For those who didn’t know, we’ve uprooted ourselves from our home town of some sixty years and relocated to the Sunshine Coast just 98 km north of Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, the Sunshine State. Lets explore our new home Coolum Beach by Instagram.
It was a big move distance-wise, some 1,243 kilometres by road in fact, but in other ways it feels so familiar – like we’ve slipped into a parallel universe. We’ve holidayed on the Sunshine Coast for ten years or more while our kids were growing up. We’ve stayed in caravan parks and rented holiday homes in Peregian, Marcus, Sunshine and Coolum Beaches but now finally we live in our own place.
There are beaches galore on the Sunshine Coast from Caloundra to Noosa but we usually roam from Maroochydore north to Noosa. Today I’m featuring just a few scenes from Coolum and Mudjimba Beaches to give you a feel for the place.
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Coolum Beach by Instagram
Heading south from the Surf Club on Coolum’s Main Beach, a much prized parking area overlooks the beach with a staircase leading down to secluded spots amongst rocky alcoves. Surfers access the waves here and that is Point Perry is in the background.
Coolum Surf Club has uninterrupted Sun, Surf and Sand views. The large 1st floor deck, front and centre is a great place for a counter meal/sundowner or to just check out the action.
Love those stormy clouds when I’m on the deck at the surf club.
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Mudjimba is a beach we first discovered when house-sitting a few years back. It is a couple of beaches south of Coolum and lately we have stayed several times in the Caravan Park which is in a pretty and handy location near the beach. We think Coolum has a friendly village feel to it, but Mudjimba is even more so.
On the week-ends the local surf club members put in a huge effort patrolling the beaches and at other times Council Life Savers are on duty.
Also at Mudjimba, High Tide bar and cafe. The Sunday afternoon session here rocks with live music – a girl guitarist/singer on this occasion. The clientele is an eclectic mix of buffed bodies with tattoos, old codgers like us, young’uns, skate-boarders and even off-duty lifesavers. I like a place with a mix of people.
It’s High Tide at Mudjimba on the Sunny Coast.
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While we are still in Mudjimba might I introduce you to our go-to Mudjimba coffee place? The Esplanade is the one and only shopping street with cafes, bars and shops strung out adjacent to the park and beach nature reserve. High Tide is on the corner of Mudjimba Beach Road and south from it is The Island, a Surf Clothing Shop and Coffee joint. The first day we ordered the muffin of the day which was delectably moist, a little chewy with occasional melted blobs of chocolate inside and coffee beans sprinkled on top. It was seriously good – the coffee played second fiddle to that muffin! Polished concrete Mmmm – my favourite bench top.
Here in Coolum we go for a walk most nights directly from our home. In Townsville we had to drive 20 minutes to the beach to go walking but here we walk a different route each night to familiarise ourselves with the suburb. Although temperatures are warm, the sea breeze makes exercising pleasant. I feel like I can walk forever when the temperature is right.
We have been super-impressed by the sunsets on the Coast – this last week there have been stunning fiery displays every night. This one taken from our street.
Today’s Coolum sunset. Looks like it’s on fire!
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A couple of nights ago as we walked downhill toward the beach, the ocean was lit up by the full moon.
Coolum Beach has a social conscience. On our walks I’ve noticed many signs about banning high-rise developments and saving the trees. I’m happy that our new back yard is full of huge Melaleucas or paperbark trees. These trees are in a council owned allotment in our street.
Coolum Beach cares about trees and the wildlife corridor.
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The Sunshine Coast including Coolum Beach is a family holiday destination with a quieter reputation than The Gold Coast, that other well-known Queensland surfing spot on the southern side of Brisbane. I hope you enjoyed learning a little about this great holiday destination which also happens to be our new home.
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Thanks for visiting, I really appreciate it and would love you to add your travel post to the link below for Nancie’s Travel Photo Thursday which I co-host with Ruth from Tanama Tales and Rachel from Rachel’s Ruminations.
Kathy Marris
I need absolutely no convincing about the merits of living in Coolum or the Sunshine Coast for that matter. I would move there in a heartbeat if we could get our son to move too! Aren’t the Greenie signs around Coolum delightful? Thanks for the pingback to my Sunshine Coast Beaches post. Did you just screenshot these photos from you Instagram account? Very clever. 🙂
Jan
Hi Kathy, I look at my Instagram on my computer. Right click on the image and select Copy Link Address. In wordpress in a new blog I put it from visual to Text and paste the address into the post. Then I save the draft and revert back to Visual. Wallah! I loved that your post showed all the beaches in order on the Coast. Thank You.
Ruth
I see why you feel familiar with this place. The vibes, beaches and sunset look fantastic. It is so cool to live close to the beach. I know it is hard to leave a place and get use to a new one but I am sure it is easy to get to love this town. #TPThursday
Sharon Wagner
That coffee looks pretty darn good.
Jackie Smith
Congrats on making the move! It looks like a fabulous location that you’ve chosen . . .feels like a permanent vacation spot. Loved the use of Instagram photos – I still haven’t figured out how to do that!
Jan
Hi Jackie, I explain how to do it in the reply to Kathy Marris’s comment.
Michele {Malaysian Meanders}
I look forward to learning more about the Sunshine Coast, just as you showed me around Townsville. From these photos, it looks like an excellent place.
Jan
Thanks for your interest Michele. I think you will love the area as much as we do.
Pinky Poinker
I’m really glad to hear they want to keep it as is what with the no high rises and conservation of trees. The mountain is very much like that too. You sound like you are loving it, Jan.You’ll feel like you’re constantly on holiday 🙂
Jan
I wish! We have lots of work to do on the house and up until yesterday had not even been to the beach, but Yesterday was the start of my going to the beach every day.
Jo Tracey
Hi Jan…& lovely to virtually meet you. No doubt I’ll see you round in the loving life linky 🙂
Jan
Hello Jo, Yep, I’ll be rattling around the place.