Granite Bay at Noosa courtesy of Tourism Queensland
Noosa, as a destination, is indeed blessed. It has a clean, wide river, numerous lakes, famous beaches and green oases of national parks. It is much loved and its popularity means the place has always teetered on the edge of being loved to death. However, instead of going the route of the Gold Coast, Noosa on the Sunshine Coast has opted for low-rise developments and a cap on growth.
For some, this only adds to the appeal. It's still possible to see koalas in Noosa National Park, to watch dolphins playing in the waves and to catch a gnarly wave on the long open beaches but Noosa is also the place for fine dining, high-class accommodation and exclusive shopping.
New to Noosa? Here's a rundown of the parts of Noosa
Tewantin
At the northern end of Noosa, Tewantin is perched beside the lake and on the road up the mountain into Cooroy. It used to be the ‘poor neighbour' of Noosa but is now a popular spot for locals to buy a house. Not as many tourist accommodation options here but there is a Big4 caravan park.
Hastings Street - the famous part of Noosa.
It runs parallel to the slightly curved, calm and north facing Noosa beach. Shops and restaurants line the street and there are many serviced apartments and hotel options for tourists (but no skyscrapers like on the Gold Coast). It's not a residential area but a glamourous holiday strip.
Have a beer overlooking the beach at the surf club (currently open but undergoing extensive renovations) or take a beautiful walk along Little Cove to Noosa National Park. There's also the natural beauty of The Spit and Noosa Woods at the end of Hastings Street. Admire the expensive homes in the canal estate of Noosa Sound - best seen from the water. Hire a boat or even a kayak and see it under your own steam.
Noosa Junction
This is the business centre of Noosa with large supermarkets and lots of services and shops. You'll also find plenty of regular shops at nearby Noosaville.
Noosaville
Sitting between Hastings Street and Tewantin, Noosaville makes the most of the lovely riverfront. There are houses, tourist accommodation and lots of casual cafes. Hire a boat or kayak from Noosaville or catch the river ferry and take a cruise. You'll see pelicans, fishing boats and kids playing in the still water. Noosaville is home to Noosa's last remaining waterfront caravan park. It's very popular and you need to book well in advance to get a site.
Sunshine Beach
The open beaches of Sunshine Beach can be wild with big waves. The sloping terrain means people have built creative, architect designed houses which merge into the greenery. Sunshine Beach has a great surf club and small collection of restaurants. Follow the David Low Way south to visit Sunrise Beach, Marcus Beach, Peregian and Coolum.
What's on in Noosa
Noosa's calendar is punctuated with events and festivals, which draw the crowds. There's the Noosa Jazz Festival (August), the Noosa triathlon (end October) and the Noosa Long Weekend (which isn't a weekend at all but a 10 day festival of culture and entertainment held in July).
Many tours of the region leave from Noosa. It's possible to take a day trip to Fraser Island, the Noosa North Shore or a variety of stunning river and everglades tours. You can also take a trip into the Sunshine Coast hinterland.
Other regular highlights include the weekly Farmers Markets at Noosaville, featuring the bounty of local produce in the region every Sunday or go to the sprawling Eumundi Markets (in the nearby Noosa hinterland town of Eumundi) for arts and crafts galore each Wednesday and Saturday.
Getting there
Noosa is approximately 1½ hours drive north of Brisbane along the Bruce Highway. You can take the coastal route along the Sunshine Motorway and David Low Way (which can take you through the towns of Coolum and Peregian) or via Eumundi from the Bruce Highway. Be warned: Noosa has lots of roundabouts and can be confusing to newcomers! To avoid traffic jams, plan to drive back to Brisbane outside of the peak hours of Sunday afternoon.
Find out more from Noosa Tourism. It really is one of Australia's perfect holiday spots and how lucky we are that it's close enough to Brisbane for a day trip, long weekend or rejuvenating holiday.
