Everybody wants to visit fairy tales and bedtime stories that they listened and read as a child. You know the package: a luxurious castle where you’ll find great food and big queen sized comfy beds, great view from the windows, nearby forest filled with little critters that would make friends with you, birds chirping to compose all kinds of music, nice people in the village decorated with beautiful shops, taverns where you can find finest wine and so on! Now if you already have made a love connection, you may feel like taking your special person and go live in a fairy tale environment such as the one we described above for a few days.
The good news is, you can! Let us tell you this story of a fairy tale town.
Once upon a time, there was this little timber town called Maleny perched high on the Blackall range of Sunshine Coast Hinterland. It is still there, but not only as a timber town, but also a town of fairy tale beauty all around it; the mountains and the seas, rivers and creeks, rainforests and villages for travellers to see.
The most beautiful thing about this tale is there is no villain in this fairy tale town, and you can enjoy your time among this quaint environment for as long as you want. If your beloved is with you, the unquestionably you will have the best time there. Where can you find the castle, you ask? No worries! We will direct you to your castle where you will meet the nicest hosts.
If you are driving towards Maleny from Brisbane, when your carriage (!) reaches the highway at the Glasshouse Mountains Tourist drive, continue along past Australia Zoo, to Landsborough where you turn left and cross over the railway line. This road continues straight ahead up the range to Maleny and is called the Landsborough-Maleny Road.
You’ll see a loop road in the map that joins the Landsborough-Maleny Road in two places. That is Hovard Road. When driving up the range from Landsborough, continue past the first Hovard Road turnoff. Drive along the winding section with the artificial cliffs on the right until you come to the second turn of Hovard Road. You will also see a sign for Alf’s Road here. Stay on the bottom road, and you will see the sign of the place we’re talking about on your left approximately 70 metres in from the main road. Follow the signs and you will find the castle, namely Top of the Hill Boutique BnB.
Top of the Hill is a boutique hotel that offers luxurious, well appointed cabins for couples at a reasonable price at Maleny. Each cabin is decorated with a private spa and deck, with beautiful views of the countryside. They provide deliciously made breakfast, well praised by the reviewers who stayed there. You can order food to your room from local restaurants or take a short drive to the restaurants nearby, or an organic cosy café to spend some quality time. It’s not just the breathtaking nature and refreshing mountain air from the Glass House Mountains that enriches your soul in Maleny, but the welcoming, artistic, eco-friendly community will also charm you.
Top of the Hill is the perfect place to stay if you want to enjoy all the riches of nature and culture Maleny offers. As a plus, you get to spend intimate quality time with your partner, reconnect and strengthen the bonding between the two of you. The private decks in the cabins allows a great view to the countryside that is dotted with cattle from the nearest farm. Gourmet food is available, there are Italian and Thai & Seafood restaurants barely minutes away from the boutique. You can take your partner for shopping to the scenic village of artisans—Montville or go for a romantic picnic near the Obi Obi Creek. The two of you can go wine tasting to the iconic big barrel showroom of Maleny Mountain Wines, where they have red wine, white wine, dessert wines and also fortified wines. If wine isn’t your taste, why not try the locally produced craft beers at the Brouhaha Brewery. There are a number of cheese cafés nearby where you can taste cheese and yogurt. Truly it is a foodie’s paradise!
The Mary Cairncross Reserve Park is the fairy tale rainforest that will remind you of sleeping beauty and all her animal friends. If you are lucky, you will meet little friendly creatures called Pademelons, and even make friends with them as they are not shy around humans. Walking along the dreamy path among a magnificent collection of hinterland trees to the chirping of unique birds of the rainforest with your beloved, you will truly feel like living the fairy tales of your childhood. Don’t forget to take in the breath taking view of the majestic Glasshouse Mountains from the viewing point at the park.
So plan your trip to Maleny and do not be late to book a cabin at Top of the Hill when you do. Among the mountains and stunningly green countryside, you can be a royal guest of Top of the Hill Boutique and have a fable-ous romantic vacation.
