Caloundra - Fast Facts

Caloundra (including Palmview)
Delightful holiday beach resort town within easy reach of Brisbane.
In recent times Caloundra has changed. Once a truly classic Queensland retirement town - units with ocean views, senior citizens making their way carefully along the beachfront, old men tossing fishing lines in Pumicestone Channel - it has now become a mixture of young commuters (it is only 91 kilometres north of Brisbane via a four-lane highway), holiday makers and retirees, with migration occurring chiefly from Brisbane, New South Wales and Victoria. The population, for example, has ballooned from 2800 in 1961 to around 25,000 today (with about 70,000 in the local government area which covers 1100 square kilometres), with growth exploding from around 1986. This demographic expansion has been accompanied by commercial growth, which also caters to around 50,000 visitors who arrive over each summer. The local economy revolves around tourism, clothing production, building supplies, boat, coach and aircraft manufacturing and small goods.

On any morning, in the narrow strait between Caloundra and the northern tip of Bribie Island, there are people fishing for their breakfast or maybe their lunch or dinner. Caloundra is that kind of place, although its development means that it has all appropriate accommodation (from exclusive resorts to caravan parks) and facilities, commercial and governmental, as well as a popular race track and an aerodrome.

The local government area of the City of Caloundra extends north to Buddina and south to Bribie Island and Beerburrum. It is noted for its excellent surf beaches, extending southwards from Buddina, Warana, Bokarina and Wurtulla (forming a continuous strand backed by The Esplanade Park), across Currimundi Lake, and on through the more centrally located beaches of Ballinger, Dicky, Moffat, Shelly, Kings, Bulcock and Golden Beaches. It also sweeps westwards through the attractive hinterland to include the Glass House Mountains, the Blackall Range, and country villages such as Beerwah,Landsborough, Mooloolah, Maleny, Witta and Conondale. With its greenery, near perfect climate, easy lifestyle, and the ideal conditions which prevail, in Pumicestone Channel, for fishing and water sports, the city of Caloundra is fittingly known as the most southerly resort on the Sunshine Coast.

Tourist Information

Caloundra Tourist Information Centre
7 Caloundra Rd
Caloundra QLD 4551
Telephone: (07) 5491 0202
Facsimile: (07) 5492 5435