Jack decided we should take a little sight seeing trip around the place today and got everything planned and in the maps.

Taking us off the main highways we are heading for our first stop at Natural Arch Cafe.

Passing through Advancetown and onto Natural Bridge, in south-east Queensland. It’s name is taken from the natural rock arch (and home to one of the largest glow worm colonies in Australia) in Springbrook National Park and other parts of this natural wonder extending into Lamington National Park to the west.

Missed the photo from the winding road with a view back to the Gold Coast skyline.

We are lacking in correct footwear for walking any distance today but did a brief recon to the Natural Arch cave and will be back out of school holidays to see this.

The Cafe unfortunately was not open, they are renovating and so we missed out on our first stop for Devonshire tea.

So now we continue to Chillingham, through winding roads, mist covered hills and valleys. this now takes us into New South Wales and the Tweed Valley.

Chillingham is a tiny little town with the school having opened in 1904, Post Office in 1923, although the Telegraph office had been open since 1913.

On through Crystal Creek, there is a beautiful rainforest retreat here. https://www.ccrr.com.au/

Driving through the cane fields we can smell the mill ahead. Wasn’t a very ‘while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads’ kinda moment but the mill for Sunshine Sugar operating as usual.

Oooooo Husk Distillers! We are definitely coming back here and will have to bring others with us. What a treat!

Definitely should have booked ahead but took a casual seat in the cane chairs and ordered a Husk Paddle.

Sipping on Husk Pure Cane, Husk Bam Bam and Husk Botanic was a great pre lunch experience.

We made a couple purchases, checked out facilities and headed to the next stop.

Our lunch stop today is Tumbulgum Tavern on the very edge of the Murwillumbah River. For now it’s beer, bruschetta and seafood!

So much rain and flooding of recent but it’s hard to tell where it had been. We asked the waitress and where Jack is showing us, is the height it came to! Take that plus the extra 4 ft off the verandah to the street and then whatever the drop is to the River level. They lost everything from fridges, poker machines, ovens, food stock. One of the reasons why we came to support this region. They had it up and running again in two weeks!!

Omg! What a feast! We are about to explode!

Now we are winding our way round across the opposite side of the river, through more rainforest, back into suburbia and Queensland, on to Burleigh Barrels Brewery.

Great view back to the ‘twin towns’ from up on the hill.

A quick stop to a very busy Burleigh Barrels for a beer paddle of Tower 18 Lager, Pandanus Pale Ale, Last Wave Amber Ale and a Headland Hazy IPA. Jack’s pick was Tower 18 and I have to say I enjoyed the IPA the most out of all of them.

Well, roll me on home, I’m full as a tick!

A great day out with the man. Happy Easter!

Kat xo