We’ve been at Cotton Tree, Maroochydore for just over a week now and, like Townsville, we really appreciate having a base from which we can choose to explore, or do very little at all. I thought that I would provide a blog update to cover our adventures in Maroochydore so far.
Early Morning Walks
We go for an early morning walk most mornings, with or without Downunda and/or Faye. It is easy to get motivated to walk up here when the weather is so good. We probably wouldn’t contemplate getting up at 6.30 am during winter in Melbourne to go for a walk. We can definitely feel the health benefits and will try to continue walking regularly once we get home. As we walk we continue to see many interesting sights, including Tai Chi classes with swords, beautiful scenery, a small group of dedicated men tending the Memorial Garden every morning and so on. One morning there were some paddle boat races, which included a fantastic looking dragon boat.
Cotton Tree at Cotton Tree
Reading Room
Surf Club
Sunshine Plaza – on the water
Well Tended War Memorial
Dragon Boat
Exercising with Swords
Maroochy Beach Renourishment Project
This is a local council project costed at $1.8 million intended to resolve some of the beach erosion issues in the area. Basically there is a dredge outside the caravan park in the Maroochy River that sucks up huge quantities of sand from the sand bars. The sand is then pumped through a large pipeline and a booster pumping station around to the Maroochydore Beach near the surf life saving club where an excavator spreads out the new sand. The whole thing is quite impressive, including the care with which the pipeline has been laid along the foreshore.
Beach Erosion
Dredge and Pump
Redistributing the Sand
Happy Hour and Sunsets
The happy hour tradition continues most nights with the group increasing and decreasing in number depending on who is around at the time. It is a great way to end the day. Sunsets continue to be spectacular but there are only so many sunset photos we can take.
Kite Surfers
An interesting sight some evenings has been the kite surfers. There are usually a few of them with their brightly coloured kites and some of their moves are quite spectacular.
Another Glorious Sunset
Kite Surfers
Sightseeing – Caloundra and Dicky Beach
One thing about the Sunshine Coast is that many of the places you hear about are quite close together and well served by motorways. We had a very enjoyable excursion to Caloundra where we stopped for a walk around and coffee, and then went on to Dicky Beach where we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the somewhat eclectic Table Manners café/restaurant. Our fellow Trailblazer traveller “Frosty” stays at Dicky Beach every year so we thought that we should check it out – and we’re glad we did. We had a good walk through the caravan park and would consider coming back here.
Caloundra – Seemed appropriate after my illness
Lunch at Table Manners cafe at Dicky Beach
Sightseeing – The Ginger Factory – Yandina
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to The Ginger Factory in Yandina, although we wish that we had left home a few hours earlier as we missed out on a trip to the nearby coffee factory which closed at the ridiculous time of 3.00 pm. The Ginger Factory occupies a huge area and entry is free. Inside there are plenty of opportunities for walking around the tropical gardens and several specialty shops, as well as an ice-cream shop, café and souvenir and merchandise shop. There are also a number of fee paying tours and displays you can go to and we really enjoyed the train trip around the property. There is also a factory tour, a honey tour and tasting and several kids activities. Just across the road from The Ginger Factory is a Coffee Roastery where you can do tours and tastings and a macadamia nut factory. Shame they closed so early.
Welcome to The Ginger Factory
Old Style Motor Garage at The Ginger Factory
On the Train at The Ginger Factory
Coffee Roastery at Yandina near Ginger Factory
Macadamia Nutworks at Yandina near Ginger Factory
Fathers’ Day
It was fantastic to have spent Fathers’ Day with our daughter Katie and her partner Mick who are holidaying on the Sunshine Coast. We met for lunch at the Dicky Beach Surf Club and enjoyed delicious and rather generous sized meals on the balcony of the Surf Club. It was then off to Katie and Mick’s apartment in Golden Beach for ice-cream dessert. This was followed by a round of mini golf at Top Shots Fun Park. Mick won the first round and Katie scored a hole in one. Mick and Katie played a second 18 hole round which was declared a draw. We then returned to the fiver for a chat, snack and coffee after which Katie and Mick returned to their apartment. What a great way to spend Father’s Day!
Mick, Katie & Shorty at Dickys Beach Surf Club for Fathers Day
Dessert at Katie and Mick’s Apartment
Mini Golf on Fathers Day
Mini Golf on Fathers Day
We still have plenty of things to do and see around Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast and will be here at least another week.
Stay tuned!
Shorty's RV Adventures 