The name Maroochydore derives from an Aboriginal word, 'murukutchidha', which means place of the black swan. The name was actually not given to the town an area Maroochy by local Aborigines, rather it was provided by Andrew Petrie, when he travelled up the coast in 1842. He was at the time accompanied by two Aborigines, who obviously taught him something of their sayings.


Arts and Crafts

There are many galleries in the town of Maroochydore. These include the Blue Marble Gallery, the De Vere Gallery and Kemp's Gallery Sand Paintings. They al feature works by local artists and crafts people.

Historical Attractions

Bill Godchild's 'Endeavour Replica' is something that you cannot miss if you are visiting Maroochydore. It is two-thirds the size of Captain Cook's original ship, and was built carefully and painstakingly by Bill Goodchild himself. Guided tours are provided, and there is much information on board. Although, due to space constraints, it is not possible to squeeze everything that Captain Cook would have had on board, there is much that captures the spirit of his explorations, including selected extracts from Cook's own journals.

Other Attractions

There is a wide choice of day trips possible from Maroochydore. The Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary is set in 108 hectares of river wetlands. It is near Bli Bli, and is principally concerned with preserving the ecological viability of the river system, and informing visitors of the history behind the Maroochy River. Apart from the wonderful array of vegetation you will encounter from your boardwalk stroll, you will no doubt come across some of the 150 species of birds which are to be found in the sanctuary. The historic canecutter's barracks at the entrance to the sanctuary, is home to a collection of interesting historical artefacts, which detail the role of the Aborigines and the early white pioneers who came into the area.

There are numerous National Parks within close vicinity of Maroochydore. These include H.E. Corbould Environmental Park, which is not terribly far out of the town to the west. It is located on Eudlo Creek, and has a varied and beautiful selection of trees, from palm forest to river mangroves. Mooloolah River National Park is south of Maroochydore, with wide expanses of heathland, which come alive with fantastic colours in the spring, when the wildflowers are all of abloom.

Both the Kondalilla National Park and the Mapleton Falls National Park are to the west of Maroochydore. The area was traditionally a meeting point for Aborigines, who would gather here to celebrate the Aboriginal Bnya Festival. Kondalilla Falls became a protected area as early as 1906, and some forty years later, it acquired National Par status. In the late 1980s it was joined with Obi Obi National Park. The word Kondalilla actually is from an Aboriginal word meaning rushing of the waters, which quite accurately captures the whoosh of the water, as it cascades over the edge of the Skene Creek, plunging 90 metres.

Mapleton Falls became a National Park in 1973, having already served 38 years as a recreational area. It is where you will witness the breathtaking waters of the Pencil Creek fall 120 metres into the Mary River. Both parks are home to all kinds of interesting fauna. There are at least 107 species of birds, including Australian peregrine falcons, wompoo fruit-doves and red goshawks. An amazing 70 reptile species reside in the parks, and at least 32 species of frog are known to live here too.

The Baroon Pocket Dam is fed by the Obi Obi Creek and is situated by a gorge known as the Narrows. The Dam can hold 61,000 megalitres of water, and does so some 220 metres above sea level. Boating on the Dam is restricted to wind and manual powered crafts, and there are marked out swimming areas, indicated by buoys. The Dam has been stocked with Golden Perch, Bass and numerous other fish, which will please anyone who is interested in trying their luck at a spot of fishing. There are two picnic areas with playground facilities for younger visitors to the Dam, and there are walking tracks for those interested in getting closer to the Gorge.

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