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Published: August 13th 2008
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Everyone has to believe in folklore or legends. It makes the history of an event or destination seem interesting, maybe personal or relevant. Well Noosa Heads is that place in surfing for me. It has been seen in surf movies, magazines since the late 70’s, so it has had time to change and develop over the years. But in my mind it had air of decadence and standard, something that would hopefully stand the test of time, not giving in to commercial pressures. The only problem was that I had decided to make my trip to surfing Mecca with the ‘terrible twosome’, whose ideal was to make camp in fashion retail outlets along the terribly posh Hastings Avenue sipping champagne, of course with both pinkies out. Where were my long haired, aqua orientated, non-career focused layabouts?
So we had made the trip north, away from Southport after our non eventful return journey from Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays. We had actually come back and had some of Kerrie’s friends over for a spot of food. Dunc did his thing and cooked up a lovely Sunday lunch (Shame about the swede). If you have not seen my brother cook before it
is a sight, he produces some fine food and enjoys the heat of the kitchen but just like the Christmas pudding and finding the fifty pence piece; sometimes you have to choose the plate that has not received a droplet of sweat. The evening was a cool night with us going out to the local sports bar after a few drinks and dancing the night away, a little bit like John Travolta but with far more shoulder movement.
Lisa and hangovers, well they are like peas and carrots, strawberries and cream, Kofi Annan and the white flag….. If you know her then you understand that she does not cope well the morning after, she melts in a pool of her own self pity, usually with a plastic bad close by. As so our journey to Noosa was no different, we actually drove 10 kilometres with Wheatley spewing chunks in a plastic bag lying prone on the bed in the van. Nice!!!
Noosa has changed from that quiet, hippy town that I pictured in my head. It is quite developed but still retains a classic feel, lots of shops and cafes with a natural heritage park circumnavigating it.
We opted for a quiet caravan park by the river, a wonderful setting, only to be spoiled by the owners who had taken their customer service from the SS troopers serving in concentration camps. We headed over through the town on the search for some surf, from the tinternet I knew that the swell was small for the point breaks but would be rideable on the beaches. So we headed for Sunshine beach, a westerly facing stretch of coastline that was catching the most of the 4ft waves gliding through. Without further ado, Smith was full of neoprene and out in the action. What a great place, the waves were pumping and the vibe in the water chilled, perhaps I had found one piece of the ‘Olde Noosa’.
While Smith was surfing the light fantastic the girls had put on a little bit of Oz style aerobics on the beach, with all the lunges and squats involved it attracted some attention. No it was not from an Aussie Hoff type character, it was from a four legged rapscallion who wanted to play fetch. So with all good Barbara Whitehouse instruction they exercised the K9 as well. We retired to
the cliff edge for a bite to eat and swapped stories.
We ventured into town on a mission to find a post office and stumbled across an off license, it is funny how often that happens when you have the Oestrogen finding the route. It must be their ‘white wine noses’, they are more potent than the pigs that find truffles in the French forests, but far more adept at finding a bargain. So laidened with ‘two the price of one’ and the rest half price bottles of wine we got back to the van, downed a few snifters and cooked up a BBQ storm in the camp kitchen, just about managing not to set ourselves alight.
With the condensation just starting to drip off the windows of the van we started to stir and decided to head to the major attraction for the area, the National park runs around the whole of the headline with each finger of land producing a ruler sharp right hand point break. The woods surrounding each bay contain the traditional variety of birdlife but more interesting is the abundance of wild Koala bears. Just as if you visit a safari in Africa
and you tick off the big five animals, Australia has the big four. The wild eucalyptus tree hugging marsupials are just a delight, seriously, take yourself onto a voyage of cuteness and wonder at the animals that we have living on this planet. And the Koala is one of the cutest of them all, except for the Travelling Doctor Lady of course (That is when she is not shouting at me, which leaves aout 5% of the time - Where is the doghouse?).
During our journey around the headline there was a downturn in Lisa’s mood, I think she was coming down with something, so instead of the energy full Lisa we had experienced for the past three weeks, a more sinister creature started to grow out of her. You know the kind, the one that looks at you wanting you to burn with acid, the eyebrows raise and a sudden frown comes over the normally rosé cheeked legend. So with that we did what any good friends would do, we ignored her complaints and pushed on past bays and inlets. We decided on Tea Tree Bay, only a couple along but what seemed like the best surf and
beach combo.
We frolicked in the surf for a while and then went back to the camp for Lis to get her head down (good morning campers). Em and I watched the sunset over the river, watching the spectacle of a sea eagle swoop for scraps left by the fisherman, with only a pelican to stand in its way.
After a repeat trip to the National park the next day we were off back down South to meet up with Drunky, Shaun and Kezza. It was to be the final day of Duncan and Lisa, let’s take a moment to relax and take it all in. We took a trip up the Q tower, the tallest building in Surfers’ Paradise, which is tall, to marvel at the sights below, at sunset with a storm coming in. Lisa still feeling worse for wear and remaining in the van for an extra one hour shut eye. In the evening we thought we would go out with a bang. With all present and accounted for we launched in town for a Thai meal. The usual tricks were occurring, Stuart drinking far too quickly, Shaun telling racist jokes, Kezza being a legend,
Lisa ordering food without meat, Em being embarrassed of Stuart, and Duncan trying to buy the world. We had a good night and the aching heads the next day told of the experience.
Seriously, we were honoured to have both Dunc and Lisa come out and visit us. It was a huge effort to travel to the other side of the world, both in time and cost, but mostly it was good to have their company. Well done Lisa for putting up with Dunc, and well done Lisa for putting up with Duncan.
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