100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

Development set to put this beach-town in the spotlight but there could be one problem

Do you have a news tip? Click here to send to our news team.

New wine bar puts a Spanish spin on coastal dining

The team behind three popular Sunshine Coast venues has opened a new wine bar just steps from the beach, bringing a taste of Spain’s More

Dolphins filmed using shells to hunt fish

Sunshine Coast researchers have captured footage of dolphins using seashells to catch fish off Queensland’s coast. A University of the Sunshine Coast team recorded two More

Queensland-first procedure introduced at hospital

A new procedure is being used at a Sunshine Coast hospital to treat patients with a rare blood cancer. The Apheresis technique removes red blood More

Coast to host Olympic pathway lacrosse event

More than 20 national lacrosse teams will try to get a step closer to Olympic qualification at a key event on the Sunshine Coast. Men's More

Fundraiser rallies support for struggling farmers

Sunshine Coast locals are being urged to throw on a flanno today as Australians unite to support farmers doing it tough. Friday, August 14, marks More

Jane Stephens: a powerful force for good

Fear has always accompanied technological change. When elevators first appeared, passengers demanded human operators. The internet was once viewed as dangerous and internet bank transfers More

I dead-set had to look twice the other day as I was recovering from COVID, when I thought I had a relapse at an article I thought I saw.

‘Not Noosa’ was the headline, which suits me by the way.

But it was about a development in Caloundra offering Victorians an alternative to Noosa, which is about the time I thought COVID had kicked in again.

My thoughts on Noosa are pretty well known.

Apart from going to watch the Pirates, Tigers or Dolphins fight it out against a team from the poor south, I have little interest in going there. Unless there is a surf carnival and I manage to get a park closer than Peregian.

Noosa is a great place to go, if you can find a park and your own wave. Picture: Shutterstock.

Sure the surf is great but the last time I went there on my dreaded knee-board I spent two hours looking for a park.

Then, after paddling into a southerly sweep before I actually caught a wave, I managed to drop in on ex-world champ Wendy Botha and basically got told where to go, which I did.

I’ve never been back.

So with that cleared up, and realising it was an actual story, I went on to read about an advertising campaign in the heart of Melbourne, teasing those pesky Victorians that Caloundra is a better option than Noosa.

It was for a development at the top of Caloundra’s main street.

Paloma Paloma is its trendy name and it will sit on the old Post Office site.

A billboard promotes the Caloundra development on a busy highway in Melbourne.

Now, growing up we always called Caloundra ‘Nambour by the sea’ and I should know about both as I lived my teenage years in Nambour, and as a toddler had holidays in Caloundra with my grandad.

I have always said both places have had some bad press over the years as there are some great people and reasons to live there.

Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor with your name and suburb at Sunshine Coast News via: news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au.

Paloma Paloma will eventually be built at the top of Caloundra’s main street.

However, in the past few years Caloundra has really taken off and I have to agree with the developer, there are far more options beach-wise at Caloundra.

Kings, Shelly, Happy Valley, Moffat, Ann Street, Currimundi and nearby Wurtulla are some beautiful options, with about half the amount of people vying to put up their cabana.

I can see a problem though.

How do those toffee noses say ‘Caloundra’ with a plumb in their mouth, when someone at the country club asks them where they holidayed, because ‘Noooosaaaa’ is so easy to say.

Ashley Robinson is a columnist with Sunshine Coast News and My Weekly Preview. His views are his own.

Subscribe to SCN’s free daily news email

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
This field is hidden when viewing the form
[scn_go_back_button] Return Home
Share