In the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, you will find some pretty amazing lookouts with spectacular panoramic views. Surveying the mountainous ranges of the
Blackall Range and all the way out to the coastlines of the South-East coast of Australia, this part of the Sunny Coast is a great place to enjoy the relaxed vibe of funky little towns such as
Maleny &
Montville all the while partnered with the incredible views you'll see along the Tourist Drive.
Enjoy a coffee with these gorgeous views!
One, in particular, is the rest-stop you will find along Maleny-Montville Road, known as 'Gerrard's Lookout' in the Balmoral Ridge section. With plenty of signage and an awe-inspiring view, you won't miss the turn off to this perfect little spot that's a great place to stretch your legs and enjoy the gorgeous scenery of what Queensland has to offer.
The lookout has a lot of history into it also, the land the lookout stands on was bought by
William & Mary Gerrard in the late 1800s. They used the area as farming land initially, the couple were extremely involved in the community and donated a lot of their produce to the rest of the Eudlo community (now known as Maleny). The Gerrard's were long time friends with the Macintyre Family who through the time of Will & Mary's passing and also their children - donated the piece of land on their behalf as a look-out for all to enjoy and take in the view.
The memorial erected for Charlie & Hazel Gerrard
The only way I came to actually know all of this history was thanks to the lovely gentlemen who served me coffee in the leafy carpark below the lookout. In keeping the family tradition alive, I'm not sure what generation he would have been, but the spirit and efforts of the Gerrard's lives on with a mobile service of
Hinterland Coffee Montville run by the family.
Gerrard's Mobile Coffee - the perfect addition whilst enjoying the view
Not only is his vehicle equipped to make you some of the best Coffee, Tea or Chai to sip back whilst you enjoy the views, but he can also give you a lot of insight into what is an amazingly beautiful part of South-East Queensland with an even richer history. The upkeep of this lookout and the ones nearby are all maintained as well thanks to the efforts of the Gerrard and MacIntyre's generations who live and still work in the area. If you'd like a recommendation too if you're maybe not a caffeine-lover like myself, my mum (& I had a sip!) gave the 'Burma Chai' a go. After the barista's immense explanation as to the difference between a normal Chai & a Burma, we were both sold!
You won't be disappointed with Hinterland Coffee - it is given to you at a fine medium between lukewarm and hot, rather than boiling hot, so you don't have to burn your taste buds to fully get the flavour! We were also let in on a couple tales of international and local visitors to the spot with one amongst them being the famous Elle MacPherson (she liked the matcha apparently - if you want to be like Elle!) who all sign the van with a small donation to be one of Hinterland Coffee's superstars.
The entire setting of Gerrard's Lookout is absolutely beautiful and if you're wondering why I haven't touched on in detail what you'll see; I feel that I shouldn't harp on the views, rather to hope that you will go see it for yourself. A few general things you should know - the lookout is based under a rotunda with plenty of seating, rails to ensure the safety of visitors, wheelchair friendly and also a memorial to give you your bearings of where you are actually standing. Do yourself a favour and make sure next time you find yourself in this part of Queensland, to take on the less-used paths, cause you never know what you could stumble upon!
