Some of the best things to do in Logan come without a whole lot of razzle dazzle. But that’s why we love them. We have artisan coffee bean roasters dotted around the city, quietly doing a bumper trade with loyal locals and visitors alike, we have Sunday markets that could be plucked from a bustling Asian metropolis, and we have natural wonderlands where you could hear a pin drop—if it weren’t for the abundance of native birdlife and other fauna. Here’s our take on the City of Logan’s hidden gems—rewarding, unassuming and entirely enjoyable.
First up, coffee. Logan isn’t short of great coffee houses and three favourites include Simply Beans, Extraction Artisan Coffee and Kiwanda Café. All three have a dedicated passion for coffee and show this in different ways. Drop into the Espresso Bar at Simply Beans and choose your brew (there are always 5 grinders on the go), visit Extraction Artisan Coffee’s roastery and café to sample their exceptional coffee and seasonal menu, or pop in to Kiwanda Café and try the fine blend that is the cornerstone of Zarraffas coffee shops all around the country.
For a different kind of indulgence, Devon Pixies, in the Kingston Butter Factory precinct, will delight your senses with an exceptional range of high tea experiences. Delicate, delicious and impeccably presented, the traditional high teas and other tasty offerings at Devon Pixies give you the perfect excuse for any type of catch-up. Vintage high teas are their speciality, so drop in for a touch of English refinement, right here in Logan City.
The Global Food Markets are another classic Logan experience. If you’ve ever been to an Asian food market and miss the atmosphere, this is where you can get your fix—with more international flavours, too. Every Sunday the Global Food Markets turn on an array of fresh fruit and vegetables, from the mainstream to the exotic, while authentic street food vendors serve up mouth-watering food of the world, with flavours to wow you.
You may not know it, but Logan is also home to baking and cake decorating classes by internationally acclaimed Chef and author Jackie Thompson. Jackie’s food and cakes are so good they have featured in films such as Bridget Jones Diary, Finding Neverland and Wimbledon! All that expertise, right here for you soak up in one of Jackie’s cake decorating or cooking classes, through her company Contemporary Cakes, based in Daisy Hill.
Of course, Logan’s hidden gems aren’t all for foodies—the pristine forests and wetlands in the area are teeming with wildlife and offer a chance to step right out of the hustle and bustle and get back to nature.
Covering 80 hectares, the Berrinba Wetlands are criss-crossed by shared walking and bicycle tracks, complete with picnic areas along the way. Eagleby Wetlands are also an important part of the fabric of Logan, providing a home to more than 200 native Australian bird species, including 19 of the 24 Australian raptors and almost half of the bird species found in Queensland. Here you’ll find a freshwater lake and melaleuca wetlands to explore.
Spirits of the Red Sand is another special experience, exclusive to Logan. If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the history, beauty, and vibrancy of the Aboriginal peoples, this powerful and award-winning storytelling show will educate and move you. Spirits of the Red Sand is interactive Aboriginal live theatre, and includes a delicious three-course char-grilled buffet dinner.
Looking at culture and history, one of the most precious places of interest in Logan is Mayes Cottage Museum, nestled on a hill amongst giant mango trees in Kingston—once known as Scrubby Creek. Here, you can revisit the lives and legacy of early European settlement. Mayes Cottage, built in 1887, is a time capsule of Queensland’s pioneering age. The property includes the original slab hut, cowbells, barn and cream shed. On site you’ll find friendly volunteer guides, who’ll be able to fill you in on what life was really like for the Mayes family, who arrived here from England in 1871.
We’ve saved this one for last because—we’ll admit—it’s not really a hidden gem. Gem, yes. Hidden… not quite. Beenleigh Artisan Distillery on the banks of the Albert River is Australia’s oldest operating distillery and a landmark of Logan. The Distillery’s team sources Australia’s finest molasses from the country’s only remaining family-owned sugar mill and others across Queensland, and is still crafting small-batch rum the traditional way after 136 years. Drop in and sample this internationally renowned, award-winning rum.
By no means have we captured all of Logan’s best kept secrets—what would be the fun in that? Next time you’re out and about, ask around to find out what’s new and surprisingly different. You never know what you might be missing out on!