Located on Australia’s Sunshine Coast, this region has four unique areas, each with many attractions to draw visitors. Rainbow Beach is named for its multicolored sand, and with seventy-four different shades it makes it a natural wonder not to be missed. Also at Rainbow Beach is the Double Island Pointhouse where you might see whales during migration seasons, and the Carlo Sand Blow where you can watch hang gliders and paragliders. There is excellent scuba diving area, and divers can expect to see manta rays, eagle rays, the giant Queensland groper, and also the endangered grey nurse shark.
For those who want to get out on the water, Tin Can Bay is a great spot for fishing or renting a yacht to cruise around the bay. Also, houseboats can be rented here for a truly different vacationing experience. If you’d rather stay on the shore, an environmental walkway allows visitors to view local wildlife without disturbing them.
Gympie is an old boomtown from the goldrush era, and still retains its mining roots. Here visitors can ride an old steam train or peruse the Gold Mining and Historical Museum as well as the Woodworks Forestry and Timber Museum. Those hoping to strike it rich can try their hand at panning for gold, just be sure to pick up a fossicking permit from the local information centre.
Mary Valley is a beautiful and natural area of rolling hills. Lake Borumba is a popular fishing spot and also a great place to enjoy waterskiing and other water sports. Visitors can also look for bell-birds in the specially preserved bell-bird habitat or take the fourteen kilometer forest drive through Imbil State Forest. Country music fans may choose to visit the area over the last weekend in August to enjoy the National Country Music Muster. With the natural setting as a backdrop, campers enjoy a beautiful setting and great music!
Aboriginal tourism has become very popular in Australia’s states, and New South Wales is no exception. To become even more intimately acquainted with Aboriginal life, you may wish to consider joining a guided tour.
To learn more about the original inhabitants of the Sydney area, consider boarding the Deerubin, an Aboringal-owned-and operated vessel, for a cruise around Circular Quay. While on board, you’ll learn about Aboriginal fishing techniques, view old settlements and rock carvings, and enjoy Aboriginal stories. One of the highlights of the tour is a stop at Clark Island where passengers can watch traditional Aboriginal dancing.
In the north west of the province lies the spectacular Warrumbungle National Park. A fantastic way to explore the park is on one of the two Aboriginal Discovery tours led by the local Gamilaroi people. The first tour involves an easy walk through the forests to Tara Cave, an Aboriginal settlement used for over 4,000 years. The second involves a drive out to the Sandstone Caves with the park ranger and a local Aboriginal elder. This tour requires participants to have their own vehicle.
For the more adventurous, how about trying a walkabout? A walkabout is a traditional journey of self-discovery, a holistic way to develop a strong spiritual connection with the land. Evan Yanna Muru of Blue Mountains Walkabout leads participants on an eight kilometer hike through the wilderness where they explore Aboriginal ceremonial sites, learn about Dreamtime, and even try their hand at body painting with traditional ochre paint.
In the far west of the province is Mungo National Park, where visitors can enjoy accommodations in the Aboriginal-owned lodge or cabins. Tours explore Lake Victoria, where the oldest remains in Australia have been found, and also the dried up Lake Mungo and the sand and clay formations that flank it. The evening can be spent enjoying Aboriginal songs and stories around a campfire back at the lodge.
