This is the Noosa & the Sunshine Coast chapter from Lonely Planet’s Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef guidebook.

If your idea of the perfect summer holiday involves lazy days in the sun, sand between your toes, and fish and chips on the beach then pack a smile, ditch the bling and immerse yourself in the laid-back beach-chic culture of the refreshingly natural and unaffected Sunshine Coast.

• bushwalk through Noosa National Park, spotting koalas in the trees and dolphins in the bay
• maps
• wine and dine at Noosa’s swish restaurants and cafes
• transport
• restaurants & accommodation
• surf, sun yourself and lap up the beach-cafe scene in Mooloolaba

Coverage includes: Noosa, Bribie Island, Glass House Mountains, Caloundra, Mooloolaba & Maroochydore, Coolum, Peregian & Sunshine Beach, Cooloola Coast, Eumundi, Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Maleny, Montville, Mapleton and Kenilworth.