Sunshine Beach and a total solar eclipse on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland

What an exciting day!

On our walk this morning to Sunshine Beach the moon eclipsed the sun! We didn't have the special glasses to view it with the naked eye, or the special filter to put on the lens of the camera to see the eclipse clearly but we experienced the dimming sunlight and the cooler temperature as the moon glided past the sun, completely covering it for 2 minutes and the suns rays spraying out around it. Cairns in Northern Queensland was the best place in Australia to view the eclipse and was swamped with scientists and visitors keen to view this once in a lifetime phenomena. The next opportunity to view a total eclipse in Australia will be in 2028, making today's event on November 14th 2012, truly special.

www.turu.com.au/solar-eclipse.aspx  has an interesting infographic about the eclipse.

Sunshine Beach (once known as Golden Beach) is one of our favourite areas in Noosa. It is stylish and its easy , its laid back ambience is very welcoming. Besides the fabulous park, sand and surf, the shops, cafes, bars and restaurants make it very popular with locals and visitors alike.

We headed back to the beach after lunch and enjoyed some time lazing on the sand, reading and watching the kite surfers.

The moon passing across the sun - viewed from Sunshine Beach, Qld

Focus on the sun without blinking and you can see the shadow of the moon
on the sun

Locals experiencing the eclipse and enjoying the beautiful morning on the beach 

Enjoying Yoga on the beach  -  Downdog!

A dimming of the sunlight and a slight drop in the temperature
were the clues to the eclipse happening

The Surf Club has spectacular ocean views and boasts an award winning restaurant
Saturday and Sunday breakfast on the terrace is very popular!

A great park for picnic, BBQ's and relaxing

Lovely walkways, landscaping and streetscaping add to the stylish but laid back atmosphere
of the beautiful  Sunshine Beach

Home to a  great strip of shops, cafes, bars and restaurants...................

The famous Costa Noosa
The local triathletes favourite coffee haunt!

Some colourful accommodation!

Greek inspired - Mykonos Noosa

The golden sand stretches for miles to the south

The beach is patrolled during the summer

The Lifesavers equipment

The homes along the ridge have fantastic beach and ocean views

Great conditions for kite surfing

The Surf Club perches above the beach

When we returned for our morning walk at the beach the TV was covering the eclipse from the best viewing point in Australia -  Palm Cove, Cairns.......

The complete covering of the sun by the moon lasted for 2 minutes - the moment scientists were most excited about!

..........and the sun reappears

Nero "eclipsing" :)

Coolum is "cool"!

I've been requested to get blogging again! So here we go............

We have been enjoying the Sunshine Coast recently and are amazed at the wonderful and interesting "pockets" that this spectacular and beautiful part of Queensland offers.

One of our favourites is the stunning beachside town of Coolum! We walk there regularly on the lovely Coolum to Point Arkwright Coastal Link with our good friends Nev and Carol. The relaxing ambience of the town, the trendy streetscaping, the great parks, the variety of restaurants and cafes, and of course the spectacular beach and stretch of coastline make Coolum a very appealing destination! For those who love caravanning and camping there is a fantastic caravan park nestled between the beach and the main street!

The name "Coolum" has always held a fascination. The name was derived from the local Aboriginal word "gulum" or "kulum", meaning "blunt" or "headless", referring to the shape of Mount Coolum which has no peak. According to Aboriginal legend, Ninderry knocked off Coolum's head and it fell into the ocean and is now Mudjimba Island. 

Even though Mount Coolum is "headless", it is an impressive and imposing landmark in the area. It is a 681 metre volcanic plug rising from the coastal plain and part of its base projects into the ocean to form Point Arkwright.

The town and area have an interesting tale to tell........ 

"Early history of settlement

Coolum district was the traditional land of the 'Inabara' or 'Yinneburra' clan of the Undanbi tribe of Aboriginal people, which was in turn part of the larger group known as the Kabi Kabi (or Gubbi Gubbi). The clan diminished in numbers after the arrival of Europeans, and it is probable that the remaining members were moved to Aboriginal settlements such as Cherbourg during the early 1900s.

The first Europeans to pass through Coolum were castaways in 1823, followed by shipwrecked sailors. Grainger Ward made the first land selection in Coolum in 1871 - a pastoral lease of 255 hectares, where he ran upwards of 300 head of cattle. In 1881, Mark Blasdall selected a pastoral lease of 252 hectares. He also planted the first sugarcane in Coolum, cut timber and built two huts and a sawmill as well as clearing Coolum Creek of obstacles to enable steamships to enter to load timber and deliver supplies.

In 1882, steamships such as the "Tadorna Radjah" and 'Gneering" from Brisbane began to regularly travel as far as Coolum Creek and Dunethin Rock.

In 1883, the first Coolum land was freeholded. In 1884, Blasdall was declared insolvent and his land freeholded.

In 1905, William Perry-Keene obtained Portion 169 and moved to Coolum. Although others had lived in Coolum previously, Perry-Keene can legitimately be seen as the first permanent settler in so much as he moved his entire family and possessions to his property and was not an absentee landlord. His home which he called "Green Hills" was situated at the corner of Beach Road, Daytona and Key West Avenues.

Between1906-1912, a number of people settled permanently in Coolum, and by 1912, there appears to have been about 8-10 families living in various parts of the district.

In 1909, Coulson established the mailboat service on the Maroochy River, which provided the first regular connection between Coolum and the railhead at Yandina. In 1911, a horse-drawn tramline and punt loading facilities were built at Coolum Creek. The punt carried cane to the tram at Dunethin Rock for transport to Nambour.

Access was a problem, but between 1922-1925 construction of the first genuinely trafficable road to Coolum was undertaken, providing vehicle access from Coolum to Yandina. In 1923, the tramline to Coolum was opened and unscheduled passenger services began.

From 1923-1925, considerable expansion of the sugarcane industry took place in Coolum. With the extension of the tramline from the Maroochy River and the release of good cane-growing land, many new farms were taken up. Cane farming provided the main source of financial stability in the district until the advent of tourism in the 1960s."   from The  Coolum Beach Website

Join us on the stunning Coastal Link Walk and a peek at Coolum.............. 

Turtles abound along the coast and it is always a delight to spot them
swimming and feeding along the shoreline

The lovely boardwalk goes from Coolum Surf life saving Club to Point Perry
and offers great views as you stroll along the coastline 

Looking back towards Coolum Beach and the endless coastal stretch
of magnificent beach leading to Sunshine Beach, Noosa Heads

Point Perry and the popular back beach nestled between
 Coolum and Point Arkwright  

Point Perry has historical significance, as well as being a fantastic lookout for views along the coast.
Also a wonderful place for "turtle spotting"!

The views from Point Perry.

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Lovely secluded beaches between Point Perry and Point Arkwright

The walks meanders through the National Park at Point Arkwright

What a stunning beach!

Wow!

Looking towards Jubilee Esplanade Park and the Rocky Shores Reserve from the beach

Jelly fish season! Colourful!

The rock pools along the Rocky Shores Reserve 

A fascinating area to explore

View along the beach from Jubilee Esplanade Park at Point Arkwright.
The perfect place for a picnic!

Magic!

Mount Coolum rears its "headless" head, overseeing its domain.
Hard to believe we are standing on part of the volcanoes base here at point Arkwright!

Impressive cliffs and rock platforms

Point Perry as viewed on our return journey

One of many of the great lookouts along the coastal walk!
Great viewing and contemplating!

The coastline and flora!

How clear and green is the water!

Heading back into Coolum along the boardwalk. The round trip takes about an hour. 

Intriguing streetscape sculptures 

Watching the transplanting of two Pandanus trees as part of the current streetscaping and beautification
that is happening in picturesque Coolum.
The Pandanus are prolific on the Sunshine Coast and are a significant part of the coastal vegetation.
Their impressive root system offer interesting

Pandanus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pandanus tectorius - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

This mature Pandanus is probably about 50 years old 

The French Patisserie is a must when visiting Coolum

Ma Boulange Cafe Patisserie

Put Coolum on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland on your "must visit" list! You won't be disappointed!!