Discover all you need to know about the Sunshine Coast Hinterland with our regional information guide.

About The Region
One of the most liberating experiences you'll ever have is climbing behind the wheel of a shiny convertible and escaping to the crisp air, stunning views and fascinating towns of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. If you don't own one, rent one so you can best see, smell and feel the wonderful landscape around you. You'll know you're alive with the wind in your face, the sun beaming down and the picture postcard scenery rushing past.

It's this other side to the surf and sun of the Sunshine Coast which is every bit as relaxing and just a stone's throw from the beach. The Hinterland promises lush cool rainforests, fertile rolling hills and fascinating little towns that lie just inland from the busy throng of the coast. It's the perfect short break or long weekend away from Brisbane or the Gold Coast or a sublime spot for an extended stay if you really need to unwind.

There's time to wander around first-class art galleries, potter about country markets and linger over delectable cuisine in restaurants with to-die-for views. Finding a place to lay your head is easy. What's more challenging is the choice - a comfortable bed and breakfast guesthouse with mountain or lake views, a country town cottage just a few steps from antiques, cafes and bookshops or a self-contained treehouse nestled in the rainforest?

Coast into Action
The Sunshine Coast region is a sports lover's paradise, offering a challenging game of golf to mountain climbing. Try hang gliding in Cooloola, abseiling in The Glass House Mountains, windsurfing in Caloundra, kite surfing or four-wheel driving on Noosa's North Shore, GoKart racing, paragliding, house boating, camel riding, horse riding on the beach, sea kayaking or canoeing. The Sunshine Coast is full of fun things to do. Chase the big fish offshore or learn how to surf. So if you need to crank up to wind down, you'll find plenty of activities to keep you going. The region also boasts many popular attractions, including:

The Big Pineapple www.bigpineapple.com.au
Australia Zoo www.australiazoo.com.au
The Ginger Factory www.gingerfactory.com.au/tourist/default.asp
The Big Kart Track www.bigkart.com.au
Aussie World www.aussieworld.com.au
Super Bee www.superbee.com.au
UnderWater World www.underwaterworld.com.au

Other Useful Links
Tourism Queensland
http://www.tq.com.au
Tourism Sunshine Coast
http://www.sunshinecoast.org/
Caloundra visitor information centre - Tel 07 5491 9233
www.caloundratourism.com.au
Maroochy Tourism - Tel:07 5479 1566
www.maroochytourism.com

The Weekender does not monitor or review the content of other party's websites which are linked from this website. Whilst we take great care in the links we publish we are not responsible for the content of any website reached by a link from our pages, nor should such links be considered an endorsement of these services / websites except where otherwise noted.

Story by Jane Hodges
Pics courtesy Tourism Queensland