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There's no denying that Montville is the darling of the Blackall Range. Visitors come to visit this part of the world in the same way as Hahndorf in South Australia attracts its fair share of visitors fresh from Adelaide and the outer reaches. Essentially, Montville is a tourist magnet, a weekend retreat for couples mostly who long to escape the city jungle and the oppressive heat of the suburbs in summer. The path is a unique drive in its own right as you find yourself meandering along an undulating crest with volcanic valleys and mountain vistas either side to distract. To escape from the concrete below into a lush oasis is one thing, but as every shopaholic knows, there's no satisfaction without the chance to buy some serious essentials.
In that respect Montville again satisfies the senses because it has an abundance of gift shops, restaurants, art galleries and a winery, and, if that wasn't enough, it also produces its own coffee and spring water!
For the locals, and I'm one of them, the mornings are a peaceful bliss. Traffic gently builds, then parks and the village takes on a fresh atmosphere of sightseers each day. As the journey to get here unwinds, the rush to must see, must do, disappears into another world and despite the numbers, Montville never feels overcrowded. There's always free parking spaces and room to walk.
Outside of the village centre lay Montville's other side. The village is surrounded by attractive guest houses and getaway cabins. There are even a couple of motels. Amongst them all lies other attractions like Lake Baroon, the reservoir that feeds the coastal inhabitants their drinking water and the rest of us our boating and fishing pleasures, and Kondalilla waterfall and the most spectacular rainforest walks affording views you never knew existed.
 
But what is it like to actually live here? Since the village is geared up for tourism it would come as little surprise to discover there isn't that much for us locals. At least that's what I first thought. A small shop supplies most things, although for a big shop you'd be wise to make the journey into Maleny or down the hillside into Nambour. There isn't a petrol station, although Mapleton, just a few miles away, offers affordable fuel. Of course there's a post office - where would you get a stamp to stick on your postcard, and there's a vets too. A newsagent, a pharmacy and an English style pub make up the rest. Good food is only a short stroll away from one of so many restaurants and cafes it's hard to choose. With about 300 residents, scattered over quite a few square miles, Montville never has the feeling of being claustrophobic. Artists, real estate agents, shop owners, business men and women all manage to call Montville home. There's even a primary school at its heart. So all up, despite there being only one cash machine, Montville's a complete village. And anyway, who needs more than one cash machine?
Commutable to and from Brisbane it is, but I wouldn't want to do it every day. If travelling an hour and a half each way is your thing then you have no worries. Work locally and Montville becomes far more attractive. There's a sense of the old country here. Many Brits, whether out for the first time or considering a 'move up' the range, are often discovered looking for property in the area. That said, Montville is an Australian stronghold, at least on the street where we live!
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