Superb Sunshine Coast - The Ginger Factory

When some of my mothers group friends mentioned they had bought the annual pass to The Ginger Factory here on the Sunshine Coast I naively thought what a waste of money {without any concept of what one would do at a Ginger Factory}.

big kudos to the marketing/branding team - love the logo/packaging

But after a visit to the factory recently, I may have to eat my {unspoken} words. That, or some delicious ginger and passionfruit ice cream {churned on site}

The Ginger Factory is a destination that you really could stay at all day. Located in Yandina {about an hour from Brisbane} and open 364 days a year, there are plenty of activities and attractions to keep the whole family entertained. Admission and parking are free and guests are welcome to roam the beautiful park and gardens at their leisure. For people looking for a bit more adventure or education there are rides and tours and let's not forget seasonal food and wine to kick back and relax after a big day of exploring.

The Ginger Cafe and the Icecreamery are conveniently located adjacent to a fabulous and nearly-brank-spankin' new set of play equipment. The play ground is extremely clean and I found it great that littler kids have the option of playing in a separate area. Which area do you think my not-even-two year old wanted to play in? So while you enjoy a meal or drink {did I mention they are licensed?} let the kids play to their hearts content.

Free wifi is available for customers {without needing a password} too.

If your kids are anything like mine, play equipment is like the equivalent of a trip to New York so prying them off to check out the other attractions may be a little difficult. Ned wasn't initially overly keen {read, crying uncontrollably 'shide, shide'} to take a ride of Moreton, the Ginger Train but settled in about half way through when he spotted some ducks {chickens actually, but close enough}. We all really enjoyed the Overboard ride and went around for a second time once Ned had got the idea to try and find the gingerbread man. 

Although we didn't get to experience the full Super Bee show or Factory Tour due to one certain member of our party of three not cooperating, I would recommend both of these. The staff are super passionate about the importance of bees and are keen to spread the word to raise awareness of just how vital bees are to our existence. The Factory Tour explains the history of Buderim Ginger and gives you a sneak peek into the creation of a whole range of ginger products. I discovered that the original Buderim Ginger factory was actually at the site of my local Woolworths - a mere two minute drive from my house!

In addition to all of this, there are a range of shops at the Park including those located near the train at Ginger Town and the obligatory Ginger Shop you will notice as you enter the park. The Ginger shop has a whole stack of products including gourmet foods, kitchenware and skincare and in my opinion, very reasonably priced.

The grounds are immaculate, the parents room is clean, spacious and has all the amenities you would expect and the staff are lovely. Prices and deals can be located here and tickets can be bought either at the park or online. The VIP pass is just $35.00 which grants you entry into the boat and train for an entire year and for those with little ones under 4, they are free meaning it's a fabulous and affordable way to entertain the kids all year long.

A great day out on the Superb Sunshine Coast for kids, little and big.

Location: 50 Pioneer Road, Yandina {exit 215 off the Bruce Highway - Sunshine Coast, QLD}

Superb Sunshine Coast - Maleny Botanic Gardens

On a whim after lunch on Saturday we decided to head Sunshine Coast hinterland way and visit the Maleny Botanic Gardens.

You see we'd heard about the gardens and the bird aviary  a month or so ago when a guy was walking around Mooloolaba with a beautiful bird named Rocky {the same name as our dog}. As Ned loves birds {or duckies as they are all called}, we stopped to have a chat and the handler bent down to reach into his backpack to give us a brochure. The next minute the macaw was high up in a pine tree overlooking Mooloolaba beach. Initially we thought it was a bit of an act/show and the bird would fly back to the handler on command. But no, it was a complete accident! We later found out that eventually Rocky was retrieved after quite the morning saga investigating different holiday apartment options.

Before leaving home I checked the website and was a little sceptical about going given the admission cost but those doubts were completely nullified when we arrived and were greeted by the amazing staff, Lucy the cockatoo and the spectacular grounds. And then we had the bird aviary experience.

Beyond Words.

Thirty plus minutes in the 1000 sq m aviary where we were free to roam, to hold, to pat, to become a pirate or to be completely overwhelmed/freaked out by the countless varieties and personalities of the many birds who call Maleny Botanic Gardens home.

Or if you're game, you can feed a macaw with a VERY large beak an almond from your mouth.

Ned was interested in the tiny little birds mostly walking on the ground - we were kind of freaked out that we might squash/step on them. He wasn't too keen on the larger birds who like to just fly up and sit on your shoulder or your head. Birds of all sizes all seem to live in harmony and the keeper obviously absolutely adored them. Ned was a little champion but it all got a little bit much for him towards the end of the 'tour'.

Seriously, to have an experience like that somewhere else would have cost way more than the $26.00 we paid {total cost including entry} and we will definitely be back - this time with mum and dad, and a picnic in tow.

There is also a petting zoo for the little ones where chickens, goats, alpacas, sheep and ducks roam free. They get along most of the time.

The staff are amazing, the grounds are immaculate, the view is spectacular and the bird experience is priceless. It's definitely a place I'd recommend to both visitors and locals. Not only do you get the Maleny Botanic Garden experience, it's a great spot to admire the beauty of the stunning Glasshouse mountains. And if you're especially lucky, the trip home will be nice and peaceful.

Sunshine Coast Coffice Hangouts

You're probably thinking I'm one of those pathetic excuses for a blogger who can't string a paragraph together with the correct grammar and spelling right about now, aren't you?

You see, the term 'coffice' is not a spelling error. In fact, it's a new kind of buzz word which I describe as a place where you can get your shit done {work, that is, usually on a laptop or tablet}, and eat your cake too. That, or play Candy Crush, watch YouTube, or catch up on your favourite TV show all whilst conserving your precious megabytes.

Free Wifi, oh how I love you. 

I'm here to share places around the Sunshine Coast {and perhaps even beyond} where you can get a decent cuppa, milkshake or juice and perhaps even a yummy treat as well. I'm even willing to try lunch, breakfast and dinner options for you, all in the name of research, and providing what I believe is the first free wifi directory for Sunshine Coast residents and visitors.

Ultimately, I'm searching for places that won't look at you funny if you plonk yourself down with your laptop and stay for a couple of hours. I'll also report on menus, loyalty programs, tunes/ambience, kid/pooch friendliness, location and whatever else I think would be valuable.

Stay tuned folks! I'm excited for this one!

Superb Sunshine Coast - Caloundra Music Festival

I spent the Sunday of the long weekend a couple of weekends ago partying it up with my bestie, Katy, at the Caloundra Music Festival and didn't we have a blast?!

She had already been plastering photos on instagram showing off  her exploits hob-knobbing it with the fancy folk who were either VIPs or had enough money to upgrade to a Kings Club club ticket and boy was I excited to join her.

I chose the Sunday as one of my favourite bands {Thirsty Merc} was playing and they did not disappoint. The opening track 'In the Summertime' certainly got the crowd excited and as the tracks rolled on so did our bopping, singing and general cheeriness. They even played Cold Chisel's My Baby which was the first song that trainee daddy and I {and all of our guests} heard after being pronounced husband and wife. Cider-fuelled plans were made {and probably promptly forgotten} when they announced they would be returning to the Sunshine Coast to play at the Woombye pub in November. Tickets are $35 and can be bought here.

Next up was a Melbourne band called Wagons. I felt a bit sorry for them after the crowd dissipated once Thirsty Merc had finished their set so convinced Katy to join me out in the sunshine down the front of the stage for a bit of a boogie in support of this seemingly talented band. What great fun they were! Super entertaining with catchy tunes, the most memorable and oh, so jolly being a little tune named Willie Nelson ... have a listen to a very subdued version here.

James Reyne rocked the stage next and at first I wasn't all that excited about his performance thinking I only knew one song of his - that being his collaboration with James Blundell, 'Way Out West' ... well that song didn't make the cut but a whole heap of other songs I was familiar with did - those songs originally performed with his band, Australian Crawl. He belted out killer performances of iconic Aussie pub songs like Reckless, Down Hearted and The Boys Light Up and I think got the organisers in a bit of a spin when he decided to do a bit of an encore!

As the sun was going down we headed over to to a different stage to get our possie for the Baby Animals and Wolfmother. The Kings Club ticket was AMAZING - our own sectioned off area right at the side of the stage as well as private bar and toilets and for the day, it was an extra $50 and well worth it.

The Baby Animals played probably my favourite set of the day. I had very little recollection of their 90s hits {even though that is my favourite decade for music}, more-so being familiar with the band due to the reference in the Australian movie Muriel's Wedding

"This is the 90's. We listen to the baby animals. And Nirvana."

Surprisingly, I knew more of the songs than I thought and so very much enjoyed the show, mostly due to the lead singer, Suze DeMarchi's amazing live voice and stage presence. And seriously, WHAT A BABE. If Wikipedia is correct, this amazingly rad woman is fifty bloody years old! Man, if I can be even a tiny bit as cool as she is in 19 years time I will be one happy {and slightly cool}lady. UN-FREAK-UN-BELIEVABLE. She even had me contemplating chopping my hair into a short do just so I could run my fingers through it like she did.

Wolfmother closed the night perfectly.

And I was spent and ready for bed. This mama can't handle long days of drinking and partying any more!

It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday, especially when I got to dance like an idiot with one gal who I am oh so lucky to have met.

Cheers Katy Potaty and Caloundra Music Festival. Let's do it again next year, huh?

Excuse the poor video quality of my about-to-die Iphone 4. 

Superb Sunshine Coast - Little Lane Espresso

On a horrible rainy Saturday, the boys and I decided to head up to Coolum to check out a little hole in the wall joint called Little Lane Espresso which I've heard a few people speak very highly of.

It didn't disappoint.

First off, the service was fabulous. The owner {quite rightly} was pretty smitten with Ned and if I recall correctly, used the term 'spunky' to describe him.

We {as in all three of us} shared the shashuka eggs {baked eggs cooked in tomato and capsicum I think with chorizo} and the turkish toast with tomato, feta and avocado.

menu pic from LLE's facebook page

The eggs could have come with maybe one more slice of turkish to soak up all that delicious sauce - I guess it didn't help that we had a baby sharing!

I would totally recommend a visit to Little Lane Espresso if you're a local or visiting the beautiful Sunshine Coast. Coolum is a must see I think - one of the most beautiful beaches in the world in my opinion. 

Superb Sunshine Coast - Elliotts Bistro

Welcome and thanks for joining me to check out a new feature on Trainee Mama showcasing Sunshine Coast businesses. I've already proclaimed my love for the best coffee on the coast (although it wasn't part of this series) and this time around, I'm letting you in on a fabulous bistro at Alexandra Headland.

A friend was up visiting and after seeing some delectable pics on Instagram via Styling You and Iris May Style I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to check out what seemed to be a fabulous place to get food. The place?

Elliotts Bistro (previously Elliott's Fine Foods)

pic from the Elliotts Bistro facebook page

It didn't disappoint.

We arrived around 11:30am and decided to sit on the deck to hear the ocean and I was pondering a breakfast meal and although the breakfast service closed at 11:30, they were happy for me to order breakfast (apart from one meal which was sold out) ... My friend and I however decided to order a margarita style pizza, a large salad and a coffee each. There were three salads on offer that day and I was pleased when they mentioned that you could get all three which was awesome because we found it hard deciding which one to get!

The pizza was all kinds of amazing - crunchy (but not too crunchy) base, the perfect amount of sauce that even Manu would not be asking 'where's da sauce?', and beautiful, fresh and local tomato and basil topping. The large salad was the perfect addition to share (or would be fabulous as a meal on its own) and each salad had its own unique and delicious flavour. We finished off with a beautifully moist piece of carrot cake washed down with our enjoyable coffee in very decent sized mugs. (I'm a big cup kind-of-gal and appreciate a good-sized cuppa)

The service was extremely friendly and helpful and they even put up with my eight-month old practically destroying the place via the confines of his high chair. Okay, that was a slight exaggeration - he just found a toy to play with in the shape of the table number and decided to throw it about the place.

At around $40 for the two of us for lunch with coffees, the prices are very reasonable considering the quality of the food and service. Without a doubt, it's some of the best food I've tasted on the coast and I look forward to trying just about everything on that menu (breakfast, lunch and dinner included). I will be returning again, and again, and again and I suggest you visit whenever you get the chance.