The ginger factory, Yandina

Peter and I have visited the Sunshine Coast on a number of occasions and
have great memories of our first visit in 1988 (when Expo was on in
Brisbane) when we visited with our children, then aged eight and ten.
During that visit and subsequent visits we have been to various tourist
activities in the area including the Ginger Factory and The Big Pineapple.

As we made our way to a caravan park in Buderim we passed a sign to the
ginger factory in Yandina so we diverted and paid a visit. This place has
certainly changed from our last visit - there is a large new shopping
precinct with open café and restaurant area. There is a small train trip
and tours of the factory and a honey factory. We didn't take the factory
tour but certainly made time for Peter to sample the ice cream - ginger and
macadamia nut and the second scoop ginger and passionfruit. All the ice
cream is hand made on the premises.

We stayed at the Big 4 caravan park at Forest Glen which is apparently the
closest park to Australia Zoo. They are certainly making the most of their
position - it is the most expensive caravan park we have stayed at during
the fifteen months we have been travelling. Their facilities did not
warrant their fee - it is a shame they do not have competition.

After only one night we moved on to Alexandra Headland on the Sunshine Coast
- a much nicer caravan park and within a short walk of the beach and shops.
Alexandra Headland has two well-known neighbours - Maroochydore four
kilometres to the south and Mooloolaba just two kilometres to the north.
The lovely weather is continuing and after dinner we enjoyed going for a
long walk along the waterfront checking out all the high rise apartments and
sidewalk cafes and restaurants.

On Sunday afternoon we joined lots of other holidaymakers and visited a few
of the beaches close by. We can't recall visiting Cotton Tree beach
previously but certainly have ideas of visiting again sometime. There are
apparently nine council caravan parks along the Sunshine Coast and one of
these is at Cotton Tree beach. It must be one of the best positioned parks
in Australia with camping sites within just a few metres of a flat beach.
No wonder the park was packed with family groups.