Our Country Lunches are normally near a train line and away from the centre of Brisbane, albeit sometimes not very far. This time we are venturing a little further afield – up the Sunshine Coast highway - and therefore our journey will necessarily be by some means of transport other than train. Although Landsborough Sation is at the bottom of the range, there is no bus service from there to our destination. We will all need to make our own way to this Country Lunch in vehicles. If you don’t have one, why not ring a friend with a car and convince them to come along and to take you as well. If you have transport difficulties, let me know early, so I can try to pair you up with a driver. Please don’t let transport difficulties stop you from coming along.

Mountain View Cafe is situated near the entrance to the famous Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve in the beautiful Glass House Mountains district. This is not just another café, but a beautifully situated country restaurant with a modern menu. They have a small variety of tasty, nicely-presented meals which Greg and I have already sampled. There’s a selection of desserts to eat-in and also a number of sweet treats you can buy to take away. In addition, they are licensed, so their invitation to prospective visitors reads: “Drop in for a bite to eat with a glass of wine or a locally roasted award winning coffee, as you explore the Reserve and take in the breathtaking views”.

Beside the café is the information centre, a short rainforest walk and a natural history display of what can be seen in this unique piece of rainforest. https://mary-cairncross.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/see-and-do/reserve-significance  I found it one of the best, most-engaging interactive displays of natural history I’ve seen anywhere – definitely worth a visit. Entry is by donation.

The views from the Mountain View Café are stunning – out over the escarpment to the Sunshine Coast and an amazing view to and of the Glasshouse Mountains. Not to be missed! (See the photo above for a sneak preview.)

Please save the date in your calendar now, start planning how you will get there on the day and look out for the RSVP date that will be added to this article in the March and April editions of Jilalan. Then you can text me by that date to book your place at the table. I hope a large number of Members and Visitors will come to this special Country Lunch. Start planning to be there now – and invite a friend or two!