Creature comforts
A farm stay is the perfect accommodation for those checking out the animals of the Sunshine Coast hinterland
Queensland can be an easy place to unwittingly take for granted. So it was – quite literally – a breath of fresh air to spend a soul-filling, twoday trip in the beauty of the world-class Sunshine Coast, barely an hour’s drive north of Brisbane.
With my four-year-old, Energizerbunny daughter as my travel companion, a lazy 48 hours sipping a wine with a good book was not an option.
But thank goodness for that. Because instead, we embarked on an animal-filled adventure in the Glass House Mountains, taking in some of the spectacular natural beauty – and getting up close and personal with more than a few furry friends.
Our first stop was Qcamel – the only certified organic camel dairy in the world – about a 15-minute drive from Beerwah, and I was unsure of what to expect from a visit with these unique creatures.
But with the delightful duo of Qcamel founder Lauren Brisbane and daughter Yasmin as our guides, any nervousness walking alongside these towering animals was quickly allayed.
Lauren told our tour that the mighty animals – they have about 100 on their property – were more akin to elephants than anything, and a few moments in their gentle presence proved that to be true.
Qcamel has become a leader with its organic milk products, which are spruiked as having multiple health benefits, including being rich in nutrients and more tolerable to people with a lactose intolerance. And seeing how the camels are carefully milked was an incredible experience.
But the real joy came with a “camel cuddle”, a chance to get up close with these gentle giants all named – “that’s Pepper, that’s Fraser, that’s Freya, careful she’s the cheeky one”.
After getting our fill of camel cuddles, we set off for a 25-minute drive to Pizzeria Sisily at Golden Beach in Caloundra, an authentic Sicilian pizzeria tucked alongside its sister venue, Café Sisily.
With a broad offering of both “red” and “white”-base pizzas, delicious hot and cold starters and sumptuous pasta mains, we opted to try a delicious garlic wood-fired pizza, an exquisite duck liver pate, and a tasty side of Italian broccoli leaves,
followed by some sumptuous gelato. After our lunch we headed back into the hinterland to Beerwah, checking into the breathtakingly-tranquil Seven Peaks Farm Stay which we would call home for the weekend. The two of us were lucky enough to spend the night in the Seven Peaks’ brand new stunning, three-bedroom Ginger Cottage, lovingly appointed with luxury items and cosy furnishings.
My daughter was most taken with the gorgeous back deck, with a hanging egg chair swing and a glorious outlook on to the farm’s creek, complete with a private fire pit. But I couldn’t go past the wonderfully designed main kitchen and living space, which included a perfect picture window offering stunning mountain views – plus owners’ Graham and Jenny’s horses and chickens.
Speaking of which, come 3pm guests were invited to help feed the farm animals – a collection of friendly horses, chickens, ducks and cows spread across the picturesque 13.7ha property.
Along with the Ginger Cottage we were able to call home, Seven Peaks boasts six luxury cabins with those all-important mountain views – perfect for a romantic weekend or, like us, for a family adventure.
After a beautiful breakfast thanks to our farm hamper including fresh farm eggs and produce grown in the gardens – we set off for a visit to the Maleny Botanic Gardens and Bird World, a scenic half an hour drive away. On the guided 50-minute walkthrough aviary tour we’re warned that these beautiful birds were not always polite – and hats, jewellery and sparkly buttons were best covered or removed.
But the stunning birds are affectionate and friendly, curiously popping between shoulders and heads for an experience which is an absolute must.
Before heading back to the city, we capped off our week with a stop at Maleny Food Co – a gem of a find with more than 200 cheeses and award-winning gelato.