A Wildflower Festival event in the spring sunshine, led by Shaun Walsh, provided a great morning for some eager wildflower walkers.
It had rained in the previous days and this led to a muddy start, with the track becoming more sandy and dry as we climbed and left the paperbarks and banksias behind.
The Marcus High Dunes is a sensitive ecosystem with a high diversity of flora and fauna of conservation significance. It is home to a variety of plant species including some unique wildflowers. (See some of these in the photos below.)
We were gifted with some avid botanists on the walk who shared their knowledge by identifying and naming the delicate specimens around us. The Flying Duck Orchid (Caleana major) was a standout, some of us seeing it for the first time. This plant is a remarkable flower resembling a duck in flight and is an attractant to insects. I read that in 1986 this orchid was featured on an Australian postage stamp.
At the top of the Dunes there were panoramic views of the coastline and behind us views of Lake Weyba. We learned about the history of the area and how this National Park was saved from development.
Shaun read us a Report from a Council staffer at the time. Controversy arose between TM Burke who was leasing the land and Noosa Council regarding the leased areas. The Council was keen to maintain an area known as the Marcus High Dunes as undeveloped and was prepared to fight for it under the planning scheme.
The report went on to explain the sequence of events which culminated in the Queensland Premier, Wayne Goss dramatically flying in via helicopter to the top of the Dunes. Here he approved the development control plan which resulted in the area being saved from development. The 60Ha of this site was fundamental to the retention of this regional ecosystem which only has 200Ha remaining.
In 2001, the dunes were gazetted for permanent protection, becoming part of the Noosa National Park’s southern coastal strip. This act was part of a larger vision to create a continuous belt of protected natural coastal communities from Noosa Heads to Coolum.
If you would like to read more about the battle to save the Marcus High Dunes from development check out this link: Battle to Save Marcus High Dunes SCWF 26 Aug 2025
For Sunshine Coast wildflower information and online brochures: click here
Kay Southam
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- Photo by Joan Heavey