Australian Road Trip Series: The Noosa Everglades

Written by Felicity Purvis

When people think about water sports, they might think of the crazy kite surfing in Brazil, the iconic diving in the Red Sea, or the crashing surf of Indonesia. Starstruck by these exotic adventures, we often forget that Australia already has so much to offer. In this new series, we will explore the hidden gems you never knew were just beyond the riverbend.

Our first destination is a place I had been dreaming of exploring for years: the Noosa Everglades.

The Noosa Everglades is an iconic destination for Queenslanders. In the heart of the Sunshine Coast, it provides phenomenal kayaking, camping, and even hiking experiences. One of only two everglade systems in the world, the Noosa Everglades is home to almost half of Australia’s native bird species, and acts as a nursery to many different underwater species such as bull sharks and even the lungfish.

I chose to do a three-day, self-guided kayaking expedition up the river with Lake Escapades. They provided a great experience, with good quality gear, advice on the best campsites and things to see up and down the river.

I did not have much kayaking experience leading up to this trip and went in entirely unprepared. As in, without enough water and a deep underestimation of the distance I’d be travelling. (I thought we’d be doing 7km days. Turns out they were 22km.) We were also paddling straight into a headwind for both of our main kayaking days. By the end of day one, I could barely raise my arms to change my clothes. By the end of day three, I had bruises on my biceps from how hard my muscles were working.

Now, if you were to do something like this, I recommend being much more responsible than me and actually read your maps. But, despite how challenging this kayaking expedition was, it is simply one of my favourite trips I have ever taken. The Noosa Everglades are beautiful! You get to experience the best parts of the Noosa River, from quiet little inlets filled with water lilies and black swans, to wide stretches of water framed by overhanging trees and lined with iconic Aussie shrubbery. The water turned into a mirror every sunrise and sunset. We were woken up every morning by birdsong. A goanna even tried to break into our campsite at one point.

What I am trying to say is that you do not need to be the strongest, bravest, or the most knowledgeable person to have experiences like I had in the Noosa Everglades. Be sensible, be as prepared as you can be, but most importantly, be adventurous! 

I wore the Made For It Coverage Kini for the kayaking days. I chose this bikini set because I wanted something that was both easy to move in and comfortable enough to sit in for several days in a row. I also wanted something that would dry quickly overnight to minimise the amount that I had to pack. I was nervous about how the white fabric of the bikini would hold up against the tannins in the water. The seams did take on a bit of the brown colour while I was on the trip, but washed straight out when I got home, and now it looks good as new.

The Air Springie would have also been a good choice to provide a bit of protection against the sun and the chilly headwinds. 

The Noosa Everglades was not what I expected, but in the best way possible. It was tough, and beautiful, and it taught me that I can do hard things. This little spot definitely needs to be added to your Aussie bucket list!