I spent the recent weekend in Queensland for a family event.

A couple of nights were spent in Maleny, specifically the Maleny Terrace Cottages. I was with my parents, and we needed access for a wheelchair and a walker. I fortunately had my favourite nephew with me. He is training to be a registered nurse and works in a residential care facility. His assistance was instrumental in the weekend’s success.

The accommodation was perfect. The kitchen was ideal for a couple of nights away. The gas stove was large, and the refrigerator was enough for a large family.

The toilet seat reminded me of a toilet seat I saw on Daydream Island many years ago.

Maleny Hotel

The first night there, we had a large dinner for about 30 people who were family and friends. We ate at the Maleny Hotel. I went with surf and turf. I ate the steak and prawns, some of the salad, and none of the chips.

I went exploring for coffee and breakfast the next day.

Mountain View Café

Google Maps review I wrote.

I searched on Google for breakfast close by. Mountain View Café (148 Mountain View Rd, Maleny, Queensland 4552) was at the top of the list.

When I arrived, it wasn’t busy, which is sometimes a sign that the quality may not be up to par. I had nothing to fear.

I picked up a menu, secured a table, and looked through the breakfast options.

I knew the day would be long, and I would deny myself canapés to focus on an evening dinner at the wedding.

Eggs Benedict was an obvious choice, along with an extra serve of bacon.

I also asked for a cappuccino in a mug.

The coffee arrived quickly. It tasted great. I’d happily drink coffee there again. I’d only had a few sips, and the Eggs Benedict arrived. Each muffin half was layered with finely wilted spinach, bacon, a perfectly poached egg, and Hollandaise sauce.

The muffin was soft and had soaked up the liquid from the spinach. I know some may object to this, but the buttery, moist and soft muffin was delightful. The knife provided was adequate. I didn’t need a sharp steak knife to cut the muffin.

The bacon was cooked exactly the way I like it. It was well-cooked but not crispy. It wasn’t greasy, and it was streaky bacon, so the amount of fat was spot on for me. I don’t like bacon, which has had the fat trimmed off.

The eggs were still warm, and the yolk was soft and creamy, not runny.

The Hollandaise sauce had a nice tangy flavour.

I’d happily rate this Eggs Benedict highly.

All up, it was a perfect breakfast. The service was fast and friendly.

We went for a drive to reconnoitre the venue (The Old Dairy) for the evening’s gathering.

While there, we were told about the Maleny Bakery Cafe.

Maleny Bakery Cafe

Google Maps review I wrote.

I had the opportunity to sample two notable vanilla slice varieties. These offerings are of comparable quality to those from my favoured establishments like Gumnut Patisserie (Bowral), Dobinsons Bakery (Canberra), and several amazing bakeries in South Australia, including Fat Beagle on Kangaroo Island, The Village Baker (Adelaide), and St Peters Bakehouse and Coffee Shop (Adelaide).

The Maleny Bakery Cafe (9 Maple St, Maleny, QLD, Australia, Queensland) selections—a classic version and a Dutch variant featuring an additional layer of piped cream and jam—are distinguished by their crisp pastry and creamy, smooth vanilla custard. The top layer is finished with a dusting of icing sugar rather than traditional icing, which perfectly marries the custard and pastry. While I adore passionfruit icing (or fudge as offered by The Village Baker), I found that the classic vanilla slice from Maleny Bakery exceeded my expectations.

I was with family. We’d purchased three of the classic and three Dutch vanilla slices. I used a serrated bread knife to cut them by turning them on their sides and gently cutting. This worked without causing the fillings to squelch out between the crispy pastry layers.

I think the Dutch vanilla slice was $7.60 and the classic was $6.80.

Classic and Dutch vanilla slices from the Maleny Bakery. These were exceptional.

The Old Dairy

Dinner at The Old Dairy.

Other meals from the weekend.