Caloundra – Noosa Heads – Sunshine Coast

I love flying up along the Sunshine Coast from Redcliffe. It’s such a spectacular part of the country with its white sandy beaches, river mouths, islands and lush green hinterland including the Glass House Mountains. It astounds everyone I take there. And there have been many! It’s my “go to” flight for visitors to Brisbane and I never tire of flying up to Noosa and back. It involves flying past the Sunshine Coast Airport through controlled airspace, which is always fun too. Mike Cahill has also flown that stretch many times and shares my feelings about it. It just so happens that we also share the same birthday – 26th June. He’s two years older than me but who’s counting? On 26th June 2020 we decided to share a flight up along the Sunshine Coast to celebrate together. When I say share, Mike actually flew as he had to deliver something to someone at Caloundra Airport and I went along for the ride.

It was another perfect winter’s day in Brisbane as we took off from RWY07 and climbed out past the Newport development. It’s quite amazing how many houses they’re building on reclaimed swamp land just next to the aerodrome.

The first few minutes of the flight took us past the mouth of the Caboolture River with the Glasshouse Mountains in the distance.

After only 10 minutes we were on final into Caloundra.

We landed and Mike handed over his parcel and we were soon off again and headed up the coast. Ten minutes later we were at Noosa Heads where Mike turned the plane and headed southwards once more.

Just south of Noosa Heads we passed Sunshine Beach and Lake Weyba.

Further south we entered the Sunshine Coast controlled airspace and passed Mount Coolum…

and flew past the airport with its newly completed runway 13/31 and the decommissioned 18/36RWY. The new runway is significantly longer and will be able to accept international flights once they start flying again. Large X’s on the old runway signified that it was no longer in use…

while the brand new green turf either side of the new runway indicated that it certainly was!

Maroochydore with the river mouth is pretty spectacular on such a good day.

We flew around Point Cartwright and on past Mooloolaba.

Then it was on further south along the east coast of Bribie Island and around its southern end.

A few minutes later we were on final into Redcliffe.

A great way to celebrate two birthdays at once.