Turn west from the Bruce Highway through Landsborough in the south or Nambour in the north and you climb into the Blackall Range – a chain of green, fertile hills with forests, lush pastures and fruitbearing trees. Mountain townships – Maleny, Montville, Flaxton and Mapleton – are perched along the range. The road that strings them together follows the razorback spine of the escarpment, offering stunning views of the coastal lowlands, the Mary Valley and, in the south, the crags of the Glass House Mountains.

Maleny

People flock to this friendly town to escape the ordinary – whether for a weekend, a week or the rest of their lives. Maleny’s traditional country charms are now complemented by attractions such as art and craft galleries, award-winning restaurants, organic produce stores, a winery, markets, getaway cottages, rural resorts, a health retreat and an equestrian centre. While you’re there, treat yourself to some award-winning ice-cream and Maple Street’s other culinary delights, or stay a night or two in one of the many charming B&Bs or hosted accommodation houses.

Wine buffs can intrigue their tastebuds at Maleny Mountain Wines at the Big Barrel on the way up from Landsborough. Wonder at ancient rainforests at nearby Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve. The 52ha park has 2km of walking track, with 1.2km wheelchair accessible, and a wealth of rainforest flora, including staghorns, orchids, strangler figs and one of Australia’s best remaining stands of red cedar. Watch for pademelons crossing your path, and see if you can spot the shy whipbirds and catbirds that break the forest hush with their strange cries. Nearby scenic vantage spots are McCarthy’s Lookout, for breathtaking views of the Glass House Mountains, and Howell’s Knob, Balmoral, Gerrards’ and Dulong Lookouts, all with great views of the Sunshine Coast. Peaceful Gardners Falls is a mountain eden, with a popular swimming hole. Tucked away in the valley below is Lake Baroon, where you can relax after a picnic or BBQ lunch, go swimming, canoeing or sailing, and cast or troll a lure for a prized Australian bass. Explore the surrounding countryside and you will come across some master artisans, who work according to age-old traditions or with a novel flair. Nearby Witta, on the Maleny-Kenilworth Road, offers B&B accommodation, farmstays, cabins and cafés overlooking the Conondale Valley.

Montville

Montville’s spectacular ridgetop location earned the name of Razorback when timber-getters and citrus-growers first settled there in the 1880s. It has been a mountain escape since the early 1900s, when people began to go there for the cool mountain air and the crystal-clear vistas of the rolling coastal plain and the sparkling Pacific Ocean. Today Montville is a blend of historic sites, specialist shops and chic cafés and galleries, many with a touch of whimsy. Take a stroll along the main street and you’ll see Tudor, Irish and English cottages, alpine chalets, a village green and an old mill water-wheel. A Heritage Trail is signposted through the village, explaining the historical significance of various sites.

Discriminating shoppers are bound to find something different at this ‘creative heart of the Sunshine Coast’ – whether it’s an innovatively designed fashion item, a rare antique or a piece of pottery of striking originality. There is nowhere better than the Montville eateries for food, whatever culinary style you fancy – it’s all wholesome and delicious. And why not visit the nearby Settlers Rise Vineyard and Winery, where you can relax on the verandah of a lovingly restored Queensland homestead and enjoy panoramic views of rolling hills and the Sunshine Coast, while you sample a selection of award-winning wines created by master winemaker Peter Scudamore-Smith. If you visit at Christmas, you will find the main street festooned with lights, enhancing the intimacy of the village nights. Montville is the perfect base for exploring this scenic mountain country and the nearby townships of Eudlo, Palmwoods and Woombye. Choose from well-appointed motel suites, cosy guesthouses and luxury private cabins. Above Eudlo there is even a meditation retreat, Chenrezig, with a resident Tibetan lama for the spiritually minded.

Flaxton

This tranquil hamlet, spectacularly sited high on the escarpment, has many fine examples of early Queenslanders – finely crafted timber houses with iron roofs, tongue-and-groove walls, spacious verandahs and decorative timberwork. Flaxton also has a winery and wedding centre with extensive coastal views, a French restaurant and delicatessen, a resident potter and a café. No trip to the area would be complete without a short detour to Kondalilla National Park. Here you can picnic at the entrance and take a rainforest walk to the spectacular waterfalls. The rock pool at the head of the falls is a great place to cool off on a summer day.

Mapleton

At the northernmost point of the Blackall Range, Mapleton has sweeping views of the rich farmland of the coastal plain with the ocean beyond, and is renowned for its scenic beauty. This village, which was settled in 1888, is backed by forest. It is a setting-off point for Mapleton Falls National Park and Mapleton Forest Reserve, both of which are home to a range of interesting and in some cases rare flora and fauna. Look for the mighty bunya pines rising above the canopy. Mapleton’s famous Lilyponds Park has picnic facilities, a caravan park, a children’s playground and an abundance of waterbirds. Connoisseurs of the venerable Australian art of yarn spinning are drawn to the Mapleton Yarn Festival, when the event takes place at the Mapleton Tavern. The tavern provides cool refreshment, and has retained many of the features of its original Federation architecture. Its wide verandahs offer spectacular views to the coast. If Mapleton’s charms make you long to stay, there’s a range of accommodation to suit

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