Perched on the northern beaches of the Sunshine Coast, Noosa is a resort town like no other in Australia. Strict regulations have avoided the predictable high rise conglomeration, dispersing Noosa's immense holiday facilities graciously into the surrounding environment. The lush tropical bush land, fringed by fantastic beaches and meandering waterways provides the idyllic setting for Queensland's most fashionable boulevards and avenues, which are seemingly overflowing with alfresco cafes, sidewalk restaurants, speciality shops, and elegant low-lying hotels and resorts. Amid glorious year round weather, this alluring blendencourages a wide cross section of people to visit every year, at times tripling the area's normal population.
If your bored with lazing on the beach or relaxing about sipping coffees and cocktails, Noosa has an abundance of activities on offer. Around town, theocean and waterways are ideal for all kinds of watersports, most commonlyutilised for surfing (lessons available), water-skiing, all kinds of fishing, and boating as fastor slow as you want it. Tranquil canoeing trips and river cruises are the best wayto experience the beauty of Noosa's everglades, imparting an eye-opening look at the area's diverse mangrove ecosystems and luxurywaterfront homes. Cruises depart from Noosa Harbour Marine Village near Tewantin, as do fishing charter companies like the popular Men at Work, catering for both river and deep sea fishing.
Noosa hosts an equally impressive range of land-based activities, with manyadventure tour groups running exciting trips into the hinterland. Rock climbing,abseiling, horse riding, and mountain biking is just a taste of what's on offer.
4WD tours are also plentiful, providing the link to the otherwise inaccessibleCooloola National Park. Visitors are treated to an unforgettable journey all the way to Fraser Island (see Fraser Coast) alongthe deserted stretches and colourful sands of Rainbow Beach. For scenic landscapes closer to town, try a stroll in the picturesque Noosa National Park.
Surrounding Noosa's sparkling waterways, much of the lush tropical wildernessis protected by Noosa National Park. From humble beginnings when a smallpocket of rainforest was set aside in 1879, the park now encompasses over 2300hectares of coastal land, and it's many features include rugged cliff faces, secluded beaches and bays, sand dunes, trickling creeks and an amazing diversity of native fauna and flora. Varying in length and difficulty, a number of scenic walks begin at park headquarters, before winding their way over the spectacular cape of Noosa Head. Keep an eye out for the stately bluegum eucalypts, a favoured haunt of the resident koalas.
To the south of Noosa, the connecting resort towns of Sunshine Beach, Marcus Beach, and Peregian Beach are contained within a pleasanturban strip, running along kilometres of uninterupted coastline. They offer aquieter alternative to the always busy Noosa, as well as plenty more exceptional beach front accommodation. Further south, Coolum is the largest of thesouthern resorts, famous for it's quality world-class golf courses. Theaccommodation is of similar standard and encircles the friendly Coolum Village,the home to a lively restaurant and cafe scene.
