Unlike the rather frenetic sensory rush of the Gold Coast, Queensland’s Sunshine Coast offers a striking spoil of sights beats to a more relaxed pace. Under a cavernous blue sky at day-break, I bounded out of bed like a frisky roo to commune with some of the Sunshine Coast’s rock stars – the eleven thrusting vertical rocky columns of the Glasshouse Mountains. These magnificent volcanic outcrops crown the landscape like towering sentinels, looming large on the skyline from the southern entrance to the Sunshine Coast. The highest is Mount Beerwah at 556 metres above sea level, but the most identifiable is Mount Tibrogargan which from certain angles bears a resemblance to a face staring east towards the ocean.

Their bewitching shapes have a transfixing quality and steeped in sacred ancient history for the Jinibara people. They clearly captivated the imagination of one passing James Cook, who was struck by “the singular form of their elevation”, which he found reminiscent of the glassmaking kilns of his native Yorkshire, and named them as such. For the Jinibara people, these craggy rocky peaks belong to a family of mountain spirits.

To commune up-close with these wondrous formations, head down Steven Irwin Way and follow the signs to the Glasshouse Mountains National Park, where are variety of short walking trails amplify their strutting grandeur. I knocked off the Mount Ngungun hike, a 60 minute return trail on a well graded track, with a few short, steep sections. After traversing open forest, the summit unfurls a sweeping and intimate view of some of Ngungun’s siblings, including Mt Tibrogargan, Mt Connowrin and Mt Beerwah. Communing with these rocky incisors in the morning calm is a spell-binding way to kickstart your day.

Nearby, the legacy of Steve Irwin palpably lives on at Australia Zoo, where his wife Terri and children, Bindi and Robert, live and work. Bindi has been joined by her husband Chandler and their two-year old gorgeous daughter, Grace. I had the pleasure of interviewing Steve and Terri several times before tragedy struck 16 years ago. His larger-than-life TV persona was not just a case of playing for the cameras. In person, that exuberant charm and passion was just as electric and infectious.

From humble beginnings in the 1990s, the Irwin family have worked hard to make Australia Zoo a world class conservation facility, in addition to its magnetic appeal as a tourist attraction. Set across 700 acres of tropical parkland, over 1200 native and exotic animals call Australia Zoo home. And you’ll struggle to do justice to its mind-blowing magnificence in just one day. It’s the intimacy of the animal encounters which makes Australia Zoo such an exhilarating and novel wildlife experience.

Like all good Aussie wildlife parks, you can hand-feed kangaroos and cuddle a koala. Then there’s the up-close experiences with red pandas, otters, wombats, giraffes and spiky echidnas. The Australia Zoo roving wildlife team also provides impromptu opportunities to pose for a photo, with a veritable menagerie of wildlife, including dingoes, blue tongue lizards, skinks, pythons, alligators, macaws and cockatoos. You can be a zoo keeper for a day and go behind-the-scenes to get up close with the animals, with a slate of intimate encounters with the likes of red pandas, Komodo dragons and patting a white rhino. Australia Zoo’s Tiger Temple is a class act, dedicated to conserving the majestic Sumatran tigers. There’s less than 4000 tigers left in the wild, so eye-balling these big cats and their cubs up close is pretty special.

An underwater viewing enclosure enables you to watch them having a swim. Book a hands-on encounter and you’ll be contributing to the zoo’s various projects geared at protecting wildlife, from the jungles of Sumatra to the savannahs of Africa. I love the wide open plains of the African Savannah, which was inspired by Steve’s dream to develop a safari park where the animals mix, mingle and roam free. And that’s exactly what you can see, with rhinos, giraffes and zebras grazing together. Marvelling over the Sumatran elephants at Elephantasia is a big crowd-pleaser. Another headliner is Bindi’s Island, built around her three-storey treehouse, where the ring-tailed lemurs are the big show-stealer.

Steve had just started the excavation work for Bindi’s dream treehouse, when he passed away. This interactive island is also where I marvelled over those gorgeous Aldabra tortoises – the world’s largest, weighing in at 300kg. But the iconic, showpiece attraction is Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors, which roars into life at 1.15pm each day in the Crocoseum. It begins with the free-flight birds of prey that wheel and swoop around the arena before the jaw-snapping drama of the ginormous saltwater crocodiles compellingly commands proceedings. It’s instructive, enlightening and utterly enthralling.

On my recent return to Australia Zoo, I also took a behind-the-scenes tour through the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. This remarkable care and rehabilitation centre typically treats around 10,000patients a year, with over 110,000 patients being admitted since the hospital first opened in 2004. The standard of treatment and care is extraordinary, with fully-equipped operating theatres and intensive care units, plus extensive rehabilitation facilities. On my tour, a gorgeous green sea turtle, about 60 years old and weighing 150kg, had been placed in an adult hoist after undergoing surgery.

The gentle giant had been rushed to the hospital after having been found seriously injured, following what appeared to me a collision with a vessel. Sadly, one of her flippers had to be amputated and she was also suffering from soft-shell syndrome which is an emerging concern that the hospital in detecting in green turtles. You’ll see numerous koalas at the hospital, most of who are admitted suffering from chlamydia, or from being hit by a car or attacked by domestic pets. The recently opened Perry MacFarlane Intensive Care Ward has taken the significantly enhanced the standard of care for not just rehabilitating koalas, but also platypuses and echidnas. Touring this hospital and chatting to the devoted staff is quite the revelation.

Push the boat out and accentuate your entire experience by luxuriating overnight at The Crocodile Hunter Lodge, a long-held dream project that Steve Irwin harboured. Still exuding that “new lodge smell” after opening last June, it’s less than a five-minute drive from Australia Zoo, whether you wish to self-drive or take advantage of the free shuttle. Guests enjoy unlimited entry to the zoo.

Dotted around the bushland, eight family-friendly cabins offer a super comfortable accommodation experience, wrapped in nature’s elements. Robert Irwin is a highly talented photographer and his works feature prominently. I awoke to the most ebullient cacophony of Australian birdlife serenading the new day. Bindi was behind the name of the lodge's on-site dining area, The Warrior Restaurant and Bar, paying homage to her father.

After enjoying complimentary breakfast, I retired to the lodge’s prize draw, The Billabong. This 25 metre infinity pool is the idyllic spot to gaze across the surrounding wildlife, from red kangaroos and emus to dozing koalas in the gum trees, that were rescued from the bushfires in recent years. Robert added a great touch to the pool – photographs he took of two crocodiles have been printed onto the pool tiles. Throughout the lodge, there are special nods to Steve and his living legacy. From framed family photographs on the wall to recycled timber used in the structure that Steve originally used to hand-build viewing stands at the zoo, this new luxury overnight experience is another beautiful way the family is honouring the Crocodile Hunter. https://thecrocodilehunterlodge.com.au/

Fly to Queensland with Qantas, who operate an extensive network of Tasman services from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. Enjoy an all-inclusive in-flight service with excellent entertainment offerings and tasty meal boxes in Economy, with complimentary alcoholic beverages. In Business, enjoy a generous meal with a great choice of mains, warmed bakery, something sweet to finish and a discerning selection of wines from across Australasia along with a range of spirits and non-alcoholic options. Qantas also provides a generous 30kg checked baggage allowance when flying Economy, or 46kg in Business. Don’t forget, from June, Qantas launches direct flights to New York from Auckland. Book direct at www.qantas.com

Grab your golden fill of sunshine moments during an irresistible winter-busting holiday on the Sunshine Coast. World-beating beaches, lush hinterland villages, ancient peaks, wild encounters and succulent seafood are all part of the package. www.visitsunshinecoast.com

Mike Yardley is our resident traveller on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.