The best beaches but more
Mercedes Maguire’s tips for visiting Queensland’s Sunshine Coast
It’s right there in the name – Sunshine Coast – so it’s no surprise the Queensland region an hour north of Brisbane is famous for its sun, sand and surf. But locals are proving there’s a lot more to this coastal enclave than beaches, from hinterland ranges and rainforest waterfalls to the only everglades in Australia. “People come for the beaches and fair enough, but we’re about so much more,” says Josh Donohoe, who started Creative Tours seven years ago to prove just that.
Stay midweek
You can halve accommodation costs if you avoid weekends, says Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Matt Stoeckel. “With three million people less than three hours’ drive from the Sunshine Coast, we are always very popular over weekends,” he says.
“But if visitors can come midweek, there are some really attractive bargains available.” For example, if you stay at Maroochydore’s boutique Loea Hotel on a weekend you’ll pay up to $488 a night, but stay midweek and the price for the same room drops as low as $248. See visitsunshinecoast.com for more deals.
Follow a food trail
The Sunshine Coast is developing a reputation for quality produce, so seek out restaurants and cafés that showcase the fare and support the local community. “There’s a growing connection between restaurants and food producers which is making the Sunshine Coast a real little food hub,” says Donohoe. “Mapleton Public House in the hinterland uses food grown at Falls Farm; Mill Street Kitchen at Nambour uses all locally sourced ingredients and Alba by Kuruvita in Noosa is another place that keeps local produce at its heart.”
Take a hike
Tackling the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk is a 58km, four-day commitment. But Lynn Fallon of Mystic Mountain Tours says visitors can take in smaller parts as a halfor full-day walk. “The Kondalilla Falls walk is a half-day excursion from Montville and is a beautiful way to explore the region,” she says. “You can do it on your own or as part of a tour.” The relatively easy Kondalilla Falls circuit takes about two hours and leads down the escarpment through a rainforest valley, past rockpools to the base of the falls and back.
Cheers to that
The Sunshine Coast has emerged as the craftbeer capital of Australia, with more breweries per capita than anywhere else. With more than 20 breweries to choose from, Donohoe says his beer tours are among his most soughtafter. “Our Coastal Hop tour is the most popular and visits Moffat Beach Brewing, one of the most-awarded breweries in Australia, Your Mates Brewhouse, which came third in the (GABS) Hottest 100 Craft Beers this year, Sunshine Brewery, and 10 Toes Brewery.”
Coffee culture
It’s fair to say the Sunshine Coast is not the first place you think of when you talk about coffee culture. But Donohoe says that’s changing. “There are 20-plus small-batch coffee roasters here,” he says. “They would cater to even the fussiest coffee drinkers from Melbourne and Sydney.” Some of the best, he says, are Kai Coffee, Flying West Coffee Roasters and Eumundi Coffee Roasters.