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Published: August 6th 2013
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From Nambour, we decided to tackle the mountain road to the Sunshine Coast hinterland before old man winter would be upon us. So up the hill we go, first stop Mapleton, quaint little mountain village with stunning views of the Sunshine Coast in the far distance. But we were told by the friendly locals to check out the Mapleton rainforest waterfall walk, it took us a lazy hour to do the medium walk. It didn't disappoint, massive old trees with a diversity of forest types, I will let the pics speak for themselves. After our uplifting forest walk, we set up the Freedom Machine in a beautiful lake park just out of town for some alfresco park dining and a peaceful nights kip.
We awoke next morning to bright sunshine, fresh mountain air, as we headed off around the escarpment to explore Condollilla Falls. We had heard great raps about these falls, sun still shining as we walked the big descent through even more spectacular forests and river scenes. Amazingly we had a massive descent just to get to the top of the falls. Littleflower just kept pestering Morningbird to take the plunge into the picturesque pool, at he top
of the falls. I saw some crazy euros, swimming about in the shaded pool, how cold could it be? Resistance was very much futile. So Morningbiird strips down to shorts and dives in, OH MY GOD, it was mega freezing, brass monkeys, would be like a sauna compared to this ice bucket. Something like hypothermia, tells me to get out quick as I could, I feel the cold numbing my body, teeth chattering, and body shaking, I was glad to be back on Terra firma. And yet we still needed to make another big descent to get down to the bottom of the falls. Half way down through the deep dark forest, there is a viewing platform of the falls tumbling 800 feet to the rainforest valley below.
'Did you hear that? Littleflower", mega thunder clap, dark clouds swirling around mountain skies, it looks menacing. Did we zip up the canvas vents in Freedom Machine? No time for the rest of the descent, got to get back up top. We hustled our way back as quick as our heavy breathing bodies would take us, up to the car park. The first drops of rain began to splash
the mountain, mother nature has decided to put the big dump on us. Temperature drops, cool mountain air is very fresh as big thunder and rain storm passes over. Stirred but not shaken, James bonded with Freedom Machine. We then headed back up to the main drag and drove onto Glitzy Montville. This little mountain village has to be seen to be believed, a veritable richies' paradise, with very up market come and buy me boutique shops, selling all sorts of trinkets and baubles and any thing else that shines pretty and costs the earth. It seems a "lets rip off the tourists town", like check out the 'Edge" restaurant, with its magnificent views on the precipice of the mountain, waiter table seating, we did a $24 Lamburger, I think we got fleeced.
Littleflower often delivers the most beautiful and unexpected surprises, she had spent much time sifting through old pennies in an antique store looking for my 1957 penny. I close my eyes and hold out my hand, to be lovingly united with something that has been on the earth the same time as me. I hold it in my hand and I ask, how many hands have
held you before mine? Have you been tossed in the air on Anzac day?, bought a huge bag of lollies for some 60's child, now well lived and tarnished just like you. Come penny, you will sit pride of place, no more of your precious time shoved in a box, I will save you and cherish you, for the rest of my days. Oh for petes' sake Morningbird stop rambling and just get on with it. So I puts me head around the corner and sift through the same box of pennies for Littleflowers' 1946 counterpart, "excuse me sir, does this one read 46 or 48?", man grabs penny, examines it under eye glass, "no thats' a 48, a 46 will set you back $300", I knew my Littleflower was very special.
A brekky by the Montville lake and its off around the escarpment towards Maleny, Queenslands' version of our Nimbin, minus the wacky tobaccy. Along the road to Maleny, we came across Gerards' Lookout offering spectacular views of Bribie Island to the south and up to Nambour in the north and all of the Sunshine Coast in between. This is just too good to pass up, a free
camp with a view like this. It was easy to decide to settle in for the night to watch the sunset over the western ranges, Awake to crisp clear morning we were greeted by a spectacular sunrise over the distant sun drenched sea. The mist rising up the plateau, encapsulating the lowlands, we were on top of the world above the sea of fog. So where do we do pooeys, where there are no toilets, you ask? Well well well, yes we dig a hole first, and then place our 10 litre bucket with toilet liner complete with dunny seat nearby to deposit our overnight business. It was incredibly the best 'Loo with a view', one could ever imagine. Just me, the big sky, and all of creation below me. I felt like a God on the throne viewing all of creation below me as I do my morning business. Gotta be quick about it, before Tommy Touro rocks up and spots me, behind the tree, and pays unwelcome homage to the Grand Poo God in all my glory on the royal throne.
An easy drive around the escarpment we soon drive into Maleny, right about Folk Festival time.
Town is plenty busy, just a little bit too busy for us quiet creatures. An enjoyable morning of hippy trippy retail therapy, and then off to the southern edge of the escarpment to Mary Cairncross park. We soon checked out the breathtaking views of the not too distant Glasshouse mountains, named by Capt. Cook for their glasshouse like shimmer in the far distance. And shimmer they did for us on this cloudless sky on top of the world. "Lets do lunch in the park", alfresco dining on the mountain top, a great way to finish off our Sunny Coast hinterland sojourn.
As they say in the game of thrones "Winter is coming", and like the birds, its time to head north, for our winter break,
Love to all, keep on shining, Morningbird and Littleflower.
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