Noosa Archives - Luxury Globetrotting on a Staycation Budget

Noosa in November

November 11, 2016 By Ainslie Waldron Leave a Comment

surfs up at Noosa

Just spent the week in Noosa which is probably Australia’s premier holiday town. It is on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland and has great beaches for surfing, boasts lovely warm weather, as well as being positioned on the edge of the rainforest and National Park.

Blue eyed honey eater on our balcony

Kookaburra with the morning wake up laugh

This trip we were lucky enough to see two koalas in the wild munching gum leaves high in the gum trees of the National Park. We also espied pods of dolphins frolicking in the surf as well as a few winged rays in the ocean.

rainbow lorikeet

Bird life abounds and we were visited by an abundance of local bird life including blue eyed honey eaters, kookaburras, rainbow lorikeets, noisy miners and butcher birds who have a delightful mid-afternoon song and dance.

sandcastle on the beach at Noosa

Remembrance Day was extra poignant in Australia this year with an amazing light show at the Sydney Opera House.

Remembrance Day at Sydney Opera House

Our Amazing Surf Life Savers

February 13, 2016 By Ainslie Waldron Leave a Comment

We have just spent a week in the beach resort of Noosa. The Surf lifesavers were out training and volunteering as they do every day, saving lives.Surf Life Saving has touched the lives of millions of people over its 100 year history.

The SLSC clubs have great beachfront locations

Each year, tens of thousands of lives are saved from tragic drowning incidents. But it’s not only the lives that are saved each year that earn volunteer lifesavers the respect from Australians. The Surf Life Saving patrols have given Australians and fellow tourists a chance to spend many happy holidays relaxing with the knowledge that the highly trained surf lifesavers are close by. Australian beaches have always been a special part of people’s lives.

Children can join as Nippers and learn to life save early. Here is a story of how young Nippers recently saved lives.

Surf Life saving club has great food too

Swim between the flags if you want to feel safe

Minnie Water-Wooli Surf Life Saving Nippers Cody Hinterholzl and Morgen Parkin were enjoying a post-training surf with their friends at Minnie Water Main Beach on Sunday when they heard a shout for help.Instinct took over and they raced out to two drowning teenagers, Cody yelling instructions to keep calm as he went.Cody, aged 11, reached the most distressed teen and used his board as a barrier so the swimmer would not drown him in a panic. He reassured the teen as he climbed on the board and then paddled him in and lifesavers took over.Morgen, aged 13, reached the swimmer who called out for help and let her float on her board. Lochlan Elward and Morgen’s brother Matt Parkin arrived shortly after to provide support before lifeguards came and took over.Cody’s mother, Angela Hinterholzl, said Cody practiced the rescue twice in training and Morgen was a volunteer lifesaver.“It did not hit us until they got back to the beach, they saved someone,” Mrs Hinterholzl said.The rescue comes in wake of two Sydney Nippers who saved a drowning lady at Pippi Beach on January 10.Lifesavers said the teenager Cody saved was 10 seconds away from drowning.

Michael enjoying the sun

Morgen’s father, Danny Parkin, said it was important for kids to learn about ocean safety.“All kids should do Nippers so they can learn those skills,” he said.Cody, Morgen, Matt and Lochlan said if you are caught in a rip, don’t panic, swim to the side and out of the rip and get attention.

Sunset at Noosa

At Hell’s Gates in the Noosa National Park

There are many more stories and information about the Surf Lifesaving at http://www.slsfoundation.com.au/news-releases.aspx

Remember to swim between the flags!

Viva Noosa!

November 10, 2015 By Ainslie Waldron Leave a Comment

We are spending a week in Noosa Heads by the ocean. Noosa is one of Australia’s premier resort towns with lots of sun, surf, shops and restaurants. It also boasts an amazing national park with resident koalas. We are so lucky to have an apartment that is by the beach and at the entrance to the Noosa National Park.

Noosa late afternoon silver ocean

Pelican hoping for a feed

Blue jacaranda tree outside our apartment

If you want to see a short video of Noosa and some of the many things offered here, visit www.visitnoosa.com.au

There are many interesting places to walk along the beach and in the National Park. As we walked past Boiling Point in the park, we watched turtles and dolphins frolicking in the ocean.

We stopped for fresh cooked calamari on the river and were visited by pelicans and a blue heron; all hoping for a nibble.

heron came avisiting

Noosa beach

The trees are looking great at this time of year; the blue Jacarandas are shedding their flowers presenting blue carpets for pedestrians and the red Poinciana trees are starting to bloom in time for their red carpets around Christmas time.

Everywhere we walk we seem to be accompanied by ubiquitous wild brush turkeys, foraging for insects.

The Boiling Point on the headland Noosa

Early Poinsianna in bloom – our Ausssie Christmas trees

The ubiquitous brush turkey

Noosa National Park

Ah, sunny, warm, relaxing, I do love Noosa.

The Boiling Point on the headland Noosa