LANDMARKS AND BUILDINGS FLAGSTONE CREEK

Flagstone Creek, named after the rocky outcrop of sandstone in the creek bed. Flagstone creek is located between Grantham and Middle Ridge via Iredale. Call in for a great coffee, cakes, Devonshire teas, gourmet burgers and lunch time grills at The Barn and Scotty's Garage. With wood fires in winter, cool trees in summer, The Barn is a truly unique venue for functions, wedding, parties and social gatherings. The Barn is open: Friday from 10am to 2pm, Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 4pm and other times by appointment. Group bookings can be arranged for 20 or more people for dinner. Four years in the making, this museum of automotive memorabilia from the 50's and 60's showcases a lost era of vintage cars, motorbikes, jukeboxes and all things 'retro'. Just when you think you've seen it all Scotty slides back the rear door to reveal a replica 1950's diner with dance floor, pinball machines and more memorabilia, including an original dodgem car from Luna Park. Up flagstone creek way in Lilydale, you'll find 9Dorf Farms, a 4th generation family-owned farm giving visitors a taste of life on a diversified working property. The Neuendorf family have been farming in the fertile Lockyer Valley since 1918 originally dairying and then moving on to lucerne/fodder and horticulture. On the first Sunday of every month they provide a hands-on tour where you can feed the poddy calves in the nursery, collect eggs out in the paddock an even catch a fish the easy way when you tour the fish shed at feeding times ( a 30 tonne aquaculture re circulation system was built in 2011 on their Lilydale property growing Australian native fish- Barramundi, Murray Cod and Jade Perch). 9Dorf also farm ethically raised eggs and chicken in special travelling chicken caravans. Their farm gate is open 7 days a week for purchasing farm fresh fish, chicken and eggs however if travelling a distance to call first to ensure they have what you require....

The quiet hamlet of Helidon lies in the picturesque Lockyer Valley, approximately one hour west of Brisbane and just 15 minutes east of Toowoomba. Sandstone from this area has been used in many of Queensland's beautiful historic buildings. Helidon is also the business hub for explosive manufacturing companies situated on the outskirts of town. For many years Helidon has been famous for its natural mineral springs, prized for their great healing and therapeutic properties. The local Aborigines bathed in the spring water to ward off illness and after European settlement, the springs attracted the frail from far and wide. Arthritis, rheumatism, muscular aches, pains, stress, and a host of other ailments are said to be relieved by soaking in the warm, mineral-rich water. The city of Toowoomba is just 15 minutes drive up the range and offers a host of things to see and do. Not far from Helidon you'll also find wineries, historic homesteads, national parks and a host of scenic drives. Accommodation in the Helidon area ranges from basic cabins, bed-and-breakfasts, hotels and motels. The German Bake and Wurst House located on Postman's Ridge road is set in a beautiful country setting. The charming cafe serves homemade goods based on family recipes and German heritage. Expect to find dishes like Rostbratel, Soljanka and delicious Berliners. Bread and cakes made the old-fashioned way, with organic flour and less sugar....

Fleurine Andrews' three sons died fighting in France in WWI. Their memory lives on in an unusual soldier statue in a small country cemetery, 13 kilometres south-west of Gatton. Mrs Andrews commissioned monumental masons AL Petrie and Son to produce the memorial, erected in the St Stephen's Anglican Church cemetery at Ma Ma Creek in 1920. The soldier statue, a popular choice of tribute in Queensland communities, embodies qualities of the ideal Australian: loyalty, youth, courage, innocence and masculinity. This one is a rarity, the only surviving 'Digger' wearing a cap instead of a slouch hat. Private James Martin Andrews was killed on 5 August 1916, aged 26. Private George Henry Andrews died on 9 June 1917, aged 28. Private Bertie Reginald Andrews was killed on 10 June 1918, aged 20. The war memorial stands behind the Andrews family plot and is the focus of public ANZAC Day memorial services. Mrs Andrews also donated a church organ in her sons' memory. ...