Have you been water glamping, ridden the rattler, or trekked through 500,000-year-old sand? See 10 reasons why you should visit the Sunshine Coast.

This region between Brisbane and Fraser Island in Queensland has been blessed by nature with the majestic Glass House Mountains, lush hinterland heights, long stretches of white sand beaches and plenty of friendly people with easy smiles.

Here are ten tempters.

  1. The food

Drawing from a deep and extensive food bowl has given restaurants around Noosa a huge advantage.  When the produce tastes this good it’s going to be even better on your plate.  Check out the Noosa Farmers Market, put Noosa Eat Drink (held annually in May) on your calendar.

 

  1. Try Sunshine Coast Craft beer

Brewers are smart people.  Their preference is to live in a great spot and create special brews for happy folk to drink them.  If it sounds like a good job you are most likely right and the list of boutique brewers who have established themselves in this part of Queensland is growing longer every day.  Think Eumundi Lager, Brouhaha Brewery, Moffat Beach Brewing Co and Your Mates.

To find all these gems take one of the new craft beer tours. 

  1. Mooloolaba Wharf

It’s a long time since this former epicentre of Sunshine Coast dining was top of the list.  A $10 million revival has changed all that.  Three new restaurants – Asian street style Rice Boi, classic fish and chippery Saltwater and The Dock, joining established restaurants Chances and Sea Restaurant to create a dining precinct you’ll want to explore. Even the old yacht club, which was sadly in need of some love, has been decked out Hamptons style by the co-owner of Rick Shores on the Gold Coast and renamed Pier 33.

  1. Rattling down the Mary Valley

One of the sleepers of the Sunshine Coast, the Mary Valley is rich in produce, history and adventure tourism.  A bit of that history has come back to life with the reopening of the 100-year-old Mary Valley Rattler.  Not an ancient snake but rather a snaky railway which winds between Old Gympie Sation and Amamoor with regular trips on Wednesday, Saturdays and Sundays.

  1. Treks

Six mountains in one day or H30 – three waterfalls in one day tours are already available but if you are looking for more, how about a five-day trail?  This will get you from Noosa Northshore to Rainbow Beach via the dunes of the 500,000-year-old Cooloola  Sand Mass. 

  1. Water glamping

That’s not drinking water while you are glamping but a floating campsite.  It’s the brainchild of Bruce Boucaut of Caloundra & Bribie House Boats. Flinders is an eco-friendly luxury pontoon is the shallow intertidal flats of Pumicestone Passage where dugongs graze on the seagrass meadows.  Think pull out beds, heated shower, fishing rods, yabby pump and beach umbrellas.  Most importantly, a flushing toilet!

  1. Get creative

It’s all about escape the children and husbands and get together with the girls for a weekend of cooking schools, craft classes like spanking the chook at Fried Mudd, spa treatments and winery visits.

  1. Cruising

If you don’t want to drive to the Sunshine Coast, you can now make it a stop off on your next cruise.  Cruise ships stop at Mooloolaba so passengers can transfer to tours to hinterland villages, Australia Zoo and other local highlights.

  1. Festivals

If you are looking for a quiet Sunshine Coast weekend, check the festival calendar first because this place is a festival hot bed.  From February’s Grape Stomp to the Timewarp Festival and Sunshine Coast Ukulele Festival in April to the Mary Valley Scarecrow Festival in October, there’s something for all tastes.  Check out the list at Sunshine Coast events. 

  1. More development

You only need to take a drive up the Bruce Highway to see the amount of growth happening on the Sunshine Coast. The one that captures my attention is Habitat Noosa which promises onsite camping, motorhome, RV sites and glamping on a 65-acre site with 500 metres of Noosa River beachfront.

 

Disclaimer:  Nothing to declare here except a love of the Sunshine Coast.