Only two everglades on Earth and one of them is in Noosa

For those who figure Noosa’s all about jewel-detailed resort-wear, manicured streetscapes, cocktails by the pool and cheese shops in the hinterland, think again.

Leanne Kitchen

4 min read

May 28, 2018 - 10:28AM

Kayaking with Kanu Kapers Australia, Noosa, Queensland. Picture: Jesse Lindeman

QLD

Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD. Followed categories will be added to My News.

If kayaking is not your gig, Noosa might just be the place to make you think again. There, in the Great Sandy National Park, gnarled tree branches overhang water that perfectly mirrors the sky and there’s wildlife aplenty. Cormorants dry their wings in the lazy breeze and goannas lurk on logs, tongues flicking in search of tasty prey. It’s unutterably peaceful and as good a place as any, as kayaks glide through watery stillness, to be reminded that you’re not the centre of any universe. This is one of only two everglades in the world — the other, famously, is in Florida — and I am exploring with Kanu Kapers, owned by champion Aussie kayaker Vivienne Golding.

What to do in Noosa?

The main lure of a day on the water under Kanu Kapers’ expert tutelage and guidance is this everglade system on the other side of shallow Lake Cootharaba. Paddling in two-man kayaks we get there in an energising, 30-ish minutes.

For those who figure Noosa’s all about jewel-detailed resort-wear, manicured streetscapes, cocktails by the pool and cheese shops in the hinterland, the scope of the startlingly beautiful biosphere (of which the everglade is just a small part), might come as a surprise.

Comprising state forests, national parks, lakes and sand blows, it’s a UNESCO-protected reserve covering 150,000ha and is home to more than 300 bird species. A Kanu Kapers’ trip merely scratches the surface of its natural gorgeousness.

The everglades in Noosa, Queensland. Picture: Jesse Lindeman, www.kanukapersaustralia.com

Landlubbers may prefer to hike through the wilderness and there are options aplenty; the Sunshine Coast has more national parkland than any other region in Queensland.

Just a short trot from Noosa’s downtown is the Noosa National Park; criss crossed with easy tracks, it hugs the coast. Walking here is like stumbling into a postcard’s worth of the best kinds of Aussie cliches. Koalas laze in trees, the sand blazes white, the sea shimmers turquoise, the forest is lush and the vibe, secluded.

A more off-the-grid option is offered by Steve Grainger of Tropical Treks, which specialises in bird watching and wilderness walks of various durations (a half or whole day are popular, but longer can be arranged). Of taking guests deep into ancient forests, he says it’s almost a spiritual experience.

“Most people,” Steve says, “come out of the forest a good deal quieter than when they went in.’’ Immersion in the bush distracts you from your issues, he claims, saying “it’s restorative and calming’’. Certainly, the scale of these places, their awesome beauty and immense age (Australian forests, Steve says, are typically 100 million years old), really do put the day-to-day into proper perspective.

The Glass House Mountains and Mapleton Falls parks are favourites for him to take guests, the latter for its astounding diversity. Extensive sub-tropical rainforest gives way to spectacular expanses of blackbutt eucalypts, where trees can reach 50m high and ages of 700 years. Sightings of lace monitors, echidnas and myriad bird species — including the beautiful wompoo fruit dove, with its regal green, purple and deep yellow plumage — are expected. If the weather’s been wet, the spectacular Mapleton Falls are at full throttle, plunging 120m into the valley below, while peregrine falcons swoop overhead. It’s idyllic.

Where to eat in Noosa?

Maybe the greatest thing about this slice of the Sunshine Coast, around Noosa, is that it’s evenly stacked in the Exertion versus Unbridled Hedonism stakes (yes; those cocktails by the pool really can be a thing). All that invigorating outdoorsy stuff is nicely counterbalanced by some world class dining and drinking spots; what’s the point of surfing, trekking or kayaking all day if there’s no great dinner at the end of it all?

Crab dish served up by Noosa Beach House.

Peter Kuruvita’s restaurant, Noosa Beach House, is a case in point. Affixed to the Sofitel, it sets the benchmarks high; it’s hard to go past the house favourite Sri Lankan snapper curry, washed down with a frisky pinot blanc or two. The smart-casual offerings at Season, with an emphasis on the bright-tasting local produce (particularly seafood), are almost upstaged by the sweeping views over Main Beach.

Taking to the hills gets you to Spicers Clovelly Estate, perhaps the hinterland’s best kept accommodation secret. Its dining room (The Long Apron) is, in line with the overall chic, French vibe of the place, sublime. As is the food that flows from its kitchen, ably helmed by Chris Hagan.

The Long Apron, Spicer’s Clovelly Estate.

His fare is fine, but not rarefied, and clever without being tricksy. It’s fully flavoursome, thanks to the Estate’s extensive herb patches and Hagan’s close connections with local food producers.

Best places to visit in the Noosa hinterland?

In an area known for quality beef, honey, dairy, macadamias, seafood, fruits and vegetables, it’s not hard to dine well. Nor to get to your food’s source. Beyond Experiences, a bespoke guiding/hosting enterprise, can run you around the hinterland’s back blocks, visiting growers, cellar doors and obscure little eateries. You can even do this in a restored VW Kombi, for the ultimate in throwback, coastal transportation.

It’s a wonderful way to get connected to passionate rural producers like Tim and Amber Scott of Kandanga Farm, who focus on raising chemical-free beef cattle and running their cute Kandanga Farm Store, and an organic cafe that makes a feature of locally sourced ingredients, overlooking the bucolic Mary Valley.

Mt Ngungan, Glass House Mountains. Picture: Tourism & Events Queensland

Or Hinterland Feijoas, an organic fruit orchard that’s also got brilliant al fresco dining, as well as jars of feijoa preserves and a few locally made bits and bobs to purchase in their shop.

While places like this are accessible to the independent traveller, others, such as Eumundi Beef, are not. A farm run on strict biodynamic principles, a visit to hear owner Susan Rodgers talk about her alternative pasture and animal management, is inspiring. You can walk among her calm cattle, flocks of happy hens and free-wheeling Italian shepherd dogs; it’s a simple but uplifting thing to do, especially for the average urban dweller. And, like all things about this magical corner of Australia, it makes you hanker for more.

The author was a guest of Tourism and Events Queensland