QUEENSLAND
BEST BEACH Sunshine Beach, Noosa
With almost 7000 kilometres of coastline to choose from, nominating Queensland’s best beach is a tough call, but Sunshine is a red-hot contender. At the northern edge of Noosa National Park there are well-kept tracks, pandanus-framed coastal vistas, koalas, and hidden coves, such as the stunning Alexandria Bay. South towards Coolum, it’s surf and dune-fringed sand as far as you can focus. Just a seven-minute drive from Noosa Main Beach (its more famous sibling), Sunshine feels a world away. The vibe is more village than Versace – not withstanding the million-dollar homes clustered oceanside, of course. Post-swim, relax with a coffee at Costa Noosa Espresso, where they roast beans in-house, or go for beers at the revamped Surf Life Saving Club, reopening this summer. Bliss.
BEST GELATO Goodtimes Gelateria
Too many cooks may spoil broth, but if Goodtimes Gelataria is any indication then a gang improves gelato. Recently opened Goodtimes is headed by Howard Smith Wharves’ executive pastry chef Rhian Shellshear, but chefs across the precinct collaborated to help the former Messina R&D nail his final product.
The flavours range from peach and basil to apple pie. 5 Boundary St, Brisbane, Qld, goodtimesgelateria.com.au
BEST WEEKEND ESCAPE Minjerribah, North Stradbroke Island
You could drive south on the Pacific Motorway to the Gold Coast to visit Burleigh Heads with its perfect surf breaks and fun dining possibilities. Or head north, up the Bruce Highway, to upscale Noosa for dining and shopping. But clued-in Brisbanites opt to go across the water when they feel the need to escape to paradise. The ferry hop from Cleveland to Minjerribah takes just 45 minutes – or 25 minutes by water taxi. Looking for beaches? Point Lookout offers a fine haul including Cylinder Beach, which was named Queensland’s best beach in 2017 and 2018. On Straddie, it’s more about untamed nature than wild nightlife – think dramatic white sand, craggy gorges, pristine oceanfront, national park, and quite possibly, wallabies in the garden of your holiday rental (check out the Architect’s Retreat, a well-designed, pooch-friendly one-bed apartment). The finest dining? An alfresco feast of local rock oysters and prawns reeled in from the Prawn Shack. The pay off? A stress-releasing sense of how holidays played out when life was less frenetic. stradbrokeisland.com
BEST FISH AND CHIPS Noosa Boathouse & Spinnaker Seafood
Serious post-surf hunger? Don’t fret about takeaway queues. The tranquil Noosa River views at Noosa Boathouse are sufficiently distracting, and Stone & Wood beer-battered dory, chips and aïoli will be worth the wait. And on Bribie Island, Spinnaker Seafood is now helmed by crew from Brisbane’s late lamented Vieille Branche – try Mooloolaba prawns with dill aïoli or goldband snapper with chips. Noosa Boathouse, 194 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville, Qld, noosaboathouse.com.au; Spinnaker Seafood, 1713 Bribie Island Rd, Sandstone, Qld, spinnakerseafood.com