Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is a collection of beachside and hinterland towns to the north of Brisbane. This was the second destination we headed to after one day in Brisbane for the #escapers15 social media campaign last year, organised by Accor, Scoot and Tourism Events Queensland. Just the name of the place itself makes me happy. There are lots of things to do in Sunshine Coast if you love the outdoor:
Our first stop in the morning was at Australia Zoo (1638 Steve Irwin Way, Beerwah QLD 4519, Australia), a 100-acre zoo owned by Terri Irwin, the widow of Steve Irwin, whose wildlife documentary series The Crocodile Hunter made the zoo a popular tourist attraction.
Located an hour north of Brisbane, on Sunshine Coast, Australia Zoo features a team of passionate conservationists working round the clock to deliver an experience like no other.
Steve and Terri Irwin’s vision has always been to make Australia Zoo the biggest and best wildlife conservation facility in the entire world and I must say, what they have achieved is impressive.
At the zoo, we enjoyed the Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors Show held in the Crocoseum, while munching on some sandwiches for a quick lunch.
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia The Crocoseum](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-c10.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Waiting for the show to start](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-c08.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia A keeper bringing a petting snake around for the audience](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-c06.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia The show started with a small alligator](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-c05.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia A big eagle](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-c04.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Time to bring in the big crocodile](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-017.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Yes, it went this close](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-c21.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Making the crocodile jump for it's food](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-c25.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia For a moment, the audience were all very worried for this bird before it flew away](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-c20.jpg)
The highlight at the zoo was when we get to pet and hug some of the zoo’s natives, including a koala bear, a wombat and lots of kangaroos.
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia My thai friend, Bomb, trying to kiss a gecko](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-032.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Wild chicken](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-030.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Lizard](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-035.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Old, grumpy-looking kangaroo](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-028.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Me feeding a kangaroo](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-025.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Me feeding Bomb who was feeding a kangaroo](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-022.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Another friend, Karri from Australia, feeding a kangaroo](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-020.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia A macaw](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-012.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Wombat](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-009.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Hungry wombat](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-006.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia My friend, Lavender from China, posing with the wombat](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-118.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Snake](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-001.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia A larger snake](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-014.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia I carried the snake](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-122.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia The highlight - koala bear!](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-102.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Everyone wanted to hug the sleepy koala](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-117.jpg)
After the zoo, we headed to Noosa, Australia’s most popular beach resort and home to the Noosa International Food & Wine Festival. This northern Sunshine Coast town offers beautiful beaches, lush hinterland, a stunning coastal national park, an amazing river, and a cosmopolitan dining scene.
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Noosa beach](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-150.jpg)
We got to meet some the lifeguards on duty at the beach and played some games with them.
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia The lifeguard's watch tower](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-157.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Me with a real lifeguard](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-160.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Two of the lifeguards](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-162.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Camera surveillance](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-158.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Rescue craft](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-155.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Sun-tanning duo](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-153.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Hello!](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-148.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Fake lifeguards](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-144.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Our tour guide, another fake lifeguard](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-143.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Beautiful day](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-111.jpg)
This was followed by some quick shopping and cafe hopping at Hastings Street, the fashion strip located behind the beachfront, specialising in high-end designs, familiar local labels, signature stores and affordable beachwear, footwear and local creations.
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Hastings Street](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-131.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Handicraft shop](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-140.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Souvenir shop](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-139.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Making flat whites for us](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-138.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Toasting to flat whites at the beach](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-134.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Bakery shop](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-133.jpg)
Next, we hopped aboard for a thrilling ocean jetboat ride with Noosa’s most experienced ocean water sports company, Noosa Thriller, established since 1978. The ride was awesome. Expect to get really wet from all the sharp turns and waves bashing. We spotted a school of dolphins during my ride, which made it all the more worthwhile.
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Getting on the jetboat](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-129.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Ready to go](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-126.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia A school of dolphins! - Picture by my friend from China, Guan Chao](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/5.jpg)
After Noosa, we checked into Novotel Twin Waters Resort for the night. The resort is set around a private beachfront lagoon, amongst 14 hectares of natural bushland and manicured gardens.
We had dinner by waterfront at the resort, enjoying an awesome outdoor grill buffet featuring seafood, kangaroo steaks and other meat. We were entertained by a performance from a aboriginal group before we tucked in for the night.
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Dinner venue](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-2241.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Getting ready to perform](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-220.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia The dance](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-216.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Posing for pictures](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-214.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Group shot](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-208.jpg)
The next day morning, we had breakfast at the resort, followed by some watersports. I got to experience a crash course on sailing.
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia After sailing lesson](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-306.jpg)
![Things to do within a day in Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia Me sailing with Guan Chao](http://media.alvinology.com/uploads/2016/01/sunshine-coast-311.jpg)
And that’s it for my one day tour of the Sunshine Coast! Next, we moved on to Gold Coast, the last leg of the trip. Stay tuned for updates.