SUNSHINE COAST, AUSTRALIA

SUNSHINE COAST, AUSTRALIA

The Sunshine Coast is a region you can't miss during your Australian stay. It has perfect weather all year round with unbelievably beautiful beaches and small towns with great hospitality. It is completely different from places such as Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne. On the Sunshine Coast, the life is quieter and stress-free . It has an atmosphere of endless holidays. The Sunshine Coast is located between the parallels 26ºS & 27ºS, only 100 Km from Brisbane, or two and half hours from the Gold Coast. The region is made up of many small cities that are joining each other as the region grows. In reality they are only a few kilometres apart. Caloundra, Maroochydore, Mooloolaba, Coolum and Noosa. Each one has its own importance and unique charm. There are rivers, mountains, lakes, beaches and heaps of wildlife. The people are very friendly, most of them taking the time to chat to you on the streets.

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To get there, you leave Brisbane, and take the Bruce Highway north. One of the first amazing sights you see will be the Glass House Mountains (A name given by Captain Cook when he saw them from the sea). The mountains are a group of peaks that on a clear day, are really impressive. If you wish you can get off of the main highway and get really close to them. There is also a road that goes by the mountains which is called The Hinterlands Circuit. The circuit passes waterfalls and great little villages with rustic houses, restaurants and Cafes that serve cottage style meals.

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Caloundra is the first city on the Sunshine Coast with a large estuary protected from the surf by a sand bar point. The area is great for aquatic sports such as windsurfing, water-skiing and sailing. Fishing is very productive with great spots for Flathead and Tailor. The Gold Beach (photo) is a family beach with no waves. On the other side of the estuary, there are many good open beaches with great Surf for board riders. Caloundra lately had become the preferred spot for retirees, with house prices lower than other Sunshine Coast towns.

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Maroochydore (photo top of this page) and Mooloolaba are the following towns from Caloundra. They are the biggest towns on the Sunshine Coast, with everything you need including fantastic beaches and great entertainment. For surfers and board riders, Alexander Headlands has a very famous right point break that produces great waves all year round. The town also has an excellent marina and a huge South Water Aquarium. These two towns are literally joined together, and it is difficult to know when you leave one and enter the other. Night life, Restaurants and Cafes are everywhere, and huge Shopping centres are also at hand. Accommodation is plenty and easy to find with prices for all budgets.

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Coolum is the smallest town, but it is one of the best kept secrets on the Sunshine Coast. It has a large concentration of hotels and five star resorts. The town is neat and clean, with great cafes right in front of the beach. For those who like to play Golf, it has one the best circuits in Australia. The beach is another beauty, with nice waves for surf and spectacular fishing from the sand. Due to the proximity from Noosa, Coolum is a much cheaper accommodation alternative than its more expensive sister city. Rainbow Beach is an open beach that connects Coolum to Noosa. At this beach it is possible to find cheap beach holiday homes for a good price.

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Noosa is the last Sunshine Coast town, and the most glamorous. It is sophisticated, with lot of rich people owning holiday homes in Noosa. Hasting Street, is one of the most elegant streets in Australia with boutiques and eateries on both sides. It also has an estuary, with great fishing, and a river that has abundant wild life. Noosa has one of the best Surf breaks for long boarders in Australia, currently holding international contests. During the holiday season, Noosa can become very expensive and difficult to find accommodation.

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The Noosa National Park, is a reserve that contains some of the most beautiful flora and fauna in Australia. The Park has many beaches and native koalas, lorikeets, plus many marsupials. The water is crystal clear and warm and the surf is also very good. The park has many trails to walk on, all with signs containing directions and distances. There are also small, hidden beaches that you can have to yourself, but when the waves are big, a lot of caution is advisable. The best time to see the koalas is late afternoon.

	20 km from Noosa, and once a week, there is one of the biggest Arts and Craft Markets in Australia. It is called Eumundi Market and you will find more than 1000 stalls selling everything you can imagine. It is so famous that many Australian travel all night long to be early at the market to get the best produce and bargains.