QLDGUIDE at Caloundra Aerodrome – it’s also one of the top places to skydive and land on the beach. Maroochydore is one of the main resort towns, also comprising Mooloolaba and Alexandra Headland. These towns each have great beaches, with Mooloolaba and Maroochydore offering the best nightlife and restaurants. A fashionable resort with some very expensive areas, Noosa attracts most visitors to the Sunshine Coast, yet still maintains plenty of charm. The easy breaking waves in crystal clear waters are perfect for learning to surf. Set around a spectacular cape, the Noosa National Park has some great walks and scenery. From beachfront Hastings Street, take the boardwalk and don’t forget to look up as there’s a good chance you’ll spot a koala. With a lot of cool (but pricey) eateries, Hastings Street is the place to go in the evening. If the coast is too hot for you, head inland to pretty Mary Valley and rent a kayak and paddle along secluded rivers. Or rent a mountain bike and cycle through the cool forests.
Fraser Coast The Fraser Coast region encompasses the areas of Fraser Island, Rainbow Beach, Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Tiaro and the Great Sandy Strait. The mild year-round climate means visitors can enjoy a subtropical haven. The diverse Fraser Coast region provides the opportunities for whale and bird watching, 4WD, fishing, retail therapy and a variety of adventure activities. World Heritage-listed Fraser Island has some of the most spectacular scenery in the entire country. Home to endless white sandy beaches, pristine rainforest, freshwater lakes, bubbling streams and mosaic-coloured sands, Fraser is the world’s largest sand island and is a must see for anyone travelling the east coast. There aren’t too many places in the world like this, so move heaven and earth to get there. Luckily, you don’t have to. From Hervey Bay or Rainbow Beach you can book one, two or three-day tours with any number of operators, or you can do it yourself, and hire your own 4WD with a few mates. We strongly recommend going for three days as any shorter trip will mean having to skip some of the sights, and this is one place you really don’t want to miss anything. You will need a national parks permit and you need to adhere to the regulations on the island – take only pictures, leave only footprints. Be especially careful when driving on the sand dunes – Fraser is the only place in the world to have a beach which is 40
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also a national highway and airstrip – and be wary of the dingoes (native dogs). They are not afraid to steal food and have attacked people in the past. Some of the highlights include beautiful Rainbow Gorge, the cobalt blue waters of Lake MacKenzie, Lake Wabby and the amazing walk along the sand dunes to get there, Cathedral sandcliffs and the Maheno shipwreck. Indian Head at the north of the eastern beach has a lookout to spot sharks, rays, whales and other sea life. Champagne Pools are just a short walk away and great for a salty bathe. As the closest access point to Fraser Island, Rainbow Beach is popular with independent travellers, but this laidback seaside town has plenty of attractions in its own right. There are spectacular coloured sand cliffs – which gave the town its name – freshwater lakes, rainforests and a shipwreck to explore. Local adventure activities include skydiving, parasailing, hang-gliding, canoeing and surfing. Nearby Tin Can Bay is a great place to do a spot of dolphin-watching. Also nearby is the Cooloola National Park, which stretches more than 50km down from Rainbow Beach. It is a wilderness area with mangrove swamps, lakes, and heaths with an abundance of native animals. Hervey Bay is a hub for travellers, and the place most people stop before heading over to Fraser Island. It also draws tourists for its own merits, being home to excellent sailing, diving, snorkelling, skydiving and jet skiing. You can even book a scenic flight to take you over Fraser for a fantastic aerial view. However, Hervey Bay is most famous for its whale watching. Between July and November, humpback whales are on their annual migration from Antarctica to the warmer seas of eastern Australia and back again. Many operators run boats out to see the massive mammals in their own habitat. It’s truly a privilege, especially when the whales breach. If you’re really lucky you might also catch sight of the dolphins, turtles and dugongs who hang out in the bay. West from Hervey Bay are Queensland’s Central Highlands – rugged sandstone cliffs and fern-filled gorges set amid arid Outback cattle country. A series of spectacular national parks offer great bushwalking and lots of wildlife.
Bundaberg Famous for its rum (an Aussie institution), Bundaberg offers harvest work prospects, pleasant beaches and nearby national parks. See turtles nest from November to February and whales pass through