PhotoJournal Coolum Beach Queensland Australia

Peace & Greetings

It’s been a week since I went on a decent walk, not counting trips to the shops and chasing Willow ‘round the yard.

I decided it was past time for a walk; normally I cross the main road outside my unit and go right; I either head to the beach or the nature corridor that runs through coastal trees and overgrown shrubbery. This way also ultimately leads to the beach and the Pacific Ocean that washes up on the uncluttered sand.

Today I went left.

I followed the main road north out of town, avoiding the path on the left of the highway. The road is called David Low Way but locals on the Sunshine Coast just call it The Coast Road. Since I’ve lived in various communities in this area for most of the last 20 yrs I’m finally calling myself a local.

Stumers Creek

The Coast Road runs along the Sunshine Coast region, meandering up and down, around and through a group of coastal communities that all face the ocean. It’s a very beautiful area; I have seen better and I have certainly seen worse. Coolum, where I live is one of the bigger communities. Some of the smaller ‘villages’ are simply homes and a bus stop, no shop, library ect.

Stumers Creek

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So, I wandered along The Coast Road heading in a northerly direction, sticking to the bush side. I’m not good at estimating distance; however the bush I was walking alongside was somewhat thick and far enough away from the beach that I couldn’t hear the surf.

I had noticed on one of my many bus trips to my daughter’s (25 km away) that there was a banksia forest just out of town and some distance along a small tree-bordered clearing to a National Park Nature Reserve. This was my destination

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The banksia forest was fascinating, I don' recal ever seeing them grow quite prolifically. The tree's themselves cavorted in all manner of sharpe and form, dropping their ancient looking pods all over the ground.

There are over 150 types of tree in the banksia family and they produce lots of nectar; banksias are a essential part of the food chain in the Australian bush. They are an important food source for all sorts of nectarrific animals, including birds, bats, rats, possums and stingless bees .

the banksia cavorted in intimate dance

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The National Park entryway was a good deal further than I had estimated; I passed a woman who walked along holding an apricot hybiscis to her nose, an elderly man who wore both a bandana & a hat, dragging a vinyl shopping cart and walking a dog.... and a young family out for some exercise, she jogged, the young son rode a bike and the dad rode a bike with a toddler in an enclosed trailer.

They looked happy.

The only other things to pass were half dozen bike riders and about 100 cars, trucks & buses... but finally I reached the opening to the nature reserve.

The clearing itself was small... enough for say, 6 cars; and one path lead off in the general direction of the beach, so I followed the path.

It was a very pleasant walk through coastal heathland and what appeared to be saltmarshes.

The path seemed to go on forever....

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And on & on I walked

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I kept an eye out for snakes... I probably should have worn better shoes... but these are my favorites and so comforable

I finally came to an arrow...

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Pointing me along another path...

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And out onto the beach...

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More Jellyfish

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Bluebottle Jellyfish - I think