If this year has left you dreaming about escaping the hustle of everyday life to embrace a simpler existence - even just for a moment - you're not alone.
Secluded camp spots, wilderness glamping retreats and scenic road trips beckon, and the Sunshine Coast is the perfect place to take a step back and soak it all in.
Here are a few suggestions:
It's camping, but not as you know it
Kookaburra Park, in Cambroon on the banks of the Mary River - where platypus are known to swim at dawn - is home to a menagerie of adopted and rescued animals, including a deer sanctuary, pigs, chickens and guinea pigs. Guests are invited to meet and feed the animals.
Camping, glamping and cabin-style accommodation are available.
The park is just outside of Kenilworth, home to the Kenilworth Bakery and Kenilworth Dairies, making it the perfect escape.
Wilderness glamping, with all the creature comforts...
If waking up to the sound of waves gently lapping the shoreline is your idea of paradise, Rainbow Beach Ultimate Camping is for you.
The site offers offer fully equipped and completely private beach campsites overlooking Fraser Island from Inskip Point. All you have to do is bring your clothes, with everything you need from your tent to cooking facilities and even a toilet and shower set up for your private use.
Located 10 minutes from Rainbow Beach township, it is a great base to explore the coloured sands of Great Beach Drive or journey north on a day trip to Fraser Island.
If you're looking to reconnect with nature but are not quite ready to give up life's little luxuries, why not escape with a glamping retreat"?
With a plush king-sized bed, claw foot bath and private balcony for barbecuing, Ingenia Holidays Rivershore - on the banks of the Maroochy River - offers glamping options that could easily be mistaken for luxury cabins.
Further north, Habitat Noosa Everglades Ecocamp on the banks of Lake Cootharaba has everything you want in a nature-based experience - without skimping on the finer things in life.
Here you can spend the days exploring the world-renowned Noosa Everglades - whether by kayak with Kanu Kapers or by boat with Everglades Eco Safaris - before retiring for dinner and a beer at their onsite micro-brewery - CootharaBAR.
Its Paperbark Tents offer a true glamping experience, just make sure to sit outside of an evening to watch the kangaroos hop down for a nibble in the grass!
A breath of fresh air, very truly
Next time you're in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, get off the beaten track in Conondale National Park. Here, accessible by 4WD, is the blissfully remote Booloumba Creek, whose turquoise waters are perfect for cooling off on those warm sunny days and whose banks are perfect for camping. Venture deeper in the park and you'll find the Strangler Cairn; a granite structure created by artist Andy Goldsworthy.
The Sunshine Coast is home to some of Australia's best coastal walks and mountain climbs. The Glass House Mountains are must-visit, but lesser known is Mount Ninderry. Located just outside of Yandina, it offers spectacular views over Mount Coolum and the Maroochy River to the east and the Blackall Range to the west - you are even permitted to bring the dog!
For other hidden gems, check out the Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary, which is home to more than 200 different species of birds, crabs and butterflies, Robinson Falls in Nambour or Baxter Falls in Flaxton.
Hit the road, and come back transformed
One of the best road journeys in Queensland, Blackall Range Tourist Drive takes you through the Sunshine Coast Hinterland villages of Maleny, Montville and Mapleton, offering views of the ancient volcanic peaks of the Glass House Mountains on one side and the sparkling coastline on the other.
long the way, make sure to stop in at Maleny Botanic Gardens and Bird World, stock up on cheese at Maleny Food Co and meet local artisans in the galleries at Montville.
If you have the right kind of vehicle, nor should you can't go past the Great Beach Drive. The journey is one of the longest beach drives in the world and takes you along the sand from Noosa North Shore through the Great Sandy Biosphere to the coloured sands of Rainbow Beach.
To one side you have the sparkling Pacific Ocean, where you can spot dolphins, turtles, and humpback whales during migration season, with natural Australian bushland to the other.
A great way to experience the Great Beach Drive is on a guided tour with Epic Ocean Adventures or Great Beach Drive 4WD Tours.
If you go solo, make sure you get a permit in advance either online from npsr.qld.gov.au or check in with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service at the Great Sandy Information Centre (240 Moorindil Street, Tewantin).
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