Lake Doonella's Wetlands Reserve is up there near Noosa. It seems to also be known as the Noosa Open Space on some maps. It's between Tewantin National Park and Lake Doonella,and it's a scenic and interesting place to explore.
I blame the alleged Steiner School education of the author for the quality of the poetry. But I guess it's the thought that counts.
Last Sunday's market at Noosa Marina, which is at Tewantin. It has the
advantage of finishing at 2pm, rather than 12 noon, so it's easier to
get to for some families! Rather tame compared with those other markets, but that was a welcome change. No crowds, and easy to get served at the many nice cafes there.
I've written about the 'elusive' Lake Weyba before, and how it's a bit out of the way, requiring a bit of a hike to see it in all its glory. Well today I stumbled on the easy way!.
There's an area called Weyba Downs, and you can drive right up to the lake, stroll along the shore, picnic in parkland.The lot! Just take Eumarella Rd, westward from one of the Emu Mountain Rd roundabouts, just south of Noosa.
Google Maps marks a 'Weyba Tree', which I think is this one. A lot of spectacular photography has been done of it at sunrise or sunset or both. I'll have to return and see what I can do.
I've been rather curious about this place for a while. One local history talk I'd attended seemed to suggest that all had been sweet on the Sunshine Coast between settlers and indigenous inhabitants. Another talk told me about this Murdering Creek episode. It was fairly well documented, and the name sort of gives the game away anyway.
Then I came across an article in Noosa Today: https://noosatoday.com.au/news/23-07-2022/murdering-creek-mystery/ which makes it all a bit muddier again.
I took myself in there this morning. It's a dark and spooky place, but beautiful too. As I'd been told, there's no official acknowledgement or educational plaque or monument or anything about what may have happened here.
But I did find this very moving unofficial memorial. And it even hints at a reason for any push there might be to change the name: real estate values!
Lake Weyba, near Murdering Creek
Up towards Noosa there's a Lake called Weyba. It's a bit elusive, as in you don't tend to see it from any of the main roads, or even from the less main roads.
But as I confirmed the other day, it's definitely there, and there are a few ways in, mainly involving a little walk through bits of the Noosa National Park.
I did the Noosa Everglades boat cruise yesterday. It's good value. Three hours on a boat in a unique environment, with food and drinks thrown in, plus interesting commentary, all for $70 or so.
The boat departs from the Habitat Noosa 'Eco Resort', which is just north of Boreen Point. It crosses Lake Cootharaba, then dives through a narrow gap, and makes its way up the Upper Noosa River.
These everglades apparently have much in common with the Florida Everglades, in that they're entirely sand, plus rich vegetation. And there's so much fresh water stored in them that in a long drought, they'd effectively keep the river flowing forever. Or so the commentary went. Lots of wildlife too,including hundreds of bird species. No crocodiles though. You have to go hundreds of kilometres further north for those.
Back at the eco resort you get to watch the (sometimes enormous) kangaroos having their evening graze.
It's near Cooroy, a few kilometres west of Noosa. Not at the western end of Hastings St in Noosa itself, as claimed by Google Maps! (See: Not Noosa Botanic Gardens)
Still a very nice place though. For some reason, Google Maps thinks it's Noosa Botanic Gardens. It's actually the Noosa Parks Association Park, or something similar, and it's at the western end of Hastings St in Noosa. Google Maps has done this to me before. Noosa Botanic Gardens is actually a few kilometres to the west, on the banks of Lake MacDonald near Cooroy, and here:
I ventured into Noosa National Park this morning, or at least into the Headland section, a big chunk to the east and south of Noosa town. I did a nice 10km round trip from Sunshine Beach.
There were beaches, coastal heathland, rainforest, hundreds of surfers and day tripping tourists, and dramatic clifftop lookouts. An excellent morning out, and it reminded me rather of Sydney's Royal National Park, on a smaller scale.
Alexandria Bay
The Tanglewood Track
I saw a few drongos along the way. Many of them were driving noisy surf skis. Some of them though were these rather fine looking shiny black birds. (Spangled drongo - Dicrurus bracteatus)
So I found myself up there again yesterday, an accomplice in just such a bygone days pilgrimage.
And it was OK. The secret was the ferry ride from Noosaville, making redundant those traffic jams and car parks. Worked well. Mind you, the tent city that used to be Noosa Main Beach was a sight to behold. Looked a lot like something from the French Riviera.
I'll be back when all the tourists have gone home.
By 'Sunny', I mean Sunshine Coast. Not actual sunny, because it's been mostly damp and wet for the three weeks we've been here so far.
Here we're on Alexandra Headland Beach, with the early morning walkers and joggers.
These are on the ocean side of what Google Maps now labels as 'Dog Beach, Mudjimba'. I'msure it used to have a much more respectable name.
The dogs were amazingly delinquent, but the views across the Maroochy River heads to Cotton Tree, Alexandra Headlands, and Mooloolaba, were good.
The wild weather hadwhipped up lots of light brown foam, which dogs and small children were happily playing in.
On then to Sunrise Beach, with views north to Sunshine Beach and Noosa National Park.
