Southern gastric-brooding frog or A river runs through it

I have to say that Montville, Queensland is fantastic. I’ve never been before and Denise took me today. It was an excellent idea. I reckon Mirinda would love it. Of course that’s not where we started.

On this, my Denise Day, we first went to The Plaza at Maroochydore because we had to buy a twistie mop. This was the mop that Marnie recommended the other day so, obviously necessary. Like magic you dip it in the water, wash the floor then twist it in the bucket and it comes out dry for a chamois-like wipe over. It’s just the ticket.

Anyway, we had to go to Target to get it but not before we sat for a coffee overlooking the river. Yes, there is a river that flows underneath the shopping centre. Naturally the river was there first and, rather than building the plaza next to it, the designers decided to create this amazing shopping precinct over and beside the river. It works really well and provides a place for lots of water activities…in the summer anyway.

We sat outside long enough to admire the view and take a photo but then it all became too hot and sunny so we escaped into the air conditioned interior to actually drink our lattes and chat for about an hour about various people who were not there to deny anything we said.

After the mop acquisition, we headed for Mooloolaba Beach after I said I’d never been there. Mind you, I think it may have been a lie given this shop:

It’s a lovely seaside spot where families congregate (again in the summer) between heading to the beach for a bit of a sizzle and swim. Of course, being a Queensland winter’s day, there were not so many people on the sand though there were a few wandering the shops. It was actually very pleasant.

We stood and admired the view from above the sand under the usual ideal Queensland sky.

Denise then asked if I’d ever been to Montville. Of course I said no. Having now been I reckon I might have said no anyway because it’s a fabulous place.

So, back to the car and up 400m into the hills, where the temperature almost instantly dropped about ten degrees. We pulled into the parking space next to the Reserved for Clergy space (thanks to the Parking Angel) and headed for The Edge for lunch.

OMG. Amazing spot. I thought the Polish Place was great but the Edge is easily a contender for Most Amazing View at a Restaurant in Queensland. I reckon it even beats the view from the restaurant in Dom, in the Dordogne. It’s incredible…and we were in the corner of the terrace.

I had a delicious salmon gravlax which had a very Japanese twist with seaweed and chilli. A superb lunch. Denise had a chicken salad which, she said, was delicious. And, believe it or not, I had an espresso martini afterwards. And it was bloody good! Much better than the one at the RSL on Saturday. Anyone wanting an excellent espresso martini (Mitchie!), I suggest you go to The Edge.

Having filled the big holes in our lo-carb tummies we headed out to the shops where I spent far too much money on presents for some of the people I love. (Actually, Nicktor’s present was chosen by Denise given she’s his football chum now and thought he needed it.)

Wandering up and down the main road (or, for Jenny’s benefit, the High Street) we popped in and out of the shops, loving every metre of it. It was where I discovered the existence of the endangered southern gastric-brooding frog.

(The frog, which has been extinct in the wild for about 35 years, has been cloned in a laboratory. It is one of those rare animals that gestates its young in its stomach…which is why its called ‘gastric-brooding.’)

Along the footpath of Montville there is a series of plaques describing various species of declining (or extinct) Queensland natives and the gastric-brooder was just one.

I can honestly say that I fell a bit in love with Montville. The next time we’re in Queensland, Mirinda definitely needs to visit. She will love it. Totes!

(Totes was the basis for a question on The Chase the other day. It was something like “What is the adverb referred to by the slang term Totes?” and the contestant said “Totally” which just tickled my funny bone.)

Eventually, and to avoid the emptying of the bank account, we leapt back into the car and set off for the lookout. There was a slight blip when we stopped at this one…

…but we then found the one at the top. And what a view. Okay, we interrupted the couple having a romantic moment up there – Denise reckoned he was going to propose to her – but it was wonderful. Given I didn’t have Mirinda with me, I decided that Denise should read the commentary on the all important tourist video before we drove back to mum’s.

It was a wonderful day, thoroughly enjoyed.