Claiming around 80 kilometres of prime coastline an easy drive north of the Queensland capital, the Sunshine Coast is a happy mix of coastal, rural and mountain lifestyles for every demographic and budget.
The spectacular Glass House Mountains, less than 40kms from the northern suburbs of Brisbane, are a dramatic introduction to the region which meets Gympie in the north.
In the hinterland, are mountain views and green meadows, rural acres, rainforest and grazing country as the Blackall Range drops down to either western plains or eastern green valleys.
The beachfront suburbs start at Caloundra’s stillwater beaches on Pumicestone Passage and continue north via Maroochydore to Noosa, each area cultivating its own distinctive character.
From coast to country, the Sunshine Coast covers more than 3100 square kilometres and has beaches, lakes, rivers and dams; mountains, meadows, rainforest, national parks and state forest.
With so much diversity in its landscape, its strategic location and its abundant natural beauty, it’s not surprising that it has been one of Australia’s fastest growing communities for at least two decades. First settled in the 1850s, the Sunshine Coast started out as “the North Coast” simply because it was a coast north of Brisbane en route to the Gympie goldfields.The first wave of real growth started soon after the end of the Second World War. The population jumped from 27,000 in 1947 to 44,000 in 1971, and although the economy was still based on primary production, particularly sugar cane, its tourism potential was emerging.
In the early 1960s, a group of real estate investors, backed by the Real Estate Institute of Queensland began putting together a proposition for a united front in a bid to create a product image. On August 1, 1967, the hodge-podge of beachfront shanties loosely connected by unsealed roads and supported by cane fields and fruit farms in three local government areas was officially brought together as a region and called the Sunshine Coast.
With a name to work with and growing awareness of its appeal, it was possible to start building a tourism industry. Visitors came in droves. Many stayed. There was no doubt the Sunshine Coast had been “discovered” and by 1986, the population had swelled to 118,000.
From the late 1980s, Maroochy, Caloundra and Noosa annually ranked in the top 10 growth areas in Queensland and civic leaders were well aware that they had to plan for massive population growth. By 1996, the population had hit 167,000 but again the region defied even the most dramatic predictions and by the last census in 2006, the Sunshine Coast population stood at 287,000. Despite its popularity though, the region’s 312,452 hectares had only 0.92 people per hectare.
Whether it’s property, accommodation, business, industry or infrastructure, every facet of Sunshine Coast life and projections for its future focus on its continually expanding population. It has brought with it, the services and convenience of city living.
The region is well served by public and private hospitals and schools; it has a university, and the Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE has campuses scattered around the region.
There is an airport with regular connections to southern capitals, an electric rail service to Brisbane and the promise of a coastal connection to come, motorways, local buses and interstate coaches.
There are shopping centres and commercial and industrial estates, and all the residential living opportunities in the world, from waterfront mansions to CBD penthouses to country retreats - and everything in betweenOld and new have blended perfectly, from original townships founded on timber and farming to new suburbs that have mushroomed to cater for its newest industry, people.
Add to this the fact that the average summer temperatures range from 17° C to 28°C with the summer highs tempered by cool sea breezes and mild and sunny winters with average temperatures ranging from 7°C to 22°C and it’s little wonder people continue to vote with their feet.
The Sunshine Coast is one of the best places in Australia to call home.
