The original peoples of the area called it Gulum after the ‘blunt’ or ‘headless’ peak of the nearby Coolum mountain.

The first Europeans here were shipwrecked in 1823, and if you are going to run your boat aground, there are certainly worse places to do it than here.

We turned Ripley off the road and into the beachside Coolum Holiday Park intending to stay a night. We had more washing to do and some food items to resupply.
But the weather was so sleepy-sunny and the town was so inviting that we ended up staying for 4 nights.

There is a really nice cliff walk off the south end of the town, with many well planned lookouts and grassy picnic/rest spots. Coolum beach (dog friendly) is a long curve of natural beauty with patrolled beach areas and a surf that looks to my non-surfer eye to be ideal for beginners and paddle boarders.

For coffee in Coolum we can now recommend the Compound Surf & Espresso and the New Earth Cafe.

Yesterday we also went for a ride up the local bike path to the small costal town of Peregian. A beautiful little shady park there also.
Juno seemed to enjoy his bespoke chauffeur box on the back. All tongue hanging out and ears flapping in the wind and barking at a bazillion barkable things.

On the topic of Juno…yesterday afternoon after a long walk, we were almost back at camp when Juno lunged off to one side of the path with the explosive recoil of a snapped bungee cord. WTF?!?

Someone must have dropped a chocolate into the grass. When Juno looked up from it his forbidden find his moustache was completely covered in dripping melted goo.

Trying to wipe it all off with a tissue only succeeded in getting it all over his face and his legs…and us. One melted chocolate can go a long way.
We figured he hadn’t had time to actually ingest much, and he seemed to remain his usual rascally self, so we took him back to Ripley and gave him a good wash.

0300 hrs, I was woken by Juno making gagging noises. I turned on the light just in time to witness him vomit up a totally intact large Lindt chocolate wrapper, sniff at it with some half-awake annoyance and then roll over and go back to sleep.

Anyone want to swap a slightly used, slightly chocolaty dog for a goldfish?