From sleek creeks to cool pools, there’s plenty of ways to keep your cool in the Capricorn Coast hinterland in summer.
1. Snuggle up to a Snake
Not only does Cooberrie Park Wildlife Sanctuary rehabilitate more than 150 injured or sick wild animals a year, it also plays a really cool (see what we did there?) role in housing animals that are subject to the illegal pet trade or even those involved in custody disputes following relationship breakdowns (yes, it’s a thing). Summer in this park is when the snakes come into their own and you’ll love their pythons here. In the spring and summer months you’ll find more animal babies and those preening peacocks are at their most brilliant. In summer, you’ll discover the kangaroos down by the creek as you do a cool little rainforest walk. Oh, and did we mention this 10ha property even has a swimming pool for park visitors?
2. Swim in the Rainforest
Swap those winter fireplaces for the cool pool of our favourite Byfield property, Ferns Hideaway Resort. Ferns even boasts its own sandy beach which leads into Waterpark Creek where you can swing from a tree into the crisp waters here, or grab a tree-green canoe and paddle its clear waters. Byfield receives the highest rainfall out of anywhere in central Queensland, so it’s always lush out here. Take the Waterpark Creek rainforest walk and you can encounter the rare Byfield Fern, the only place in the world where it is grown. You’ll recognise it by its waxy, emerald, green leaves and jagged edges. In the summer months, you can see this in bulb.
3. Take a Tea Tree Tour
Around summer, the tea trees flower like snowflakes on Jordan Starke’s Waterpark Farm, which is home to 850,000 tea trees. Summer can mean sunburn in Queensland, but tea tree oil, which you can buy here, is ideal for treating that. So popular are the products made on this property, they produce 5000 120ml tubes of tea tree cream a year, selling in shops around the country and with future plans for the Chinese market. You can learn all about tea tree on a tour of this farm which starts in a safari bus and ends on the cool Waterpark Creek in a boat. The water in this tannin-stained creek is believed to be up to 360 years old and you’ll find turtles here, but few fish.
www.waterparkfarm.com.au
4. Creatives with a Conscience
How cool is this? The fine folk at Nob Creek Pottery are not only content producing their own lovely work, but to honour their travels and support other artists in developing nations, you’ll find a smattering of craft from around the world here. Potters and partners Sue McBurnie and Steve Bishopric have been collaborating with fellow artists, particularly those in neighbouring south-east Asia, and you’ll find beautiful hand-crafted jewellery as well as sublime silk scarves from seven different countries here.
“It is very rewarding when you know you are doing something for local craftspeople,” Sue says.
“You build relationships with them and sometimes you are their only source of income.
“Australian craftspeople aren’t the only ones who are struggling.”
Sue, a former teacher, also works with rehabilitating people with drug and alcohol issues through pottery workshops.
Children who visit Nob Creek Pottery are also offered free workshops and their chance to get their hands dirty through playing with clay.
Watch this space for more workshops for the general public coming up in the future too.
