quite good too.
The Yandina Plant and Produce Market is held every Saturday from 6am to 12 noon. Yandina is about 24 minutes drive from Montville, or 36 minutes from Maleny.

Garry Woodford and Rachel Crawford chat to Clare Tilyard at her Sweetpea Silversmithing stall the the Montville Markets. Photo by Richard Bruinsma

Anne and Brad Veivers were cooking sausages for happy customers like Michael Nichola at the Mapleton Markets recently. Funds raised by the sausage sizzle go toward maintenance of Mapleton Hall. Photo by Richard Bruinsma

Terry Wareham with a box full of chokos for sale at the Mapleton Markets recently. The unusual vegetable grows anywhere and doesn’t really have much of a flavour but evokes memories from many locals who remember it as a staple vegetable growing up. Photo: Richard Bruinsma

Article published for June/July Edition of Come on Up.

The post Markets in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland appeared first on Hinterland Tourism.