A Scenic Drive From Noosa Accommodation Through the Blackall Ranges to Mapleton, Montville & Maleny

The holiday destination of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, is well known for many tourist activities and destinations such as the glorious beaches, shopping, fishing, surfing and of course Fraser Island. However, the areas surrounding your accommodation on the Sunshine Coast offer plenty more.

This scenic drive has something to offer all visitors, catering for all interests and budgets. Featuring stunningly beautiful picture postcard scenery this 2 1/2 hour round trip in the car is a perfect half or full day excursion for those staying in accommodation in Noosa. Don't forget to allow time for eating, shopping and exploring.

Introduction

The Blackall Ranges are inland from the Sunshine Coast and the area is often referred to as the Noosa or Sunshine Coast Hinterland. These ranges are an average 450 - 500 metres above sea level, allowing for absolutely stunning coastal views and a cooler climate than that down on the coast. The Blackall Ranges are home to many producers of fine foods, cheeses and wines who rub shoulders with artists, jewellers, sculptors and wood workers. Added to this fine mix is a medley of galleries, wineries, restaurants, cafes and providers of various local produce situated in charming and historic locations.

For those with plenty of time, spending a few days in and around the Blackall Ranges would be very easy to do. Those visitors staying in accommodation in Noosa Queensland and pushed for time need not miss out on this amazing region.

On the Road From Your Accommodation in Noosa

After ensuring that you have both your wallet and your camera, too many opportunities for using both, you will be looking for the signposts to Eumundi, a historic town lying to the west of Noosa. If you should be happening through on a Wednesday or Saturday, you may like to check out the 600 stalls of the very famous Eumundi Markets. From there follow the signs from Eumundi to Brisbane and the Bruce Highway.

Yandina

Yandina is the home of the Ginger Factory and the Macadamia Nut Factory. Both locations are worth stopping for. After about 10 minutes driving on the Bruce Highway you will take the signed turn off for Yandina and the Ginger Factory.

The Ginger Factory is set on large grounds featuring many beautiful examples of the ginger plant. There are train rides available that take you around the property, along with an impressive shop selling all manner and means of ginger products. An eatery offers coffee, snacks and light meals. Children are catered for with The Gingerbread Man on Overboard adventure tour. There are free tours of the processing plant and factory where you can obtain a great insight into all aspects of farming and manufacturing ginger.

Literally across the road is the Macadamia Nut Factory, where you will be able to sample the produce and be guided around the seasonal processing plant.

After leaving the Ginger factory and the Macadamia Factory you will need to head back onto the Bruce Highway, still travelling in the direction of Brisbane. You will need to take the Nambour exit, which will also carry signs for Mapleton, Montville and Maleny via the Blackall Range Tourist Drive.

Mapleton, Montville and Maleny via Blackall Range Tourist Drive

There are many places to visit along this drive including award winning eateries, galleries, and wineries. Many have beautiful outdoor locations featuring the most magnificent visual backdrops. Some tourist attractions worthy of a mention include the following:

* Mapleton Falls and Mapleton. Before you enter the township of Mapleton you will see a sign for the Mapleton Falls. These falls are of the bridal veil variety and there is no need to do any lengthy walking. Simply drive your vehicle to the end of the track for a great view of the waterfalls and the valley beyond.

Once in the town of Mapleton, look out for Criollo's Coffee Shop for a fine selection of chocolate goodies sure to please the most discerning chocolate lover. Why not have take away fish and chips from the shop close to the lake? You can eat them in the lake park which features a flying fox in the super children's playground.

* Kondallila Falls, Flaxton. Turn off to the right before entering the town of Flaxton for these superb waterfalls set amongst pristine rainforest. Along the 25 minute walk to get there you may be lucky enough to spot Goannas and all sort of Australian native birds including Kookaburras. Be sure to pack your bathers as there is a pool for swimming right under the falls.

* Le Realis Bressan, Flaxton. Looking for authentic French cuisine at affordable prices? Then this French restaurant could be the ideal lunch venue for you.

* Montville. Tucked away in the ranges like a mountain village plucked out of the Swiss Alps is the charming Montville. You should probably allow yourself at least 60 minutes to peruse the vast array of craft shops and galleries on display. Your first port of call will probably be the Mayfield Centre which is the first collection of shops you will see on the left as you drive into the town. These stores probably have the best views from their rear windows of any shops on the Sunshine Coast.

Those looking for a drink, meal, or coffee may well want to find themselves a table at the Poet's Cafe which can be found in a hollow a little further down the road on the left.

As you are leaving the township you will come across the Green Frog Gallery on the right.

Those who are cheese and wine lovers may like to stop at the Maleny Cheese Factory, which is just a few doors down from the gallery.

Once you have finished with the gallery, cheese and wine, you will turn right towards Maleny when you reach a T intersection. About 500 metres after the cheese factory you will approach another T intersection where you will turn left then right to end up on Mountain View Rd. Mary Cairncross Park, which is an excellent botanical garden, will come up on your right. Those itching to get out their cameras will be pleased to know that there are some great lookouts further along this road, providing majestic views of the Glasshouse Mountains.

* Maleny. Those visitors who haven't run out of time or energy may like to stop and discover the charms of this pleasant country town.

Driving Back to Your Accommodation in the Sunshine Coast

You can head on back to your holiday accommodation in Noosa the same way that you drove in. Alternatively you can continue on through the town of Maleny, following the road through to Kenilworth and then follow the signs back to Eumundi. This little journey does not involve having to drive on the Bruce Highway.

The other option is to double back to Montville, turning right at the Palmwoods/ Woombye turn off before you arrive in Montville. This will provide you with glorious scenery as you drive down a rather curvy road. You will then come back onto the Bruce Highway, heading north towards Gympie and take the Eumundi exit off.

Conclusion.

Driving through the Blackall Ranges is a superb way to spend a half or full day. Glorious panoramic scenery, galleries, shops, wineries and eateries make for a great day away from your accommodation in Noosa, Australia. A beautiful day trip for when everyone has seen a little too much sun.

The author and publisher Murray Maxwell is himself a Bed and Breakfast operator in the Noosa, Sunshine Coast region with several years experience. He is most renowned for providing customer service satisfaction and accommodation Noosa style.

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Some Quick Tips For the Perfect Sunshine Coast Vacation

If you are considering a trip to the Sunshine Coast of Australia, you are definitely not alone. People from all around the world are quickly discovering the beautiful coast of Australia is the place to go, especially during the months of November to March. After all, this is there summer and while many other regions of the world are cooling down this time of year, the Sunshine Coast is just heating up. The following are some tips for your upcoming holiday.

When you go swimming make sure there are professionals nearby who are familiar with the water. It can get rough sometimes so make sure you go in where you see attendants and flags. It's important to wear sunscreen during your visit here because the sun can be extremely intense. Wear it even when you're not on the beach as the sun is stong everywhere.

Make sure you get a car rental, this will help you be able to see everything on your vacation. It will be much better than the public transportation that's available because it will give you the opportunity to do things on your time table.

During your time on the Sunshine Coast there is much to see and you can schedule everyday and every moment going to tourist attractions and participating in activities. So you want to make sure you schedule in a few days just to shop and go to the beach so you can relax and not wear yourself out on vacation. Make sure you schedule your activities in advance with gaps of time to do other things because there'll be more to do than what you have seen on the internet.

Pick a modest hotel. Don't go overboard spending on your accommodations. There are many wonderful places to stay in the Sunshine Coast with all the amenities you will want at a reasonable price. Using the internet can really help you choose your accommodations wisely.

As you start searching for your next vacation destination go to sunshinecoastinformation.com. They are your ultimate guide for this area including Sunshine Coast Accommodation. You can visit sunshinecoastinformation.com to find all the information you need in one place such as a list of mooloolaba accomodation.

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Choosing to Drive While on the Sunshine Coast

Going to the Sunshine Coast for your holiday will thrill you with it's beauty and one of the most effective ways to see the area in a car. When you fly into Brisbane you can get one of those at the car rental counters at the airport. Then off to the north toward Sunshine Coast, it'll be right past Noosa.

An area called Mooloolaba is now the most visited tourist site, it used to be Noosa that brought the crowds but it's changed. You'll want to stay in the area of Main Beach in Mooloolaba, it has all the shops and cafes you'll want to visit. There's also fine dining restaurants, and all these places are busy all the time.

The Gold Coast still pulls in higher numbers of tourist due to it's large number of tourist attractions and all the great theme parks, but the Sunshine Coast is truly a more meditative location for your holiday. It does have tourist attractions, one being the amazing Australia Zoo where everyone must go before you leave the area. This is really a preservation for the wildlife more than just a zoo, home to the many unique animals who call this area home. The Glass House Mountains are right here at the zoo adding to the beauty of this place.

The Sunshine Coast is an incredible holiday destination for those who love the water, with many activities like scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing and swimming, you will find that having a car hire at your disposal is the best way to ensure that you will see everything that this region has to offer.

Although there are other types of transport available, your Australian Coast trip to the Sunshine region will be much more leisurely with your rented auto, as you'll be on your own schedule. This will give you ample opportunities to stop at great restaurants, little boutique shops and roadside markets in order to give you the flavor of Australia.

To create reservations on the internet for Caloundra Hotels go to sunshinecoastinformation.com today to discover all there is to know about the region. Sunshinecoastinformation.com can assist you with many things including finding accommodation sunshine coast if you want to find a location outside of Caloundra.

Tips to Getting on the Road on the Sunshine Coast

If you are traveling to Australia than you will probably be flying into Brisbane or another local airport. Many think that when they come to this region they should rely on public transportation to get around and see the sites. Since many people are not well versed at international travel, they worry about how to go about renting a vehicle in a foreign country and they also worry about the liability in doing so.

The surrounding areas of Brisbane, such as the Sunshine Coast region have a lot to offer travelers. But seeing these surrounding regions definitely require a car hire to get from place to place on your own schedule. When renting a vehicle in the Queensland there are just a few simple things that you need to know prior to travel.

You won't need an international driving permit if you have an English written driver's license; Australia doesn't require any additional documentation if you have a valid license printed in English. But if there's any other language on your license you'll need to acquire an IDP from your home nation before you leave home. Then you'll need to have both the IDP and your driver license on your person at all times while in the Queensland.

The next issue is insurance, you should verify it as you would for any trip, with your car insurance company and your credit card company. Once that's all correct then you will get a international insurance card through your travel agent or the international car rental company you're going to use, they call them Green Cards in Australia.

The final piece of advice is to make sure you review all the regulations around driving in Australia, as you don't want to inadvertently do something that is illegal. Look online for all the information you'll need to drive safely around on the Sunshine Coast area.

To locate facts about Sunshine Coast travel visit sunshinecoastinformation.com to locate attractions and accommodations in this wonderful area. You can also locate a Mooloolaba accommodation at sunshinecoastinformation.com. There are representatives available if you have any questions or need help.

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