Clichés aren’t always on point, but when it comes to the #SunshineCoast… well, there are just some things we can’t hide from the world.
Here are the eight Sunshine Coast clichés that deep down in your heart, you know are true.
1. It’s Always Sunny
Honest, the weather really is stunning all year round. We get long, hot, gorgeous summers which start in mid-spring and stretch almost to winter; winter lasts for about a month, and even then, it still gets to about 25 degrees most days. We don’t have any excuse to develop a layer of white, winter insulation because any day you could get a call from your mates to pack a picnic, hire a boat, and laze around in a bikini alongside the river. Yep, it really is beautiful one day, perfect the next.
2. Our taste is kinda naff
But we love it. Australia Zoo, Ettamogah (but not really Ettamogah) Pub, a scoop of gelato from Massimo’s, and a walk along Noosa Main Beach—SUPER-cheesy, but we still do it. Because it’s fun. And gelato is awesome.
3. We’re insular
While people in the urban sprawls of the major cities are used to spending each end of their working day, sitting in backed up traffic, commuting for hours to their apartment 35 suburbs away, we have better things to do with our time (see point 4!) We don’t do commuting. We don’t do traffic jams. We live within about 15 minutes of work, and we literally flinch in horror if someone has to travel more than half an hour to work*. * The same applies to shopping and socialising. Acceptable exemptions are for weddings, long weekends in Byron, or retail therapy at Chermside.
4. We love our outdoor lifestyle
Because of our awesome weather, we have a pretty amazing outdoor lifestyle. Our walks and climbs are top-notch, but even if you’re not into actual activities (ahem, me), our beaches are the best in the world (obvs). We’ve also got parks, secret gardens, and loads of green space just asking for someone to have a kick around with a footy. I mean, c’mon, even our pubs are outdoors!
5. We’re coffee snobs
Yes, we’ll admit that there are still places on the Coast where you can order a cup-of-chino and not get beaten to death, but they’re few and far between. You’re more likely to have your barista sit down and talk you through the finer points of roasting, cold drip vs pour-over, and the names and hobbies of the five children of Eduardo—the ethically-employed Guatemalan farmer who grew and picked your coffee beans as part of a micro-financed agricultural collective. Just don’t come in during the rush. Because if you get between a Sunshine Coaster and their single-origin—well, we can’t be held responsible.
6. You’ll never go hungry
Pretty much everywhere you turn, there’s a café, bar, food truck, or even a public BBQ with a distracted dad, just ASKING for his chicken satays to get nicked. Because we get the best of both worlds—amazing produce AND talented chefs looking for a sea change, the food here is epic. And when you combine it with the views, it really is a foodie paradise.
7. We’re a bunch of oldies
We Metropolist readers like to think of ourselves as a bit young and edgy and stylish, with our eat streets and whisky bars and glamping. But let’s face facts. We’re outnumbered. You can’t drive through Noosa Waters mid-morning without dodging packs of ridiculously robust Baby Boomers walking their little dogs, and every second real estate space is being converted to an aged-care facility or a physiotherapy practice. It’s only a matter of time until the smoky smell of pulled pork and peaty whisky is replaced by the nursing home odour of pureed pumpkin and catheter bags.
8. We don’t know how good we’ve got it
Whatever we might have to bitch about, sometimes we need to take a step back and check out our life here on the Sunshine Coast. It’s pretty damn good.
Image Credit: @sismar