If you’re looking for top-notch weekend getaways from Brisbane, put Lennox Head near the top of your list. I’m fortunate enough to have family in town, so I’m here for all the important holidays and a few in between. Prior to moving to Brisbane, I lived in the Northern Rivers for six years and my favourite place in the area, which overlooks the town of Lennox Head, is Pat Morton Lookout.
Lennox Head Itself is a pleasant little town with enough going on, but not too much. It’s become increasingly gentrified over the years, as has many parts of the Northern Rivers, but it’s still a great place. You can check out my detailed post on Lennox Head and what there is to do around town on my other blog, here.
My favourite hill in Australia
In this post, I’m here to bang on about Pat Morton Lookout, which deserves several afternoon or morning explorations it’s that wonderful. It’s my favourite hill in Australia and I’ve spent birthdays, many mornings and sunsets here. I’ve got memories of taking my son here when he was little and it’s a place that makes me feel like I’m far away – which could be anywhere – when I’m travel starved.
The lookout atop Lennox Headland is where you’ll likely start, as there’s a car park here and it’s a good spot to stop and stare out over this wonderful part of the world. This section’s a favourite place for hang-gliders and you can wander down the hill and watch the surfers take on Lennox Head Point. However, the real fun – at least for me – starts when you climb the staircase, reach the top and then begin to meander slowly down towards Boulders Beach.
The Travel Portal
Sunset is always a good time to explore Pat Morton Lookout, when the shadows creep across the hills into the long grass and the towering cliff face looks menacing in the fading light. The horizon, which seems endless across the vast ocean from here, fades from blue to hues of pink and orange. The cliff edges offer comfy seats with vistas that fuel the dreamers. While behind, the field winds towards the beach below and in the sunlight it looks like a travel portal to the path to anywhere.
Sadly, the top of the lookout is also a favoured spot for suicides. There are help signs before the edge of the cliff as a preventative measure.
Weekend getaways from Brisbane – Pat Morton History
So how did this magical place begin? The land above Lennox Head Point was donated by land owner John (Jack) Stuart Easter in 1953 for the purpose of a lookout, as he thought it was a bit too unforgiving for cattle to travel through. Thanks Jack! Following this, a fellow named Pat Morton – who was to become the mayor of Mossman and later the Minister for Local Government and Highways – donated $2,500 to establish the lookout over Lennox Head Point.
Lennox Head was declared a national surfing reserve in 2007 and it’s the largest of its kind in Australia. So, if you’re looking for one of the best weekend getaways from Brisbane, drive to Lennox Head. Following this, look for the biggest hill in the area (Pat Morton Lookout), grab some chips, a drink, sit on top and enjoy a very fine part of the world indeed.
I love this place so much that I wrote a poem about it when I was frustrated, working as a copywriter for a corporate travel company. Anyway, here it is:
Beyond the rise and fall, and rise and fall again, sweet tussocks sway softly at land’s end. A small adventure winds its way downhill, medicine for a travel-starved heart. While far below and to the end, beneath a towering umbra of ageless stone, the sea envelops all, unyielding, magnificent, the wildest of animals.
In the place beyond the rise and fall, I’m the best I could be, if for just a moment.
Have you been to Pat Morton Lookout? What do you think of it? Let me know in the comments!
