We’re on nature’s rollercoaster ride, rockin’ and rollin’ from side to side, back and forth, in the narrow dirt track’s gullies and potholes and over stones as we gun it up the steep incline.
But under the masterful driving of Felicity Handley, we manage to find the ‘smoothest’ path possible, with a little time to recover before needing to outstretch strong arms on the bar in front for the descent. What goes up must come down.
This is the only time we’re ‘roughing it’ during our stay at what has become known as ‘the height of luxury’: Spicers Peak Lodge – embraced by the World Heritage-listed Main Range National Park and the Great Dividing Range on Queensland’s Scenic Rim.
We’ve signed on for a private tour in the Can-Am Defender Max six-seater all-terrain vehicle – a choose-your-own adventure anywhere we want to go on the 3237-hectare (8000-acre) property in three hours.
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While creek crossings, extensive farmland, swimming holes and a picnic lunch at Bellbird Weir are all at our disposal, we opt for a cut-down version, as inclement weather starts closing in – to Northern Lookout (with its swing seemingly swooshing high across the valley to touch peaks with toes) and the jaw-dropping western panorama at Ryan’s Lookout.
The mist and cloud obscuring mountain tops have their own allure through the gaps in the trees as we make our way along the ridge, keeping a close eye out for a darting red-necked wallaby here and there.
This is a trip Felicity makes regularly – sometimes three or four times a day – so she knows every rock, dip and groove.
She actually grew up on this property when it was managed by her late father, an experienced horseman, and became accustomed to driving four-wheel-drive vehicles and quad bikes.
At Northern Lookout (where many a marriage proposal has taken place), Felicity points out the farmhouse far below in the distance where she used to live. Back on the Can-Am, she recalls that her school bus driver was part of the Ryan family, the previous owners.
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The property itself has an interesting history, being logged to create an in-demand potato farm after World War II before turning solely to cattle.
Hubbie and I encountered the historic potato shed on an easy 90-minute loop walk from the Lodge along the treeline the previous afternoon. On that self-guided stroll, we also made stops at Hickson Dam, Spicers Gap Lookout (where we are delighted to see Brisbane’s Clear Mountain in the east) and the inviting Firepit party space, with a brief wave to the Brangus (Brahman-Black Angus cross) and Scottish Highland cattle before returning to the main Lodge.
After a stint in the big smoke of Brisbane, Felicity returned to the Scenic Rim and now takes Peak Lodge guests around her childhood home as part of her tour duties.
And it’s clear by her beaming smile that the property will always hold a special place in her heart as she tells us about ‘the best sunset’ at Ryan’s Lookout (about 1150m above sea level). On that perfect afternoon, she and the guests were above the clouds, watching the sun’s rays bounce off them and seeing raindrops fall to earth all at once.
Sharing our own special moments at these landmarks is the final big hurrah for our autumn stay.
This all-inclusive Lodge has been a bucket list item for about 10 years – ever since I read the story of Warwick-born Jude Turner: the Spicers Retreats founder and wife of Flight Centre co-founder Graham ‘Skroo’ Turner.
Both had encountered the relatively unknown Scenic Rim in their childhoods and, while living in inner-city Brisbane many years later, yearned for a place in the country the family could use as a rural retreat.
In 1999, they bought what was then known as ‘Cedar Mountain’ at auction for $300,000.
They soon realised a farmhouse solely for the family would be too limiting and set about creating a boutique-style, mountain-top experience they could share with the public.
Spicers was born, thriving and expanding on its signature elegance, comfort and focus on personal service.
Salter Brothers has now bought the Spicers brand and six of the 10 luxury retreat-style properties, including Spicers Peak Lodge.
But it’s clearly business as usual, and this world away from the everyday starts from the counter-less check-in.
Guest services team member Sarah meets us outside and tells us the valet will take care of our undercover parking and take the luggage to our Lodge Suite.
She beckons us in from the cool midday air to the warmth of the lounge of the gabled chalet before organising some welcome ‘bubbles’.
The jagged peaks and gap ‘cradles’ of the mountain view against cornflour blue skies through the picture windows – combined with the aromatic, wood-burning blue stone fireplace – is so overwhelming, I’m almost brought to tears.
Sarah offers a quick rundown of the facilities, meal times in The Peak hatted restaurant and easy walks before showing us to our No.4 Lodge Suite with our own ‘wow factor’ fireplace, long window seat beside chic timber shutters, comfy king-size bed, all-inclusive mini bar refilled daily, plus a private veranda to fully drink in that view.
Then we spot two Adirondack garden chairs across the wide lawn with an unobstructed view of the amazing panorama – an ideal place to unwind and finish our bubbles.
By the time the first helicopter lands beside us, packed with Sunday lunch guests, our jaws are firmly on the soft grass underfoot and we decide it’s time to see what all the fuss is about at the restaurant.
With a ‘sit anywhere’ policy and other prospective diners still making themselves at home in the congenial bar and lounge area, we find what we consider the best seats in the house on the covered veranda, overlooking the infinity pool and steamy hot spa. As a bonus, we still have that spectacular view towards Taylors Peak, Devlin Mountain, the Mistake Mountains and Bare Rock (as we discover later on a mountain ‘key’ etched into the timber of the lodge’s upstairs veranda).
The special personal service we receive across the weekend continues at lunch as we sit down to share crumbed camembert (homemade ciabatta bread, honey from hives on the property for sweetness and pistachios) and rich seasonal tomato soup enriched with sundried tomatoes as entrees.
The paddock-to-plate freshness The Peak prides itself on is in every bite and especially evident in the main courses: a 300g local grain-fed rib eye with Chef’s Garden chimichurri, and house saffron pasta with spanner crab, confit garlic and butter emulsion (with our chosen sides of local root vegetables, garlic and honey glaze, and broccolini, macadamia, sultana and apricot).
The beauty of an all-inclusive retreat is that you don’t have to worry about cost in the menu and beverage items. So, we gladly quaff our selected First Creek 2020 Chardonnay from the Hunter Valley and Stonewood 100% California Cabernet Sauvignon as accompaniments to the meal (and well after the almond panna cotta dessert is gone).
Little do we know that the best is yet to come at dinner.
Across two hours, staff and executive chef Karl Reyes are happy to explain techniques, specific flavours within the dishes and the expert wine pairings such as the dangerously drinkable 2020 Stonehorse Shiraz from the Clare Valley.
The intricate hour-long cooking at 63 degrees Celcius of the Japanese-style onsen egg (in the miso creamed corn braised daikon with onsen egg and salt bush entrée) has us fascinated.
We are introduced to unusual taste combinations at every course – from the colourful potato terrine (pickled shallots, black garlic mayo, pancetta) to the main course of oh-so-tender grain-fed striploin MB 2+ (marbling score) or flavoursome vegetarian cabbage brisket roll with spinach puree, and chocolate marquis dessert with raspberry sorbet, Davidson plum and honeycomb.
And I gladly accept another glass of the NV Yalumba Antique Muscat from Angaston as we sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to a jovial 90-year-old guest before a Glenmorangie scotch whisky on the rocks as a nightcap at the bar.
The next morning, after our coffee order is taken and fresh fruit and croissants materialise even before I select my corn fritter with avocado breakfast, I have an epiphany.
Sure, I’ve ticked and flicked this item off the bucket list. But there’s no reason why I can’t make a new one and put Spicers Peak Lodge back in the mix.
It’s amazing what a breath of fresh mountain air will do for your clarity of thought.
*Spicers Peak is at Maryvale on the Scenic Rim, about 230km and three hours’ drive from the southern end of the Sunshine Coast.
*The writer was a guest of Spicers.
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LUXURY IN THE CLOUDS
