Noosa Heads, Queensland
Noosa Heads is a coastal town and suburb in the Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. In the , the suburb of Noosa Heads had a population of 4,484 people. It is a popular holiday destination. Geography. The suburb is bounded to the west by Weyba Creek and the Noosa River and to the north and east by the Coral Sea. The north-east of the locality is within the Noosa National Park. Noosa Heads, Noosaville and Tewantin form a continuous urban area at the northern end of the Sunshine Coast. Noosa Hill in the national park is the  highest point of the suburb () at above sea level. There is also Laguna Lookout () on a low hill near the town. Coastal features. There are a number of headlands, lookouts, bays, and other coastal features along the Noosa Heads coastline, many of them on the coastal walking track through the national park, including (from north to south): History. "Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi, Cabbee, Carbi, Gabi Gabi)" is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Gubbi Gubbi country. The Gubbi Gubbi language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Sunshine Coast Region and Gympie Region, particularly the towns  of Caloundra, Noosa Heads, Gympie and extending north towards Maryborough and south to Caboolture"." The name Noosa is a corruption of the Kabi word "nuthuru", meaning a "ghost" or a "shadow". The beach at Noosa Heads has remained a popular tourist attraction since the 1890s. The Shire's tourism exponentially grew shortly after the Second World War. In the 1800s, Noosa's early wealth came from the timber and milling industries with tourism developing in the late 1920s. In this decade cafes and tourist accommodation was built along the beachfront. The town has been the site of many tussles between  developers and those seeking to preserve the town. A fatal shark attack of a 22-year-old surfer was recorded at Noosa in 1961. Since the seventies, people have continued to migrate from southern states. In 1988, Noosa was renamed Noosa Heads. In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, Noosa was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as a "location". In the , the suburb of Noosa Heads had a population of 4,484 people. The local print newspaper was the "Noosa News". Along with many other regional Australian newspapers owned by NewsCorp, the newspaper  ceased print editions in June 2020 and became an online-only publication from 26 June 2020. In May 2021, Noosa was named as the top tourism town in Queensland. Heritage listings. Noosa Heads has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: Education. There are no schools in Noosa Heads. The nearest government primary and secondary schools are Sunshine Beach State School and Sunshine Beach State High School in neighbouring Sunshine Beach to the east. Amenities. The Noosa Shire Council operates a mobile library service which visits Lanyana Way at Noosa Junction. Attractions. Noosa Heads hosts a population of koalas, which  are often seen in and around Noosa National Park. The koala population in Noosa is in decline. Native black and grey-headed flying foxes (tree pollinators and seed dispersal agents) can be heard in local trees if they are flowering or fruiting. Micro-bat species are also common and aid in insect control. Noosa Lions Park is an open, grassed area which used as a staging area for several large community events including the Noosa Triathlon, Noosa Food and Wine Festival, Noosa Winter Festival and Noosa Classic Car Show. To overcome severe beach erosion at Noosa's main beach a  sand pumping system has been built. It operates when necessary during off peak hours, supplying sand via a pipeline built underneath the boardwalk. Noosa Heads' main attraction is its beaches. Its main beach and its small bays around the headland are common surfing locations which are known on world surfing circuits. One of its major surfing contests involves the Noosa Festival of Surfing. This festival attracts large numbers of longboarders. Media. The local newspaper is the "Noosa News," an online-only publication of NewsCorp. Transport. Noosa Heads is the tourist heart of Noosa district, with many restaurants and hotels. The  main street is Hastings Street, which lies directly behind the seashore. Buses to elsewhere in the Sunshine Coast depart from Noosa Heads bus station. There are dedicated bike lanes throughout the shire. Push bikes are an easy way to get around. Bike racks are provided in all shopping and beach precincts. Motor scooter is another easy option. There are scooter parking bays on Hastings Street, Noosa Heads, and on many shopping strips. There is a taxi rank in Hastings Street and at Noosa Fair shopping centre.