The Sunshine Coast, Queensland

Sunshine Coast Overview

The Sunshine Coast is an easy two to three hours drive, north, up the Bruce Highway from Brisbane. The region is primarily comprised of several coastal towns starting at Bongaree, in the Birbie Island National Park, and extending around 80 miles north up to Rainbow Beach, on the border of the Great Sandy National Park. The principal resort towns in the area are Caloundra, Mooloolaba, Maroochydore, Marcoola, Coolum, Peregian and the beautiful Noosa - one of the most stylish resorts in Australia.

Noosa Style

Noosa is the most well known of the sophisticated Sunshine Coast resorts and the main holiday centre is located at Noosa Heads on a promontory between Noosa Inlet and Noosa Sound. The town is most famous for 'Hastings Street', which runs parallel to and a few metres from Main Beach.

The street is lined with more than 100 alfresco restaurants (serving modern Australia cuisine, seafood, Greek, Italian) resorts, hotels, boutiques and beachside properties and if this is not enough, has a national park at one end.

At night Hastings street is illuminated by sparkling fairy lights whilst diners eat with the sounds of the waves breaking on the beach and others stroll, stopping at bars and cafes or to window shop. there is plenty of accommodation which ranges from cheerful self catering motels, camping grounds, apartments to truly palatial luxury resorts.

Noosa has developed its own style which is characterised as a bold, colourful mixture of art deco and Mexican with an almost 'child-like' innocence

. The Many boutiques and galleries have examples of pieces developed in this style which has come to represent Queensland and Australia as a whole.

Main Beach Board Walk

A popular walk is the 3km coastal path from Hastings Street along Main Beach boardwalk past the beautiful and secluded Tea Tree Bay, Dolphin Point, Fairy Pools, Noosa Head, Hells Gate and into Alexandria Bay.

The views out to sea are stunning and give the illusion you are on a tropical island not on the Queensland coast of mainland Australia.

There is a walk back to Noosa through Tanglewood which runs through the national park. This is perfect to work up an appetite for dinner.

Maroochydore

Maroochydore is the commercial centre on The Sunshine Coast and the location for its airport.

The Maroochy area includes Mooloolaba, Alexandra Headland, Maroochydore, Mudjimba, Marcoola and Coolum.

There are large shopping complexes, beachside resort complexes and plenty of family activities.