Sunshine

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WITH mist hanging heavily in the air after a cold day of drizzling rain, my partner and I slowly wound our way up Mt Tamborine for a much-needed weekend away. The wet glossy ferns and leaves were hanging low with drops of rain, and the fresh mountain air was exactly what my lungs needed to clear out months of re circulated central air-conditioning.

We were booked into Cedar Creek Lodges at Thunderbird Park – about three-quarters of the way up the mountain – and were desperately looking forward to getting away from our daily grind. This was just the place.

The lodges’ horses gave a friendly “neigh.” as we made our way to our cottage, not far from the main lodge.

We happily dragged our bags into one of the lodges’ 10, two-bedroom, architecturally designed Creek Lodges along the banks of Cedar Creek.

With the recent rain, the creek was gurgling happily right outside our cabin, and the fireplace was stocked with carefully placed wood, all ready to light (for city slickers who may have trouble doing it themselves). Marshmallows? We should have brought marshmallows.

Before long, sitting in front of a raging fire with glass of wine in hand, we were happily unwinding into our weekend away in our warm and cosy cottage.

Cedar Creek Lodges have a range of accommodation packages available – Rainforest Remedy, Tamborine Tastings, Wildlife Safari and Heart and Hooves packages – and we were going to sample a little from each during our two-night stay.

As night fell across the mountain, Alison Shaw from Ripple Massage tapped on our door, massage table under arm.

Ripple is a mobile massage service that operates in the Tamborine Mountain, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay and Brisbane regions, focusing on giving hotel or resort visitors a choice of a wide range of massage styles, to be pampered totally in their room, using delicious and luxurious lotions and oils, and also provide all the treatments for Cedar Creek Lodges’ Rainforest Remedy package.

Lying on the massage table in front of the now-blazing and crackling fire, and with the creek bubbling outside, Alison worked her magic from head to toe in a one-hour full-body aromatherapy essential oil massage. I've never felt so relaxed and pampered.

Feeling all relaxed and gooey inside, I would have been quite happy to stay in front of the fire with the cold night outside, but tummies were rumbling.

Ivory Jack’s Club Lounge is a restaurant in the main lodge, but quietly removed from the happy hustle and bustle of the main eatery and games area – complete with wide-screen plasma TV and pool table.

An open log fire was doing a wonderful job of warming the room as we sat down to a delicious hearty dinner of pumpkin soup and mushroom brushetta with caramelised onions to start, and spinach and ricotta tortellini with huge, sweet and juicy king prawns and eye fillet stuffed with artichoke and brie with roasted kipfler potatoes for mains. Delish.

With very full tummies, we took our coffees closer to the fire, settling in the huge Chesterfield leather lounges, reading from the lodges’ in-house library until we were ready to move again.

Wandering back to our cottage for more reading in front of the fire, all that was missing were those marshmallows.

After a swim in the two-person spa, we climbed into bed, with electric blankets turned up high and fell asleep to the babbling creek outside, all toasty warm and content.

The next day brought clear skies, sunshine and a chance to sample part of the lodges’ Tamborine Tastings Package with a trip on the Tamborine Trolley for the Tamborine Tastings Tour.

The trolley picks you up from the lodge and gives you a chance to indulge in some of the mountain’s most delicious offerings.

Our first stop was the multi national and international award-winning Mount Tamborine Distillery, with its dangerously yummy schnapps and liqueurs. It’s never too early in the day for schnapps, especially with flavours like choc-hazelnut, lemoncello, macadamia nut, lemon myrtle or blackcurrant.

The eccentric and hilarious host Michael delights in showing and pouring glasses for visitors from all over the world. And what fun.

With a bottle of choc-hazelnut liqueur in one hand and a final “salute” with the other, it was out the door and back on the trolley, headed for Granny Macs Fudge, which is on the Gallery Walk in the main part of town.

If it wasn't too early in the day for schnapps, it certainly wasn't too early in the day for fudge.

With flavours like pumpkin (didn't feel brave enough to try that one), rocky road, nougat, cherry ripe, coconut rough and everything in between, I sampled a little of everything, convinced that Granny Mac is the best fudge maker in the world. And with the sugar hit of trying all that fudge, and the alcohol still warming the cockles of my heart from our last stop, I felt (and acted) a little like a kid in a candy shop.

I couldn't leave without a slab of the nougat fudge, and maybe some of the rocky road for the trip back to the bus.

Gallery Walk was busy with Gold Coast day-trippers, as it is every weekend, which is what makes the trolley tour so fantastic – you don't have to worry about getting lost or taking a wrong turn, or finding a car park, which is a tall order along the Gallery Walk on a weekend morning.

Tripping happily back on the trolley, it was back to Cedar Creek Lodge for lunch with the chatty lorikeets in Rainforest restaurant.

To walk off lunch and all the goodies that had been consumed that morning, we took a wander around the grounds of Cedar Creek Lodge, though not quite up to taking to one of their walking trails.

Thunderbird Park is home to the world’s largest thunder egg mine and crystal deposit, so we had to have a look through the Rock Shop to see what treasures had been unearthed by past diggers. The colours and crystals hidden inside what look like regular old rocks were amazing. But after a busy day, a long afternoon nap won out over fossicking for thunder eggs.

As it grew dark, as part of the lodges’ Wildlife Safari Package, we set off to see the marvel of glow worms in their natural habitat, just a few minutes drive up the road from the lodge.

Wrapped in warm winter woollies and flashlights in hand, we wandered through the rainforest at night with a small guided group, to see what most are never able to.

The tiny, tiny glow-worms lit up an embankment by an isolated creek like a starry night. It was beautiful and our night tour through the rainforest - even looking out for shooting stars in the bright night sky - was over all too quickly.

Back at the lodge it was back to our cottage and another blissful night’s sleep after a busy day of adventuring.

I slept so well, in fact, I almost missed my morning horse ride with Tamborine Mountain Trail Rides as part of their Heart and Hooves Package.

The beautiful horses were standing patiently by the stables near the main lodge, while people who mostly had no experience whatsoever (me included) climbed up into the saddles, excited with big grins on their faces (me included). I may not know much about horses, or how to ride them properly, but I never really outgrew my girlhood fascination with them and couldn't wait to go for a ride.

I was given a huge but gentle ex-pace horse called Beau, who seemed not to mind terribly that I was sitting on his back. With a couple of pats and sniffs to get acquainted, we were off on our one-hour trail ride through the lush rainforest that surrounds Cedar Creek Lodges. Up and down the narrow trails, Beau and the guides took wonderful care of me and I could quite happily have ridden off into the sunset, though I don't think my backside or legs thought so.

Was I too old to join their saddle club? Yes, probably.

I was sad to leave Cedar Creek Lodges after such a wonderful stay, but I was rested and contented and ready to face another busy week.

With one more pat for Beau, it was back down the mountain with a smile on my face, sore bottom, and plans to come back soon.