With unspoilt golden beaches and a rural hinterland brimming with natural wonders, the Sunshine Coast is easy to fall in love with.
Stretching 70 kilometres from Caloundra, an hour and a half drive north of Brisbane, to the Great Sandy National Park in the north, the Sunshine Coast offers one of the highest sunshine ratings in the world – and endless opportunities to make the most of it. As a beach-loving family, we’ve enjoyed many ocean-centric holidays on the Sunny Coast. And as my twin boys have grown in age (and height), the destination choices have altered accordingly.
The southernmost town in the region, Caloundra, was the go-to destination when my kids were toddlers and it remains a favourite as they’ve morphed into teenagers. We always choose a patrolled beach – Kings, Bulcock or Dicky. Swimming between the yellow and red flags under the watchful eye of lifesavers is non-negotiable in Australia.
South-east-facing Kings Beach usually has smaller ocean swells. Loaded with boogie boards and lathered in sunscreen, we find our patch of sand and surf for a few hours before making an escape, often dashing through the water sprays at the adjacent Kings Beach Fountain Park, a kid-friendly water park.
Noosa Main Beach is also popular and patrolled by surf lifesavers 365 days of the year. Hastings Street, running parallel to the seashore, is crammed with casual eateries, boutiques and a selection of ice-cream stations (our favourite is Gelatissimo Noosa).
Due to its north-facing aspect, Main Beach has gentle waves. But if your tweens have outgrown the calm surf, nearby Noosa River with its numerous tributaries is perfect for soft adventure. Teenagers may prefer kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding with mates over hanging out with mum and dad.
I enjoy swapping the beach for native bushland on the Coastal Track inside Noosa National Park, an easy 30-minute stroll from Hastings Street. The full return walk takes around four hours and follows the ocean. As we pass by the lookouts at Dolphin Point, Boiling Pot and Hell’s Gates, I remind my kids to keep an eye out for sea turtles, dolphins and whales – it is, after all, their annual migration season (June to November).
Throw the word ‘mugging’ into conversation with my 16-year-old twins and I immediately have their attention. However, this mugging refers to whales, not humans! Being curious creatures, humpback whales often manoeuvre closer to boats for a better look.
Sunreef Mooloolaba runs tours on its Whale One boat, where you can experience a mugging during humpback whale migration season. From June to November, the Antarctic-based whales make their journey north to calve in Queensland’s warmer waters. For an even closer look at the largest mammals on Earth, Sunreef is the first company in Australia offering the opportunity to swim with them. (Minimum age of eight and competent swimming level required.)
All Sunreef instructors are PADI Dive Masters, and the swimming with whales experience is 100 per cent organic: interactions are on the whale’s terms. Once a whale is spotted, swimmers wearing wetsuits with snorkels and goggles slip into the water, holding onto a line attached to the boat as shrieks of “awesome!” and “how cool!” punctuate the air.
Near the towering peaks of the Glass House Mountains is Australia Zoo. I have fond memories of my kids squealing with joy during the iconic croc show. As teenagers they’ve dropped the squealing, but they wouldn’t dream of missing the Wildlife Warriors Show in the Crocoseum.
The zoo is spread out over 400 hectares and holds more than 1,200 native and exotic animals. If you have younger kids and only one day at Australia Zoo, I recommend booking the caddy tour to save your legs.
The large enclosures have clever recreations of each animal’s natural habitat. Watch out for the staff walking around holding a snake, koala or a brightly coloured bird. My 16-year-olds enjoyed these random encounters, laughing at their mum’s hesitation to touch the snake. The Feeding Frenzy Food Court has many choices, but a pass out means families with forever-hungry teens can pack an esky with food and leave it in the car.
A community of niche organic farmers in the Sunshine Coast hinterland invites visitors to sample fresh produce, including edible flowers and micro-greens, at The Greenshed in Palmwoods. Pick your own organic strawberries at Strawberry Fields (from June to November) or indulge in home-made ice-cream parfaits. If you love your sweets, try natural honey and learn about the importance of honeybees during interactive beekeeping workshops run by queen bee, Paula West at Kookaburra Organics.
With so much so close to my home city of Brisbane, you can understand why my enduring love affair for this diverse region hasn’t diminished over the years.
This article originally appeared in Holidays with Kids magazine. To subscribe to the latest issue, click here.
Main image © Mark Fitzpatriick/Tourism Australia
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