Riding on Sunshine

The Great Sunshine Way in Southern Queensland allows you to discover the best mix of Australian experiences.

From Fraser Island to the hinterland and seaside resorts of the Gold and Sunshine Coasts – the Great Sunshine Way is a new touring route which allows you to enjoy the very best of Australian experiences.

It takes you through the four main centres of Southern Queensland: Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Fraser Coast.

In addition, you can enjoy the magnificent mix of Southern Queensland country. A fascinating mix of cities, coast and hinterland guaranteeing diverse and awe-inspiring driving and touring experiences, taking in some of the earth’s most treasured natural wonders, like World Heritage Listed Fraser Island, and the ancient sub-tropical rainforests of the Gold Coast hinterland.

Southern Queensland is one of the most accessible destinations in Australia, with plenty of transport options: self-drive and touring by coach or rail or campervan. Hiring a car probably allows the greatest flexibility, enabling you to tailor an itinerary to your particular taste.

It would probably take ten days to see everything that the Great Sunshine Way has to offer – but if you’re in more of a hurry, you can simply pick and choose what you want to see and design your own mini-adventure.

Here you can spend half a day kayaking on the Brisbane River, go rock climbing or try abseiling on the Kangaroo Point cliffs; test your roller blading skills or enjoy biking on the extensive riverside paths at South Bank Parklands.

For wonderful panoramic views of Brisbane city and suburbs, the river and surrounding mountain ranges and bay, try climbing the Story Bridge at dawn or dusk.

A Moreton Island Adventure cruise over the calm waters of Moreton Bay will enable you to spend the day on the island snorkelling at Tangalooma wrecks, swimming, sand boarding, fishing, handfeeding wild dolphins or simply relaxing on the powder sand.

Fantastic modern art by Australian and international artists is on display at GoMA – Brisbane’s new Gallery of Modern Art. And for shopaholics, the city’s shopping hub is Queen Street Mall and nearby Edward, Adelaide and Elizabeth Streets – liberally lined with stylish fashion and accessories stores.

Want to learn to surf? You can do it here with a professional surf coach on Surfers Paradise’s legendary beach. (Or for a more relaxed marine outing, charter a beautifully appointed five- star yacht to sail the Gold Coast’s clear blue waves.) From sundown on Wednesdays and Fridays, Surfers Paradise is the venue for Night Markets.

At Theme Park Central, families will be spoilt for choice: you’ll need more than a day to fit in Dreamworld, Whitewater World, Warner Bros Movie World, Sea World, Wet’n’Wild Water World, Paradise Country and the Australian Outback Spectacular.

Golfers can choose from more than 40 golf courses within 45 minutes’ drive of Surfers Paradise – many of them are championship-rated resort courses located in stunning waterside or hinterland locations.

Don’t miss the view from the observation deck at Q1,the world’s largest residential tower – it’s dazzling. Then it’s time to head out for some sensational local seafood: Tedder Avenue, Broadbeach and Marina Mirage are the best-known dining precincts.

If you feel like mixing with the beautiful people, head for Marina Mirage, the Gold Coast’s premier shopping and dining resort, offering many exceptional restaurants and cafés and over 70 designer boutiques.

Away from the crowds, the Gold Coast Hinterland World Heritage Area (Springbrook and Lamington National Parks and Mount Tamborine) is home to ancient Antarctic beech, hoop pine trees and extraordinary wildlife, which can be see on the circuit walk from Binna Burra in Lamington National Park. For an easy stroll to the stone arch and cascading waterfall, walk the Natural Bridge Rainforest circuit in Springbrook National Park. At Mount Tamborine there are fine cafés and restaurants, many with spectacular views. You can stay overnight in the subtropical rainforest at OReillys.

For a different perspective, take a scenic winery tour by stretch limousine or minibus through the Gold Coast Hinterland, with spectacular views. The craggy peaks, rugged mountain trails and spectacular rainforests of the Scenic Rim, a group of mountain ranges of the Great Dividing Range, could have been made for hiking. To get a real feel for the area, stay at a host farm and help muster cattle, cook damper in a camp oven, breathe the fresh air and unwind. If you prefer fine lodgings and gourmet meals, try the luxury mountain resort on Spicers Peak, amid the Main Range National Park. Noosa’s natural environment offers spectacular attractions. Watch whales, enjoy pristine beaches, explore the dramatic hinterland landscape or visit the world’s largest sand island.

Have an outdoor adventure - walk, dive, paddle, ride or cycle through Noosa’s coastal and hinterland landscapes. Or sample the extraordinary breadth of the Noosa gourmet scene. Attend a cooking course, shop for local produce at farmers’ markets or book a table with a view at a Noosa restaurant.

Noosa’s food is legendary – Hastings Street and Gympie Terrace are the main ’eat’ streets. Both feature alfresco restaurants and cafés with water views, delicatessens, bars and ice creameries. The Noosa Food Trail is the mouthwatering way to discover the unique local food culture. Fans of Thai cuisine can want to take a Thai cooking class at Yandina’s Spirit House Cooking School.

To find fine ingredients, visit the famous Eumundi Markets in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, held weekends and Wednesdays, 6am-1pm, for organic fruit and vegetables, fresh muffins and great coffee, as well as locally grown flowers, handmade hammocks, glassware, pottery and leatherwork. Or why not enjoy a romantic getaway? Dine out, spend an idle hour in a café, take a twilight gondola ride, shop in style or pamper yourself with a day spa treatment or with a relaxing massage.

This is somewhere where you can go kayak sailing and ocean paddling with dolphins on an adventure kayak tour around the tranquil waters of the Noosa River. The clear waters around Noosa National Park are perfect for swimming and snorkelling (afterwards walk the trails to see koalas, goannas, untouched bush, rocky coves and secluded beaches). For a closer look, spend a day or a few days onboard a modern luxury vessel with an expert guide, deep sea fishing the waters off Noosa and Coolum.

Swim, surf and relax on the calm-water beaches of Mooloolaba, Caloundra, Alexandra Headland and Maroochydore. Here you can dive the sunken ex-HMAS Brisbane, a 133.2m 4,720 tonne destroyer which lies off Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast. Beachside restaurants and cafés can be found along the Esplanade at Mooloolaba and Maroochydore, on Duporth Avenue at Maroochydore and at Caloundra’s Dicky and Kings Beaches. Or you can enjoy fish and chips by the sea at sunset anywhere along the coast between Caloundra and Maroochydore. Fraser Coast and Hervey Bay are up-and-coming international destinations well worth a visit, too.Fraser Island is 4WD-only territory – the 125km eastern beach is even a designated highway. Hire a 4WD in Hervey Bay and catch the vehicular barge over to the island for a do-it-yourself day tour. You’ll need a National Parks permit; get some tips for driving in sand from the hire company.

A scenic aerial tour is a great way to see Fraser Island: highlights include Lake McKenzie, Central Station, Lake Wabby and landing on the sand. But don’t forget the gentle Fraser Island Great Walk, too. Stay a night or two at Kingfisher Bay Resort – all the comforts of home plus escorted bird watching, 4WD island safaris and gourmet meals.

Hervey Bay itself is well worth a couple of days. Described as the ‘jewel in Queensland’s crown’, it is a three-hour scenic drive north of Brisbane (or you can make the journey by air in 45 minutes). Fishing is one of Hervey Bay’s great attractions: you can beach fish or rock fish, go deep sea or continental shelf fishing, fish the estuaries and creeks on the inside of the island or any of the many creeks and rivers. Another must-do activity here is whale watching – several operators offer a variety of dawn, half-day and full day tours.