Sparkling scenery ... the stunning Cooloola Coast shoreline stretches for kilometres.Credit: Debbie Neilson-Hunter
Seldom mentioned on maps, the tiny hamlet of Rainbow Beach on Queensland's Sunshine Coast is often overlooked, so it remains a peaceful refuge for a few fortune hunters who dare to venture off the beaten track.
The modest seaside town lies on what's known as the Cooloola Coast, a three-hour drive north from Brisbane along the Bruce Highway, via the picturesque old gold-mining town of Gympie and the verdant rolling pastures of the Mary Valley.
Perhaps best known as the shortest access point to World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, just a 10-minute barge ride away from nearby Inskip Point, the area has a long list of assets worth discovering.
The road into town ends at a patrolled surf beach that offers the prized family holiday ingredients of sun, sand and sea in bucket loads. From here, dads will appreciate the chance to test their four-wheel-drive skills on kilometres of secluded, sandy shoreline. Boaties and anglers will be in their element exploring the maze of fish-filled waterways along the neighbouring Great Sandy Strait.
Waterholes, like those marked at nearby Seary's Creek (named after a timber-getter who first moved the kauri pine logs cut from Fraser Island via bullock to the Mary River sawmills in the 1860s), provide a chilling and shady freshwater alternative to the ocean's salt spray on a scorching summer's day. We found it tucked into the melaleuca woodlands of the adjacent Great Sandy National Park.
The region's most striking natural attraction is the Carlo Sand Blow, named after one of Captain Cook's crew who spotted it as they sailed past in 1770. Created by wind and erosion, this mini desert by the sea offers superb views of the lighthouse, winding waterways and sleepy townships of Rainbow Beach and Tin Can Bay. It's also a favourite launching pad for the region's hang-gliders and paragliders.
Visitors can access it from the top of suburban Cooloola Drive (beside the water tower). Before we reached it, though, we had to tackle the short but heart-pumping marked trail (uphill) through bushland. Best times are sunset and sunrise; take the insect repellent and a bottle of bubbly with you.
While this excursion is not the most toddler-friendly, our two under-fives found plenty of thrills on board an old ferry boat, which took us to Tin Can Bay to hand-feed the marine park's resident Indo Pacific dolphins.
Daily feeding is free but a gold-coin donation is welcome to help pay for the fish. To everyone's delight, the dolphins turned up at the Norman Point boat ramp as expected at 8am (as they have been doing for four generations) and whisked the fish from our fingers.
The cruise back also gave us a chance to spot more wildlife including dugongs, turtles, eagles and stingrays.
The caravan park still has the best spot at Rainbow Beach, however the recent addition of the Plantation Resort – sharing prime position next door and built by a team of developers who had a hand in some of Noosa's favourite landmarks – shows a significant shift in the region's tourism status.
We arrived just weeks after the resort opened; the paint on its trademark powdered-aluminium shutters had barely dried and there wasn't a scuff mark on the walls or a paint chip to be found. Cheers of approval echoed down the narrow hallway of our apartment as our children inspected each room – from the balcony off the combined lounge-dining room to the office nook opposite the kitchen and the master bedroom's ensuite hiding a deep spa bath.
It was hard even for the more critical adults not to be impressed with the shiny new fixtures, including Bosch kitchen appliances and flat-screen televisions, along with the cool coastal interiors complemented by artist Ross Spencer's framed images of the region.
Squeals broke out again when we discovered the stairs leading to an enormous rooftop terrace with sun lounges, a dining setting and a barbecue equipped to handle a Sunday roast. The sweeping views over the children's playground across the road and white-capped water 50 metres away stole our attention.
All 35 self-contained and air-conditioned apartments face the ocean, which means no one misses out on calming water glimpses. For our family group, which included grandparents, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment met our needs comfortably. There wasn't anything for us to do but unpack and relax. Not even grocery shopping.
Although a small supermarket-cum-newsagent was just across the road, we christened the barbie on the first night, thanks to the pre-ordered package of goodies awaiting us in the fridge.
When we didn't feel like straying much further than the hotel's reception desk, the resort had ample facilities to keep both adults and children occupied – including a pool and heated outdoor spa surrounded by gardens and a piazza with a gelato bar, surf-wear shop, day spa and coffee shop, with more shops to come.
As tempting as it was to cook at our luxurious "home away from home" every night, the local restaurant scene was worth exploring.
Former Noosa chef Justin Brekalo and his team at the Rainbow Beach Hotel prepare traditional pub-style meals with culinary flair in the Double Island Bar and Bistro.
The modern Queenslander building, part of the hotel complex, also features a games room and an elegant lounge area. However, we found the food and views at the aptly named Waterview Bistro, near the sand blow on Cooloola Drive, more than lived up to restaurant's multi-award-winning reputation.
With another Noosa chef in the kitchen, the informal yet elegant setting, simple yet innovative menu combining meat, seafood and vegetarian options and attentive service, it was just another golden discovery on a peaceful part of the Queensland coast.
The writer was a guest of the Plantation Resort.
TRIP NOTES
GETTING THERE
Rainbow Beach is a three-hour drive north of Brisbane. Daily flights operate to Fraser Coast Airport and Maroochydore Airport. Rainbow Beach Taxi Service has transfers from Maroochydore and Hervey Bay. Phone 138 294 or 0411 072 349, see rainbowbeachtaxi.com.au.
WHERE TO STAY
Plantation Resort's rates start from $260 low season for a one-bedroom apartment. Breakfast and barbecue hampers (from $60) can be ordered from reception. Phone 1800 556 423, see theplantationatrainbow.com.au.
EATING THERE
Rainbow Beach Hotel is a top spot to go a la carte on the intimate, wrap-around veranda. Phone (07) 5486 3125. Waterview Bistro, (07) 5486 8344, see waterviewbistro.com.au.
WHILE THERE
Dolphin ferry cruise departs Carlo Point at 7.20am daily, $18/$9/$45 families. Phone 0428 838 836 or (07) 5486 8085. Three-hour cruise to Fraser Island also available.
PFraser Explorer Tours visits the island's highlights in a day. Buffet lunch provided, $159/$99/$449. Phone 1800 372 737, see fraserexplorertours.com.au.
MORE INFORMATION
See www.rainbow-beach.org or cooloola.org.au.
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