SUNSHINE COAST DAY OUT – Itinerary: Sunshine Coast Hinterland Picnic

Stuck for something to do and keen for a nice drive and bite to eat?

Head to the Sunshine Coast for a day full of selfie worthy experiences and yummy food!

Take a drive to Maleny, for cheese, a decent coffee, and a picnic by the water…

The prospect of a waterside picnic might sound strange when you’re headed for the Sunshine Coast hinterland, but if you’ve ever taken the road that runs the ridge between Maleny and Montville you will have seen glimpses of Baroon Pocket Dam.

There are plenty of grassy picnic areas that line the dam banks – whether you get there via Maleny or Montville.

And even better, there are SO many places to get a good coffee, bottle of wine, or snacks in the hinterland, that you don’t even need to pack a picnic basket before you head off.

Montville is known for it’s quaint and varied styles of coffee shops and cafes, where as Maleny has really come along in the last few years with plenty of health and wellness focussed market stores and cafes.

Somewhere on the road between the two is Maleny Cheese, who offer a range of locally made boutique cheeses to pair perfectly with a nice glass of wine for your picnic.

(Quick side note, if you’ve decided to get down to the dam through Montville – make sure you’ve a car with a bit of oomph to get back up! That road is STEEEP!)

After you’ve had a nice lunch and a relaxing sit down by the dam, and before you head home, do yourself (and the local farmers) a favour by visiting Maleny Dairies. You can grab yourself some fresh creamy milk or a range of dairy treats, or jump on the tractor and take a hay ride across the farm to see the animals! (Trust us if you’ve got kids, they’ll love it!) Maleny Milk has been voted best Peoples Choice milk 3 years in a row, so it’s worth the visit while you’re nearby! You don’t need to book and the drive there itself is picturesque!

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