The Most historical Australian Destination
Australia’s Sunshine Coast lies just to the north of Brisbane in Queensland and comprises a collection of several coastal towns including old-fashioned Coolum, laid-back Caloundra and touristy Noosa, as well as the peaceful Sunshine Hinterland area.
The Sunshine Coast has quite a collection of historical attractions, one of which is the scenic railway line known as the Valley Rattler which tours the Mary Valley in the Coast’s Cooloola Region. Visitors can choose between half-morning excursions, half day excursions and full day excursions on this quaint old-fashioned steam train known as the Red Rocket Rail Motor. Full day excursions see the train traveling to Dagun, Imbil and Kandanga, where passengers can disembark and tour these towns. Half day excursions can take place either in the morning or the afternoon and include trips to Amamoor and Dagun Stations where visitors can enjoy morning or afternoon tea or perhaps a glass of wine. The half-morning excursions last two hours and the train travels between Gympie and Amamoor Stations, giving passengers a chance to explore the Amamoor arts and crafts fairs.
The Landsborough Museum in Maleny Street, Landsborough, is one of the most extensive social history museums in the Sunshine Coast area and its mission is to collect, preserve and exhibit all artifacts, documents, stories and the like relating to the area known as Caloundra City. Its standing exhibitions include the personal collection of the explorer William Landsborough, as well as those of the erstwhile Premier of Queensland, Sir Francis Nicklin, and local businessman John Tytherleigh. Further exhibitions are those of indigenous tools, camera equipment, dental equipment and the fascinating relics collected from the Wreck of the SS Dicky. The museum also has an extensive library of local documents of historical significance, photographs and Government Gazettes, as well as the Breezeway, where temporary exhibits are displayed.
And last but not least is Sunshine Castle Bli Bli, a unique recreation of a Norman Castle in the Australian outback that dates back to 1971. Castle Bli Bli offers tourists so many things to do that it is hard to know where to start describing them and hard to know what to do first.
You could start by wandering through the toy and doll museum, with its fairytale dioramas, model train railway and dancing dolls or you could, instead, start by climbing the 24m tall lookout tower to enjoy the superb view of both the Sunshine Coast and Hinterland. But whatever you do, don’t miss your chance to sit on the original throne as used in the Xena, Warrior Princess, television series.
When you are looking for sunshine coast information go to www.sunshinecoastinformation.com.au. Whether you are looking to stay in one of the many Mooloolaba Hotels or wanting to know about local happenings all you need can be found on this site.
