Chandler Farmers Markets

Chandler markets are located in the car park of the Sleeman Sports complex.  This was purpose built for the 1982 Commonwealth Games and has swimming pools, a velodrome and associated other buildings situated in a beautiful parkland.

The markets are partially under cover and I think what makes them special is the native trees and plants that surround them.  These are marketed as a farmers market, rather than a flea market so they sell plenty of fruit and veggies, boutique food-stuff and plants.  They also have a really terrific selection of antiques, collectables and general bric a brac.  There's such a good variety of goodies here that I have never once come home empty handed.

The least you should know: Chandler Markets are located at the Sleeman Sports Complex, 1699 Old Cleveland Road, Chandler.  They are on every Sunday, rain or shine, 5am to 1pm.  Entry is $1 for adults. There's plenty of parking available, just follow the ring road until you find a relatively empty carpark- for some reason people tend to fight over the closest car park to Tilly Road- so just keep driving and you can have a nice walk to the markets through some splendid gardens.

Just have a look at these gardens, it's really worth coming out here  to have a picnic on the grounds

This stall isn't undercover, however it gets plenty of shade from the trees

This stall business is called "Nitide Subst" Really, really amazing gluten-free goodies here.  She's usually at Rocklea markets on Saturday morning and has a Facebook page as well

So many treasures for the urban pirate  

Not a terribly inspired photo, but this is the under cover area that takes up 60% of the markets

Toohey Forest walking tracks- Nathan

If you feel like getting away from the noise and bustle of the city, but don't really want to drive hours and hours to do it, then this is the place for you.

Toohey forest is only 9km's from Brisbane's CBD.  It's just off the freeway via the Gaza Road exit and there is quite a lot of parking, picnic tables and BBQ's.  I went for a short walk last weekend, the 1km Sandstone Circuit, which was rated as easy but was still quite a nice little workout thanks to all the steps up to the lookout.  There really wasn't that much of a view because the trees have grown quite tall, but it was still quite beautiful and green and worth the trip.

I really wrestled with mentioning this because it may have just been my own paranoia, but there were quite a few creepy guys dawdling around off the pathways.  I'm not sure if I stumbled into one of those secret gentlemen's clubs that my old flatmate the Kylie Minogue impersonator used to frequent, or whether they were just getting their breath back after a long climb up the mountain, but I would urge you to consider taking an exercise buddy with you.  It may not be the safest of places....

The least you should know: There are a few entrances but I found the easiest to be on Toohey Road at Tarragindi, where you can park on either side of the road. The signage is quite good, with trails clearly marked.

Toohey forest map, so you can plan your adventure in advance

One of the well-maintained walking trails

Some of the steps in the Sandstone circiut

The path back to the picnic/ BBQ area and carpark

Some of the picnic tables and BBQ's

RSPCA Op Shop- New Farm

Today's post is for those of you who love the labels.  I have two sisters, one is the queen of all things antique and retro and the other has a magical gift of walking into a fairly ratty old op shop and walking out with a genuine Dogstar frock This place was discovered my the label queen herself.


The RSPCA has 12 thrift shops in SE QLD.  Each one has it's own specialities.  The one at New Farm is packed with designer labels....shoes...leather coats...bags... It has a furniture section out the back that has very clean, good quality items.  There's a couple of walls of books and at the front is a small jewellery cabinet.  When I was shopping in here last weekend, one of the volunteers persuaded me to part with $10 for a pair of hiking boots.  When I arrived home, I realised that they were handmade Italian mountaineering boots that, when new, would have been sold for somewhere between $300 and $400.


I love the RSPCA. It's a fantastic charity and deserves our support. It's good to think that every cent that you spend here is feeding a dog or a cat while they are looking for a new home.


The least you need to know: NEW FARM FURNITURE BARN is at Cnr Merthyr & Lamington St New Farm Qld 4005 Phone: (07) 3254 2309.  There's a couple of parking spaces next to the entrance but quite a lot in the surrounding side streets as well.

This is the furniture barn part.  It's at the very back of the store

These arm chairs were $30 each.  bargain!

You have various prices of single items, with this 3 for $10 special every day.  Every couple of weeks, they have something excitedly called by my sister "Bag Day", where you can fill a Coles plastic bag with clothing for $10.

Some of the shoes

There's wall to wall books in here, organised by authors name or non-fiction subject.

Woolloongabba Antique Centre

If you're looking for something to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon, then you might like to consider going to the Woolloongabba Antique Centre.  It's an enormous warehouse filled with individual dealer stalls,  each one specialises in something unique from antique French couture (Chanel, Cartier etc) to retro 70's orange furniture and homewares.  It even has a 1950's diner in the centre that serves tea in the most darling little themed tea pots.  Don't think it's all for the ladies though, my husband loves coming along just for the cabinet of weaponry and military collectables.

Antique and vintage furniture really is very competitive with new furniture. You can buy something beautifully hand-made from solid timber for the same price as you'd pay for something made out of chip-board from a big chain store. I recently bought some antique Italian ceramic house numbers for $18 each and they were cheaper than equally sized soulless ones from Bunnings!

These guys have an incredibly good website here  I recommend you put your name down on their mailing list because I attended their Christmas Party in 2010 and it was excellent with lucky door prizes (my friend was lucky enough to win one), free champers and live music.

The least you should know: They are located at 22 Wellington Road, Woolloongabba.  There's plenty of parking around the streets on the weekends though I haven't braved it during the week.  They're open 7 days a week from 9 - 5 and make sure that you allow plenty of time for browsing because there really is a lot to see.

The warehouse has been divided into a series of small open rooms, each one with it's own theme 

Just in case you've always dreamt of owning GIANT neon letters. Sadly not really practical for my 50's California bungalow, but if I lived in a warehouse apartment....

I love that wonderful 1950's set of kitchen cupboards. When I renovated our original 50's kitchen, I couldn't bear to throw it out and the whole thing is intact in our downstairs laundry...now all I need is some paint

This is the most incredible 70's lounge suite.  I love those big cushions too.

Far Pavilions Factory Outlet- Salisbury

For the last three years, the Far Pavilions Factory Outlet has been located about 5 minutes from my house and I can't believe I didn't know about it until this morning.

Far Pavilions is a Queensland owned and operated furniture company that specialises in good quality "interesting and affordable homewares and furnishings". The company motto is "make every home a journey".  The head office and Samples, Seconds and Discontinued outlet is in an enormous warehouse in the industrial district at Salisbury.

The least you need to know: The Factory is at Commerce Street, Salisbury and they are open Wed - Fri 10-3, Sat 9-5 and Sunday 10-3.

It looks like an ordinary old warehouse from the outside

Inside, there are bargains everywhere.  At the moment they are offering 3 pieces of furniture for the price of 2, which is dangerous when you find the perfect entertainment unit and coffee table and you can have the other matching telephone table (worth $399) for free.

The very friendly salesperson was apologising for the mess, and there I was feeling I'd wandered into Aladdin's cave 

I have a feeling that I'll be visiting this place quite often

There's just way too many pretty pieces of furniture in here, very dangerous to my post christmas budget!

Sandlewood Op Shop

I have two words for you...vintage kitchenware.

Did that just make you a little bit intrigued? Did you lean forward in your seat just a tad?

What about Vintage linen?  Perhaps vintage hand embroidered linen? And all the profits will go to disadvantaged members of the community. That's guilt free spending in my books.  It's recycled and it's helping a worthy charity.

Sandlewood opshop is an entirely not for profit organisation (which means that absolutely no one working here draws a wage at all) that has been created to assist people in crisis situations by providing them with basic start up kits needed to set up a home.  It may be pots and pans, cups and plates...all those things that are necessary for day to day living.  Sandlewood also helps out many other areas in our community (RSPCA, Children's hospitals, educational grants)

When I asked how someone like me could best help them, the answer was an emphatic "Come in here and shop".

The least you need to know: Sandlewood Op Shop is on Beaudesert Road (on the service Road/Avison Street) in Moorooka.  You can buy plenty of vintage treasures here from 70's iron-on patches to bric-a-brac. There's a wall of good quality fiction and non-fiction books. Plenty of men's, women's and children's clothing that's arranged in sizes. All staff working here are super friendly, I once watched one of the volunteers help someone get decked out in a 70's outfit for a costume party for under $30
The opening hours are 9-5 Monday to Friday and 9-11.30 am on Saturdays (though I've visited at 2pm on a couple of Saturdays and they were still open).  If in doubt, then your best bet is to give them a call on 07 3277 3521

Treasures....vintage treasures

Vintage suitcases. I visit at least once a week and there's always loads of new  things here to buy

Vintage hand-embroidered linen.  The last time I shopped here I bought 6 linen pillowcases, all hand embroidered for $9 a pair.  Some were in their original packaging. 

More vintage kitchenware.  

This is the front of Sandlewood. Seriously, it's like Narnia in here. Just when you think there's no more little nooks that you could possibly investigate, tucked away in a corner you find an adorable silk and cotton skirt for $6

Sirromet Wineries

Now I'll admit the standing joke at my last job was that my perfect career would be as a tour-guide of budget places around Brisbane "Cheap-arse tours presents...", but there's just one place that I've been to many times and never regretted a single cent of the (mostly sizeable) bill.  That's Restaurant Lurleens at Sirromet Wineries down at Mt Cotton.

I love many things about this place, the architecture, the views across to Moreton bay, the service but I return for the food.  The menu is filled with local produce, I'm sure that it's helping local farmers stay afloat in this crazy mass produced world.  You also get extremely generous portions for your money.  I've visited for Breakfast, morning tea, lunch and dinner and have yet to walk out the door feeling anything but perfectly content

If you're after a less expensive excursion, you can take a tour of the winery and wine tasting for $20 per person.  If you'd just like to have a wine tasting, you can sample up to 8 wines for $5 at the Cellar Door. I don't drink but I imagine you could have a very pleasant day sitting outside sipping wines and sharing a cheese platter

The least you should know: Sirromet Wineries are at 850 Mount Cotton Road at Mount Cotton, about 30 minutes south of Brisbane. Make sure that you make a booking before you head down because this place is very popular

The entrance to the Wineries and Restaurant Lurleens

It was quite a rainy day, but it seems to add to the feeling of being in a friends country house

The main meal sizes are generous. I usually order two entree sizes instead of an entree and a main, just so that I might be able to have dessert as well

Restaurant Lurleens

The cellars underneath the restaurant. One of my friends got married in here, which would have been incredible.