Armchair Travel Club with 365 Care - Sunshine Coast, QueenslandLet’s Get Some Sunshine In May

In the Southern Hemisphere, we don’t have the Darling Buds of May but rather the Golden Girls of May with autumnal colours abounding.

As we mentioned in our last newsletter, the Federal Government is keen to get us back in the air, so airlines are offering discounts to a dozen travel destinations as part of their plan to boost the local tourism industry.

Sunshine Coast is on that list and that is where we are heading this month to get some sun and fun in southern Queensland.

Armchair Travel Club with 365 Care - Sunshine Coast, Queensland

The Sunny Coast stretches from Caloundra just north of Brisbane to Cooloola in the Great Sandy National Park and has many gems in its crown that are worth seeing.

There are loads of good spots to spend a night or seven in the Sunshine Coast region. In the Hinterland, you can stay amongst tropical rainforests, stop at the cute towns of Maleny and Montville and explore the Sunshine Coast Art Gallery Trail. Caloundra, Coolum, Mooloolaba and Maroochydore are all coastal areas with good dining, culture, music, shopping and a generally chilled, holiday vibe. Maroochydore is the trendiest area with Ocean Street buzzing with shops, restaurants and clubs for the young’uns (or young at heart).
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Where is the Sunshine Coast

Armchair Travel Club with 365 Care - Sunshine Coast, Queensland

Armchair Travel Club with 365 Care - Sunshine Coast, Queensland

Did You Know?

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star…. If you’re staying in the Hinterland, keep an eye on the sky as there have been many reports of UFO and alien sightings in the Glass House Mountains.
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What to See and Do

TO MARKET TO MARKET TO BUY A FRESH CHOOK…

Armchair Travel Club with 365 Care - Sunshine Coast, Queensland

Every Sunday, the greengrocers congregate amongst the gum trees in a shady corner of Noosaville for Noosa Farmers Market. Get your fresh fruit and veg while you get some fresh air too. The market is wheelchair accessible. And while you are nearby, why not take a stroll down Hastings Street in central Noosa to browse the chic boutiques that line the lane?

Eumundi has been home to craftspeople and artisans for many years and since 1979, they have come together to sell their strictly locallymade wares at Eumundi Markets. The market runs every Saturday and Wednesday until 2PM. The market is wheelchair friendly and there are disabled toilets available.

The market in the Cotton Tree precinct, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Maroochy River just next to Maroochydore, runs every Sunday with 70+ stalls and is wheelchair accessible. There are also lots of lovely al fresco dining options along the river.

Armchair Travel Club with 365 Care - Sunshine Coast, Queensland

Did You Know?

The Eumundi Market started with three stalls and made $30 on its first day. It now has around 600 stalls and stallholders must pass the ‘make it, bake it, sew it, grow it’ test to sell their wares. This ensures everything is locally-made, highquality, eco-friendly and unique.

KOOKABURRA SITS IN THE OLD GUM TREE COUNTING ALL THE WILDLIFE HE CAN SEE…

Armchair Travel Club with 365 Care - Sunshine Coast, QueenslandSteve and Terri Irwin’s Australia Zoo probably needs little introduction. The Crocodile Hunter’s legacy near Beerwah is an animal kingdom where the inhabitants are well looked after. The zoo is completely wheelchair accessible and if you have a pensioner’s card, you can get a discount on your ticket. If you require wheelchair hire, be sure to book in advance.

Armchair Travel Club with 365 Care - Sunshine Coast, Queensland

At SEA LIFE Aquarium in Mooloolaba, you can get up close with penguins, seals and seahorses. Marvel at the towers of ethereal jellyfish, stroll through the underwater tunnel with sharks gliding overhead and touch the starfish in the tidal touch pools. The entire aquarium is accessible, there are accessible toilets and if you would like to visit at a less crowded time, they recommend stopping by on weekdays or after 1 pm.

Armchair Travel Club with 365 Care - Sunshine Coast, Queensland

Did You Know?

Jellyfish are made up of 85-95% water and when they wash up on the beach, they can literally evaporate. They also have no brain, lungs or blood. They breathe through their skin.

LITTLE MISS MUFFIT SAT ON HER TUFFET, WASHING DOWN CHEESE WITH A SCHOONER

The Sunshine Coast is dripping with craft beer and thanks to the Sunshine Coast Brewery Tour, you have the opportunity to sample unique beers from local breweries such as the Moffat Beach Brewing Co, Your Mates Brewhouse, Sunshine Brewery and 10 Toes Brewery, to name a few.

Pickups are from Maroochydore and Mooloolaba for most tours and Noosa for the Noosa brewery tour.

Armchair Travel Club with 365 Care - Sunshine Coast, Queensland

If you draw a line inland from Caloundra, you’ll find the Maleny Cheese factory specialising in cheddar, feta and soft white cheeses. Indulge in a smorgasbord of cheese made from locally sourced pure milk.

The Buderim Ginger Factory in Yandina, just north of the Mooloolaba area, is a spicy experience not to be missed. This picturesque little complex offers factory tours to see how ginger is grown and processed, live bees shows with honey tasting, a ride through the lush gardens on the old sugarcane train Moreton, an ice creamery, café, souvenir shop and more. They are wheelchair accessible and also have two wheelchairs available onsite.

Did You Know?

Armchair Travel Club with 365 Care - Sunshine Coast, QueenslandThe world’s oldest potable beer was discovered on a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea in 2010, which was believed to have sailed more than 200 years ago.

Also, beer has high levels of silicon, which promotes strong bones. Ergo, craft beer is good for your bones!

Armchair Travel Club with 365 Care - Sunshine Coast, Queensland

How to Get there

From Sydney Kingsford Smith, you can fly to Sunshine Coast Airport in 1h 35min. From the airport, the best option would be to rent a car. If you opt for public transport, however, TRANSlink public bus line 600 runs from Caloundra to Maroochydore and 620 runs all along the coast from Maroochydore to Noose Junction. You could also fly into Brisbane Airport and then get a shuttle transfer with Con-x-ion Airport Transfers to the Sunshine Coast.

To give you an idea of distances, by car or shuttle Brisbane to Sunshine Coast is roughly 1h 20min, and Caloundra in the far south to Noosa in the north of the Sunshine Coast is 1h 10min.

Armchair Travel Club with 365 Care - Sunshine Coast, QueenslandTO MAKE TRAVELLING A BIT EASIER…

For rental cars that are specifically modified for wheelchairs, contact Nationwide Mobility Vehicles near Caloundra. Also, just in case of emergencies, this link shows you a map of all the public toilets in Australia, including those that are accessible.

Well, that was a fun-filled trip around the Sunshine Coast. We’ve seen wildlife and sealife, shopped our suitcases to the brim at the markets, sampled the delicacies of the region and scanned the sky for aliens in the Glasshouse Mountains.

TIME FOR A CUPPA.

Thanks for joining us on our trip and stay tuned for the next suite of destinations!
Over and out.

Do you need assistance to leave your home? Do you want some company to take you to places? If so we can help! Contact your Co-ordinator now and ask how they can arrange assistance for you.

USEFUL SOURCES

https://www.sunshinecoast-australia.com/things-to-do.html
https://www.queensland.com/us/en/things-to-do/traveller/accessibility/sunshinecoast-accessible-travel-guide-.html
https://www.planetware.com/australia/sunshine-coast-aus-qld-sc.htm
https://www.capetownmagazine.com/craft-beer-facts

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