Nicely Noosa

Waking up to the sound of a solitary crow call is quintessentially Australian to my ears.  However, the memories of the sounds and the squawks of hundreds of lorikeets and the cries of the cockatoos will forever belong to Noosa.  Nature has been preserved here and the town winds its way along the beaches, headland, river and inland waterways.  Our home for several weeks would be Portofino which means fine port.  And it did indeed prove to be the perfect haven, right in the centre of Noosa Heads with a view of First Point.  We could surf when conditions were perfect and on flat or windy days explore Noosa and the surrounds.

“Neither can the wave that has passed by be recalled, 

nor the hour which has passed return again.” 

Ovid

The points at Noosa create long peeling waves, although the barrel sections are a little fast even for Crouching Sheila.  Noosa has one of the few east coast beaches in Australia that faces North and enjoys protection from an onshore wind. 

The whole lifestyle in this part of the world is centered around the ocean and being next door to the Surf Life Saving Club gave us a great insight into all the ocean sports on offer.  Oh, and of course a great restaurant and beer on tap!

If life gives you lemons, don't settle for simply making lemonade - make a glorious scene at a lemonade stand.

Elizabeth Gilbert 

What could be better than a glass of lemonade at the beach? Looking out from the Surf Club or our own balcony could offer a surprise treat as nature sometimes comes to you.

"The bird, the bee, the running child 

are all the same to the sliding glass door."

Demetri Martin

The Rainbow Lorikeets mass in huge numbers at dawn and dusk along the river and the noise under their chosen roosting places is deafening.  

In the Aboriginal 'Dreamtime' legend, all the birds were black.  The Dove caught his foot on a tree branch and called for help.  The other birds gathered around and sheltered Dove with their wings, some brought water, others bathed his foot.  The bad tempered Crow was angry for all the attention being paid to Dove and told the birds he was a hopeless cause.  They chased Crow away and then Galah used her sharp hooked beak to pierce Dove's swollen foot.  Countless colors spurted out and splashed all the birds.  Some got a few colors and the Rainbow Lorikeet was covered in all the hues of nature.  Crow, of course, got nothing and stayed black forever.

"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. 

It sings because it has a song."

Chinese Proverb

"Belt up"

One of our trips away from the coast took us to the famous Eumundi Markets.  The area has become a home for arts and crafts.  The market was started in 1979 and the attraction of community and a simpler way of life has seen the market grow from 3 stalls and 8 visitors to the biggest arts and crafts market in Australia with 600 stalls and 1.6 million people visiting annually.  With the scarcity of parking, we can attest to its sustained popularity.  The original markets focused on handmade products following the premise to "make it, bake it, grow it, sew it".  Greg however, works on the ethos of "eat it" and he made brand new best friends with the ginger beer vendor and the licorice merchant.  He also tracked down the only genuine Mexican food stall.  Perhaps this wasn't the best day to buy a belt.  

“Great restaurants are, of course, nothing but mouth-brothels. There is no point in going to them 

if one intends to keep one’s belt buckled.”

Frederic Raphael

“You know how I feel about tacos. 

It’s the only food shaped like a smile. A beef smile.”

Earl Hickey

“The breaking of a wave cannot explain the whole sea.”

 Vladimir Nabokov

Greg spent hours in the surf capturing different light angles in the barrel.  With all the different aspects of the headland and sweeping beaches of the surrounds an offshore breeze can always be found somewhere.  The kids and I explored the headland which had been saved decades ago from development when it was turned into a National Park.  The walk around to TeaTree Bay and Granite is breathtaking and provides a close of view of the surfers as you go.  

In the last 50 years Noosa has changed from an isolated fishing village to an upscale tourist resort.  The National Parks pay homage to the indigenous Aboriginal populations.  The information boards scattered along the walkways remind visitors of the old ways and the Dreamtime.  

"The days of living a life filled with learning, living off the land and participating in rituals were not to last...

The freedom to walk our country and to fish and enjoy our lives was drawing to a close." 

Eve Fesl

 

Visiting the Perigian Markets on a Sunday was a wonderful experience of arts and crafts by the ocean.  We bumped into some friends, shopped up a storm and listened to some bagpipes.  We even managed to slurp down an organic berry smoothie.

Weather it was the ocean or the river, we always seemed to be staring out over the beautiful blue waters, enjoying the great outdoors and time together.  

Noosa was drawing us into its embrace and including us in the Australian way of life.  

"when we join hands we become one - one people, one place - and that gives a certain texture, a certain beat. It makes us want to shout for all to hear, 'this place, this tribe, this is Australia!'"

Jack Thompson