Meet

Caz Osborne.

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Caz Osborne is an enthusiastic advocate for the Boonah, Mount Alford, Aratula, Lake Moogerah and Lake Maroon area in the heart of the Scenic Rim.

The Mount Alford local established a hobby farm with olive groves, fruit orchards and a herd of cattle in 2008 before leaving the city for the country full-time 11 years ago. Caz has now carved a niche as the founder of the Scenic Rim Cooking Classes culinary school and Hammermeister House boutique accommodation in Boonah.

You can go anywhere in the Scenic Rim and the scenery is beautiful. Each town and village in the area has a different feel however they are all community-oriented and full of country charm. Boonah is located in the heart of the Scenic Rim and is the largest township in the central region, while still close to Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Many people drive through Aratula but when you stop you can appreciate the area’s beauty, particularly towards Tarome where you can see The Gap and Cunningham Highway. What strikes people the most about Aratula is the space – it just feels big out there.

Top 5.

A few personal favourites from Caz

Bushwalking

CO Food-Wine

Food and drink

CO Stargazing

Stargazing

CO Scenic-Flight

Take a scenic flight

CO Small-Towns

Visit the small towns

The tracks and trails in the area are beautiful and suitable for all abilities, such as the Mt French Lookout Circuit, which is mostly flat and offers a wonderful view over Fassifern Valley.

The Scenic Rim is home to spectacular locally grown produce, wineries and breweries and exciting fine dining options such as Blume Restaurant, Kooroomba Vineyard and Lavender Farm and The Vue Restaurant.

Stay overnight at one of the many accommodation options and look at the stars – you can see the whole Milky Way. Standing in the middle of a paddock at night and looking up at the stars is just phenomenal.

Go to Boonah Airfield for a scenic flight on a small recreational aircraft. You can enjoy a wonderful overview of the area’s farmlands, mountains, lakes and settlements from up high.

Stop and explore all the little villages and small country towns in the area. Wander down the street, get a feel for the area and shop locally.

“Slow down in the Boonah area to admire beautiful scenery, mountains and lakes where you can relax and do nothing or get involved in so many activities from hiking, fishing and camping to visiting charming towns with cafes, historic pubs, fine dining and local farm produce.”

The Scenic Rim is aptly named – it is filled with serene beauty, fresh air and abundant wildlife. On the drive through the tiny town of Mount Alford alone, you can see wallabies, kangaroos and lots of vibrant birdlife such as king parrots, lorikeets and rosellas.

There are also plenty of exciting activities on offer from canoeing and fishing on Lakes Moogerah and Maroon, hiking and horseriding on the many multi-use trails, rock climbing at world-famous spots such as Frog Buttress in Moogerah Peaks National Park and hot-air ballooning and flying to the always-popular favourite, wining and dining.

The best thing about the Boonah area – apart from the beautiful scenery – is the produce and producers, which in turn, supply the array of stellar fine dining options in the vicinity. The newly opened Blume Restaurant in Boonah is an intimate degustation restaurant helmed by head chef Jack Stuart, who uses fresh local produce for his seasonal menu for an authentic taste of the Scenic Rim.

Kooroomba Vineyard and Lavender Farm’s Daniel Groneberg is another fabulous head chef with local produce and products on the menu, while The Vue Restaurant in Boonah is a local fine diner garnering rave reviews as well.

Alongside Kooroomba Vineyard at Mount Alford, which has a selection of boutique wines to sample at the Cellar Door, there are other small wineries and breweries in the area such as Bunjurgen Estate Vineyard, just south of Boonah, and the Scenic Rim Brewery in Mount Alford, a family-owned business with craft brews for all palates.

If you’re looking for beauty, serenity and peace, plus the freshest food and gourmet dining, come to the Scenic Rim.

A local secret

There are plenty of places to take a dip and swim in the country.

The hidden waterholes are fantastic ­– head to Yarramalong where you can swim in the rock wall swimming hole or visit  The Gorge, a 200m-long, 1.5m-deep swimming hole downstream from Lake Moogerah.

After a career in arts and local government in Brisbane, Caz Osborne established a hobby farm in the Scenic Rim in 2008 followed by a three-year stint as the owner and operator of a Boonah cafe and restaurant. As well as producing the Kooroomba Gully range of gourmet provisions, Caz began Scenic Rim Cooking Classes in 2019 with a focus on cooking and enjoying sustainable sourced local products. She also runs Hammermeister House boutique accommodation in Boonah and is a well-known ambassador for local produce and producers in the Scenic Rim community.

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