A boat trip from Noosa Marina at Tewantin to Makepeace Island gave time to reflect on the history of the Noosa River – before the timber-getters, before the early settlers, before the fisherman’s huts.
The stately trees amid the wallum and the mangroves stand out like sentinels … relics of a time when sawmills and shellfish middens shared places along the riverbanks.
The occasion was part of the sixth annual Sunshine Coast Open House, a festival that celebrates the fusion of architecture, design, heritage, landscape and art across the Sunshine Coast and Noosa.
Makepeace Island was the setting for a tour of the island and a lunch by award-winning executive chef Zeb Gilbert.
The theme for the event was Connection, Conversation and Community.
Hosted by Ron and Lynn Scott of Moon Mountain Sanctuary at Eumundi, the day included a special behind-the-scenes talk and tour of this boutique, private hideaway, island resort co-owned by Sir Richard Branson.
The 25-acre island was initially home and studio to renowned artist, Spencer.
It changed hands in 2008, with building of the resort and renovation of the home and studio starting in 2011, with guests arriving from 2016.
The lunch showcased local organic produce and paired with carefully selected wines from the private collection of Moon Mountain Sanctuary.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli spoke about the importance of Connection, Conversation and Community, and why this is essential for the future of the Sunshine Coast.
That is an integral part of making the region so liveable, Cr Natoli said, encourage everyone to maintain this place we live in.
We get to enjoy it, so it is incumbent upon each and everyone of us to ensure that so do those who follow.
What happens needs to be relevant, and to be designed for our climate and environment.
PEOPLE, PLACES AND SPACES
Architect and restaurant owner Jess Coolican put the importance of a sense of place into perspective, reminding how every customer at the Peregian Beach restaurant is important.
One customer remarked “You treat me like I’ve spent $1million and I can’t tell you how special it makes me feel.’’
That story reminded Jess in a very small way of the importance of creating space for connection.
“The spaces we inhabit and the rituals we practice not only shape our personal identities but also weave into the intricate fabric of our broader communities.
“Throughout my career in design, development and procurement, I have had the pleasure of exploring the importance of space in its many forms.
“The environments we inhabit are more than just backdrops to our lives. They shape our experiences, evoke emotions and influence our senses of belonging.
“A place can hold memories, stories and sense of identity.
“When we feel connected to a place, we engage with our surroundings which in turn nurtures our sense of belonging and identity.’’
In the past year, Jess has had the pleasure of creating Bask restaurant with her husband and chef Jack Madden.
They are a paddock-to-plate restaurant with a heartfelt focus on the importance of breaking bread together.
“Bask has always been an extension of our kitchen table. It’s the space around which we have gathered hundreds of times with family, with friends and sometimes with a stranger or two, to share experiences and connect over a love of food.
“Gathering around the dinner table is one of the most significant rituals we maintain in our daily lives.
“When we share a meal with loved ones, the dining table becomes a site for connection and storytelling.
“When you sit at a table and enjoy a meal, consider for a moment the many hands who’s hard work has resulted in the completed dish – the farmer, the farmhand, kids running around the back paddock, the truck drivers, the suppliers, the chefs, the waitress who carefully places in front of you.
“Imbedded within the simple dish sitting on top of your table are the livelihoods and stories of so many.’’
Restaurants, in this sense, are a true expression of community.
They are a container – for the experience of the guest, and for the passion and dedication of many others along the way.
“It is such a joy to share this experience with our guests and to provide a platform around which moments of genuine and unvetted connection can occur.
“Rituals such a sharing a meal together provides structure and rhythm, anchoring us in time and place – fostering a stronger connection to self.
“They help us to celebrate milestones, cope with challenges and nurture our relationships.
“When we cultivate a strong connection to place and ritual, the ripple effect on our broader communities can be significant.
“Each person’s sense of self and place contributes to a collective identity: that our community.’’
Consider Peregian Square, our local village courtyard where Bask is based.
It’s more than just a physical space – it embodies the spirit and character of the community.
“On Saturday mornings you will find a group of older men playing chess games on folding chairs and tables, while children play nearby and couples walk their dogs. Coffee lines from local cafes spill on into the garden beds, creating a vibrant tapestry of life.
“This is a place where connections are made, stories are shared and memories are forged.
“I recalled my childhood spent running around that square – barefoot and carefree – while mum chatted with friends or we waited for dad to get us an ice cream after nippers.
“To now watch our own kids have those same interactions brings such a deeper layer of connection and meaning to the space for me.
“It is often the smaller interactions and connections which occur within a space, that holds the most gravity.
“At the end of the day, if we can connect people with spaces which nature sense of self while fostering connection it can be an incredibly powerful platform for good in our lives and in our community.
“As we gather here today in this magnificent setting on Gubbi Gubbi country, I’d like to acknowledge the community that acutely understood the importance of connection between place, sense of self and community many thousands of years before we laid foot here.
“As we sit here today we can learn and take a lot from this ancient wisdom still.’’
WHAT MAKES A HOME
Sunshine Coast Open House is a free community event that opens a selection of private homes and civic buildings to the public on Saturday and Sunday, 19- 20 October.
It is part of Open House Worldwide, founded in London in 1992 and now run in more than 55 cities.
This year’s program includes events and back-of-house tours, including walks, talks, forums, art classes, and the rare opportunity to visit more than 30 buildings and gardens that are not generally open to the public.
Included in the activities in Noosa are a walking tour of Cooroy/Mill Place and a heritage walk in Tewantin hosted by community members, as well as two seminar events in Noosaville library.
These events allow an appreciation of where we live, reinforce our sense of place and provide a showcase to visitors our architectural successes.
This year’s program includes a focus on showcasing the heritage hotels of the hinterland towns.
Included this year is a community forum that ponders the question “What is Home?” to be held at the Coolum Civic Centre at 6pm on Friday, 18 October.
Eight passionate speakers, including Lynn Scott from Moon Mountain Sanctuary, will reflect on what ‘Home’ means to them.
Home is a fluid and complex concept. For some it’s a quiet apartment filled with books, for others it’s a bustling multi-generational household, for some Home is a landscape, and yet some people have no Home.
Home is many things – where culture, memory, architecture, country, values and daily life intertwine.
Further details on the 2024 Open House Sunshine Coast program: sunshinecoastopenhouse.com.au/
