Sunshine Castle – Bli Bli

In the beginning …

After much searching in 1971, Ian and Marcia Hayne purchased land at Bli Bli, in the centre of the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. They chose the location because of its hard granite foundation on a knoll overlooking the Maroochy River and the surrounding can fields.

In 1972 work was commenced to build a Norman/Medieval style Castle. The first stage (today’s receptionall) was completed and opened in March 1973 displaying 8 fairytale depictions and was named Fairytale Castle. Two years later the Great Hall and Moat were completed and the displayed armour came from England, Germany, Spain and Italy.

In 1978, the Great Tower building was commenced and erected in stages in conjunction with an expansion of the souvenir shop and a Tudor Facade on the shop front. On the 3rd May 1980 the Great Tower was opened to the public but remained unclimbable without stairs.
From fairytales to dolls …

In July 1984 Sandy Mackenzie and his wife Jean together with Kevin Tuckwell purchased the castle and renamed it Bli Bli Castle. Work began to enslose and include the dwelling situated alongside the castle into the castle complex. The downstairs area was converted into a Tea Room and Souvenir Shop and opened around Christmas of the same year.

In September 1986 a private doll collection was purchased and opened to the public December 1986. At the same time further work commenced in the Great Tower and eventually a set of spiral stairs allowed visitors to climb the 24 metre high tower whic offered panoramic views across the region.

Change of ownership …

In December 2002 Bernd and Margret Benecke (alias King Bernadus and Queen Margareta) purchased the Castle. In 2006 Birte Benecke-Uhrig and Stephan Uhrig moved from Germany to take over running of the business. Bli Bli Castle was then renamed Sunshine Castle Bli Bli.

Visit website for prices and events

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Mudjimba Beach

Mudjimba Beach is a quaint township with a true coastal vibe.

There has never been a more obvious contrast than that between Mooloolaba and Mudjimba. About the only thing similar is that both suburbs begin with the letter M.

Mudjimba is still largely seen as a quiet beachside suburb by the locals and it’s easy to see why. The only disruption to your day is the odd airplane flying into Maroochydore Airport to touch down or take off.

Mudjimba hosts some of the coolest cafe’s on the coast with The Island being one of our favourites. It blends great music, a unique cold press coffee that’s gravity fed and a funky surf store.

Caravan Park

Mudjimba Beach Caravan Park is ideally positioned adjacent to the beach and only a short stroll to the cafe and shopping precinct. It has large caravan sites, a refreshing swimming pool, well equipped camp kitchen and plenty of shade. It’s one of a handful of council run caravan parks in the region and a welcome escape from the crowded caravan parks in the tourist towns.

Great Walks

Mudjimba is blessed with some amazing walks. Drive to the end of North Shore Road and stroll through the scrub to find your ideal beach picnic spot. As mentioned earlier in this magazine, it’s a great place to walk your furry friend.

The Airport

The Sunshine Coast Regional Airport has been given the green light to begin it’s upgrade. In the next ten years we will see long haul aircraft fly in and out of our region. This will increase tourism numbers and offer locals the ability to travel internationally direct from our airport.
The more you fly direct from Sunshine Coast Airport, the more local flights will come.

Stop and think about the way you travel and consider the benefits if you choose to fly local.

The more the community flies from Sunshine Coast Airport, the more we can negotiate more destinations and flights from Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin, Air New Zealand and possibly other airlines.

We all love the Sunshine Coast lifestyle.

It’s why we choose to live here, whether that be a morning surf, walking the dog or spending time with our family, rather than struggling in a long commute every day.

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Off leash dog beaches

The .Sunshine Coast has some of the best Off leash dog beaches in the region.

Northshore – Mudjimba

Just a short 15 minute drive from the heart of Maroochydore lies a stretch of beach liked by dog owners from across the region, Maroochy North Shore.

Take the North Shore Road in Mudjimba and travel as far south as you can go. You’ll reach a car park. At the end of the car park you’ll see two entry points, one ventures onto the ocean-side beach on the east side, while the other heads west to the more sheltered and protected bay. The photo below is of the bay region. The water is clear, still and safe in the shallows for swimmers and their dogs.

Take a picnic hamper with you and enjoy the protected natural windbreak and mid-morning shade. If you like your dogs to run uninterrupted then use the ocean side beach. It has a great view of Mudjimba Island.

This area is known for turtles laying their eggs. Females usually lay between 1 and 9 clutches of eggs per season. Females may nest every 2 or 3 years. Female green turtles may lay 1,900 to 2,300 eggs within a lifetime.

Stumers Creek – Coolum

A favourite picnic area for families and dog lovers. Both sides of Stumers Creek are easily accessed from the main car park. The creek is usually land locked at low tide.

Stumers has toilet facilities, showers and dog washing areas.

Some days you might find skydivers landing at your feet as they jump from 15,000 feet above the beach.

Skydiving Noosa is the ultimate adrenaline rush. You’ll exit the plane from up to 15,000ft for an insane 60 seconds of life-changing freefall, falling at over 200 km/hr over the stunning Sunshine Coast region. Then float under canopy for 5-7 minutes soaking up views of the picture perfect beaches far below.

Port Cartwright – Buddina

On any given morning or evening you’ll find every pooch in every size trotting along the well worn pathway adjacent to the Mooloolah River.
Most dog lovers start at La Balsa Park and walk along the path to the mouth of the river before heading onto the exposed beach and walking towards the lighthouse. You’ll find dogs off leash along the beach at Buddina.

As always, keep aware of council regulations for where you can and can’t have your pampered pooch. Laws change often.

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Locked Up – Sunshine Coast

We recently visited the newly opened Red Lock Escape Rooms in Noosa. They are based at Shop 4, 28 Sunshine Beach Rd, Noosa Heads.
Our guide for the day was Sarah. Sarah told us about the two rooms they have active at the moment. One is called Area 51, after the “Area 51” Military Base in the USA. The other room is called the Vegas Room.

Curiosity got the better of us and we entered the Area 51 Room only to see a baby alien and an alien that appeared to hover clouded by red and blue lights. The music was ‘creepy’ and the room was technically the hardest room to escape from. We loved how the decor fitted with the theme. Sarah proceeded to tell us the story of how you play out the escape. She said, “You wake up in a secure Area 51 locked room and need to find a way out in 60 minutes before the aliens come back”. It sounded awesome but we were novices.

We decided, as ‘newbies’ to try the Vegas Room. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

My partner in crime for the day, aka my cameraman, Geoff helped me try and solve the Vegas Room in under 60 minutes. The story behind this room is that you wake up in a hotel room in Vegas after a big night out where you trashed the hotel lobby.
You can’t remember the night before but you are locked in the room. You have 60 minutes to figure out how to exit the room before management arrive.

Hmm, sounds like “The Hangover” movie. More my style! Yes I’m speaking from experience.

The Vegas Room

The room had a double bed, a toilet, trash can, mural on the wall of the cityscape, some books, a drinks cabinet and a bedside table. It also had a CD player along with a locked briefcase, safe, locked liquor cabinet and a few locked drawers.

The clock began at 60 minutes and we had to find the first clue. I’m not going to giveaway the steps involved, suffice to say that it made both Geoff and I sweat, think as a team and think outside the box. We quickly became immersed in the experience.

As the clock counted down it became a race to see if we could exit the room on time.

I can honestly say, we exited the room with under 10 seconds left of the clock. For some reason I was sweating bullets. You seem to loose yourself in the moment. I can see why so many people love Escape Rooms. If you are looking for a NEW experience, grab your partner or a friend and just DO IT!

We can’t wait for Red Lock Escape Rooms to complete their next room, the Bank Heist.

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Port Cartwright Lighthouse – The History

Located near the mouth of the Mooloolah River, it is renowned for its scenic beauty and landmark Port Cartwright Lighthouse.
Referred to in early times as the “landing place”, Point Cartwright Lighthouse has long been noted as a popular venue for picnic parties, rock fishing and exploring rockpools on the beach below.

By the early 1930s, ferry boats were making regular trips to and from Point Cartwright, particularly during holiday periods, and it was stated that “a great many did not consider a holiday complete unless it included a visit to the beauty spot”.

The Point Cartwright Lighthouse was automated in late 1978 and officially opened on September 10, 1979 by the then Federal Transport Minister, Mr Nixon.

Some Facts

It lights the North West Channel and was the third light to guide ships into Moreton Bay since 1896.
With its lighthouse and spectacularly painted reservoir, Point Cartwright is a special part of the Sunshine Coast.

La Balsa Park near Port Cartwright Lighthouse

Families, dog lovers and kids populate La Balsa Park at all times of the year. It’s a hotspot for:

• Fishing
• Dog Walking
• Family Picnics
• Kids Playground
• Walking around the Headland
• Photographers
• Weddings
• Marine Life

It’s not uncommon to see whales breaching off the coast from the vantage points near the Lighthouse. There are plenty of bench seats and you are always guaranteed a pleasant ocean breeze against your face.

Take the walking track from the river to the mouth and walk along the beach then uphill to the Lighthouse. Once you reach the Lighthouse walk along the Esplanade to the timber viewing platform before walking downstairs to the ‘off lead’ dog beach.

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We recently visited the newly opened Red Lock Escape Rooms in Noosa. They are based at Shop 4, 28 Sunshine Beach Rd, Noosa Heads.

Our guide for the day was Sarah. Sarah told us about the two rooms they have active at the moment. One is called Area 51, after the “Area 51” Military Base in the USA. The other room is called the Vegas Room.

Curiosity got the better of us and we entered the Area 51 Room only to see a baby alien and an alien that appeared to hover clouded by red and blue lights. The music was ‘creepy’ and the room was technically the hardest room to escape from. We loved how the decor fitted with the theme. Sarah proceeded to tell us the story of how you play out the escape. She said, “You wake up in a secure Area 51 locked room and need to find a way out in 60 minutes before the aliens come back”. It sounded awesome but we were novices.

We decided, as ‘newbies’ to try the Vegas Room. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

My partner in crime for the day, aka my cameraman, Geoff helped me try and solve the Vegas Room in under 60 minutes. The story behind this room is that you wake up in a hotel room in Vegas after a big night out where you trashed the hotel lobby.

You can’t remember the night before but you are locked in the room. You have 60 minutes to figure out how to exit the room before management arrive.
Hmm, sounds like “The Hangover” movie. More my style! Yes I’m speaking from experience.

The Vegas Room

The room had a double bed, a toilet, trash can, mural on the wall of the cityscape, some books, a drinks cabinet and a bedside table. It also had a CD player along with a locked briefcase, safe, locked liquor cabinet and a few locked drawers.

The clock began at 60 minutes and we had to find the first clue. I’m not going to giveaway the steps involved, suffice to say that it made both Geoff and I sweat, think as a team and think outside the box. We quickly became immersed in the experience.

As the clock counted down it became a race to see if we could exit the room on time.

I can honestly say, we exited the room with under 10 seconds left of the clock. For some reason I was sweating bullets. You seem to loose yourself in the moment. I can see why so many people love Escape Rooms. If you are looking for a NEW experience, grab your partner or a friend and just DO IT!

We can’t wait for Red Lock Escape Rooms to complete their next room, the Bank Heist.

The post Red Lock Escape Rooms appeared first on Things to Do | Explore the Sunshine Coast Magazine.

Maroochy Botanical Gardens

The Maroochy Botanical Gardens continues to deliver an outstanding natural family experience with it’s eight walks, cafe and sculpture garden. The walks have been broken down into experiences as well. We will breakdown each of the eight walks here for you:

Lagoon Walk

This popular natural terrain bush track follows the banks of the lagoon. The open forest ecosystem has remnant Bloodwood, Blu Gum and Tallow Wood in the canopy while Piccabeen Palm and Tree Fern fringe the rocky gullies and bridges along the track.

Fern Glade Walk

During the summer this walk provides a cool, shaded walk through a palm and fern gully. It is the perfect spot to sit down and contemplate the waterfall and creek cascades in the wet season.

Mossy Log Walk

Accessible from the Fern Glade Walk this walk will guide visitors past a mossy fallen forest giant. This tree is slowly decomposing and provides nutrients and shelter for many of the ferns, fungi and epiphytes.

Whipbird Walk

A safe haven where children can discover a wealth of hidden secrets. From giant spiders to exotic butterflies this children’s adventure walk is home to many fantasy creatures.

Sculpture Walk

Eight artists used twenty tonnes of stone during 2005 to produce the many sculptures now placed in this bushland and landscaped garden setting. Benches are strategically placed along the route so you can stop and take time to reflect. Embrace the vast green lawn and contemplate the natural beauty of the garden.

Ephemeral Wetland Walk

Are you seeking a beautiful, tranquil short stroll? This walk along the creek bank will provide an opportunity to see just some of the remnant riparian (creek) rainforest vegetation in the reserve. A canopy of Piccabeen Palms and Flooded Gums provides the shade required for the endangered Swamp Orchid.

Creek Walk

Visitors seeking a more vigorous bushwalk can continue through the groves of palms, remnant rainforest trees, vines and shrubs. Upon leaving the creek the ridge track continues through eucalypt open forest. Koalas often perch between branches so look upwards often as you traverse this region of the reserve.

Upland Bushwalk

For those seeking a true bushwalking experience this walk starts from the Creek Walk and guides keen visitors through a range of ecosystems including eucalypt open forest and riparian rainforest. Ferns, bracken and cycads fringe the three creek crossings. Take a rest at the rock pool creek crossing, which has a small waterfall after rain.

Maroochy Botanical Gardens – The Facilities

• Arts and Ecology Centre
• Toilets
• Walking Tracks
• Sculpture Garden
• Shelters and Picnic Tables
• Guided Tours
• Cafe (Open Tuesday to Friday only)

Our Opinion – Maroochy Botanical Gardens

The Maroochy Botanical Gardens is a great place to take the family for a free day out. Get the kids tired first in the bushwalks, then find a shaded spot for a picnic. The local cafe is manned by experienced volunteers through the Compass Institute. They help disabled people integrate with society through a range of services. It was lovely to attend on a Friday and meet some of the enthusiastic young staff. By the way, the coffee is nice too!

Click activities, to view more great days out as recommended by Sunshine Coast locals.

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Wappa Falls Observatory – See the Milky Way

We’d encourage all Sunshine Coasters to take a trip to Wappa Falls Observatory. See the Milky Way in all it’s glory through the eyes of up to 11 different working telescopes. Learn about the earth and our solar system. View the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter and you might even spot a satellite as it rockets it’s away above earth taking photos of our every move.

The evening begins at 4.30pm and Owen, the resident owner, encourages families and children to read the many signboard explaining the solar system, the rockets and the night sky. Then you go into a home made theatre room where you can watch a short movie presentation before the light falls and you find yourself seeing close-ups of our closest planets through the powerful telescopes.

It’s a fascinating trips out to Wappa Falls Observatory. Owen has a traveling roadshow too for schools and groups. The team at Explore the Sunshine Coast loved this tour.

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Nutworks

The Nutworks factory was opened in Yandina in 1996, however they began processing macadamias from a farm shed in Verrierdale much earlier in 1993. Back then the four owners hand sorted macadamias nut in shell for a group of growers in the region. It wasn’t long before they outgrew their humble shed and moved to their premises in Yandina. Back in 1993 30 tonnes of raw nut in shell was processed by hand.

Currently, Nutworks supply supermarkets, duty free stores and overseas stores with their range of nut in shell, kernels or value added confectionary range. This proudly Queensland owned company have become internationally recognised for their quality products.

They currently export nut in shell, raw and macadamia flavoured products, including chocolate coated macadamias, confectionary, nuts, dried fruit and hampers.

Their purpose built cafe, retail shop & processing facility employs over 70 local staff. In 2002, Nutworks began production of chocolate macadamias and their confectionary range which has become a huge hit. You can taste some for free in store.

In 2019, Nutworks will process 2,500 tonne of nut in shell and export 15 containers this year of nut in shell. This in turn will create 800 tonne of kernel of which they export 10 containers (15,000kg per container) to Hong Kong, China and Europe.

Call in and check out the viewing area, (cracking facility, chocolate room and roasting room)

All macadamias come from local growers either in the Glasshouse Mountains region or Gympie region. Nutworks also have a facility in Bundaberg to assist growers in that region. Originally. the Macadamia Tree was known by Aboriginals as the Burrawong Tree. It’s a native tree of the Sunshine Coast and was named by German-Australian botanist Ferdinand von Mueller in honour of his friend and fellow scientist, Dr. John Macadam in 1857.

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Bills Boat Hire

There is an ocean experience waiting for you, with the Sunshine Coast oldest boat hire business(Bills Boat Hire)

located opposite the Northern End of the Bribie Island National Park, Golden Beach, Caloundra.

Since 1956 Bill’s Boat Hire has been offering an opportunity to hire your own boat, kayak or Stand Up Paddle Board and cruise down the Pumicestone Passage to find your own piece of Paradise.

Each time we see a family or friends set off in either one of our boats, kayaks or Stand Up Paddle Boards – it brings a great sense of satisfaction………….we KNOW you will return happier, we KNOW you will have a wonderful time, connect, feel the fresh sea air on your face, wonder at the magnificent beauty around you.

Boats

This experience is waiting for you…….this is why we operate in one of the most beautiful places on the Sunshine Coast.

We believe in what we do and we want to share it with you and your friends and your family.

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