DRIVE WORTH TAKING

Head to the hinterland on the other coast and you can choose your own adventure on the country roads – exploring charming towns, taking in beautiful scenery and refuelling with hearty fare along the way

The smoke rising from the small fire in front of us made the hulking, rockstrewn mountain in the background start to shimmer.

As the sun set, and the fire hissed and cracked and warmed our legs, Mt Cooran went from grey rock and green shrub to black silhouette.

We were reclining in an arbour at The Dales Boutique Bed and Breakfast and looking at the peak of one of the mountains that form part of the Noosa hinterland.

It was a relaxing way to finish a day of exploring the region where – about 30 minutes’ drive from Noosa’s famous Hastings Street – a world of country hospitality awaits.

We had collapsed the night before into a comfortable bed at The Dales and got to know owners Liza and David Hobbins a little better over breakfast.

The couple opened their home to guests about a year ago after deciding on a business venture that allowed them to work together and at home.

“Guests can expect complete rest and relaxation,” Liza said. “That’s what we hope to achieve. We only take one booking party at a time, so they’re not going to run into anyone else except for us, as the hosts.”

The Hobbinses have planted an extensive garden on their property at the base of Mt Cooran, and breakfast is peppered with homegrown produce and homemade condiments.

There is much to do in the hinterland and one of the easiest ways for tourists and locals to explore it is to take part in the Noosa Country Drive. Visitors can make up their own route through towns in the hinterland region, or choose one of three set itineraries online.

You can use one of the many accommodation options in the hinterland as a base, and then explore at your leisure.

EUMUNDI

Our first stop was the Eumundi Market. The small town, about 15 minutes’ drive south from Cooran, has undergone a revitalisation and many cafes and shops line the main street. The markets, popular with the region’s visitors, seem to have an ever-growing number of stalls. Prints and other homewares, health foods, cards and stationery, jewellery, clothes and food are for sale. According to the Eumundi and District Historical Association, Christa Barton and Gail Perry- Somers came up with the idea of holding a European-style market in 1979. That same year, three stallholders set up around the CWA hall. There were eight visitors and a turnover of $30. Fast-forward 38 years and there are now 600 stalls with an annual visitation of 1.6 million people. After working up an appetite by threading among the stalls, we parked ourselves at the Bohemian Bungalow on Memorial Drive for lunch. Selda and Ned Nolan took over about a year ago and have introduced a distinct Middle Eastern feel to some of their dishes, in celebration of Selda’s Turkish roots. They lived in Hong Kong for several years before settling in Eumundi to raise their children. “Our relationship is kind of based on food. I grew up in a big Turkish family ... and we know how good Turkish food can be, how good it can taste,” Selda says. Ned, 34, an Aussie chef, brings about 18 years of experience to the kitchen after working in several countries. The Israeli couscous with hummus and melt-in-your-mouth smoked lamb is a must-try. It is a casual dining experience, especially if you nab a spot on the bar seats by the window so you can watch the world go by on the footpath.

NOOSA BOTANIC GARDENS

We half stumbled upon the Greek amphitheatre in Noosa Botanic Gardens, in Cooroy, not expecting to

“THE MARKETS, POPULAR WITH THE REGION’S VISITORS, SEEM TO HAVE AN EVER-GROWING NUMBER OF STALLS”