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Montville - Queensland's Mountain Villageby Richard Pennick
Our morning drive took us from Mooloolaba on the coast, where we were staying, up through the sleepy hamlets of Buderim and Palmwood - ablaze with scarlet and purple Bougainvillea! Through pastures, and sugar cane fields, the winding road leads up through the gum trees with the ringing, singing Bellbirds - which make you think that your car has gone crook - to the “Mountain Village” of Montville.
The Glass House Mountains with their distinctive peaks, ranging in height from 100 to 556 metres, have fascinated explorers, settlers and more recently, holiday visitors) Gradual weathering by wind and rain has produced these spectacular remains of volcanic activity more than 20 million years ago. They were named by the ubiquitous Captain James Cook, who thought they resembled the glass foundries near his Yorkshire home, but more importantly they stand as a timeless reminder of Kabi Aborigines, for whom they had enormous Dreamtime significance. The drive too and from the Sunshine Coast passes through this region.
During the coastal heat at Christmas, Main Street comes alive with coloured lights, and some visitors choose to spend a night or two in one of the inns, motels or bed and breakfast homes. Visitors lingering awhile might visit the Kondalilla National Park for scenic walks to waterfalls through lush rainforest, and glimpse a flash of colour as Rozellas dart and dive through the clearings. You may picnic at Obi Obi Creek and laugh along with the Kookaburas and comical Galahs, a white and yellow parrot noted for its odd behaviour.
For more information on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, Montville and the Blackall Mountain Range visit the Sunweb website at: www.maleny.net.au/sunweb/index.html or for information on vacationing in Queensland go to the Australian Tourism Commission site at: http://www.australia.com/ Images by Richard Pennick and Beerwah Photolab |
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A pleasant day trip from Queensland's Sunshine Coast is the drive up
through the coastal hinterland into the Blackall Range, where nestled atop the
escarpment, is the mountain village of Montville commanding some of the most
spectacular views in Australia.
The cool mountain air can be a relief after the heat at sea level, and
the shade of the green tropical canopy, and fragrance of abundant tropical
blooms can also bring renewed energy with which to explore this picturesque and
historic little community and as important - enjoy some of the finest cooking
in the region. 
We parked on the Village Green under the trees beside St. Mary's
Anglican Church. The old wood structure has a cool and inviting interior with
tributes to local heroes and personalities. Behind the church, between the
flower beds, a thoughtfully placed picnic table provides visitors with a fine
view! Framed by the trees, the dense,
verdant forest gives way to the shimmering coastal plain, the cone shaped
Glasshouse Mountains and distant ocean beyond.
Montville was first settled in 1887 and a walk through the village reveals
a mix of restored older historic structures and newer buildings. The influence
and charm of Europe is manifest, with log and stone cottages in an English and
Irish style; Tudor motif on some of the homes and Inns, and a distinctly
Bavarian and Swiss flavour to the alpine chalets. 
Known as 'The Creative Heart of the Sunshine Coast', artists have made
the region their home, and much of their creative talent is on display and for
sale along Main Street. With art galleries, pottery, craft and blown glass
cottages, as well as gift and antique shops, and of course restaurants with a
variety of Australian and ethnic menus. Some of the gracious old 'Queenslander'
properties offer fine dining on their airy, trellised verandas. 
Whatever
your preference, be it a day trip from Brisbane or the Goldcoast, an hours
drive from the Sunshine Coast, or a few days away from it all in the mountains,
Montville Village and the Blackall Range provides a unique, relaxing setting. 
Access to Montvllle is by
road. Accommodation ranges from friendly B&Bs like The Falls or Montville Guest House, or the Montville
County Cabins. For luxury
accommodation, in a rural setting, there is Clouds of Montville!