Long Weekend with the Crew at Habitat Noosa

Long Weekend with the Crew at Habitat Noosa

by | Aug 27, 2020 | Accomodation, Adventures, Adventures Couples, Adventures Family, Caravan Parks, Destinations, Destinations Couples, Destinations Family, Miriams Moments, National Parks

Think an enormous campground on the banks of an enormous flat lake where enormously good times can be had!

Habitat Noosa is a 65-acre eco-resort in The Great Sandy National Park on the Sunshine Coast with 500 metres of lake front on the Noosa River. The stunning Lake Cootharaba, the largest salt water inland lake on the Noosa River is the gateway to the upper Noosa River and the Noosa Everglades.

This weekend (being a long weekend), the lake was filled with people on stand-ups, kayaks, canoes and when we were here before (years ago!) we saw people sailing, wind-surfing, kite surfing and fishing. Complete with solar-sites, 9-par golf course, bistro/bar, micro-brewery, watercraft for hire and even tours into Australia’s Everglades, it’s no wonder this place was completely booked out for the Ekka long weekend! I had no idea that there are only 2 Everglades in the world … The Florida Everglades and these ones – The Noosa Everglades. There is also direct access from here to some ripper walking trails in the National Park.

Please note that as this is a national park, no pets are allowed and all rules that apply to national parks apply.

 

Watch Video Here

We went with our regular crew of about 12 vans and a few that used the wilderness glamping and luxury glamping tents. Oh – and of course the teenagers that swagged it under the gazebo.

It was a long weekend for most, but not Chris’s kids who live on the Bayside. Most of our friends headed up on the Thursday, but we had to wait for the kids to finish school on the Friday and then enjoy the long weekend traffic all the way up. It took just under 4 hours! Others who went up earlier in the day had the same headache. Oh, how we love the weekend traffic to the Sunny Coast! 

We picked up our late check-in pack from reception and pulled in through the bright red boom gate about 7pm. The campfire was roaring, and beers and conversations were already flowing. What a relaxing way to end to another hectic week.

The next morning we thought we would get up early to snap a few pics of the sunrise over the lake, but the closest we got to that was a shot of the light seeping in through the hatch in the roof of the van as the sky changed from dark to light. It was overcast and threatening to rain.

It soon cleared up to a beautiful morning filled with exploring, water ‘sports’ reading, sunbaking, wheelies and just hanging out.

While I was reading/sunbaking on the beach I overheard the people behind me saying that the guys in reception had said a storm was coming about 3pm. The winds started picking up about 11:00 and mid-afternoon the ‘storm’ hit. It was more like a windy sun shower … but it made for some interesting times none-the-less!

At 12:00 the (big) boys headed over to the Eco-brewery to try 6 of the 8 beers on offer. This is Australia’s only artesian micro-brewery using water that has been filtered through time in the Cooloola sandmass to produce delicious, preservative free beer. This was by booking only due to Covid restrictions. They had one hour to finish the 6 jugs and did so easily!  

While the boys were at the bar, I headed back to the van and baked some scones in the air fryer and the teenagers did ‘teenager stuff’.

The rest of the day was filled with more of the same; friends, brews and good times (and Chris annoying everyone with the video camera!)

When Sunday rolled around, there was no feeling of ‘it’s gone way too fast!’ from us! The kids caught a lift home with our mate’s son who’s now on his P’s (how cool is it when the kids start driving?!) and we simply packed up and headed off to our next destination – Glastonbury Campground in the Brooyar State Forest. Now that’s an adventure for another time …

HABITAT NOOSA

  • Powered/unpowered sites
  • Glamping tents
  • 9-hole par 3 golf course
  • kiosk
  • watercraft for hire
  • Everglades tours
  • new toilets and showers
  • renovated camp-kitchen
  • group and education centres
  • CootharaBAR – bar and bistro
  • Eco-brewery artesion micro-brewery
  • kiosk serving breakfast, snacks and First Batch coffee
  • two levels and styles of glamping accommodation

Book here: https://www.habitatnoosa.com.au/

Camping from $33 per night

Wilderness Glamping from $150 per night

Luxury Glamping from $239 per night

Healthy Pancakes

Healthy Pancakes

by | Aug 18, 2020 | Breakfast, Dairy Free, Recipes, Thermomix

We we eat pancakes a lot, at least a couple of times a week. I’ve tried heaps of different recipes and while there are a few good ones, I find this to be the best! These are gluten free, dairy free, sugar free and lower in carbs than traditional pancakes, although not as ‘low carbs’ as some other of my recipes (that contain dairy).
They are fluffy and ‘flippable’ which I love … OK, I love watching Chris flip them! He’s pretty good at it, and I love his facial expressions before, during after. Lol.

RECIPE

  • 250g blanched almond flour (the lighter coloured one)
  • 250g tapioca flour (arrowroot flour)
  • 3/4 cup coconut flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 5 eggs
  • 500-700 g coconut milk (or milk of choice, or even water) Add more for thinner pancakes and less for thicker
  • Optional sweetener of choice (we don’t use one)

Method:

  1. Combine all ingredients really well (I use my thermomix and give it a really good blitz).
  2. Cook one side in a preheated pan over medium heat until bubbles form and then flip (give it a go!) to cook the other side.

 

 

Fressingfield, Qld. A relaxing bush camp.

Fressingfield, Qld. A relaxing bush camp.

by | Aug 11, 2020 | Destinations, Destinations Couples, Destinations Family, Miriams Moments

We loved our stay at Fressingfield! We knew it was going to be great from the minute the host, Wayne, phoned us to make sure we would be arriving at a time when he would be there to show us to our campsite.  We arrived right on 1:00 and Wayne met us at the front gate on his 4-wheeler. The surrounding countryside had us feeling relaxed before we even set foot on the property.
He led us down the steep dirt drive and pointed to a gate that led into rolling green fields where cows were grazing.
We knew we weren’t going to get our Chev 2500 and 23ft van though, but Wayne simply removed some fencing on the other side of the road and we drove in the opposite paddock, up the hill and turned around before straightening up and crossing the road into the lower field. The van tipped all over the place but our setup is well-equipped for this and got through all the gates and over all the hills and bumps really well.

Wayne took Chris down to check out the Big Dam on the 4 wheeler and they decided that yep – we could make it no worries. (There are 4 other campgrounds on the property). We camped right down the far end of the Big Dam on the grass not far from the pit toilet and rubbish bins. We had beautiful views of the water and were the only ones there aside from one other person camped in a tent all the way down the other end.

The ground wasn’t completely flat but we just used our air suspension in the caravan to level out.
We had a roaring fire that night, started with the firewood that Wayne had left there for us. He also pointed us in the direction of some trees where Chris was able to go and cut some more. And while it was a bit cold for us to swim, Wayne said that kids had been in the lake earlier that day and in summer it’s a popular way to cool off. I was much happier and warmer in my boots by the fire!

I will say that it might be a bit tricky for some to manouver into the property, but for those with a capable set up and a good 4×4 and who know how to use it, you’ll be fine! We had friends who have a motorhome who saw our videos on getting in and said they knew they wouldn’t be able to do it. But we did and it was awesome!😁👍🏼 On the Youcamp page it states 2WD access in fine weather and 4×4 if it’s a bit wet, and of course what you are towing (if anything) will make a difference.

 

At just $17 per adult, per night … this place was fantastic. The host Wayne was just so accommodating

and we can’t rate it highly enough!

It’s always nice to have a loo nearby if you don’t have one in your setup, and this one was clean and not smelly at all!

🗓 Our stay August 2020
💰 $17 adult p/n (for Big Dam)
👙 Dam to swim
🚽 Pit toilet
🌳 Bush camping
🐶 Dog friendly
🚜 4×4 or SUV only
🔥 Fires allowed and wood supplied

 3 Camp Ovens for hire if required

 

book here:https://youcamp.com/view/fressingfield

Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/1h8UDnyuZzjnrTFp9