(Noosa Biosphere) Anything natural is always special. The problem is that we have done so much damage to this precious world of ours, that we don’t have much pure nature left.
Human error, mistreatment, and reckless management have caused huge damage to some of the most beautiful areas of Earth, and if we want to turn back the clock on this damage, and try and somehow bring back what has been lost, we need to really focus on environmental conservation efforts.
Australia is packed with those natural sites, and a country of this size, and of this much beauty, is a real hotspot for conservation tourism. When you can combine the two – bringing money into the economy from visitors wanting to view the natural beauty of the area, and putting it all towards conservation efforts, you’re really getting a double whammy of benefit.
On the Sunshine Coast, we’re used to seeing and talking about beaches, surfing, tourism, and a damn good time, but there is an area which deserves a whole lot of attention besides.
Welcome to the Noosa Biosphere.
What is the Noosa Biosphere?
Before we talk about the Noosa Biosphere, we need to define what a biosphere is in the first place!
Pic: Noosabiosphere.org.au
A biosphere is an area which encompasses different types of landscapes, be it marine, land, mountain, etc, and all of these landscapes are packed with various ecosystems. These are important natural spots, which are vital to the environment, the wildlife which calls the area home, and also for humans. These areas aim to leave no footprint on the environment, and they are identified as areas which may have suffered damage in the past, with the effort being put forward now, to turn it all around.
There are more than 6000 different biospheres on the planet, and the Noosa Biosphere is one of 14 in Australia.
Noosa Biosphere?
The area is more than 875 square kilometres and encompasses land, beach, sea, wetlands, and hinterland. The Noosa Natural Reserve extends around 3km out to sea, so it covers marine life as well. There are more than 5000 people who live within the biosphere grounds, living in harmony with wildlife and the natural environment around them. Issues such as climate change, the environment, recycling, and everything else which comes under that umbrella are at the forefront of the minds of those who live in this area, aiming to do as little damage to the environment as humanly possible.
Noosa Biosphere was given UNESCO status back in 2007, and since then a huge number of projects have been put into place, to help endangered species of wildlife and flora which are indigenous to the area.
Things to See, Do, And Experience in the Noosa Biosphere
Everything in the biosphere is outdoorsy, full of fun, lots of education, and focused at bringing awareness to the issues which are pertinent in the area. Of course, the fantastic weather all year round also brings visitors to experience the outdoor adventures and activities which can be undertaken here!
There are several conservation efforts which visitors can learn more about and explore, such as the koala conservation effort, mapping their health and aiming to bring more numbers to the area, and the effort to bring more fish back to the Noosa River and the surrounding lakes. There is a bush tucker garden in progress at the nearby Sunshine Beach State School too.
If you want to get out and enjoy a spot of exercise, the Noosa Trail is a great place to grab your bike and head off on. If you prefer to do your exploring on foot you can head to Mt Tinbeerwah and Mt Cooroy, for stunning views over the region, and some great exercise at the same time! Check out the sand dunes along the coastline, encompassing the Cooloola Sand Mass. The wind has blown sand to accumulate to huge heights, and this is a real favourite with visitors to check out.
Protecting the Noosa Wetlands
The Noosa Biosphere is doing a lot of conservation work to ensure that these at-risk species continue to stay with us for a good few years yet and also aim to educate visitors on the dangers of climate change.
The biosphere includes the Noosa River and Lake Weyba. There are countless at-risk species in these areas, including the swamp orchid, club mangrove, swamp she-oak, paperbark tea tree, the ground parrot, the southern emu-wren, the black-necked stork, and the wallum sedge frog, to name just a few. One wrong move and we could be without one of these species for the rest of time.
An Educational Place to Visit
It is impossible to explore Noosa Biosphere and not have your jaw dropped at the sheer natural beauty. It is also impossible to not be concerned about the future of our world when you see the effort that needs to go into place, in order to save our world from destruction.
Noosa Biosphere is a double whammy – it will show you beauty like you’ve probably never seen before, pure natural beauty, and it will also educate you too. This is an ideal place to take the kids because they will have it instilled in them from a very young age about the dangers of reckless behaviour when it comes to the environment.
