Between June and early August 1770, Joseph Banks sailed up the east coast of what was to become known as Australia on the Endeavor, captained by the arguably more famous, Lieutenant James Cook. The Endeavour no doubt anchored off the usually sheltered Laguna Bay only a few kilometers from here to take on fresh water and to explore the local river and forest.

At the time he left the UK, excited about the discoveries that lay ahead, Banks was only 28 years old yet was one of the richest men in England. In some respects he was actually the star of Cook’s show but in many circles he is little known. He is a bit of a hero to us, with our scientific training and love of the natural world.

During his visit to these shores he not only collected and gave scientific names to plants, but also many reptiles, birds, fish, insects and molluscs. He took a close interest in first nations customs and traditions when he had the chance to interact with them. (Which wasn’t very often, for the most part the locals wanted nothing to do with these strange pale visitors).

Like Banks, we love the natural world and it was one of the things that drew us to Noosa Heads when we became ‘stranded’ here during the Covid Pandemic in 2021. Not quite like being left on a deserted island in 1770 but when our three weeks turned into seven months our ‘stranding’ gave us time to slow down and explore.

We fell in love.

Daily walks through the Noosa National Park, the coolness of the forest away from an often brutal sun, identifying which bird is screeching through the sky above, the squadrons of Fruit Bats that fly off every night from their roosts in our local park, spotting migrating whales on our walks between July and October, observing the dolphins that call Laguna Bay home year round, keeping an eye out for Echidnas and, yes, snakes.

For those who prefer less ‘nature’ and more ‘nurture’, there is of course endless shopping, spas, fine and casual dining along Hastings Street and Sunshine Beach Road, literally within minutes of our front door.

Our home is part of The Banksia Terraces, in Banksia Avenue and in our garden grows the Banksia tree. All named after you know who…

A home we’d like to think Joseph Banks might have enjoyed staying in if he had been able to take time out from his busy ‘day job’. We’d have been honoured to have welcomed him as a man as curious about this new land as we have become as New Zealanders in Queensland.

We are sure you will love it as much as we do.

So here’s to the spirit of exploration and new experiences.