Sunday, August 14, 2016

Maleny

Saturday 13th August, 2016.

 
We were meeting friends from Brisbane at Gardiners Falls in Maleny today. It was a beautiful Winters Day, blue skies, mild temps, no wind. Afterwards we drove to Maleny township.

In the 18 years we've lived on the coast whenever we've had visitors staying we've always taken them up to Montville for the day, strolling through all the shops and having lunch in either Poets Cafe at the base of Montville township or The Edge Cafe on the top end of the street with views over the range below looking out towards Mount Coolum on the left and Mooloolaba beach on the right.

After a morning in Montville we would usually drive across the range to Mary Cairncross Park in Maleny to view the Glasshouse Mountains and then take a walk through the rainforest. We would drive home through Maleny township by 4pm and each and every time I would find myself saying to my husband "one day we'll have to start at this end of the range and have a look through the shops here", but for some reason we slipped into the habit of always doing it the same way and so never seemed to get to Maleny in time before everything closed.

So, today seemed the perfect opportunity to spend some time just in Maleny. It's only a short 25 minute drive from Maroochydore-Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Motorway and then onto Steve Irwin Way before taking a turn off up the range to Maleny.

After walking up and down the main street and stopping in to check out the local shops we were drawn into Pallet Life Aritsans Market and Garden Cafe. The entrance is quite narrowly decieving and you really need to step inside to discover all there is to offer.



An eclectic culinary mix of small stalls offering Japanese Sushi, Indian curries and the best big samosas Ive tasted in a long time, very fresh! Mexican tacos, coffee, tea and sweet slices lined the sides of a paved area strewn with timber tables, benches and stools covered with a smattering of crochet granny blankets to soften patrons seating while they eat. A thoughtful touch and ofcourse an appealing one instantly noticed by this avid crocheter.


This narrow corridor leads you back to a timber platform where a duo playing the guitar and violin were entertaining us with their singing. Our son was intrigued to see the young woman playing the violin rather unconventionally by strumming it like a banjo as she sang (as well as later playing it the traditional way).


To the right of this musical pair was a pallet stairway leading downwards to an open terrace of another outdoor eating area connected to The Garden Cafe which serves a selection of freshly cooked burgers and bakery items.

Then to the left of the cafe was yet another stairway leading ever downwards to what looked like someone's backyard lawn dotted with a 'mish mash' of  rustic BBQ tables, benches and chairs.

The streets of Maleny in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland was bustling with people. Not as busy as Montville, but definitely a 'must place to visit' if you're staying on the Sunshine Coast or for a short one hour trip Getaway for a day heading north from Brisbane. You would have no problem fitting in a half day here before or after a drive to Mary Cairncross Park Rainforest walk.