The Sunshine Coast has far more going for it than just the sun. With its preserved coastline, the natural beauty of the hinterland, thousands of acres of rainforest and national parks and with a relaxed lifestyle makes for the perfect escape from our dreary and depressing winters.
Add to this breathtaking seascapes, stunning beaches with some of the best surfing in Australia, 5-star accommodation, wall-to-wall dining and untold tourist attractions, the Sunshine Coast is a place where you can kick off your shoes and relax until it’s time to go home. Not enough for you? Welcome to paradise, well if not, it’s a close imitation.
Made up of five Shires that follow a spectacular coastline is Caloundra to the south, Mooloolaba, Maroochydore, Coolum and Noosa to the north, each with its own fan club and character. Mooloolaba known for is al fresco dining is one of the most popular getaways on the coast and our base for the next ten days
There was a time when tourists flew into Maroochydore Airport, made a right-hand turn and headed north for Noosa. Now they turn left turn and head straight for Mooloolaba.
Making our way to The Peninsular Beachfront Resort, a warm tropical breeze wafts across the beach and on to the Esplanade. It’s almost hypnotic, there’s an irresistibly laid-back atmosphere present matched only by its free-spirited life-style. Sitting on the balcony admiring the dazzling blue sea, it could have been out of a painting by one of the world’s great classic artists.
If you’re a foodie, Mooloolaba has built itself a deserved reputation as a gastronomic oasis. Re-development of the Esplanade has seen an explosion of cafes, bistros and restaurants, most with beachfront all year round al fresco dining doing brisk business with kerbside tables jammed full with cheerful diners.
Sunday breakfast at the Mooloolaba Surf Club is legendary. The lifeguards by now are well into their daily patrol routines, throngs drawn to the clubhouse from the time it opens the doors at 7.30am. There is no other restaurant on the beachfront where you can sit at a table right on the foreshore and watch an army of swimmers bobbing around blissfully in the surf.
First up is an aerial tour of the Sunshine Coast with Air Fraser Island and a stunning view of the Glasshouse mountains, ancient volcanic plains and the flourishing hinterlands with inland waterways that lead to the beachside Shires.
Around the corner is The Kart Track and a place where you can have a laugh and experience the thrills and spills of go-kart motor racing. For the serious petrol heads this is the perfect venue to test their driving skills and to get the adrenaline pumping.
Within easy driving distance is the Blackall Range. As the road winds through dense rainforest, vistas of the green and violet landscape fall away into the Pacific Ocean, making this place seem like an island apart. Picturesque cottages, shops, restaurants and the haunt of artists and artisans, make the visit to Montville and Maleny seem as if you have stumbled across a place known to few others. For dairy lovers another must-do experience is a visit to Maleny Cheese Factory for a tasting of some of the best cheeses and yoghurt in Australia.
Much has been written about Noosa, long regarded as the premier destination in the whole of Queensland. It’s the prettiest Shire on the coast renowned for its wide variety of 5-star beachfront accommodation and restaurants stacked with some of Australia’s best celebrity chefs serving the finest cuisine. And if you’re looking for some serious retail therapy, Hastings St is studded with designer label boutiques.
Winding our way back to the highway, Yardina is home of the Ginger Factory, the world’s largest ginger processor and a place that is filled with fun and discovery. Across the road is Nutworks, a macadamia and chocolate calorie-driven processing factory that guarantees that you won’t leave without gaining a few extra kilos. We happily buy some macadamias to devour with our ginger parfaits.
A lazy drive from Mooloolaba brings you into Eumundi, a popular and enduring meeting place where every Saturday and Wednesday is market day and a place where you can find some real bargains of fresh produce, local arts and crafts and original clothing.
Back in Mooloolaba our final adventure before the sun goes down, we board MV Mudjimba a fully restored classic timber ferry for a one-hour-cruise on the river and adjoining canals that house some of the most expensive real estate in Queensland.
Ten days passed quickly. It’s the end of our stay and we marvel that we have enjoyed the best holiday ever post-pandemic. Motoring along Bruce Highway for our homeward connection we wondered what the English meaning for Mooloolaba was? We never raised the energy to find out.
Need to know
Getting there: Air New Zealand fly to Brisbane from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch; and from Auckland to Maroochydore from May to October. Jetstar fly all year round from Auckland to Maroochydore.
Airport transfers: From Maroochydore, 4U Transfers and Tours, from Brisbane, Con-X-ion.
Where to stay: Peninsula Beachfront Resort.
Cheap eats: Entice, Sushi Ari, Get Poked, Funk Wok.
Other places of interest: Aussie World, Noosa Glades, Laguna Lookout, Bli Bli Castle, Glasshouse Mountains, Fraser Island, Noosa National Park.
Background reading: Sunshine Coast Trail by R E Walz; Lonely Planet: Queensland by Mark Armstrong.
