Samford Village is a gateway to a whole bunch of epic experiences that you might not expect to find so close to home. It is located less than a 30-minute drive from the heart of Brisbane, but I can guarantee that you will feel like you are much further away. This scenic spot offers an abundance of great food and wine, national parks with stunning walks and lookouts, amazing animal experiences, fantastic accommodation and more ways to relax, unwind and reconnect than you can shake a stick at.
We recently spent 24 hours checking out what this region has to offer and had a fantastic time. This is what we got up to!
Lyell Deer Sanctuary
The Lyell Deer Sanctuary is located at Mount Samson and is home to a herd of very cute rescued deer. The sanctuary has been rescuing and caring for deer for over thirty years, so they really know what they are doing and are very happy to share their stories with you. If you want to get up close to these magical creatures in a peaceful setting, then this is the place to do it. You can cuddle, sit with and hand-feed the deer. There are also some goats and chickens on the property, along with a friendly cow. If you can, bring along some watermelon, as it is the Deer's favourite snack and they will absolutely love you for it.
The sanctuary is only open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am-4 pm, so it is worth planning your trip around these hours if you do want to visit. Visitors are welcome to bring their own picnic and spend all day at the sanctuary if they wish. Complimentary tea and coffee-making facilities are available and cold drinks can be purchased on site. Admission only costs $10 per family/group (up to 6 people) and Deer pellets are available for $1 per bag.
Check out the Lyell Deer Sanctuary here: https://www.lyelldeersanctuary.com.au/
Ocean View Estates Winery
We stopped in for lunch at Ocean View Estates Winery and were lucky enough to get a great spot on the verandah overlooking the vineyard. The restaurant here makes great food and has plenty of vegan, veggie and gluten-free offerings. They offer a banquet menu that seemed to be good value and everyone eating it looked pretty happy. We weren’t hungry enough for that so we shared a main meal and cheese platter and had an amazing chocolate torte for dessert.
If you don’t feel like a restaurant meal, you can bring a picnic blanket along and pull up a spot on the grass hill. The outdoor areas are doggo friendly and there is usually live music from 2 pm on Sunday afternoons.
Check out Ocean View Estates here: http://www.oceanviewestates.com.au/
Explore Dayboro Town Centre
Make sure you spend some time wandering around Dayboro town centre when you are here. There are a number of fantastic cafes lining the main street as well as the super-popular Dayboro Bakery, an ice cream and confectionary shop, pizza place, butcher, book store, an IGA and a couple of boutiques too. Don't forget to visit The Old Storehouse to stock up on cheese, meats and more for a relaxing sunset on the balcony of your accommodation or at a local lookout.
Where we stayed - Dayboro Cottages
We spent the night at Dayboro Cottages in a villa named Arbok. This beautiful, fully self-contained cottage had everything we needed for a very comfortable stay including a king-size bed, well-equipped kitchenette, TV and DVD player (including a small DVD library), in-room laundry, reverse cycle air-conditioning and an outdoor grill and dining table. There was also a communal pizza oven available to guests - so you make crispy and delicious pizzas to enjoy on your balcony if you want to!
We loved the unhindered views over the Dayboro Valley and huge windows which ensured we made the most of our time enjoying the outlook! The cottage was cosy, comfortable and the huge double spa in our ensuite added an extra touch of luxury we really enjoyed. In addition to all that, there are some friendly animals who call the farm home including alpacas, miniature horses, goats, chickens and neighbouring cows and sheep.
Our stay at Dayboro Cottages was thoroughly enjoyable, allowing us to feel totally rested and relaxed while being in a fantastic location. If you’re looking for a place to stay in the region, we highly recommend this wonderful spot.
Pro tip: A stay at the cottages usually costs $240-260 per night, but as I only booked a few days before our stay I got it for the bargain price of $140 for the night!! If you are looking for a last-minute night away, check out their website for availability and you just might get yourself a deal too!
Check out Dayboro Cottages here: http://www.dayborocottages.com.au/
Mill Creek Cafe
Quite a few of the cafes are closed on Monday and Tuesdays, but luckily for us, the Mill Creek Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch 7 days a week. We managed to nab a seat outdoors in the warm sunshine and were able to watch the ducks paddle past in the creek while we enjoyed our tasty breakfast. The pumpkin bruschetta was delicious!!
Check out Mill Creek cafe here: https://m.facebook.com/millcreekcafe/
D'Aguilar National Park - Piccabean walk & The Gantry
While you are in the region, take a short drive up to the D’Aguilar National Park and visit The Gantry, a remnant of the region’s sawmill history. it was built in the 1950s by Hancock’s Sawmill, the gigantic shed housed the overhead gantry crane where timber was produced for use across Brisbane (including the Hornibrook Highway). There is a great day-use area located right beside The Gantry, with plenty of car parking, picnic tables, BBQs and public toilets. The Day Use Area is also the starting point for a couple of great walks.
If you only do one walk in the region, make it the Piccabeen Walk! This short, 1 km circuit will take you through the subtropical and eucalypt rainforest. There’s a boardwalk section which is super cool as it winds past some really huge trees and there is an abundance of birdlife all around you. If you are visiting in winter, make sure you bring a jacket as it was pretty chilly under the shade of the trees.
Check out the national park here: https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/daguilar
Check out the Piccabean walk here: https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/daguilar/journeys/piccabeen-walk
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Explore Samford Village
Take a walk through Samford Village, stopping off at local spots like the Store of Requirement for everything Harry Potter, the Samford Museum and a range of local boutiques, cafes, a bakery and more. If you are visiting on the second Saturday of the month, there are local markets between 7am-12pm that you can visit at St Paul's Church. If not, stock up on local goodies from the boutiques or treat yourself to a few freshly baked bites for later. I popped into the "Shady Dayz" Homewares and Gift Store and got myself a whale-shaped tape dispenser for $10, so you never know what you'll find here!
Check it out here: https://www.visitmoretonbayregion.com.au/blog/samford-best-day-trips-from-brisbane
Collies & Co Samford
I think by now everyone knows that Brisbane is home to not one, but two cat cafes. What most people don't know is that there is also a puppy cafe on the scene now also! Collies & Co offer a "puppy cuddle dine-in experience". For $50 per person, you receive a delicious meal (breakfast or lunch), a drink, a 45-minute puppy cuddle session and a polaroid photo souvenir. This experience is only available at certain times of the year and must be pre-booked at least a few days in advance because it is very popular.
We had a great time snuggling the super fluffy and soft 8-week old puppies and would definitely recommend visiting when the puppy cuddle experience is available.
Pro tip: The puppies get their lunch in the 12.30 pm session, meaning there is less time for cuddles, so avoid this session if you want maximum snuggling time!
Check out Collies & Co here: http://www.colliesandco.com.au/#/
We only had 24 hours and we know there is heaps more great stuff in this region to see, so we will definitely be back again in the not too distant future. Let me know what your favourite things to do in and around Samford and Dayboro are so we can check them out next time we are in the area.
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