Nambour
A major service town on the Bruce Highway that is a centre for the local sugar cane and fruit growing industries and tourism in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.
Where is it?: Nambour is 101 km north of Brisbane; 30 m above sea-level
Events:
Nambour s Moonlight Markets are held in the Town Square on Lowe Street on the final Friday of every month from 5 to 9pm.The Nambour Festival, which began as the Nambour Sugar Festival in the 1980s, has been held at Quota Park since 2008. The festival showcases local musicians, entertainers, cooking demonstrations, local produce, a diverse range of activities for children, and market stalls.
The Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show was first held in 1905 in Woombye. The first show in Nambour was held in 1909. Today, the Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show is a modern three day show full of agricultural, community and entertainment events.
The Queensland Home Garden Expo is a 3 day gardening event held at the Nambour Showgrounds.
The Nambour & District Historical Museum, more widely known as the Nambour Museum, is located in the centre of town at 18 Mitchell Street. The museum is open to the public every Wednesday and Saturday between 1pm and 4pm.
Situated near Nambour is the Queensland Government's Maroochy Research Station which is a major subtropical fruit and nut research and extension centre. The 61 ha research facility was established in 1945, and has an office and laboratory complex, glasshouses, netted orchards, postharvest coolrooms and a biotechnology facility. With access to national and international funding sources, specialist staff often work in conjunction with investigators from other research agencies.
The Big Pineapple
The Big Pineapple is the most photographed 'Big' thing on the Sunshine Coast and one of Australia's first unique 'Big' attractions. Built in 1974, the Big Pineapple is now heritage listed and cherished by Government, Queensland Tourism and the Sunshine Coast community. Along with the iconic 'big fruit', the Pineapple Train and the railway tracks are aldo heritage listed. In recent years, the Big Pineapple has seen its share of up and downs, however after a number of years standing derelict and abandoned, the Big Pineapple was opened again in 2015, boasting iconic, heritage listed BIG fun. You can again climb the Big Pineapple and explore the process of pineapple farming from start to factory, on your way to enjoying the fabulous views of the observation deck.Follow this iconic Queensland tradition and photo opportunity with a train ride and visit to our cafe for a step back in history. The train departs every half hour for a journey on the biggest, curviest and steepest climbing track Queensland Railway has to offer. The Pineapple Train explores the rainforest, orchids, bamboo forest and passes our neighbouring zoo animals. Open 9am - 4pm every day, the last train leaving at 3.30pm. The petting zoo was always a popular part of the Big Pineapple experiences, and it still is today. Location: 76 Nambour Connection Road, Woombye, Nambour. Ph (07) 5442 3102.
Woombye
Tucked away just off the Nambour Connection Road, south of Nambour is the thriving little hamlet of Woombye. Steeped in history and surrounded by pineapple farms and acreage properties, Woombye is a lovely rural oasis when you're looking for a short break or pleasant diversion from the highway. In the early days of settlement, Woombye was known as Cobb s Camp and was a staging post for the famous Cobb & Co Coaches. Woombye s village charm is still a welcome sight for travellers, with a famous old pub & a popular bowls club, Woombye is relaxed & leafy, providing all the essentials to keep the locals happy. The Woombye Pub celebrated its 100th birthday in 2000 and is still a popular watering hole for locals and travellers alike.
Yandina
Yandina is the oldest surveyed town in the Maroochy Shire. The original survey was compiled by the Queensland Government Surveyor, Charles Warner in August 1871. The area was previously known as Native Dog Flat and also known as Maroochie for some time. When the rail service arrived, things really started moving, The blossoming township was named Yandina after a nearby cattle run. It was first envisaged that Yandina would be the main centre for council buildings and activities, but when the Moreton Sugar Mill was built in Nambour, it begam the regional centre. You can still soak up some local history at Yandina. Start at the Yandina Historic House & Information Centre, have a chat with the local volunteers, view historic photos and browse through the Gallery and Craft Shop. Ask about the Yandina Heritage Trail before leaving.
Wappa Falls, Yandina
As close to private as you are likely to find on the Sunshine Coast, even in Summer this little known picturesque spot rarely sees throngs of people, so chances are you'll enjoy a peaceful dip by yourself. The Falls are located near the large Wappa Dams where it is not advised that you swim. If it is a picnic you are after though stay here with the rest of the groups that will be doing the same. However, if you are here to swim then follow the walk through the bush to Wappa Falls. The falls run into a cool, deep swimming pool that can be cold even on a warm day. You can jump off the main waterfall into the deep pool but be extremely careful as there can be hidden dangers. The falls are around 10 km north of Nambour via Nambour Connection Road and Wappa Falls Road, within Mapleton Conservation Park.
The Ginger Factory
Open daily with free admission, The Ginger Factory at Yandina is popular with visitors to the area. Visitors can enjoy educational tours, fun rides, tranquil gardens and walks, a cafe serving modern Australian cuisine, and of course savour and purchase from the largest range of fine ginger products. Open daily 9am - 5pm, Closed Christmas Day. Location: 50 Pioneer Rd, Yandina, just off the Bruce Hwy, Exit 215Ph 1800 067 686.
The Glasshouse Mountains
The Glasshouse Mountains are a series of spectacular volcanic plugs that rise dramatically from the coastal plain and dominate the landscape of the Sunshine Coast hinterland. They are formed of rhyolite and trachtyte, lavas which hardened inside the vents of tertiary volcanoes that have been greatly reduced by about 25 million years of erosion. The Glasshouse Mountains offer some spectacular walking tracks through open woodlands and heaths to panoramic lookouts and mountain summits. The walks range from easy to challenging grades.
Blackall Range
Australia has more than 20,000 km of coastline but there is just 200km of that vast coastline on escarpments that combine panoramic views of the hills and the sea. 20kms of that special escarpment is in the Blackall Range, in the hinterland of Queensland s Sunshine Coast. The Range, as it is locally known, was created by 200 million years of constant interaction by volcanoes and water which left behind a mass of hills, valleys and waterfalls. In summer the rainy season fills the rivers and creeks making strong powerful waterfalls. A trip through the Blackall Range along the most scenic drive on the Sunshine Coast is a great day out. As the Blackall Range is just over an hour's drive from Brisbane, it's just as easy a destination to reach if you are based in Brisbane as on the Sunshne Coast.
Australia Zoo
The world famous Australia Zoo established by The Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, is a 25 minute drive south west (24 km) along Steve Irwin Way. Australia Zoo offers a full day of wildlife actin and adventure, where you can check out all the amazing wildlife, set on over 70 acres of natural Australian bushland. There are over 10 shows where you can watch the free-flight bird show, snakes slithering, tigers at play and the huge saltwater crocs. Open every day 9am - 5pm. Location: 1638 Steve Irwin Way, Beerwah. Ph (07) 5436 2000.Nambour's name reportedly derived from an Aboriginal word in the Kabi language, indicating the red flowering kurrajong tree, or alternatively, the white or red flowering Ti tree or the tallow wood tree. Originally the settlement was known as Petries Creek. Tom Petrie, in his reminiscences of early Queensland, 1904, gives the meaning as "tea tree bark".
Nambour district was settled in the 1860s by miners disappointed after the poor returns from the goldfields at Gympie, just north. It wasn't until the arrival of the railway in 1890 that the local economy became focused on sugar production. A sugar mill was built in 1896. Nambour is the most southerly of Queensland's major sugar towns and, interestingly, the cane was still cut by hand in the area as recently as the 1970s. This was only because of the hilly terrain which was not suitable for cane-cutting machines. In recent times the agricultural base of the area has expanded to include a variety of tropical crops - particularly macadamia nuts, bananas, citrus fruits and pineapples.
