Tip: How Best to Explore Queensland’s Sunshine Coast
By OCinSite At-Large on January 22, 2011 4:41 PM
Photo courtesy of Tourism Queensland.
By Andrew Bender | Laguna Beach Magazine, Oct./Nov. 2010
To explore Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, base yourself in Noosa, one of Oz’s ritziest towns (visitnoosa.com.au). Just one block inland from the broad beach of the buff, bronzed and beauteous, Hastings Street is a trove of resort, soiree and surfwear boutiques, star-studded jewelry shops and art galleries.
Grab a table by the boardwalk at Bistro C, and kick back over a mango daiquiri as the waves crash, noshing on egg-fried calamari with chili aioli or bountiful seafood spaghetti. Across town, Ricky’s hosts some of Australia’s prettiest sunsets, over the Noosa River. Out-of-towners come here to decompress, as my bartender explained, “You can always tell who’s just arrived from Sydney or Melbourne.” The Ricky’s Fizz helps: Cointreau, vodka, cranberry and red grapefruit juices, lime and mint over ice. Feast on tapas like pork belly with chili caramel and pineapple herb salad, and fig and gorgonzola tart with caramelized onions.
Kangaroos: Check. Koalas: Check. Opera House, outback, Great Barrier Reef: all must-dos on a first trip to Australia. For my second trip I wanted a deeper dive. Australia is known for wine, of course, but who knew it had such a gourmet scene? My culinary journey through greater Sydney and the state of Queensland led me to sea pearls and sea planes, a Spirit House and a rainforest retreat—and dining experiences to last a lifetime. ...Read the full story.
