Somerset Region, Queensland
Sundays were made for meandering. For getting lost. For hopping in your four-wheeled beast of choice and going wherever your instincts lead you … It had been a long week and we were craving the quiet of the country, so we pointed the car towards Somerset and set off on a daytrip adventure.
We rise with the sun, sleepy from a Saturday evening well spent, and hurl our daytrip essentials into the car: music, munchables and the finest of travelling companions. Our wheels roll through the city streets, heading south towards the Campos beans working their way through the grinders at Woolloongabba’s The Baker’s Arms. A quick pause on Logan Road and we’re back on the road, following the Ipswich Motorway as it winds through the southwestern suburbs and melts into Warrego Highway, before turning onto the Brisbane Valley Highway. The bitumen ushers us north, delivering us safely to the former cotton-farming community of Fernvale.
We’ve timed our visit right, and the weekly Sunday market is buzzing with crafters and farmers spruiking their wares. It’s still early, but the heat of the sun is stinging our necks and after a while we abandon the shopping for a paddle in the shallows of the nearby Savages Crossing. Feeling refreshed and in the mood for adventure, our next stop is the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. The first segments of the 161 km line began their working lives back in 1884, and today the disused track acts as a historic pathway for horse riders, cyclists and walkers. Our old foe, time, puts a limit on our explorations, but the path leading north towards Lowood offers us at least a quick glimpse of the region’s natural beauty.
As hunger rumbles in our bellies, we gather picnic supplies from Lowood and assemble a lakeside feast at Lake Wivenhoe’s Cormorant Bay recreation area. Little tykes hyped up on sweets from the cafe kiosk scamper across the parklands, as the lake flashes and winks in the midday sun. The lake not only supplies the region’s drinking water but also plenty of opportunities for swimming, fishing, canoeing and shoreline nature strolls.
With local produce lining our stomachs, we answer the call of the region’s wineries and head north to give in to temptation. A brief pause in Esk rewards us with the quaint scenes of country life we’d been hoping for; heritage homesteads perch upon green slices of grass and families amble merrily along Highland Street.
The Winya Wines cellar door in Sandy Creek is our first port of call, and we pause to ponder the eight varieties of wine and two varieties of port available. Next stop is family owned vineyard Woongooroo Estate, nestled between Kilcoy and Woodford. A few sips of the glass and purchases of the bottle later, we waddle out with Verdelho-infused pistachio ice-cream in hand.
With the radio crackling and conversation meandering, we start the one-hour drive back to Brisbane. The sun keeps a close eye on us as it drops towards the horizon, bathing the long stretch of highway ahead in a golden glow. The bygone tradition of the Sunday drive has served us well, sending us back to the city with content bellies and rested minds.
Find more information about the Somerset Region here.