Choose Sunshine Coast

While less than 45 minutes from Queensland’s capital of Brisbane, nature has provided the Sunshine Coast with plentiful options for exciting and unusual team building events and group activities.

Stretching north from the Glass House Mountains, there is an emphasis on outdoor pursuits, and event organisers revel in the variety of recreational, team building and offsite options available.

With nine national parks, the region boasts more than one third of Australia’s bird species, more than 150 rare or endangered species, and unspoilt wetlands, rainforests and coastal heath.

Being enveloped in nature allows for an abundance of nature-based activities. Water pursuits include surfing, sailing, kayaking, jet boating and dinner cruises. For land lovers, there is everything from farm-gate tours, seaside cycling, hinterland hikes and champion golf courses to shopping and day spas.

Waterside parks, al fresco eateries, mountain-top vineyards, botanic amphitheatres and beach “ballrooms” transform into nature-encased off-site venues, each offering a quintessential Queensland experience.

Add to this mix accredited tour companies eager to show delegates some rarely accessed sites, then you’ll see why the Sunshine Coast offers a privileged glimpse into nature’s playground.

A natural food bowl, the Sunshine Coast is fast becoming Queensland’s favourite taste destination. We boast a strong agriculture sector, internationally-acclaimed seafood, and university researchers who are playing an ever-burgeoning role in Australia’s farming future.

With this earth and sea foundation as our backbone, the Sunshine Coast offers a bounty of foodie adventures, tasty attractions and gourmet experiences. It all starts with the rich volcanic soil, sun-filled days and ideal rainfall that provide the perfect balance for more than 500 food and beverage producers that call the Sunshine Coast home.

Their fresh, delicious produce is lovingly tended and nurtured until it grows and blossoms to be showcased through the region’s award-winning restaurants, fabulous food and farmer’s markets, nationally renowned food festivals, and fun cooking schools.

Food lovers also flock to the flavour filled touring opportunities, which include exciting food trails, hinterland vineyards, and paddock-to-plate and trawler-to-table dining experiences.

The Sunshine Coast is a progressive, think-outside-the-box region that attracts residents and visitors who revel in the knowledge that they’ve chosen a destination that is smart about managing its abundant natural resources. Living in one of the most naturally beautiful places on the planet comes with a certain responsibility, and we embrace that responsibility by taking great care to protect the environment.

In support of this aim, the Sunshine Coast rallied behind the establishment of the Noosa Biosphere. The first in Queensland, the biosphere is committed to innovative approaches to conservation and sustainable development.

The region has also committed to attracting clean tech and renewable energy businesses. These companies provide innovative solutions that work to simultaneously protect and promote the region’s – and the world’s – ecosystems, resources and values.

With an army of volunteers acting as custodians of our clean and green environment, the future of the Sunshine Coast is guaranteed to be environmentally and economically successful.

Our industries

Attracted by the same naturally refreshing assets that make the Sunshine Coast a magnet for tourists, the region has attracted thousands of businesses and renowned academics in the sectors of health and wellbeing, aviation and aerospace, food production, creative industries, innovative manufacturing and clean technologies.

• Aviation
• Health and wellbeing
• Sunshine Coast University Hospital
• Clean technologies
• The Arts
• Agribusiness
• Education and research
• Tourism, sport and leisure
• Knowledge industries
• Maroochydore City Centre Project

From handcrafted, one-of-a-kind trinkets to high-end luxury goods, who could pass up a dose of Sunshine Coast style retail therapy?

Step off the sand and onto boutique-lined Hastings Street or beachside Mooloolaba – both offer items of beautiful design. Or wander the leafy boulevard of mountaintop Montville to discover more than 40 unusual, original shops.

Weekends see more than 20 markets pop-up across the region, including Australia’s largest “make it, bake it, grow it, sew it” markets at Eumundi, the prefect place to find unique, locally produced items.
The array of handmade garments, original artworks, artisan furniture, home wares, jewellery and gourmet indulgences makes the Sunshine Coast a veritable goldmine for delegates looking for a special memento to take home.

No shopping venture would be complete without a rest at a sunny sidewalk café, shaded restaurant, or market-side stall to rejuvenate and reinvigorate the senses. The Sunshine Coast boasts more than 400 restaurants and dozens of food entrepreneurs offering delicious market stall treats.

Creativity is salve for the soul. This might help explain why so many artists, artisans, architects, actors and musicians have sought solace in the peaceful, relaxing environs of the Sunshine Coast.

Thanks to this incredible talent pool, our arts scene thrives and much of our built environment blends in with nature.

Noosa and the hinterland towns of Maleny and Montville are renowned arts centres, and boast a high concentration of galleries, home studios, boutique venues and performance spaces. There are also a number of large venues that attract national and international talent, such as The Events Centre at Caloundra and The Lake Kawana Community Centre, with smaller live music venues and fine art galleries dotted throughout the region.

With such an abundance of creativity close at hand, delegates benefit from innovative conference-matched activities, workshops, interactive team building and site visits.

The Sunshine Coast is extremely accessible from Australia’s capital cities and Auckland, New Zealand. The Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) is centrally located, just 10 minutes north of Maroochydore. Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia service the Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide routes, linking the Sunshine Coast with flights to more than 55 Australian and international destinations, whilst Air New Zealand offers seasonal, direct services from Auckland. For those coming from further afield, it is an easy 45-minute drive from Brisbane’s domestic and international airports before arriving at the Sunshine Coast’s Glass House Mountains.

All major car rental companies have outlets at both the Brisbane and Sunshine Coast airports. Regular shuttle services and business class mini-coaches operate door-to-door from all airports. Bus services operate hourly door-to-door airport shuttle services between the Brisbane Airport and Sunshine Coast seven days a week. Transport between Brisbane Airport and the Sunshine Coast can also be accessed via the train to Beerwah, Landsborough or Nambour train stations. Limousines can be booked for private transfers.

SUNSHINE COAST AIRPORT – www.sunshinecoastairport.com.au

BRISBANE AIRPORT – www.bne.com.au