A Rainforest Walk - Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve

I really am blessed to live in such a beautiful area.  Not only do we have plenty of coastline with a multitude of beaches to choose from 20 - 30 minutes drive from home, but if we drive the same amount of time in the other direction we are firmly in another world of the hinterland area with its dairy farms, quaint towns, winding ranges and national parks.

One of my favourite places to go is Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve near the town of Maleny which is a beautiful 55 hectare piece of sub-tropical rainforest situated on the edge of the Blackall Ranges and overlooks the Glasshouse Mountains area.

(I live just out of the left of the picture in the above photo)

The visitors centre and café have had a huge facelift in the past couple of years but the views and the park are still very much the same.

There's a viewing platform above the café now which gives you an amazing view of the mountains and the Pacific Ocean behind them.  On a clear day you can see our state capital city of Brisbane in the distance and Moreton Island off the coast as well.

If you don't want something yummy from the café then you can always bring your own picnic along as there's a lovely area with tables, barbeques, a playground and a nice big grassy area to kick a ball around.

The reserve itself is accessed through the new Rainforest Discovery Centre with it's beautifully carved wooden doors.  The centre has interactive displays which detail the flora and fauna of the park as well as the history.  Our favourite section of the centre is the nocturnal room where you can sit for a few minutes and experience what it can be like at night.

From the centre you enter the Reserve itself for just a gold coin donation.  Yes, you read that right.

The reserve is run by the Sunshine Coast Council and volunteers and requires only a gold coin donation from each person to experience it.  It's so worth it.

The tracks are well maintained and form mainly a loop which even if you dawdle like I did on this particular day, will take less than an hour.

There are so many different varieties of trees throughout the reserve including the ever present and spectacular Strangling Figs as well as other fig varieties including the Watkin's Fig.

There are plaques placed throughout the Reserve identifying many of the tree varieties including the Australian Red Cedar, Tulip Oaks, Black Bean and many others.

One of the things I love most about rainforests is the textures from the knobbly bases to the draping roots and the ever present vines tangling throughout the vegetation.

The paths are well maintained and meander throughout the reserve down a gentle slope to the wetter creek area where areas where they are replaced by boardwalks.

Even in a small area you can see how much the vegetation can change when you do get to the wetter areas and the Piccabeen Palms are the main trees you will see in this section.

The decaying undergrowth is quite spectacular as well so make sure you look down too.  The moss on old fallen trees creates some amazing scenes and the various fungus which grows can be spectacular, especially after we've had a decent amount of rain.

The one thing I love is that when a tree falls over like the one in the below photo it doesn't get 'tidied' up.

This particular tree came down in a cyclone we had a couple of years ago and except for clearing bits off the path and boardwalk to make it safe for visitors, it's left where it fell to become a home for animals and to do what nature does best.

It's created more light in this area so a new stage of growth is now possible and the natural cycle continues.

There are plenty of seats along the paths too so you can sit and have a rest if needed or just enjoy the sounds of the birds and soak in the tranquillity.

It's not just trees either.  There's an abundance of wildlife in the Reserve, many of which you need to look hard to spot.  The Visitor centre has so much information on the species which are found in the park so it's worth having a look before you go in.

The bird sounds are a constant and you will often find bird watchers walking around with their HUGE camera lenses searching for the elusive ones.

The pademelons are often seen throughout the upper parts of the Reserve but you do need to look out for them as they can be difficult to spot if you're not looking in the undergrowth.

They are a small rainforest wallaby and most of the time I hear something moving through the undergrowth first, then I start looking around until I find one. 

Looking up you find plenty of treasures too.  I have absolutely no idea what the nest in the below photo belongs to but there's plenty of wonderful things like this throughout the Reserve that I try and get the kids to look out for when I take them up there. 

It gets them to stop, look and think about where they are and a treasure hunt for animals or nests and things stop them racing along the tracks (sometimes anyway).

So that's where I go when I need a tree fix instead of a beach fix and if you're ever in the area I highly recommend you visit as it's such a beautiful place.

Have a wonderful week my friends.

xx Susan