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Thundercats Coolum Beach Life Changes, Creating a new life and Travelling again 2017

Slow Travel, Road Trips and Creating a new life on the Sunshine Coast

December 22, 2017 By Jan Robinson 16 Comments

This post may contain compensated links. We may earn a small percentage if you book through a compensated link, but it won’t cost you any more by doing so. You can read our full disclaimer here.


As this year draws to a close, I’ve been thinking how Creating a new life on the Sunshine Coast led us to experience Slow Travel, Road Trips and more.

2017 started with the move from our home of 60 years in Townsville where both Marty and I were born and where we raised our two children. We loved life in North Queensland BUT we found ourselves rattling around in a house that was far too big, with gorgeous, but labour intensive gardens.

Of course we have travelled a lot and lived in other places, but Townsville was always home. But what is home? The old saying suggests it is where the heart is.

Made to Pin.

Slow Travel, Road Trips and Creating a new life on the Sunshine Coast

What You Will Find in This Post

  • Creating a new life on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland Australia
  • Slow Travel
  • Road Trips with our Coromal Caravan
  • Blogging Friends
  • Thanks for reading and commenting – we really appreciate it.
    • More from my site

Creating a new life on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland Australia

We’ve downsized to our quaint previously rented out beach house, which we’ve gradually, it could be said too gradually, been renovating. Gardens have evolved, and two outside entertaining areas, at opposite sides of the house. They’re wide, deep and open sided areas where we can enjoy our huge paperbark trees. Ocean breezes flow through and when the rains blow we just relocate to the sheltered side.

Our new home town is Coolum Beach, where we’ve spent so many fantastic family holidays over a 20 year period. This last year we’ve maintained holiday mindset, which although enjoyable, has added a few unwelcome inches around my waist.

Coolum Beach 2017

Slow Travel

Shifting to the coast has been a unique form of (very) slow travel, where we’ve explored the Sunshine Coast and South-East Queensland while living at a holiday destination and finding our feet as locals.

Our kids come to visit whenever they can and some of our life long Townsville friends have come to stay a while. We’ve taken them on a Noosa National Park walk, climbed Mt. Ninderry, Mt. Tinbeerwah, Mt. Coolum and Emu Mountain. We’ve embraced country road trips to Cooroy, Maleny, Montville, Mapleton and Kenilworth.

The Coolum Surf Club deck has folklore status in our family, while Sunshine Coast beaches, body surfing and walking at dog friendly off-leash Stumers Creek  happens more often than not.

Noosa National Park Walk Views.

Noosa National Park Sunshine Coast

Thundercats race Coolum 2017

Thundercats Coolum Beach 2017. Experience Slow Travel on the Sunshine Coast.

In June, Daughter and I went on our annual Palm Creek Folk Festival in the country south of Townsville. Marty and I towed our caravan from the Coast to Townsville, a road trip we’ve done more times than I can remember. At Palm Creek, Cassie and I camped in a field with a mish-mash of friendly festival-goers. Palm Creek is a well organised festival that runs like clockwork.

We talked by the fire, tramped from one big top to another, catching favourite acts and trying out newbies. We practiced morning yoga with like-minded souls and taste tested a range of food vans.

Marty as the designated puppy minder, stayed in Townsville looking after the three grand-dogs, after which he and I shifted to the Townsville Tourist and Lifestyle Village in our Caravan.

A beach north of Townsville.

A beach north of Townsville

Road Trips with our Coromal Caravan

We’ve just returned from another three week road trip into New South Wales, where we visited Durras North (and friends in South Durras). I’ve published a post on part of that road trip from Coffs Harbour to Brisbane.

We had a rude shock when the front window of our 3 year old Coromal Element 542 van, leaked while towing in heavy rain for the first time. We’ve asked for opinions on how to fix the problem on the Coromal Caravan Owners Group Facebook page and have received lots of helpful suggestions which we’ve yet to process and/or attempt. The van is out of warranty period, otherwise the cost of the fix would be covered. Otherwise we are very happy with it’s performance.

I’ve claimed Bellingen, west of Coffs Harbour, as my new favourite town and am currently working on a post to tell you why it captured my heart.

Live Music at the Purple Carrot, Bellingen.

Slow Travel, Road Trips and a new life on the Sunshine Coast. Bellingen Live Music Friday night at the Purple Carrot

Dorrigo in the mountains west of Bellingen on the way from Coffs Harbour to Brisbane.

Dorrigo west of Coffs Harbour and Bellingen 2017

We packed so much into those three weeks. After so long of slow travel or no travel at all, I thought my heart was going to burst clear of my body with joy.

Blogging Friends

On our return to the Coast, some blogging friends and I had a fun Mucho Mexicana Christmas lunch at Southbank in Brisbane. Mmmm… I assure you they make great Tacos and Sangria.

Living on the Sunshine Coast makes such meet-ups a welcome reality.

Photo courtesy of Kathy Marris at 50 Shades of Age blog.

Bloggers-Lunch-South-Bank

How has 2017 been for you? Have you seen any life changes? Been on a road trip or experienced slow travel? Tell me about it in the comments.

Have fun celebrating the final days of 2017 and I’m hoping your 2018 travel plans make your heart sing.

Christmas Tree 2017

Thanks for reading and commenting – we really appreciate it.

If you have a blog, please add a travel post containing a travel photo (because we all love them) to the link below for Nancie’s Travel Photo Thursday which we co-host with Ruth from Tanama Tales and Rachel from Rachel’s Rumination. All links to blogs are DoFollow. That means I am sharing SEO link juice with you; a good thing!

An InLinkz Link-up


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Filed Under: Australia Travel Blog

About Jan Robinson

Jan Robinson writes about travel on her Budget Travel Talk blog. A solo traveller in her teens, for the last 40 years Jan has travelled through Australia, Asia, Europe, Turkey and New Zealand with her husband. They specialise in road trips, caravanning and Independent travel without spending a fortune. Her favourite destination is Turkey and she is currently dreaming of Myanmar and Mexico.

Previous Post: «Burleigh Heads Surf Gold Coast Queensland Australia Coffs Harbour to Brisbane Aussie Road Trip Heaven
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathy Marris

    December 22, 2017 at 4:23 pm

    I’m glad you’ve acclimatised to a new life in Coolum in your beach home. It was a very brave move. We’re about to do the same next year moving just across the border to Kingscliff in NSW. I have never been to Belligen or Dorrigo but should definitely put it on the list. We might even detour out here when we set off the down the Pacific Coast at the end of January. Thanks for all your comments and blog interaction this year. It’s been wonderful. Merry Christmas and happy travels in 2018.

    Reply
    • Jan

      December 23, 2017 at 9:50 pm

      Love your blog and support. Thanks Kathy.

      Reply
  2. Jackie Smith

    December 22, 2017 at 11:47 pm

    Different parts of the world, but you and I could be peas in a pod this year. Downsizing from a too-large but long-loved home, moving into smaller cottage sized life and setting forth on a slower pace. That describes my 2017 to a tee! Happy Holidays to you and a toast to new adventures in 2018!

    Reply
    • Jan

      December 23, 2017 at 9:49 pm

      Definitely peas in a pod. Wish my pod was in Greece for a while!

      Reply
  3. Sharon Wagner

    December 23, 2017 at 12:24 am

    Your move sounds wonderful. Life at the beach is the good life. I think. We traveled a lot in 2017 and 2018 has even more in store. Starting with Guatemala!

    Reply
    • Jan

      December 23, 2017 at 9:49 pm

      It would be so lovely to live in your part of the world. Maybe we could swap for a while lol.

      Reply
  4. Agness of a Tuk Tuk

    December 26, 2017 at 1:17 am

    It seems like you had an awesome and unforgettable year, Jan. Hope your 2018 will be filled with more wonderful road trips and slow travel!

    Reply
    • Jan

      December 26, 2017 at 11:04 am

      Thank you Agness. I hope 2018 is an adventure filled year for you. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Krista Bjorn

    January 3, 2018 at 1:26 pm

    I’ve loved watching you settle into your new home. 🙂 You’ve found so many beautiful places to enjoy yourself AND share with your loves. Happy New Year!! xo

    Reply
    • Jan

      January 5, 2018 at 3:21 pm

      Yes Krista, it has been a lovely settling in period and still loads more to explore!

      Reply
  6. Jill

    January 8, 2018 at 2:07 am

    Stunning photos! Wow! It sounds like the last year has been good – full of change – but good. I personally prefer Slow Travel – it just never seems to happen for us as much as I would like due to vacation days and trying to see too much. But it’s always a goal. Happy New Year!

    Reply
    • Jan

      January 8, 2018 at 8:19 pm

      We don’t always manage Slow Travel either Jill – just in 2017. House-sitting is a great way to afford slow travel and as we are retired we have plenty of time.

      Reply
  7. Ruth | Tanama Tales

    January 9, 2018 at 4:43 pm

    Happy New Year! I am glad you have decided to take it slow and savor every bit of the coast. I am one of those that love to check out every nook and cranny of coastal areas. I wish I had more time to do that. At the end of the year, we were able to spend several days in California’s Central Coast. We had an excellent time! This past year was full of ups and downs. I cannot complain but hope 2018 is way better.

    Reply
    • Jan

      January 9, 2018 at 7:38 pm

      Me too Ruth!

      Reply
  8. Mary {The World Is A Book}

    January 10, 2018 at 3:37 pm

    What a year of adjustment for the both of you. Though, this looks like a great move. It has been wonderful following you along on your road trips and you showing us this part of Australia. Wishing both of you many more adventures in the new year.

    Reply
  9. Nancie

    January 17, 2018 at 7:50 pm

    A big move is always exciting and it looks like you and Marty have a chosen a great area to put down new roots. The folk festival sounds like it was a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to visiting some of the festivals here in Nova Scotia this coming summer.

    Reply

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