NOOSA %07 / pop 48,700
Noosa is drunk on summer. With the sound of waves and trees never far, visitors relax their inhibitions: friends order a second gelato, fashionable women buy necklaces on a whim, fathers indulge their kids with just-one-more paddleboat ride, and lovers sneak a snuggle-break in the national park. No wonder people flock to the beachside apartments. Some baulk at these retirement castles, but finding your own secluded ribbon of beach makes the real-estate frenzy seem a world away. Both the wealthy and the thrifty thrive in Noosa. Strut down shop-filled Hastings St, or go barefoot. Either way, reminders that you’re on holiday will melt away any city stress – smell that sea-salt and Eucalyptus, and see pelicans perched on street lights. Noosa is famous for its natural beauty, yet some places still make you feel you’re the first to see it: on an evening river-cruise, on a surfboard, on a mountain summit or on the deck of a boathouse. Then escape the tourist epicentres to the buzzing farmers’ markets, and you’ll find that a country community still lives at the heart of this Sunshine Coast town. Locals take the time to say hello to strangers, making even the most uptight rat racers realign their body clocks to a slower pace. good accommodation and restaurants here. Even further up river for Noosa Marina and quaint Tewantin.
History Noosa’s life force has always been its river. The name ‘Noosa’ comes from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘shade’, for the fertile refuge it provided to the indigenous Kabi people who lived around present-day Noosa River. White settlement began in 1870 in Tewantin (mostly by runaway convicts), and soon the waters were choked with timber for the milling industry, until red cedar trees were nearly exploited out of existence, leading into a gold rush and then fishing industry. For the past 50 years tourism has become the major moneyspinner in town and in the ’80s, sleepy Noosa boomed with resort development. Still, today the tallest new apartments you’ll see on the river are three-storeys high (thankfully capped by the council), the same height as the tallest trees, preserving the river for more to enjoy.
Information EMERGENCY
Police (%5447 5888, emergency 000; cnr Hastings St & Noosa Dr, Noosa Heads) INTERNET ACCESS
Noosa Backpackers (%5449 8151; www.noosabackpackers.com; 9-13 William St, Noosaville; per hr $4) Hostel next to the river with comfortable seats and private computers. MEDICAL SERVICES
Noosa Hospital (%5455 9200, emergency 000; 111 Goodchap St, Noosaville) Noosa’s main hospital with both private and public facilities. MONEY
There are ample ATMs and banks at any of the shopping areas of Hastings St, Noosa Junction, Noosaville and the new Noosa Civic. ANZ Bank (%13 13 14; Noosa Civic, 28 Eenie Creek Rd;
Orientation The easiest way to get a grip on navigating sprawling Noosa is to refer to the famous Hastings St, where you will find most of the accommodation, eating and drinking options. This trendy area is in Noosa Heads, the gateway to Noosa Woods, Main Beach and Noosa National Park. Moving south away from the water is Noosa Junction, and even further southeast is Sunshine Beach. Following the river from Hastings St to the southwest is familyfriendly Noosaville, which most locals refer to simply as ‘the river’. There is a cluster of
h9.30am-4pm Mon-Wed, to 7pm Thu, to 5pm Fri, 9am1pm Sat) Branch with extended opening hours, money exchange and ATMs that accept Cirrus/Maestro cards. Westpac Bank (%13 20 32; 40 Hastings St, Noosa Heads; h9.30am-4pm Mon-Thu, to 5pm Fri, closed Sat & Sun) Money exchange and 24hr ATMs that accept Cirrus/Maestro cards. POST
Main post office (%5447 3280; 91 Noosa Dr, Noosa Heads) All regular post services including poste restante and Australian passport interviews. 1
nonchalantly to ensure rooftop seating. Commentary is informative, if a tad robotic. You can board at any of the seven stops, check the website for times.
TELEPHONE
Most internet cafés are hooked up with long-distance phone facilities, some with webcam.
Activities
TOURIST INFORMATION
BOAT HIRE
Visitor Information Centre (%1300 066 672;
There’s an alphabet of boat-hire places on the river - O-boat, T-boat, U-boat – but we love O-boat Hire (%5449 7513; www.oboathire.com; 222 Gympie Tce, Noosaville; 4-hr pontoon hire, $116) for its clean BBQ pontoons and generous space. Cruise upstream first because you can float downstream if you lose track of time and run out of the provided petrol (it happens!) No licence is required.
www.tourismnoosa.com.au; h9am-5pm); Hastings St (cnr Hastings St & Noosa Dr, Noosa Heads); Noosa Marina (Parkyn Court, Tewantin) Unbiased and friendly help for travellers. Free maps.
Sights EVERGLADES
Ferries to these wetlands move so gently that they barely ripple the mirrored waters, which reflect an alien world: swamp flowers, twisted trees draped with the odd snake (at a safe distance) and grasses sheltering birds. Beyond! Noosa (%5449 9177; Noosa Marina, Tewantin; lunch cruise $75) offer a cruise with trivia-filled commentary and full barbecue lunch. The highlight is swimming in the tea-coloured tannin waters at the end. Bird lovers: bring your binoculars to catch the myriad species.
JET SKIING
You’ve seen them flash by like escapees from a Bond film, now join ’em. Pro-Ski Noosa (%5449 7740; 196 Gympie Tce, Noosaville; river jet ski $80, ocean jet ski $140) have newer model ‘eco friendly’ jet-skis for a set river course or open ocean ride, both with free instruction and life jacket rental. (Spotting frolicking dolphins is often a bonus on the ocean ride.) No licence is needed.
NOOSA NATIONAL PARK
Sleeping
This park’s unique feature is its mix of terrain. Its best walk takes you from Hastings St and Little Cove beach up paved steps to a cliff-hugging, sandy path, to look down on ‘bubbling’ ocean far below at Witches Cauldron. Venturing further along the trail requires pushing aside branches, until, unexpectedly, the view opens onto an expanse of grass and boulders at Hell’s Gates. If you’d prefer to enjoy the park leisurely, there are enough quirky bird songs at the park’s lower levels to amuse you, though the nudist Alexandria beach at the other end motivates some to make the trek.
Dolphins at Sunshine Beach (%5447 2100; cnr Duke St & Ferguson Rd, Sunshine Beach; s/d $60, dm $26; ai) Staff at these Guatemalan-style bungalows always spare time for a chat, and Dolphins is so close to the monster surf-breaks of Sunshine Beach that if you’re not into surfing, you’ll soon learn to be. Clean communal facilities are adorned with billowing silk ceiling-coverings, Buddha statues and windchimes. Noosa Backpackers (%5449 8151; www.noosabackpackers.com; 9-13 William St, Noosaville; s & d with facilities $56, dm $26; ais) Bordering
Noosa River, this leafy cheapie sees waterlovers leap out of basic but comfy dorm bunks to snap up the free kayak and surfboard rental. More-chilled surfing is available at internet facilities. Recoverers from the attached bar’s happy hour laze about in a space that’s like a mate’s lounge, complete with mismatched couches. A free bus shuttles you to Noosa’s busiest areas. Islander Noosa Resort (%5449 7022;
NOOSA RIVER
Noosa’s mighty beauty is so in demand that houses flanking it command millions of dollars. To experience it, head to Lion’s Park (Gympie Dr, Noosaville) for free barbecue facilities and fig trees shielding you from adjacent traffic. Even better riversights can be had from the Noosa Ferry
www.islandernoosa.com.au; 187 Gympie Tce; tr $110-160; pais) Tiki sculptures greet you at
(%5449 8442; www.noosaferry.com; all day pass adult/child/senior $17.50/5/15) shuttling between
the gate here and you’ll wish they escorted you around because the Islander is massive (don’t refuse that map reception gives you), even incorporating tennis courts. Villas are
Noosa Marina and Hastings St. Weekends get hectic so hang about the boarding gate 2
less for children. This 320-seat performance venue can be a mixed bag of world music parties and children’s discos so check the website to see what’s on. Serious clubbers should head to Hastings St instead.
light-filled and, despite slow fans, airy thanks to chapel-sized ceilings. Beds are springy and rooms are crammed with appliance catalogue goodies – washer, dryer, dishwasher, microwave. There’s peace despite being in earshot of the bustling riverside.
Shopping
Eating
Timbuktu to Kathmandu (%5449 7988; 50 Mary St,
Krung Thep Thai (%5447 1666; 239-245 Gympie Tce,
Noosaville; h9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat, closed Sun) Had enough ‘I love Noosa’ T-shirts?
Succulent seafood and super-fresh herbs at this riverside Siam-fantasy turn a meal into an experience. The roasted duck curry ($19) is fiery and zings with pineapple (a Queensland touch), and noodle classics such as pad thai ($12) are large enough to share. Pilu (%2/257 Gympie Tce, Noosaville; entrees $7-18, mains $22-36; hbreakfast, lunch & dinner) It’s hard to complain about another sandstone redevelopment serving upmarket Italian when the food’s this good. Book ahead for outdoor seats, because views of the river accompany dishes such as scallop and leek ravioli ($25) superbly. Service is mixed and the gargantuan-vases are straight from a real estate brochure, but the simple tastes shine through. Licensed only. Holy Mackerel (%189 Gympie Tce, Noosaville; burgers $8, fish ‘n’ chips $8-10; h10.30am-late) A trip to the river isn’t complete without fish ‘n’ chips and this shack, with it’s hand-cut chips and delicately battered flake, is the best on the strip.
For a personal memento, head past the river for a bead class. These include exotic trinkets of shell, bronze and imports from India, Africa and the Himalayas. All materials are included in the two-hour class ($79.50) and you can bring home necklaces, bracelets or earrings that you can tell friends you made yourself in Noosa. Instructors are very patient. Farmers’ Market (155 Weyba Rd, Noosaville; h7.30pm-1.30pm Sun) Come for creative concoctions made from local produce including macadamia jam.
Noosaville; entrees $7-9, mains $12-19; hlunch & dinner)
Getting There & Away You’ll find travellers leaning against backpacks at the coach terminus on the corner of Hastings St & Noosa Dr. The main airport is Maroochydore, 33km south of Noosa Heads. Jetstar (%13 15 38; www.jetstar.com.au) and Virgin Blue (%13 67 89; www.virginblue.com.au) have budget flights from Brisbane (25 minutes), Sydney (1½ hours) and Melbourne (2½ hours). Henry’s Shuttle Bus (%5474 0199; www.henrys.com.au) will journey you to and from Maroochydore Airport ($20, 40 minutes) and the major parts of Noosa. Drivers from Brisbane: take the Bruce Hwy north and exit onto the Sunshine Motorway to Noosa Heads (2 hours).
Drinking Sierra Café & Bar (%5447 4800; 10 Hastings St, Noosa Heads; h8am-midnight) This cool slab of black nudges onto Hastings St. Locals who refuse tourist prices of neighbouring bars line the bench for Daiquiri Happy Hour (daily 5 to 7pm) when all cocktails slide from $12 to a smooth $7. ‘Drunk Monkey’ is a tasty starter, with banana liqueur and Baileys in a choc-rimmed glass. The few seats fill fast and you can’t book for drinks, but if you call ahead and reserve a table for a meal ($14 to $22) you’ll snare a comfy chair.
Getting Around BUS
A free shuttle bus operates between Hastings St and Tewantin for travellers during busy Easter, Christmas and New Year periods. Sunbus has air-conditioned local buses that can take travellers to any of the hotspots of Noosa. For both, go to the translink.com.au website and click on Timetables for the many stops.
Entertainment The J (%5455 4455; www.thej.com.au; cnr Noosa Dr & Grant St) If you’ve never seen didgeridoo played live, come here for the excellent acoustics. Many performances are to halffilled seating, making for an intimate experience. Most tickets are under $20, and
CAR
Renting a vehicle from $40 a day is useful in vast Noosa and can take you to secluded 3
pockets. The most well-known are Avis
you can get cheaper deals through www.oodles.com.
(%5447 4933; Shop 1, Ocean Breeze Resort, cnr Hastings St & Noosa Dr, Noosa Heads) and Hertz (%5447 2253; Noosa Blue Resort, 16 Noosa Dv, Noosa Heads) though
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