Noosa shines on any day

THOSE beautiful mornings along the Noosa River make you remember what life is all about.

GOOD VIBRATIONS: Andrew Hosking with his restored T Boat on Noosa River.

ON a flight back from Melbourne last week I sat beside a retired RAAF couple on their first visit to Noosa.

Having been born in North Queensland and with family still living there, they had made many trips by road and by air from Melbourne to Townsville in their careers.

"How long has there been an airport here,'' they asked.

"Oh, about 50 years,'' I replied.

"I think you will like it here.''

And so we talked about where they lived in Melbourne, about 2km from where I once rented back when.

They had been told about highlights of Noosa, where to walk, where to eat, day trips to go on.

I was able to add a few more ideas, thanks to local knowledge built up since the first surfing trip all those years ago.

With the weather we have been enjoying over summer I can only imagine how good a stay the couple must have had.

Saturday morning shone brightly, people were out enjoying the riverfront parkland at Noosaville ... walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, fishing and setting up for countless barbecues and birthday parties.

First auction for the day was an apartment in the evocatively-named Lazy Days in Gympie Tce. It was a sea of colour as the HANGloosa team turned up in their Hawaiian-style shirts.

Then there was time for a relaxed coffee overlooking the river. Fathers baiting the hooks for children to try their hand at fishing, stand-up paddler classes, outrigger crews gliding past.

Walking to the next auction in Gympie Tce with Laguna Real Estate, I bumped into Andrew Hosking who was working on his boat.

Not just any boat - one of the original T Boats from the 1960s that so many people have hired over the years for days out on the river.

Moored just a few metres away was an old O Boat, appropriately named Noosa O-riginal.

Andrew told me they used to hire these boats as teenagers in the 1980s and had restored it according to old photos.

They are great river boats, right down to that distinctive put-put sound. Certainly a part of the ever-changing landscape of the river.

The river's foreshore has always had greenery but over the years council and the community have done tremendous upgrades with picnic areas and footpaths as well as sandy beaches.

I'm sure my flight companions from Melbourne would have enjoyed their visit.