Nadia – August-September 2019

ADVENTURENOOSA

PEPPERS.COM.AU/NOOSA

ARTSERIESHOTELS.COM.AU/FANTAUZZO

PEPPERS.COM.AU/SOUL-SURFERS-PARADISE

AIRNEWZEALAND.CO.NZ

PTERODACTYLHELICOPTERS.COM.AU

afternoonshadowsdrawlonger,sipbeer

fromyourbalconyasyouwatchthe

kangarooshopby.

OntheGoldCoastwefoundsome

verycoolplacesoffthebeatentrack–

19Karen,a contemporaryartspace,and

TheBorrowedNursery,whichiswortha

lookforanyplantlover.GranddadJack’s

istheGoldCoast’sfirstcraftgin

distillery,builtentirelyonthestoryof

GranddadJack,a manborninTimaruin

1919 whosavedthefamilyfarm(and

supportedhismotherandsisters)by

goingouttoworkasa youngboy,

followingthedeathofhisfather.The

family-runbusinesswasfoundedbyhis

grandsonandgreat-grandson.Wefound

GranddadJack’sgintobegoodandthe

establishmentoozescharacter.

WealsocameacrossTheBamBam

Cafe,knownforits‘bluelattes’,whichare

notactuallycoffee-based.Thecoffeeis

excellentandsoisthefood.

AtRickShoresinBurleighHeadswe

discoveredMoretonBaybugsliders.I

found an online review where someone

TwodaysinBrisbaneisnotenough,
butnextonouritinerarywasSurfers
ParadiseontheGoldCoast,whereI was
surprisedtofindmuchmorethanthe
clichédsun,surfandsandexperience.
Wetravelledtherebyhelicopterand
stoppedonthewayforlunchatHomage
RestaurantatSpicersHiddenVale,which
isperchedona ridgeandboasts
sweepingmountainviews.Again,it was
thestarterthatimpressedme– lightly
pickledMurraycodwithbushlemon
andlettucepickedthatday.Light,tasty
andbeautifullypresented.
Theproperty’shomesteadwas
destroyedbyfirein 2018 duetoan
electricalfault,butintruepioneering
styleitsownerssimplymovedthe
kitchenoutdoorsandbeganserving
mealsintheirbarns.(Thenew
homesteadshouldbefinishedbynext
year.)Therestaurant’swholemenuis
designedarounditsoutdoorwood-fired
styleofcooking.
Youcanstayincottage-style
residences on the property, and as the

actuallysaid,“IfI shouldeverfind

myselfondeathrowandtheyaskme

whatI wouldlikemyfinalmealtobe,it

wouldbea RickShoresMoretonBaybug

roll.”I wouldhavetoagree;theyarethe

bestthingI haveevereaten.Washed

downwitha glassortwoofbubblesas

youtakeinthegorgeousseaviews,life

doesn’tgetmuchbetter.

I leftQueenslandfeelingI couldhave

stayedlonger– therewassomuchtodo

andsomuchwonderfulfood to sample.

I willdefinitelybeback.•

Karynstayedat:PeppersNoosaResort&

Villas,NoosaHeads;TheFantauzzo,

Brisbane;PeppersSoul,SurfersParadise.

SheflewwithAirNewZealandand

helicopteredfromBrisbanetotheGold

Coast with Pterodactyl Helicopters.

TakeyourpickOppositepage(fromtop):AccommodationatSpicersHiddenVale,80kmwestofBrisbane;19Karengallery,MermaidBeach;

a strikinglypresentedcoddishatHomagerestaurant,SpicersHiddenVale(thefishis hiddeninsidethelettuce);GranddadJack’sgindistillery;

cheese and vines at The Borrowed Nursery. This page: Homage’s kitchen garden; oceanside fine dining at Rick Shores, Burleigh Heads.