QUEENSLAND's SUNSHINE COAST
One of Australia's most popular holiday destinations is the area known as the Sunshine Coast, an hour or so's drive or bus ride north of Brisbane. Apart from the superb beaches, the laid back and friendly atmosphere in the townships and the glorious weather all year round, there are so many tourist attractions to be seen and enjoyed that even the most hyperactive will never get bored. As might be expected, there is the widest range of accommodation available, from caravan sites and cabins in the caravan parks (now called holiday resorts) to motels, backpacker hostels and family apartments, all of which can be found in most of the towns, such as Caloundra, Maroochydore, Noosa Heads and Gympie.
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Noosa Heads |
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Coloured Sands - Tewantin - Qld |
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Mt Beerwah - Mt Coonowrin - Glass House Mountains |
Mooloolaba |
Noosa National Park |
Bunya Park - Buderim |
CALOUNDRA
Behind the fine beaches at Caloundra, the majestic GLASSHOUSE MOUNTAINS form a spectacular backdrop and here one can take a leisurely drive around the Hinterland Discovery tour along the top of the BLACKALL RANGE, which is an area of sub-tropical rainforests and picturesque waterfalls. This is an region where you will often come across farms selling fresh produce, little arts and crafts galleries and a number of country tea rooms specialising in hearty Devonshire teas. These mountains are quite unusual, because of the plugs of rhyolite sticking up from the tops of several peaks. Also, just south of Caloundra is BRIBIE ISLAND, which is another very popular seaside resort.
MAROOCHYDORE
Maroochy means black swan in one of the Aboriginal languages and its superb beaches and crystal clear waters are a Mecca for surfers. This is a rich fruit growing area and here you can feast on ripe avocadoes, juicy pineapples and other delicious fruit, in season. Nearby are some of Australia's most beautiful national parks, where you may see a platypus or two swimming in the quiet creeks, or hear the entrancing peal of a bellbird. At MOOLOOLABA there are good shops and restaurants, but the best known attraction there is UNDERWATER WORLD. There you can get up close and personal with giant sharks, stingrays and other denizens of the deep without getting wet. It is a fascinating place, loved by all members of the family. You can charter a boat and fish for marlin and other big game from the harbour too. If you prefer something a little less dramatic, there's always canoeing and scuba diving. Then there are kangaroos on the golf course and wineries all over the place if you are still feeling energetic.
TIN CAN BAY
Tin Can Bay is renown for its friendly dolphins and at TEEWANTIN & RAINBOW BEACH you can see strata's of gloriously colored sands. The rusting hulk of the old 'CHERRY VENTURE' can still be seen marooned on the beach and is popular with camera enthusiasts. It's a good area for four wheel driving the beach and the hinterland.
NOOSA
Noosa is the most sophisticated of the Sunshine Coast towns and it is where thousands of professional people now have holiday apartments, facing the ocean. There are spectacular beaches, a great shopping centre and restaurants galore. There is also Noosa National Park, cradling Main Beach and Laguna Lookout in the park offers sweeping panoramas to Laguna Bay and beyond.
GYMPIE
Gympie came into being when gold was discovered there in 1867. The ensuing Gympie goldrush injected a major boost into the State's economy at that time and enabled the colony to survive. There are gold mining and a timber museums and an old Valley Rattler steam train ride to be enjoyed. Take the heritage walk around town, if you enjoy Australian history.
NAMBOUR
In the Nambour area are a number of excellent and very popular tourist attractions. Probably the best known is THE BIG PINEAPPLE, set in a pineapple plantation. Here one can take a cane train trip around the paddocks and learn about pineapple farming. There is also a restaurant, with all manner of dishes featuring pineapple in some form or another and a souvenir shops where the same criteria applies. Alongside is the MACADAMIA PLANTATION and here one can learn about macadamia farming and buy the produce in a variety of forms. The there is the GINGER FACTORY at YANDINA, where you can watch ginger being processed and buy ginger products.
FOREST GLEN
The DEER SANCTUARY at Forest Glen is lesser known, but still worth a visit. You can drive through the park seven days a week and feed the free roaming deer from your vehicle. You can also see wombats and visit the nocturnal house, or picnic with the tame kangaroos. Here too you can have a photo taken cuddling a koala and visit the snack bar if you are feeling peckish. Then there's SUPER BEE. Just follow the walkways through seven acres of tropical gardens past Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the Three Bears cottage and the House that Jack Built. There's mini golf, mini cars and much more fun for the young fry. You can watch beekeeping demonstrations too, which are held hourly and buy delicious honey produce afterwards. And talking of fairy tales, at nearby BLI BLI there's the spectacular FAIRY TALE CASTLE, where every room tells a different story and there are suits of medieval armour, more than 2,500 dolls, model railways and much more.
WHALE WATCHING
During the cooler months of the year Southern Right Whales and their calves can usually be seen making their way up this stretch of coast and that is when the boat charters are at their busiest. So much to see and do - it's no wonder the Sunshine Coast is such a magnet to holidaymakers and retirees alike
Other Sunshine Coast Sites to Visit
See also Sunshine Coast Locals Guide and for Bookings, Sunshine Coast Accommodation.
Australian State Information