{"id":5986,"date":"2025-04-22T11:39:18","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T11:39:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/?p=5986"},"modified":"2025-12-24T21:52:43","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T21:52:43","slug":"12-samford-and-the-mountains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/?p=5986","title":{"rendered":"12. SAMFORD AND THE MOUNTAINS."},"content":{"rendered":"

We are thinking of getting our car done up a bit like this – but without the spelling mistake, obviously!\u00a0 Maybe in lime green or lurid pink!<\/p>\n

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Fish and chips at the Boat Shed at Cotton Tree while frisby is in session.<\/p>\n

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And back home for a typical day with the youngsters…<\/p>\n

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We are off to Coolum Beach.\u00a0 We can’t stand all the electromagnetic waves being generated around the kitchen table!<\/p>\n

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It’s one of those “crowded” beaches.\u00a0 Slightly crowded for the first 50 metres from the carpark and partly occupied out to about 100 metres.\u00a0 Then you get virtually solo occupancy for the next five kilometres.\u00a0 There’s lots of evidence of the recent coastal erosion with tall sand cliffs over long distances.<\/span><\/p>\n

While we were walking, we noticed a cargo ship lurking offshore.\u00a0 The “Find Ship” app. confirmed it was indeed lurking and had been for a while.\u00a0 Presumably awaiting her turn at the wharves in Brisbane.\u00a0 It was the “Morning Calm” and it’s track looked like that of a demented jellyfish!<\/p>\n

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It’s time for another foray into the hinterland.\u00a0 We have been invited to stay with Steve and Marie in Samford a few kms outside the Greater Brisbane area.\u00a0 We met them many years ago in Tasmania.\u00a0 And we are still bothering them!\u00a0 This was one of those days where the weather was very localised.\u00a0 And looking back north from Campbell’s Pocket Road, the Glasshouse Mountains are visible in front of a bit of serious rainfall.\u00a0 Over Keils Mountain!\u00a0 Where we have just come from.\u00a0 And we were in pleasant sunshine.\u00a0 Result!<\/p>\n

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Our hosts live in a luxury retirement village with fabulous facilties.\u00a0 A coffee shop, a restaurant (we had a lovely snack lunch there), a library (Steve is working his way through the entire collection systematically.\u00a0 \u00a0He’s got to the 25th book (“Sirens”) in the 6th compartment reading from the left end!) …<\/p>\n

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… a gym, a twenty one seat theatre …<\/p>\n

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… and swimming pool – all on site.<\/p>\n

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Superb!\u00a0 Samford village is a short walk out of the back gate, and farming land five minutes walk the other way.<\/p>\n

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To get to the field with horses involved crossing a bridge showing serious damage sustained in the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred.\u00a0 Quite a few bits were missing or bent!<\/p>\n

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Samford Creek is normally a placid steam, but evidence of accumulated branches in trees round about indicated that the water level must have been at least three metres above normal.<\/p>\n

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Marie cooked a lovely chicken curry for us all.\u00a0 Excellent!\u00a0 This was followed by an “interesting” selection of traditional Australian films.\u00a0 The content of which should<\/strong> remain confidential, but will it?\u00a0 Probably not!\u00a0 The first was “<\/span>The Adventures of Barry McKenzie” starring Barry Humphries.\u00a0 The second was “Sirens” which was very “interesting” in a totally different direction!!!\u00a0 We had to endure the WHOLE film!!!\u00a0 Lucky we are all over 18!\u00a0 I’m going to have to rethink my views about retirement villages and the residents thereof!\u00a0 Just saying!<\/span><\/p>\n

Typically, we had decided to not rush home the following morning.\u00a0 We negotiated a cash deal for a night in another wild country property in the hills behind Ocean View.\u00a0 Almost unseen and with no booking reference.\u00a0 Possibly a bit risky!\u00a0 With time on our hands, leaving Samford, we headed south into the forest.\u00a0 We have been reliably informed that there is a walking and cycling trail in them there trees.\u00a0 It’ll be a disused railway line, I’m sure.\u00a0 But first we have to find an access point.\u00a0 We need to geo-locate a carpark beside a tennis court with a locked and padlocked toilet block.\u00a0 We found it on the third pass!<\/p>\n

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The access path, at almost a kilometre, was a little longer than expected.\u00a0 (I was going to say “anticipated” but that might have been an incorrect use of the word!)\u00a0 It\u00a0did eventually lead onto the Rail Trail.\u00a0 The Brisbane Valley Rail Trail.\u00a0 The long distance track which runs from Wulkuraka near Ipswich to Yarraman a distance of 161 kms.\u00a0 We don’t really have time to complete the whole thing, so we skipped the first 60 or so kms.<\/p>\n

The first thing we discovered was that we needed a couple of horses.<\/p>\n

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On the whole trail, and quite possibly adjacent territory along the valley, horses have absolute priority over pedestrians AND bicycles.\u00a0 Walkers can only trump cyclists.\u00a0 Maybe someone should tell the speedy two-wheelers!\u00a0 Horses would make travelling easier and much quicker!<\/p>\n

Our schedule (on foot) says that we should arrive in Yarraman about 7 pm.\u00a0 7 pm, the day after next!\u00a0 But we had forgotten the sandwiches, so we bailed out once we had gone far enough to be able to say we walked (on) the trail!<\/p>\n

We then returned to Samford and took highway 31 to Mt. Glorious, via Mt. Nebo.\u00a0 We had imagined that the caf\u00e9 at the summit of Glorious would have spectacular views.\u00a0 Glorious views even!.\u00a0 But it was completely surrounded by trees.\u00a0 No outlook at all, let alone a view!\u00a0 So we kept going another 15 kms to the Wivenhoe Lookout.<\/p>\n

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Here are two views of a distant Wivenhoe Dam – one partly obscured and one uninterrupted.\u00a0 On the viewing platform we met another John – a very popular name!\u00a0 This one was, or had been, a retained fireman responsible for safety operations of the fire service throughout Queensland.\u00a0 At least, his responsibilities lay in that area.\u00a0 He was also a part time Renault service engineer and collector of old and, in his words, “not worth stealing” cars.\u00a0 Earlier in our conversation, I had commented on our concern about the safety of the parking lot, because someone had abandoned an old Renault there!\u00a0 That didn’t offend him – in fact he seemed quite proud of his strategy!<\/p>\n

By the time we retreated to the carpark, we had got quite a full life history.\u00a0 How he was planning to desert Brisbane (too busy) for Warwick.\u00a0 (Toowoomba was too expensive and Stanthorpe too cold!)<\/p>\n

We also now know about the hazards of Viton seals in car engine fires.\u00a0 They are apparently replacements for silicone rubber seals.\u00a0 ln a fire, they can generate hydrogen fluoride and, potentially, hydrofluoric acid.\u00a0 This is a highly corrosive liquid, capable of causing severe burns to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.\u00a0 Not only that, but the fluoride ion in the HF can be absorbed into the bloodstream and bind to calcium, leading to systemic toxicity and potential damage to tissues, including bones.\u00a0 The moral of this story is that cars which are on fire should be avoided.\u00a0 Probably sensible on several levels, but, I guess that’s not an option for firemen!<\/p>\n

The other moral would be not to talk to strange Johns!<\/p>\n

OK.\u00a0 So that’s Mt Glorious fully explored.\u00a0 There’s really only one sensible way out – and that’s back to Samford again!\u00a0 Back round the 250 bends and curves.\u00a0 I counted them.\u00a0 But I did take a phone call from our host-to-be, and I can’t steer, count bends and talk on the phone all at the same time.\u00a0 So we need to add five minutes worth of bends to the total!<\/p>\n

Now we are about to find out the wonders of our country accommodation.\u00a0 In the backwaters of Ocean View.\u00a0 Front and back garden views!<\/p>\n

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The bedroom had a charm of it’s own!\u00a0 With three Cadillacs beside the bed!<\/p>\n

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Real aircraft carrier style monsters!<\/p>\n

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Actually, I can’t tell a lie.\u00a0 Well, perhaps a bit!\u00a0 Sometimes!\u00a0 But in this case, I have to admit, those photos were taken in our host’s apartment one floor down!\u00a0 He was a real character.\u00a0 The cars had amazing provenance.\u00a0 Apparently, one belonged to F. D. Roosevelt and President Bush rode in another.\u00a0 It turned out that our host had something of an athletic background.\u00a0 He had been a triathlete in his youth.\u00a0 And he had an amazing collection of sporting memorabilia.<\/p>\n

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Including, a shirt signed by all the players in an early State of Origin rugby league match.\u00a0 An annual clash between the Queensland and New South Wales State teams.\u00a0 And there were dozens of similar framed mementos of all sorts of sporting and cultural events hanging all round the bedroom-garage!<\/p>\n

Moving swiftly on …<\/p>\n

Driving away from our lodgings, we needed a coffee.\u00a0 Five kms up the road, we stopped at the Ocean View Estate.\u00a0 A Vineyard with a restaurant and coffee bar.\u00a0 But it was shut till 11.30.\u00a0 Over an hour away.\u00a0 Retreat!\u00a0 On the way out of the estate we saw a gallery.\u00a0 So, obviously we stopped for a nosey!\u00a0 It transpired that the gallery was actually a museum.\u00a0 A museum of mathematics.\u00a0 “Mathema”.\u00a0 UNBELIEVABLE!\u00a0 In the middle of nowhere – a stunning exhibition of mathematics.<\/p>\n

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It has explanations of how the Aztecs, ancient Egyptians, Incas and a host of other ancient civilizations managed their finances, tax returns and building projects.\u00a0 It has quizzes for the younger generations and toys and puzzles for everyone.\u00a0 Far too complicated to explain here.\u00a0 I highly recommend you check out www.MathemaGallery.com.au.\u00a0 Save me blathering on about it.\u00a0 Let’s just say that by the time we left, the estate coffee shop had opened and closed.\u00a0 Lunch was almost finished!<\/p>\n

A final exhibit was a statue in the garden.\u00a0 “The Hand of Plato”.\u00a0 The significance of this had to be explained to us.\u00a0 A Platonic solid (of which there are five) is a convex, regular polyhedron in three-dimensional Euclidean space.\u00a0 Being a regular polyhedron means that the faces are congruent regular polygons, and the same number of faces meet at each vertex.\u00a0 Keep up!\u00a0 Clearly these are not to be confused with Archimedean solids which (as everyone knows) belong to a class of convex polyhedra, or 3D shapes, that are formed by regular polygons, but NOT all of the same type.<\/p>\n

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After all that intellectual excitement, we really do need a drink.\u00a0 A further five minutes up the road we found the Pit Stop caf\u00e9.\u00a0 \u00a0Another unique place.\u00a0 Australia does have ’em!\u00a0 \u00a0The view inside was spectacular!\u00a0 Biking and motoring miscellania covered every inch (centimetre) of the walls and ceiling.<\/p>\n

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The view outside wasn’t half bad either.\u00a0 Brisbane was clearly visible on the horizon.\u00a0 It was almost possible to see The Hand of Plato.\u00a0 Well, it would be if we could see into the valley behind us!<\/p>\n

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The final surprise of the day – surely there can’t be any more weird things to find on the way home – was “The Place To Be Caf\u00e9”.\u00a0 \u00a0At Delany’s Creek just short of the township of D’Aguilar.\u00a0 This place is overrun with pigs.\u00a0 Big ones…<\/p>\n

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Like this one metre tall lady – and little ones …<\/p>\n

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I counted 250+ (really) and later found another 25 or so outside in the front garden.\u00a0 According to her husband, the lady proprietor was a lover of pigs.\u00a0 Pigs of all sizes, shapes and colours.\u00a0 Well that is a surprise!\u00a0 Customers often set their five year olds the task of counting them while they have their lunch and an afternoon nap in peace.\u00a0 I feel right at home!\u00a0 But\u00a0I bet I saw more porkers than any five year old!<\/p>\n

I reckon it would be a challenge to find another such eclectic collection of random places in such a short section of country road anywhere else in the universe.\u00a0 But then again, that’s a big place, so it is just possible!<\/p>\n

Now, own up… who has just been searching for the film “Sirens” on the internet?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We are thinking of getting our car done up a bit like this – but without the spelling mistake, obviously!\u00a0 Maybe in lime green or lurid pink! Fish and chips at the Boat Shed at Cotton Tree while frisby is… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-thailand-and-australia-travels-in-2025"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5986","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5986"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5986\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6033,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5986\/revisions\/6033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}