Gorgeous scenery, delicious food
Relax and revive with beautiful food and wine
Too often the idea of a ‘romantic getaway’ conjurs up thoughts of a quick visit to the beach or a swanky hotel in the heart of Brisbane.
For something a little different, especially if you are into food and wine, The Lost World in the heart of the Scenic Rim is not only something out of the ordinary, but a place packed with experiences to please everyone.
It’s nestled above the NSW border, and right next to the Lamington National Park.
Just outside Darlington sits Worendo Cottages, a 36 hectare property that overlooks mountains and huge open spaces, with three self-contained cottages available for hire, from one bedroom to four bedrooms, that can accommodate three families with ease.
The property has recently gained attention for their Wild Lime Cooking School, which draws people from all over south-east Queensland looking for a unique food experience.
Be your own masterchef
With the ‘masterchef revolution’ still in full swing in Australia, people are keen to learn and experience food up close, and under the steerage of a professional chef, this five hour experience allows guests to split up into groups and each cook part of a five-course meal which is then shared amongst everyone afterwards.
The recipes are easy to follow, and each month is around a different theme, such as French, Winter, Italian or in the case of our visit, Mexican. Sitting down to a meal of corn soup with prawns, beef birria, chicken mole and a strawberry margarita mousse means you are eating food that had a hand in and will be able to reproduce at home.
Working with local farms and producers, there is a plethora of locally grown fruit, vegetables, meat and wines to choose from, and most of the people in The Lost World all work together to showcase their produce for events like this.
From locally grown finger limes, to Bunjurgen Wines, everything from the area is on display and ready to taste. You are guaranteed to experience something new and learn first-hand what it takes to create foods from places of the world that you wouldn’t normally consider.
Aaaahhh, silence
Worendo was established in the 1970’s by a couple who wanted a tree change, and has remained in the family since, and you can spend the night in true privacy, away from distraction.
The thing that hits you as you sit overlooking the mountains with a glass of wine is the silence. No planes, no cars, no sirens, no people, just the odd bird or a ‘moo’ from a cow in the distance. At night, you’ll feel like you truly are in The Lost World as you look out in silence to total darkness. You truly feel like you are the only people in the world, and with little to distract you, for
families and couples this is a great spot to reconnect with each other over a board game or a book.
Plus you’ll get probably the best night’s sleep you’ve ever had.
Getting there and things to do
To get to Worendo, you pass over a wooden bridge and a beautiful stream where Darlington appears only to consist of a camping site, local shop and a small school. Very popular with campers, you’d be hard pushed to find a spot that is more peaceful and picturesque.
The Darlington State School has a market four times a year that highlights local arts, crafts, food and wine, plus just down the road you’ll find Tommerup’s Dairy Farm Stay.
If you want to stay the night, you’ll find a rustic 1880s’ cottage for up to nine guests, or for a fast visit there is local meat, cheese and honey for sale fresh from the farm.
Sunday, June 24 is the Farm Gate Festival, as The Lost World throws open a selection of farm gates, to kick of the Scenic Rim’s Eat Local Week (which runs until July 2), and a great way to sample locally grown foods over a day drive.
For wine fans, Bunjurgen Estate is a vineyard open Wednesday to Sunday and sits between Mt Alford and Boonah. It produces Reds, Whites, Cherry and Ruby ports plus an exciting Verjuice, all made with local grapes.
La Bunjurga is a local festival of wine, jazz, art and food which this year is on June 11/12. If you like olives, cheeses, caviar, hams, salamis, gelato and similar foods, this is an event that will make your winter.
For too long The Scenic Rim has attracted tourists from overseas who relish in the local meat, produce and wines, but it is only now that local residents of South East Queensland are looking to experience new tastes while relishing the scenery and serenity. If you crave some peace and quiet, then The Lost World is the Holy Grail of spots to visit.