Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
From Eumundi, take the Bruce Highway to Nambour and turn right onto the
Nambour-Mapleton Road.
(The turnoff is just before you enter Nambour, so
if you hit the town, you've gone too far.) A winding 12km (7
1
⁄
2
-mile) climb up
the range between rolling farmland and forest brings you to Mapleton. Stop at
the pub for some spectacular views from the veranda. From here, detour almost
4km (2
1
⁄
2
miles) to see the 120m (394-ft.) Mapleton Falls. A 200m (656-ft.)
bushwalk departs from the picnic grounds and ends with great views over the
Obi Obi Valley. There is also a 1.3km (
3
⁄
4
mile) circuit.
Back on the main
Mapleton-Maleny Road,
head south 3.5km (2 miles)
through lush forest and farms to Flaxton Gardens. Perched on the cliff with
breathtaking coast views is a wine cellar offering tastings and sales, plus a pottery,
cafe, and gift shop. A bit farther south you can detour right and walk the 4.6km
(2
3
⁄
4
-mile) round-trip trail to the base of 80m (262-ft.) Kondalilla Falls. You can
swim here, too. It's a slippery downhill walk, and the climb back up can be tough.
Take the main road south for 5.5km (3
1
⁄
2
miles) to
Montville.
This English-
style village has become such a tourist stop that it has lost some of its character
and lots of people decry its touristy facade. But everyone still ends up strolling
the tree-lined streets and browsing the gift shops and galleries.
About 13km (8 miles) down the road is
Maleny,
more modern and less com-
mercialized than Montville. Be sure to follow the signs around to
Mary Cairn-
cross Park
for spectacular views of the
Glass House Mountains
, 11 volcanic
plugs protruding out of the plains. The park has a food kiosk, a playground, free
wood barbecues, and a rainforest information center; a 1.7km (1-mile) walking
trail loops through the rainforest past some giant strangler figs.
You can either return to Noosa the way you came or, if you're in a hurry, drive
down to Landsborough and rejoin the Bruce Highway.
WHERE TO STAY
The
Sunshine Coast Booking Centre
(
&
1300/553 800
in Australia; www.
scbc.biz) offers competitive up-to-the-minute accommodations deals at a range of
self-contained apartment resorts in Mooloolaba, Alexandra Headland, and Noosa.
EXPENSIVE
Hyatt Regency Coolum
A couple of hours under the expert care of the
therapists at the Sun Spa and you'll feel years younger! This is one of the reasons
the well heeled flock to this sprawling bushland resort. The other is its 18-hole
Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed golf course. The Sun Spa (there are entrance fees
of around A$13/US$8.45 a day as well as the cost of treatments) does everything
from aromatherapy baths to triglyceride checks (130 treatments in all) and has
massage rooms, aqua-aerobics, yoga, a 25m (82-ft.) lap pool, and much more. An
almost-6-hour body detox costs A$400 (US$260), but you can get a minifacial or
a half-hour massage for A$60 (US$39).
Australian Golf Digest
rated the golf course
as one of Australia's top five resort courses in 2000. Golf widows and widowers can
play tennis; do decoupage in the Creative Arts Center; take the twice-daily free
shuttle into Noosa to shop; and surf at the resort's private beach. A nightly shut-
tle runs to Noosa Heads restaurants for A$15 (US$9.75) per person, round-trip.
So spread out are the low-rise accommodations that guests rent a bike to get
around, wait 15 minutes for the two free resort shuttles (frustrating sometimes!),
or get into the healthy swing of things and walk. Accommodations all sport con-
temporary decor and come as “suites” (a single room divided into living and
sleeping quarters); two-bedroom President's Villas with a kitchenette; villas
within the Ambassador Club, which has its own concierge, pool, tennis court,
