Laidley is just over 1 hour’s drive (70kms) west of Brisbane in the pretty Lockyer Valley.

Take the Laidley exit from the Warrego Highway and make it a stopover on your way west.

Explorer, Allan Cunningham, travelled through the district in 1829 (he was the first European into the area) and named Laidley’s Plain in honour of New South Wales deputy-commissary-general, James Laidley.

Patrick St in the town centre has oodles of historic ambience with it’s well preserved old buildings housing antiques, collectibles, tea rooms and cafes.

Look out for the Whitehouse Bakery, an heritage-listed former bakery in the main street, built from 1904-1905. It’s a classic old building, but the giant palm tree towering over the building really wows us! We’d love to know how old it is 🤔

Das Neumann Haus is a house museum built in 1893 by German immigrant Hermann Neumann. Wander through the fully furnished 1930’s style rooms then opt for a devonshire tea from Annie’s Place Coffee Shoppe & enjoy it under a 100 year old Jacaranda in the park.

The Queensland National Hotel has a family friendly dining venue with bucket-loads of eclectic charm and a comfortable country atmosphere inside and out. Offering lunch and dinner 7 days a week, all day bar snacks as well as coffee and cake, this is a great place for a lunch stop or to enjoy a couple of drinks at the bar.

From Laidley you can easily access other towns of the Lockyer Valley such as Rosewood, Gatton, Ispwich (back towards Brisbane) or Toowoomba at the start of the Darling Downs.

So call in and enjoy a little historic charm only an hour’s drive from Brisbane