A Scenic Drive - Lake Somerset, Lake Wivenhoe, and the Samford Valley

Good Evening hope everybody's weekend is off to a flyer, or we're all getting that much needed R&R that we well and truly need.

Our week couldn't have started any better. We've been plagued with a few car issues as of late, so when we got a phone call saying our new car had arrived a month earlier than expected, we were over the moon.

It was a pretty awesome feeling, and had me reminiscing about when I moved over to Brisbane 6 years ago. I used to walk 40min to and from work everyday for about a year, sometimes at 3am in the morning when others were staggering home from the local watering hole. 

Anyway enough about the past, let's talk about the present. Today we decided to take her on a good first adventure, a scenic drive to Lake Somerset, Lake Wivenhoe, and through the Samford Valley on the way back. Go grab a beer from the fridge, and I'll take you on today's adventure. 

A pictures worth a thousand words, the smiles say it all.

I set the alarm for 5am, but my body clock had me up before then anyway. I chucked the kettle on, made a nice strong brew, and gave the better half a little tap on the shoulder. After being reluctant to roll out of bed at first, she finally budged and we were on the road by 6. 

As you can see it was a beautiful morning as we departed, so we were feeling hopeful of what the journey would encompass.

We decided that we would head towards Lake Somerset first. This was a drive of just over an hour, which took us through the countryside with plenty of hills and surrounding nature.

As soon as we got off the highway and headed inland towards the hills the sunlight seemed to disappear and we were driving through a thick morning mist. Visibility was pretty poor in some places, but when it did disappear in some areas it made for beautiful viewing. Here's a few examples of the landscape heading towards Kilcoy and Lake Somerset ultimately.   

An abundance of land out these ways. Epic photo of the glistening sun and a thick mist in the distance.

Driving through the countryside reminded me a lot of home here (New Zealand). The hills, green pastures, and farm life too. 

Lake Somerset

After about an hours leisurely drive we arrived at our first destination. We stopped briefly at a lookout that towered over the lake providing panoramic views. After enjoying the view up there we drove another 10minutes to the most popular entry point onto the lake. We stopped there for a walk around, and to stretch the legs. At this point it seemed like it was going to be an overcast day, which was a little disappointing for us, but maybe our fortunes would change?

Shiels Lookout - An awesome lookout that provides a heightened view of the lake. Photo doesn't come close to doing it justice. 

Lake Somerset. As you can see a thick mist was present this morning, this photo was taken about 7.30am.

7:30am and heaps of people setting up for the day already. Lots of people with boats to take out for the day. Early bird gets the worm in regards to setting up camp. 

A little bit further down road was the Somerset Dam, responsible for the supply of a significant amount of potable water in the Brisbane area. 

After we had finished exploring the Lake Somerset vicinity, we decided to take the road less travelled so to speak, as we ventured to our next stop Lake Wivenhoe. We travelled round the back of the Lake towards Fernvale, in hope to see something a bit different.

This road was very quiet, and was very flat land. It was significantly drier than what we had previously witnessed. 

Check that out, large herd of cows roadside having a good munch on the grass. Was pretty fascinated by the diversity of colours they were all sporting. How many colours can you see? 

Ohh Yeaaah.. Lake Wivenhoe 

After about a 45minute drive we reached the picturesque Lake Wivenhoe, and the weather gods had turned it on. Lake Wivenhoe is also a reservoir for the Wivenhoe Dam, playing an important role in flood mitigation and the provision of water in the wider Brisbane areas also. 

Stunning views lakeside. We literally had the whole place to ourselves too. UNREAL. 

We stopped for breakfast which we packed, as not much is open at that time in the morning. Still had the entire place to ourselves.

Okay I lied, there was this guy and his family too. 

Soaking in the view from the lookout one final time, before we hit the road back towards home. 

Instead of heading back the way we came in, we did a loop meaning that we would head back to Narangba past Mount Glorius and down through the Samford Valley... and WOW is all I can say. Check out these snaps taken as we made our way through the valley. Almost felt as if I was trekking through a rainforest, all while sitting in the car. The D'agular National Park encompasses a large portion of this area, with a lot of awesome hikes and climbs within close proximity.

After about an hour we made it to Samford. This was a beautiful little town, that is immersed in nature. Its very popular for daytime with amazing cafes, parks, and antique style shops. It was extremely busy when we arrived with families all making the most of their weekends. But not too busy to get amongst one of the cafes, before we headed home.  

Poached Eggs, Ham Steak, Hollandaise.. on top of house made Feta and Potato Hashies, and a vingarette sauce. Highly recommend.

From here we headed home for another 30 minutes, full of food and contentment. 

This was our first adventure exploring the natural beauty that exists so close to where we live. We had an awesome morning, and can't wait to find some new spots to explore in the weeks and months to come.

Truly blessed for choices here in Brisbane, Queensland. Hope you have enjoyed your beer, and a rundown of what our morning encompassed.

Have an awesome weekend ✌