Blog By Noosa

Rayner's new eatery in business

Be one of the first to try out David Rayner's new eatery, the Thomas Corner Eatery on the corner of Thomas Street and Gympie Terrace in Noosaville. It has just opened and ought to draw instant crowds, based on Rayner's reputation for producing first class food.

David Rayner founded one of one of Noosa's favourite dining spots, the River House Restaurant on Weyba Road, Noosaville, and since selling it has spent a year travelling and researching concepts for his latest project.

Thomas Corner Eatery features recycled timbers from a ship's wharf and comfortable banquettes, so you can settle in and chill out, and food is served all day. "You can sit up at the bar inside or on the terrace and look at the river and all the happenings out there," Rayner says. "We want our patrons to be relaxed... people can bring their laptops, or read the national papers and magazines, it's up to them."

Noosa Qld

They're giving away money on Hastings St

If you’re heading to Noosa between now and the end of August, restaurants and retailers in Hastings Street are giving away ‘Hastings Street Dollars’ that you can use at other businesses along the famous strip. You get $5 if you spend $45, $10 if you spend $95 and so on, and you can use the ‘money’ towards a purchase at another participating eatery or shop.

 

If you’re staying in accommodation on Hastings Street, you’ll be given $100 Hastings Street Dollars when you check in and the Westpac on Hastings Street is also giving away free Hastings Street notes. The Hastings Street traders have also managed to convince the council to extend parking on the street from one hour to three hours, so you won’t get a ticket while you’re out spending.

 

Hang on, this is starting to sound a bit like an April Fool’s joke. Banks giving away money and councils giving away parking revenue? That's ridiculous.

 

Noosa Queensland

Big wow factor at Outrigger

I've just returned from checking out Noosa's newest resort, the five-star Outrigger Little Hastings Street Resort & Spa Noosa, which has opened a few weeks ahead of schedule (the builders will surely be thrown out of the industry for that!)

Noosa has gone from one five-star resort to three over the course of this year (the other two being the Sheraton and Quay West), so travellers in that market are really spoilt for choice now.

The Outrigger will take a lot of beating, with its location on the hill above Hastings Street, its quality accommodation and its spectacular views over Laguna Bay. It sits next to the national park and it's been designed so it really blends into its surrounds - you'd hardly know it was there until you drive in and many of the rooms look out into the trees.

The accommodation includes one and two-bedroom suites as well as larger villas that would be perfect for extended families or friends travelling together, and you have kitchen facilities as well as the resort restaurant - and dozens more restaurants if you go down the boardwalk to Hastings Street.

The resort also has extensive conference facilities, beautiful spots for weddings and a first-class spa - stay tuned for a review of that.

Noosa Qld

Recommended: XO Sunshine Beach

We had a great night out with friends at the new XO Bistro Wine Bar in Sunshine Beach the other night.

We started in the bar with cocktails (try the Margarita Lemoni, it's divine!), wandered into the cellars to choose some wine, sat down for a casual but good quality dinner and then meandered back to the bar for some more drinks. It was such a relaxed way to eat out - nobody rushed us and the staff were super friendly (even when they threw us out because they had to close!)

Some other friends tried the upstairs restaurant, Embassy XO, the other week and they have been raving about the food there, so I'll have to try that one too. The upstairs restaurant is Asian, while downstairs is a bit of a mix of Italian, tapas and other things.

If you're familiar with Sunshine Beach, you'll find the XO restaurants on the corner where Wasabi (which has moved to Noosa Sound) used to be.

Noosa Queensland

Noosa Longweekend

The Noosa Longweekend Festival kicks off tomorrow, if you happen to be in town or want to make a trip. They mean it when they say long weekend - it goes for 10 days, through to June 27, so there's still time.

I'm going to be away for a lot of it, unfortunately, but I'm going to see "A Celebration of Short Films" with a friend on Sunday and I've promised to take the munchkins to some of the kids' events.

It's a huge and really varied program that I couldn't even begin to sum up (other than to say it includes theatre, music, film, dance, food and literature), so I'll instead say click here to have a look for yourself!  You can buy tickets through the Noosa Longweekend website.

Noosa Queensland

 

 

Recommended: Raj Indian Restaurant

I had a fantastic meal the other night at Raj Indian Restaurant in Thomas Street, Noosaville. It was really authentic, fresh Indian food - none of that bain marie crap you get in some places. I particularly recommend the tandoori dishes, because they have a proper, charcoal-fired tandoor oven, but it was all good.

The service was super friendly, too, and they made such a fuss of the kids. I'll definitely be going back.

Noosa Queensland

Put to shame again

There I was, congratulating myself for being out and about so 'early' on a Sunday morning... when I realised most of the people milling around the place had just completed a half marathon!  They were probably out running before I even woke up.

The inaugural Noosa Winter Festival has been on this weekend, combining the Noosa Blue Water Swim, Century Bike Ride and Noosa Running Festival into two days of competition, and the town is absolutely heaving with people in lycra (about which I am absolutely not complaining!).

Anyway, we had a great breakfast with friends on the deck of the Surf Club, then went and got some coffees from Sails and sat down on the beach in the sunshine. It's a gorgeous autumn day, about 25 degrees - much better suited to drinking coffee on the beach than running half marathons in my book!

 

 

 

Noosa Queensland

 

Loving Noosa in May

There's so much going on in Noosa at the moment, with Mayfiesta in full swing, it's hard to fit it all in!

Yesterday we went to check out the Australian Body Art Carnivale at Eumundi and today it was the Noosa River Festival, which was such a relaxing way to spend a day, listening to live music, trying different foods from stalls set up by Noosaville restaurants and watching all the boats go past (in between trips to the bouncy castles and ice cream van!)

Noosa Qld

Anyone for a pub lunch?

My husband was brave enough to admit he was having a birthday the other day and a big group of us went up to The Country Life hotel at Kin Kin, in the Noosa hinterland, for a pub lunch.

The 1914 hotel has been completely refurbished after all but disappearing under water in a big flood last year but it's retained all of its character - in fact you'd never know it wasn't the original decor. There's a huge outdoor eating area, which makes it great for families, and they have loads of live music.

It's worth going for the drive, too: a meandering, 40-minute trip through the lush hinterland, north west of Noosa. I apologise for the lack of pics - I settled in for the afternoon and completely forgot!

Noosa Queensland

Last chance to win a $10,000 trip to Noosa

Brad says...

Only two days left to enter the Noosa Mayfiesta competition, for a chance to win a $10,000 trip to Noosa. The prize includes flights, accommodation, tours, activities, restaurant vouchers, day spa visits and even spending money, so it would be an awesome holiday.

To enter, just go to the Noosa Mayfiesta website and enter your details.

And don't forget everybody can get 25 per cent off selected accomodation and activities in Noosa during the month of May, which is full of events and festivals. You'll find all the details on the website.

Noosa Qld