Buderim

Perched high on the red, fertile soil of Buderim Mountain above the Sunshine Coast, Buderim might be small, but no town or city in the state can match it for vibrant colour. The colour flows from the bougainvillea, poinciana, frangipani and hibiscus, which adorn just about every garden in town.

Although the area's prosperity has been built on timber, sugar, citrus, coffee and bananas, the name of modern Buderim is synonymous with ginger, which is marketed directly in every conceivable form. You can taste the fruits of the good earth at the markets or many of the local culinery establishments.

The link to the timber industry is preserved in the faithfully restored cottage built from hewn cedar and beech by pioneer John Kerle Bennett in 1876. The hinterland in which Buderim is set is sprinkled with a number of parks and reserves, which give the visitor a glimpse of the original vegetation in the area. The parkland within the area includes Mooloolah River National Park, where the wallum heathland bursts into a riot of colour in spring, Buderim Forest Park, with its signature waterfalls and boardwalk, and the beautiful Foote Sanctuary.