Clarke Gayford: Flat out like . . .

The Sunshine Coast. Photo / Wild Film

Winter is forgotten on a Sunshine Coast search for the elusive flathead.

"One thing you can never do is choke a pelican."

And there began my afternoon of advice and information from retired ranger Michael on board a Bills-Boat-Hire pontoon craft. All while on the unique pumice-lined estuary of a place that is proven impossible to pronounce without letting one's vocal assemblies slough into an Aussie aural interpretation. "Cooolllooouunndrraaa" — or "Caloundra" as the road sign flies.

The Sunshine Coast is a beautiful stretch of Australia. More relaxed, more real and more truly Australian than its gaudy Gold Coast cousin up the road could hope to be. Situated above Brisbane but below Fraser Island, it's littered with place names we all had fun with as kids; Mooloolaba-Maroochydore-Noosa-Eumundi-Boonooroo. It's also a place winter seems to have forgotten about.

I was there in August, in shorts, in sunscreen, in 25C. Stunning warm clear-sky days, mixed with the type of temperatures at night that let sleep arrive easily. Perfect really.

But I wasn't here to wander my white legs about while tempering my geographical jealousy. No, I was here to be active. I was actually here to chase a stubborn little fish called a Dusky Flathead. But floating about, fishing with Michael and his hot pelican takes, the quarry was proving to be lying low, flat even.

As luck would have it, I did however spy a couple of fantastic specimens later in the trip while underwater on one of Australia's best dive attractions — the HMAS Brisbane.

Purpose-sunk in 2005, the ship is a Perth-class guided missile destroyer. An imposing sight, 133m long, lying upright, bow proud in 28m of water. Millions was spent stripping it of toxic materials and cutting holes for easy diver accessibility. It's a stunning dive, with marine growth and the ship's structure providing an island oasis in a large sandy dessert off the Mooloolaba coast. It was along the side of its hull that I spotted the flathead fish I was seeking, lying low, on the flats. The whole area is a marine reserve, which they seemed to revel in, along with local stingrays, pufferfish and coral trout. Good on them.

Our dive came with a free soundtrack courtesy of humpbacks belting out the new season whale song as they passed in the distance.

Did I mention it was warm? Here we were in the middle of "winter" and the water was still sitting pretty at 21C. That's peak summer water temperatures in New Zealand. Luxury.

Further up the map we entered the hipster end of the Sunshine Coast, Noosa. Winter Noosa is easily a thousand times better than summer Noosa, mainly because you've got so much more of it to yourselves. Hidden among the smattering of eateries is a real highlight, hailed as one the best Japanese restaurants in Australia: Wasabi. Chef and co-owner Zeb Gilbert also runs the nearby Noosa cooking school.

These guys walk the talk when it comes to sourcing local produce. They use locally caught fish, they forage herbs from the bush, and they have even purchased a nearby farm to grow exactly what they need for their dishes. Zeb's passion for Japan is not only evident in the food, but in the decor, in the cutlery and in the service. Although it's not a cheap dining experience, if you are after a complete taste of Japan meets the Sunshine Coast's ample bounty, I can't recommend this highly enough. Bookings essential.

● Clarke Gayford hosts Fish of the Day, Wednesdays, 8pm on Prime.

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