Backward Glance - School holidays are here and there is no time for boredom
The Sunshine Coast with its beautiful scenery, waterways and beaches has been a favourite holiday destination for many years.
The Sunshine Coast with its beautiful scenery, waterways and beaches has been a favourite holiday destination for many years.
Holidaymakers fill up popular guest houses along the coast and in the hinterland.
The region’s tourism industry can trace its early days to when North Coast railway line opened in the early 1890s.
By the next century, transportation began to improve with visitors arriving by mighty steam trains.
Railway stations became busy as stock, produce, mail and passengers were picked up or delivered.
Prior to the creation of a reliable road system, many guests were transported by buckboard and coach.
Later as roads improved, buses and touring cars collected passengers at the railway stations or bus depots to take holidaymakers to their planned destinations.
The hinterland rail stop at Palmwoods provided another form of transport with the reliable Krauss engine operating along the tramway sidings at places such as Chevallum, Forest Glen, Mons and further along at Buderim.
Another popular light tramway operated between Nambour to Mapleton between 1915 and 1944.
There were many guest houses on the Blackall Range to accommodate the holiday makers.
The gradual development of the Sunshine Coast and a rise in car ownership saw holidaymakers finding their own way to the region.
Once the Bruce Highway opened in 1934, horse transport declined significantly and the automobiles became a common site.
With its cool summer temperatures and crisp mountain air, the Blackall Range, or hinterland as it is known, became a thriving mountain holiday destination where guest houses prospered.
Guests both young and old have always enjoyed bushwalking, waterfalls and magnificent scenery around the Blackall Range.
When the coast was undeveloped and prior to the coming of electricity, lantern walks were organised by wildlife and nature enthusiasts so that people could camp in tents at places such as Bunbubah Creek, near Dicky Beach, where the plains of wildflowers along the coastal wallum region once grew in great abundance.
Today these pursuits are still enjoyed with walks such as Maleny’s Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, the waterfalls at Kondallilla and the Maroochy Botanic Gardens, as well as the state forests.
There are so many family orientated places where everyone can enjoy a picnic, connect with nature and enjoy what the Sunshine Coast has to offer.
Prior to modern cinemas and the once popular drive-in theatres, “the talkies” were sometimes screened in country halls and later were regularly screened at Maroochydore and Caloundra during holiday periods.
The talkies opened in Potter's Picture Theatre at Maroochydore on December 19, 1931.
A new “elite” theatre, the Star Theatre, was subsequently built for Potter by the Kuskopf Bros and opened in 1935.
Caloundra’s Theatre was situated in Bulcock Street and known as the Amusu Theatre.
Saturday matinees provided exciting entertainment for children with cartoons and films such as Lassie Come Home, which was released in 1943, proving to be very popular for family entertainment.
Handkerchiefs generally came out during the sad scenes as Lassie made her way back, encountering danger along the way and finally arriving home to those she loved.
The theatres also served as venues for a variety of entertainment, including matinees, boxing events and old time dances.
“The Caloundra Topic” in 1947 wrote an article titled “Holiday Spirit” on the importance of visitors coming to the region at that time.
It reported: “It is pleasing to see the continued influx of visitors at holiday seasons, as our beaches are second to none on the coast, and the continued patronage of visitors will enable us to provide better facilities for the comfort and convenience of our holiday guests.”
Given that safety played a major part in the popularity of the beaches, surf lifesaving has also played a tremendous part in the establishment of our local tourism.
Lifesavers were patrolling the beaches from the early 1920s and still provide this volunteer service to keep both locals and holiday makers safe.
Children made their own fun in times gone by with cubby building generally taking place during holidays.
Some children were lucky if they had a big brother or sister who could help with design and whatever else was needed, including mum’s old chenille bedspreads.
If they were not lucky enough to have a pony to ride, some of the farming children gained the trust of a milking cow and would happily ride her around the yards. Simple life and great fun.
Whether you are on holidays or are lucky enough to live here during the holidays, pack a picnic, take the bikes to the park and enjoy all of the family orientated places on offer on the coast and in the hinterland.
If you run out of reading material, Sunshine Coast Libraries has lot to offer for all ages and it is free to join.
Happy holidays to everyone.
Thanks to Sunshine Coast Council’s Heritage Library Officers for the words and Picture Sunshine Coast for the images.
Image details
Hero: Children participating in the ‘Belle of the Beach’, Coolum Beach, 1953
Image 1: Beachgoers enjoying the summer holidays at Bulcock Beach, Caloundra, 1955
Image 2: Ted Pacey rowing children in his canoe, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, ca 1950
Image 3: The 'Swimming Pool' at Cotton Tree, ca 1935.
Image 4: Children on a swing at the Pinkerton family home, Yandina, ca 1931. The swing was made by Percy George Davis Pinkerton who had a blacksmith and coach building business at Yandina, between ca 1912-1916 and 1919-1938.
Image 5: Jessie Suosaari with her children and the tractor used to haul cane trucks on their farm at Bli Bli, ca 1950
Image 6: Lloyd Nichols riding a cow on his parent’s dairy farm at Cambroon, 1930