GYMPIE &  
       THE COOLOOLA COAST

                   HISTORICAL GYMPIE

    As with many towns that began in the 1800s, Gympie was originally settled as the consequence     of a gold rush. In 1867 James Nash was prospecting in the area when he found 2.7kg of gold in six days. Nash's discovery began a gold rush which quickly led to the development of Gympie.

    Discovered in Gympie, the famous Curtis Nugget, which weighed 37kg, was the largest ever single nugget found in Queensland. The area was profitable  for many years, and although the gold fields peaked in 1903 reef-mining continued until the 1920s.  

    It is still possible to get a feeling of the town's past just by  walking down Mary Street, which is lined with historical buildings.

    Gympie is completely surrounded by the Cooloola Coast region, so it is also the turn off point for Rainbow Beach, Tin Can Bay and the Cooloola National Park.

GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL

    The Cooloola Coast encompasses several small townships:  

    Cooloola Village, Rainbow Beach and Tin Can Bay.

     Originally a retirement haven, Tin Can Bay is gaining popularity as a holiday destination. The Bay itself is a narrow inlet at the southern end of  the Sandy Straits, which is the water which separates Fraser Island from the mainland. The unusual friendship between a  rottweiler, named Conan, and a dolphin calf and mother has been attracting attention to the area.

    Cooloola Village is the major residential development between  Rainbow Beach and Tin Can Bay. Rainbow Beach, which is named for its coloured sand cliffs, began  as a base for a sandmining              operation in the 1970s.

               WHAT TO SEE:

    The Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum takes a couple of hours to see properly, it includes a military museum.

    The Woodworks Forestry and Timber Museum features a demonstration of early timber cutting techniques and a working  replica of a steam driven sawmill.

    Gympie Golden Gem has a great collection of gems and minerals;  see 'Gympieite' Gympie's own unique rock with its green colourings.

    Situated right on the Bruce Highway at Lake Alford Drive is Queensland's Macadamia Fantasy which has a range of macadamia-based specialty products, as well as Granny Mac's fudge,

    Superbee honey, Stotts famous conserves and assorted gift lines. Amama State Forest Park has a good spot for picnicking and a very pleasant rainforest walk. For more bushwalking there is  Mullen

    State Forest Park near Cooloola National Park.     While in the area take a scenic drive on the Imbil Forest Drive, it goes from Borumba Dam to Imbil through the Imbil State Forest.

    See the rock pools at   Mothar Mountain. For fishing or water sports visit Lake Borumba, via Imbil.

    The Borumba Fish Hatchery also has a display area here.

    Canoe down the Mary River.

    To really see the significant buildings take the heritage walk and driving tour, the 'Discover Gympie' map is available from the tourist office.

    Deep Creek Gold Fossicking Area, allows visitors to fossick on one of the original sites. Fossicking permits are necessary, and  can be issued instantly by the Cooloola Visitors' Information Centre.

    Famous as the site of the annual National Country Music Muster, Amamoor Creek State Forest Park is also a good camping area. Take the Dagun-Amamoor Road and stop at the Amamoor  Lookout on the crest of the hill.

    Have a ride on the Mary Valley Rattler steam train which regularly passes through Dagun. See the small townships of Dagun, Amamoor, Kandanga and      Imbil   on a scenic drive through the Mary Valley: listen for the bellbird whose natural habitat is these areas, particularly around Imbil.

    For camping, Cedar Grove State Forest Park has good facilities. Amamoor Creek provides fresh water for swimming and there are some bushwalking tracks through sub-tropical rainforest.

    Actually in Gympie itself there are many parks, such as:   Lake Alford, Nelson's Reserve and Memorial Park.