The Glass House Mountains

We are having a big driving day today (only another 881kms to get to Townsville by Sunday to see our friends Sheryl and Kevin and little Charlie - guys, we are on our way!) so I have the opportunity to write to you (when our two monkeys are not demanding the iPad from me to play games in the back seat, we will see how we go).

After the Gold Coast, we took a drive north to the Hinterland region of Brisbane, and wow, it was beautiful.

Here is the view of the Glass House Mountains from Mary Cairncross park near the lovely little town of Maleny. There is a legend of the Glass House Mountains - of course there is. Let me tell you all about it.

So, there was a mother and father, named Beerwah and Tibrogargan, who had many children, Coonowrin was the eldest. One day, Tibrogargan gazed out to sea and noticed a rising of the waters. He hurried to gather the smaller children and he called out to Coonowrin to help his mother, who was pregnant at the time, to flee to the safety of the mountains.

Looking back to see how Coonowrin was assisting Beerwah, Tibrogargan was angered to see him running off alone. He pursued Coonowrin and raised his club and struck him with such an mighty blow that it dislocated Coonwrin's neck, and he has never been able to straighten it since - can you spot Coonowrin 'Crooked Neck' in the photo?

Tibrogargan has never forgiven Coonowrin for his cowardice and to this day still gazes out to sea and never looks round at him.

Beerwah is still pregnant - it takes a long time to give birth to a mountain.




Nice place to live.




A walk through the park.




We were lucky enough, with the aid of the park ranger, to spot a Pademelon, which is a cute little marsupial similar to a kangaroo.










Then to Maleny, which I loved, loved, loved!! Gorgeous location, but not all touristy, just a real town where people live, and the community seemed thriving, with little shops, a pizza restaurant, a couple of bars and even movies (on a Saturday night, at the community hall;).

I liked the outside of this shop, made me want to sit down and relax (but I do always want to sit down and relax;).




The inside wasn't bad either!




And Maleny has possibly the nicest bookshop I have ever been into, it was so enveloping, so warm and welcoming, it made you want to cuddle up on one of their leather chairs and just read all day.










Some recommended reading from Rosetta.




And, I love their quotation - it sums up their wonderful ambience perfectly.




And, owl bookends, which I found at neighbouring shops, I couldn't justify purchasing them so just took photos instead, which is my new way of shopping, I think Alex approves;)







Love
Est xxx