This splendid store is tucked away in the quiet little shopping strip at Glass House Mountains. The shop is tightly packed with an immense number of incredibly affordable and delightful gifts for all occasions. Outside of the shop there are always items at reduced prices.

When I moved to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland 7 years ago this little gem was one of the first shops that I discovered. Over the 4 years that I lived in the area it was a constant source of quaint and unusual gifts for family and friends. For his 5th Birthday I bought my youngest son a small wooden treasure chest. At the time he was very fond of pirates and still treasures the chest to this day. When I mentioned it to the shop proprietor last week she recalled the chests and how popular they were. She was pleased that one of her items was still being loved and cherished years later.

As usual, I couldn't walk away from Serendipity Crafts & Gifts without making a purchase and was delighted to pick up a Gift Pack of 6 Floral Fragrances Incense Stick boxes for $2.95. As always, the proprietor was friendly and obliging and pointed me in the direction of the best value incense. You can't beat service like that.

Approximate cost: $From $1.00.

External appearances are frequently deceptive and Mountain View Garden Centre on Steve Irwin Way at Glass House Mountains is one such example. What appears from the outside to be at best a small roadside plant shop is in fact, Tardis like, bigger on the inside. This lush nursery is right next door to the Fruit Shed and could easily be mistaken for being the same identity.

Stretching out way beyond the small shop interior, this nursery is a pleasant tropical oasis. Specializing in plants suitable for this warm and temperate environment the nursery has a good variety of ferns, natives, fruit trees, orchids, bromeliads and numerous other plants and herbs. They also stock a nice little selection of bonsai and garden ornaments.

Vecchio's Fruit Stall is a long established locally run business on Steve Irwin Way. The term Fruit Stall is somewhat misleading because this shop is much more than a mere road side stall. Together with locally grown fruit and vegetables (the Cavendish Bananas I had were superb), Vecchio's also sells an extensive range of hot take away food. I haven't partaken of any so I can't attest to it's quality, although what I saw certainly looked enticing. At the side of the store is a shaded and nicely arranged alfresco dining area.

Vecchio's also grow their own strawberries and you can pick your own during strawberry season. In the dozens of times that I've driven past during the season I've always been amazed by the shaded picking apparatus. It reminds me of a field in Asia.

Last week trays of Mangoes were on sale for the extraordinarily good price of $15.00 per tray. It's worth the drive to Glass House Mountains for the mangoes alone!

If you travel the Glass House Mountains tourist route down Steve Irwin Way (formerly called Glass House Mountains Road) you'll be struck by the number of fruit and veg stalls that you come upon. Unfortunately in recent years the numbers have diminished, undoubtedly because of the hard economic times and the trend towards supermarket shopping.

The Fruit Shed is a locally run business next door to the Mountain View Garden Centre. Fresh, clean and well laid out, this store has a good supply of locally grown produce. Last week mangoes sold at $1.60 each and my mango loving son said that the one I bought him from here was delicious. Local pineapples were on sale for 69c each or 4 for $2.00. Also sold are locally made biscuits, condiments and cold drinks. The staff are friendly and attentive to customers' needs.

Matilda Fruit Barn is a fabulous fruit and veg shop located on Steve Irwin Way at Glass House Mountains. Situated next door to the Matilda Service Station, this shop is chocker block full of fresh fruit and veggies at incredible prices. When I lived in the area I bought my weekly supplies from here at a fraction of the price that you'd pay for the equivalent items at Woolworths. They're also much fresher and the staff much more pleasant to deal with.

Landsborough Newsagency is a small but well stocked store catering to the needs of the small historical village of Landsborough in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. Situated on the corner of Maleny Road and the laneway that leads up to the the IGA carpark, this newsagent is conveniently located close to the other shops in the village. It's also 2 doors down from the fabulous Eclectic Dreams store.

This newsagents stocks all the usual items such as newspapers, magazines and stationery, whilst also being a Golden Casket agent. When my children attended Landsborough State School this newsagency provided a very convenient service for the provision of all their back-to-school stationery needs. The staff are friendly and obliging.

Taking its name from the creek that runs through historical Landsborough, Mellum Munchies is traditional take away shop which has operated since 1983. A qualified chef runs the establishment which is well known throughout the Sunshine Coast Hinterland for their amazing hamburgers. The steak and mince are all sourced locally, as is the fresh bread, ham, bacon and eggs. Eating at Mellum Munchies not only provides employment at the shop but also indirectly to a number of local businesses.

Burgers start from $6.00 for a plain or egg and bacon burger, up to $12.00 for the Double Worx-Burger. Mellum Munchies website provides detailed information on its extensive menu, including photos. On the website you'll also find details of their sandwiches and rolls, toasted sandwiches, wraps, seafood and other hot food.

Dining is available inside the store or outside in a small alfresco area. Phone orders are both available and encouraged. There's even an old fashioned pin-pall machine in the store, together with a nice selection of lollies and cold drinks.

With an absolutely zero web presence, you would be forgiven for being unaware of the existence of this laundromat unless, of course, you are (or were) a resident of Landsborough. Entirely self service, and without any staff in attendance, this peculiar establishment is seemingly open 24 hours per day.

Landsborough Laundromat has 6 large washing machines which are coin operated at $4.00 per wash. The 2 large dryers are charged at $1.00 per dry. There is a table, chairs and a few magazines for you to read whilst your washing is being done, although I have to admit that during the whole time I lived in Landsborough I never once saw anyone waiting for their washing. That being said, the machines were always going. Clearly there's not a high rate of clothes stealing in Landsborough!

The laundromat also has a Easy NetCafe internet kiosk. Charging $2.00 for 22 minutes, the internet was a tad slow when I used it last week. If you're away from home, and have left your phone behind, it's a great relief to find an accessible internet facility, even if it isn't the fastest around.

This charming historical building is on the corner of Cribb and Dwyer Streets in Landsborough, directly opposite the Railway Station. For a number of years Landsborough was the terminus for the northern line and the pub, undoubtedly, would have done a roaring trade. It's for that reason that I'm surprised that it isn't called the Railway Hotel :)

The Landsborough Pub has not let history tie it down and has progressed with the times. It has a home cooked food menu which I'm told is great, although I've never tried it myself. In keeping with Qld's strict anti-smoking legislation it has two very popular outdoor smoking areas. Given that it's rarely cold in this part of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland you can be assured of not freezing when you go outside for a smoke.

The hotel has a very reasonably sized and well appointed drive thru bottle shop. The staff are friendly and always attentive to your needs.

Luckily some things rarely change, and the Landsborough Country Store is one of them. Located in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland's "Historic Town", the Country Store still retains much of the charm of a small country town's General Store. Occupying a fair sized historical building, this shop is both surprisingly well stocked and reasonably priced.

All the grocery lines you'd normally find a large chain supermarket are available, with many items marked down for sale each week. A small variety of produce is available such as layer mash, layer pellets, chick starter and various wild bird mixes. All are sold by the kilo and start at a very reasonable price of $1.30 per kg. There is an extensive range of dog and cat food, reasonably priced meat (which is regularly marked down), and freezers full of frozen goods and drinks. A good selection of fresh fruit and vegetables are also available. Much to my children's delight lollies are sold the old fashioned way, individually. Deli items, ice creams, hardware supplies, newspapers and magazines are also sold. There isn't much that you won't find at the Landsborough Country Store.