Cheese, Mustard, Honey And an Alpaca Shop

Long straight roads almost no other traffic, just put the car in cruise control, we will arrive.

Milawa North East Victoria.
We turned into the gravel car park to the Milawa cheese company a great looking building that has deli room a big restaurant area with out side eating, furniture is all in light wood, there is a bakery attached, selling hand crafted bread made from sourdoughs with English, French and Italian influences.

For the Cheese that's why we are here.

Life of Brian-"Blessed are the cheese-makers."

The Milawa cheese company was founded in 1988 by David and Anne Brown. All the cheeses are hand made using no preservatives and made with non animal rennet. Their aim is to bring full flavoured farmhouse cheese to everyone.

Once inside we were greeted by a nice lady who said that we could taste the cheese, they have a vast selection of goats and cows milk cheeses, fresh curds,white moulds to washed rinds and blue vein cheese....there is a cheese for every palate. I will keep away from the Blues!

 We tasted a few (apart from the blue ones) and they were delicious the soft brie like cheeses were very mild and Jeannette's favourite was a goats cheese flavoured with chilli and herbs...tasty!!!!!
Mark's favourite is Milawa Gold  type rich yellow cheese with gold to red rind with soft creamy taste.

In total we tasted 18 of the 22 cheese we left the blues alone 11 of the cheese are made form coats milk very tasty these are, I liked the Milawa Goat's Camembert.

They have award wining cheeses and have been given cups and medals.
The Tasting Notes opening statement says:-
"All cheeses are hand made at the historic Milawa Butter Factory using traditional methods, without preservatives and using non-animal rennet."

Milawa Mustards

Hand made Mustards using home grown ingredients.


The building is an old Inn, Called the "Old Emu Inn" The Crossroads. still keeping it's old world feel including old style shop fitting plus counter with all the different styles of mustards lay out ready for tastings, you will also find a range of 200 condiments.
We found the mustards laid out in the following way.

• Mild Mustards   = Honey, sage, rosemary, Tarragon, Garlic, Dill & Lemon and Green Peppercorn.
• Warmish            = Bourbon and Ginger & Orange.
• Moderately Hot =  Horseradish, chilli and Hot Honey.
• Hot                    = Balsamic, French Style, Spicy Oriental and Three Seed.
• Very Hot           = Superfine Hot and Flaming Hot Chilli ( BEWARE )

All Mustards are made by David, we had a chance to talk to him, the mustard is grown by them they have kept the look and feel of a cottage industry.

Beechworth


A town with History, we headed for the Information building in the Town Hall/ Old Shire Offices, It's a sunny day the ladies behind the desk are all wrapped up for Arctic weather their heating went down. We picked up a booklet on the town and for the price of $1 A Self Guided Walking Tour.
It follows a route up Ford Street you will then find Williams Street, Camp Street, Church Street and the High Streets off it.
or the cost of $10 per Adult you can go on a walking tour.

• Echoes of history
• Ned Kelly

Our Highlights

• Beechworth Honey we enjoyed tasting the 20 different honeys, they also have live bees in the shop.
• Dropped into the sweet shop, no more said!
• Lunch in the bakery shop they also have a video running on how to make bread, rolls & pies.
• Alpaca shop, Jeannette fell in love with an Alpaca teddy bear, Note $275, made out of 1 baby alpaca, these baby alpaca's have died due to sickness or the freezing weather, the farmers sell them on to make money.There is was a shaw brilliant deep colours very soft it will keep you warm, have you got $750?? 
• A drive around the Beachworth Historic Park that takes in the Gorge and Newtown bridge and falls.

What next Wine Vines & Yards...........................................................

Real Hot Chocolate what a Dream

A week at Kay's. Stone Grill a new Experience

A week away. That's A Joke.

So much to tell, we have had a weeks holiday from the web, over the next week we will write up what we have done.

To stay with a great friend, like really great friends, you do not give enough time, to keep in contact. Sorry I didn't take photo's of our evening out, so a couple of random scenery shot's of the fanatic area we were in. "No Clues"
 Kay said,
"we'll eat out tonight, the local place has Stone Grill menu on half price special tonight.
"Have we had this type of meal before?"
"No" I said "What is it?"
"Cooking on stones" Kay replied.

For those of you who havn't like us, herd or even had a Stonegrill meal.
The Japanese cook in a similar way.
Or Lava Stone eating.

STONEGRILL is a trademark,

The place Hotel Australia, the owner Brett showed us to our table, the table was laid out as you would expect, but the place mat is a laminated A3 sheet that gives an introduction to Stonegrill dinning and the Stonegrill Menu.
I am going to share with you the introduction and a sample of a couple of the meals, from the menu of 9 items.
this is a "Half Price" promotion tonight average meal cost $18.

Introduction

Stonegrill dining is a new and exciting experience that allows your meal to be presented cooking on a heated stone at your table

High Temperature sears in all the natural juices and nutrients, giving you a taste beyond anything you have ever experienced before.

For the perfect Stonegrill experience, simply turn over your selection when it arrives, then cut and 

side-lay a portion or two,allowing these to sear and cook to your liking.

Dining from the Stonegrill enables you to enjoy a meal freshly grilled to personal taste, whether it be rare, medium or well done.

your meal will remain hot and enjoyable, allowing you to dine at leisure.

Stonegrill is recognised as one of the healthiest methods of cooking, as all produce is completely trimmed of fat and no added oils are are used.

Written up by Brett & Rose of the Hotel Australia 

Our Choice.

• Stonegrill Seafood Combination - Fresh scallops, prawns, fillet of fish and other seasonal delicacies. Served with dipping sauce. Jeannette & Kay
• Eye Fillet Of Beef - Prime aged tenderloin on the Stonegrill is the only way. Served with freshly made cream pepper sauce. Mark

Other Choice's

• Stonegrill Chicken Breast Served with mandarin sauce. 
• Marinated satay combination, skewered selection of lean beef, pork tenderlion, lamb fillet and chicken served with sweet chilli sauce.
• Surf and Turf , A combination of prime aged tenderloin and fresh prawns, served with dipping sauce of creamy pernod and green peppers.
• Kangaroo Fillet, Succulent Kangaroo fillet grilled on-stone, served with a red currant sauce.

When the food came out, it is fantastic. A china plate holding the very very hot stone "Do Not Touch" you can feel the heat across room, my steak was sizzling, a compartment either side of the dish, one holding chips the other fresh salad plus small jug of creamy pepper sauce.

Jeannette's stone came out with the stone in the centre, plus compartments, one with salad the other chips, another long serving dish came out with very fresh seafood laid out.

Now we cooked our own dinner the way we liked, "Outter Site."

The restaurant was 75% full, people having fun cooking and chatting plus this is a good way to share, you cannot resist wanting to try what is on your follow dinners plates.

Note the room can get hot??????????????????????????

I talked to Brett the owner about the success of this way of cooking? He said, "I don't get any complaints as the food is very fresh, and the customers cook it."

With a copy of the menu and a leaflet on Stonegrill Dining I was a very happy man.

Good Food Good Company and for another blog very very goooooooood wine.

More to come from Our week away.

Outstanding Customer Service and Health &Safety

A Mid morning walk to Mooloolah situated in Beautiful
Queensland Australia, the sun is shining, fluffy clouds in
 the sky temp 22c.





Along the road through the fields listening to the bird calls and unknown other animal sounds, coupled with a sprinkling of different designed property, not like the repetitive housing estate designs at home.

Mooloolah Centre even has a main line rail link for commuters to travel the hour or so journey to Brisbane.
A note the rail system in Australia needs to be brought up to date it's about 30 years behind the rest of the world, if the Japanese people can have the most advance rail system with in a small croup of islands, why can't  Australia put one in place within it's large land mass?


The wild life at every turn I walk pass a field of these birds!!!!!
Jeannette who walking behind me called me back, lucky for me I didn't frighten these birds away.
They are "Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo"


Towards the end of our walk approx 1 mile 
from Jeannette's aunts house.
We approached a small Bridge, the foot path to the right was wash away with the flooding this area had around February, it lifted the concrete and ash-felt (Tarmac to you and me).
The workmen had finshed the path, the concrete is still wet, as you expect  most workman to do, having a Tea Break. 
When you see road works going on, you will find warning signs and guy's controlling the traffic.
We approached the bridge one of the traffic safety guys came over to us an said "Hi Hows it going?" "A great day thank you" came our reply.
"Just to let you know we have just finished the path, we don't want any foot prints, hand prints or signs marking the concrete." 
"A kids delight marking their names in the path I was here." Jeannette said. 
He is a verrrrry nice young man, "because you have to walk on the bridge itself, and Health & safety states I will have to escort you across."
Thank you and have a nice day, the funny thing is we approached the bridge on the road, and still have half a mile to go, walking on the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Outstanding customer service and a job well done.

A Blog For Jeannette's Mum, Christine's house Just like a show House

Pictures For Jeannette's Mum

A bedroom, 6ft wide bed this room can take at least 3 double beds.





On suite plus a walk-in changing room, every thing for him and her.
Lights every were, who's paying the electric bill?






Take a good look this area is bigger than the whole of my ground floor space at home.

Kitchen, Inside and outside dinning area very outstanding class wall that is split push to the sides that open out into a large garden, part of the kitchen is a walk in wine store, plus a laundry room.


Relaxing outside seating area, note Christine's very large mirror

Below to the right 1 of 2 relaxing lounge / reception rooms










Anyone for a swim










Need to start saving.

Maroochy Surf Club For A Refreshment

A Day Out In Maroochydore Queensland

A Day with Jeannettes Cousin Dena.

20 minutes drive we entered Maroochydore headed for the sea front and parked the car, facing the car park is a whole area of café's and bars so many choices for coffee and lunch even a well known brand "Starbucks"

What to do? spoiled for choice, underwater world, fishing trips, swimming, surfing, speed walking, jogging fitness stations and BBQ areas, or a relaxing stroll in either direction for as many miles as you would want.

This Way No

For those of you colleagues and friends who are having training days, team building, vision day or even attending or not attending school outing/sport days because it has been cancelled for whatever reason,
the Sun is out not a cloud in the sky the temp is 22c, water temp between 18c -20c and it is winter!! sailing boats are out, kids are swimming, surfing and messing around, what a beautiful place to hold your events.

As you walk along the sea front or on the sandy beach there are areas to swim that have surf life guard cover (Swim between the flags), next to some of these areas you will find the Surf Club, which is open to surf members or the public were you can have either tea, coffee or even a cold beer, they serve food,  also you will find pokies (slot machines)

This way

Today the service at one of these clubs fell short, especially with a poor start!

Maroochy Surf Club Alexandria Parade Maroochydore 4558.

On deciding that we will have coffee, Dena suggested the surf club as it has a large window over looking the beach and sea, ' A Room With A View'.

Room with a view

On walking in, the guy at the reception said we need to sign in  then he wanted ID, ie driving licence, I had mined Jeannette showed hers, Dena left hers  in the car, the reception guy wanted Dena's proof of address, he was prepared to refuse her  entry, Dena said "these guys are from aboard here on holiday and I am over 18 you know!" reluctantly he let us in muttering about proof of address next time.

At the top of the stairs is the entry to the restaurant, the customer service person explained what was on the lunch menu and apologised for the building work.
I ordered 3 coffees was given a bleeper to let me know when the drinks are ready for collection.
We grab a table at the window what a fantastic view, shame about the racket? What a noise so loud you couldn't hear yourself  think.
It must have been pension day all the retired folk of Maroochydore are out for a treat, Our bleeper hasn't gone off it was now over 20 minutes wait for 3 coffees, is a " Joke," may be they had to pick and roast the beans then the bleeper went off.

They need to change the way they serve hot drinks have a separate area from the food.

For entertainment:-

• Use the hand dryer in the toilets, Make "JetBlade" Coloured lights come on, one with an outline of a guy.
• Month July, Why is there a Christmas draw and a father Christmas manikin? Even deal or no deal is all set out for Christmas.

A note of support.

Surf Life Saving clubs do an outstanding Job ensuring beaches have life saving cover, giving the local youth opportunity, training, purpose and developing life skill like teamwork, communication and confidence.  

A Winters Day In Queensland Car Trip

A Great Day Out. 

A Sunday drive.

Temperature at Glenview Sunshine coast when started  20c.

Car journey a very scenic drive up to peanut producing country then on to the Bunya Mountains.   

On the way up there was a couple of road works one we had to wait for 20 minutes  for the on coming traffic to come through, the temporary  traffic lights to change which didn't happen untill the traffic control car came through "Last!," while waiting it's amazing that car drivers totally ignore road signs that state "Do Not Get Out Of Your Car"

We stopped in Nanango on the way the fields had cattle in them and old style bore hole pumps, ie like in a western windmill.
The area is very dry as if in drought, the colour of the grass is sandy, if  you look close there is lots of water around, either as a dam or water hole/creek. Lots and lots of cattle and horses  no sheep to be seen.


Gold mining area Nanango
The miners relied on temporary dwelling while they mined, once the gold ran out they moved on. 
Every thing looks dry as if in an old western town, the buildings including a separate one for the Dunny.
We found mine shaft, corral, water tower and a rocking cradle.

From here we visited the peanut museum  next  to the Peanut factory. (kingaroy)
The Peanut Silos are a Huge Landmark that can been seen for miles around. 

Did you know as I didn't "Peanuts are legumes" From the bean family.

they grow like potato plants, then they grow out runners back into the soil were the peanuts grow from.

Note the best Peanuts in the world are grown in Queensland.

We followed the history of peanut farming, with exhibits showing from planting and harvesting by hand to the early machinery.

From here approx 50k drive to the Bunya Mountains first half of drive on very flat road with a view as far as you can see, then just on the horizon  hills turning off on to the Bunya road which is only wide enough for a 4x4 with very little space to pass widing its way down then up, followed by a round sign stating that we were 1200m above sea level.

Bunya Mountains home of the Bunya tree that produces cones that weigh at least 7kg, so no walking under them and no the those of you that are scan reading, the cones are not Icecream cones.
Note from an article by  POSTED BY ARTHUR EADES
"If Isaac Newton had been struck on the head by a bunya-bunya cone instead of a mere apple, the theory of universal gravitation might have died at birth."


We  turned into a holiday cabin area that has shops, cafe', conference centre and forest walks. Being so high up the wind chill was around zero.

We had a coffee in the cafe how disappointed were we, a cafe that had sold all of its sandwiches.
So we opted for scones and jam, meat pie and hedgehog slice. Aeresol cream, and a plain pie on plate..no presentation skills to be seen!!!!

Activities around the area.
Walking tracks
Tennis
Local Village / shops
Taking photos
Jeannette's Favourite Bird Feeding  


This area is very relaxing pity the cafe was poor, this I feel down to new owners.
Note from the Guest Information:-

• Falling Bunya Cones.
• Stinging nettles &Gympie sting trees.
• Ticks 

Wildlife safety

• Wallaby crossing / wildlife residents cross roads without warning / note the signs

Glass House Mountain drive

In Sight of Jeannette's aunts house and 20 minutes drive are the Glass House Mountains.







History.They are steep sided plugs of Trachyte and Rhyolite,  most impressive land marks in south east Queensland.

A very nice day sunny few clouds around and very little traffic for a Sunday with Schools on 2 weeks holiday




                                                Every day brings out a surprise or two, new sights and sounds.

Come and see

Me Me (cane toad)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A View from a road side cafe' .Mount Coonowrin.


We had another surprise awaiting in the cafe'  sorry we unable to get photo's,  another young couple had a wicker baby basket, that we thought was a baby, turned out to be a very small, smaller than my palm a very cute baby kola bear.

A very good day out, the lookout is all laid out for the tourist and families out having picnics  plenty of parking, toilets and BBQ area. 
Information boards about the Glass House Mountains and local History

The Jokes in the "Shape"

Its amazing to think that these mountains which are volcano plugs, were here when captains cook sailed into Australia, we are here looking at what greeted him all those years ago....amazing!!!!         

What's this plant?

Pick you own themed camper van, we have seen so many types I might start my own photo collection!

So much information given.

Motorbike trails track plus 4X4 track