Back in the days when I could leave Canberra, I drove up to the Gold Coast to visit my family for a month. It was one of those holidays where I didn’t really need to go sightseeing or do anything really apart from visit my family as have been to the Gold Coast many times, but I did want to try a few nice cafes and restaurants. One cafe Dust Temple Cafe was in the suburb where my father, brother and nephew live; Currumbin Waters.
This cafe is actually located right in the middle of industry and I must say if I would not of found it but lucky for me, my brother had found it and knew I would love it. He was right, I loved it from the moment I got out of the car. The outside is gorgeous with huge wrought iron gates, fabulous wooden lampshades and incredible wooden/glass hinged doors and wooden barn doors that allow the flow of air inside the cafe.
Inside is even more amazing. The whole place is an old warehouse with polished cement floors. You walk through huge open wooden/glass doors into the coffee/drinks/pre packaged food area then once you have ordered your food, you walk through to a huge room converted into an art gallery with sculptures and artwork on display. There are also large long tables to enjoy a coffee and something to eat.
I ordered the fresh tomato, fresh basil and balsamic on toasted sourdough and a turmeric, coconut milk, banana and mango drink. My brother ordered the housemade toasted banana and coconut bread with butter and the watermelon, pink lady apple, pear, rhubarb and lime juice. Everything here came so beautifully presented with little flowers and the my meal was so incredibly fresh – I loved it! And as for the turmeric drink – it was absolutely delicious.
Whilst waiting for my meal, I took my camera around the warehouse and took some photos. There are fabulous old lounges and chairs to relax in and borrow a book to read whilst enjoying a coffee or alcoholic drink and an outside area with tables and benches, covered by umbrellas to relax in the sun or shade.
There is even a second floor up wooden stairs with a wrought iron balustrade but I guess the owners are still working on that area as it contained paintings against the wall still wrapped and very little else. But like everywhere else in this amazing place, art lined the walls of the stairs.
Even the kitchen area has an old armchair to sit and relax and do some people watching!
This was definitely my favourite cafe on the Gold Coast and yes, I did visit again during my stay!
Canberra is pretty cold in the winter so it’s always nice to travel interstate mainly north to Queensland for a few days of warmth. That is what I decided to do last month and took my brother and nephew along too. I booked an Airbnb home at a suburb called Biggera Waters which is about an hour’s drive from Gold Coast (Coolangatta) Airport.
It was too cool to swim in the pool so we spent many an hour on the patio reading and just watching the swans and ducks swim by. The swans would arrive at 8.30am every morning; you really could set your clock by them.
I had made plans to catch up with friends who have a holiday home at Sanctuary Cove and my friend Steve kindly offered to come and pick us up in their boat so we could sail along the river to their home. How lucky were we!! So Steve and his son Ryan arrived on our private mooring and off we went…
Until we reached the open waters the boat is legally only able to travel at six knots (no wake allowed) so this afforded me to time to check out houses and gardens that back onto the river…wow some people have gorgeous homes! Once away from residences we could go a little faster which was really nice with the wake behind us.
Also nice to see the Gold Coast skyline behind us as well as views along the shore.
After a glass of wine at my friend’s home we took their golf carts and drove to Sanctuary Cove restaurant area where we had a wonderful lunch at a local Italian restaurant which had a lovely wine bar and to enter you walk through a huge wine barrel. Definitely my sort of place. 
Along the way we drove through the golf course and were fortunate enough to see a mob of kangaroos and one mum with her baby!
After lunch we returned to my friend’s home to watch the sunset – I never grow tired of watching either a sunrise or sunset…beautiful anywhere around the world.
And I love it when the sky changes colour whilst the sun is setting…
One other day we took my nephew and godson to MovieWorld on the Gold Coast. Rather expensive and really not what I like to do but I hope my nephew and godson enjoyed themselves. It was my godson’s first time to eat a snow cone; he loved it and enjoyed some rides.
And the sweetest thing about the trip was my godson absolutely loved my nephew (they had met some three years ago) so followed him around all weekend and just wouldn’t let him out of his sight…very lovely and my nephew even though he is seven years older, was incredibly patient and loving!
We also had a meal at a local Chinese restaurant on our last night with another friend (my godson’s mum) and as usual I enjoyed an eggplant dish and some dumplings…delicious. A great long weekend away!
Then as if we hadn’t had enough to eat the previous evening, we went for brunch at this lovely little cafe within a rather large shopping centre. The meals matched the size of the shopping centre; huge!!
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