The “Kawana” address can be confusing even for old locals. Put simply, Kawana Waters is the generic term for the large land tract between the Mooloolah River and Lake Currimundi that was first mooted for development in 1959.
Specifically, it is a series of suburbs that have grown up step-by-step, as ti-tree scrub has been converted into canal and beachfront estates in the oldest and biggest single land development on the Sunshine Coast.
Minyama, Buddina, Parrearra, Warana, Bokarina, Birtinya and Wurtulla all share the same Kawana 4575 postcode.
Celebrating its 50th birthday in 2010, Kawana Waters is a ribbon development between Caloundra and Mooloolaba, and the beach west to the Mooloolah River National Park and Meridan Plains.
The opening of the Mooloolah River bridge and the 11km Nicklin Way in 1965, brought the realisation that here was land ripe for housing.
The first suburb to be built was Buddina, at the northern end, in 1967. A canal estate was built into the Mooloolah River and accessed from the road to Pt Cartwright, which itself instantly became a prestige housing precinct.
Development then continued south with the development of Warana in 1978, Wurtulla in 1980 and Bokarina in 1985.
Minyama, at the northern end of the Nicklin Way and Parrearra are both based on canals and islands and can therefore claim some exclusivity. The newest extension is Birtinya, near the Kawana Way west of Bokarina.
As well as providing thousands of houses beside the beach, Kawana also has substantial commercial and industrial areas, making it a virtual microcosm, complete with its own set of emergency services, schools, parks, offices and retailers and a major hospital on the way.
Kawana Shoppingworld, in 1979, was the first major shopping precinct to open on the Sunshine Coast and Quad Park has become its major sporting facility. The statistical district has a land area of 1752ha with a population density of 11.03 per hectare at the 2006 census.
Summing up: A collection of suburbs that together make up the strip lining the Nicklin Way, Kawana Waters is urban living beside the sea. It has all the services, schools, major retail outlets and restaurants of the city and a wide selection of residential opportunities from first home buyer’s brick and tile to prestige canalfront or beachfront mansions, and everything in between.
