South African Who Says His Favourite Part About Noosa Is ‘The People’ Not Even Trying To Be Subtle

SANDY FRASER | Youth | CONTACT

A Noosa-based South African man may have unintentionally tipped his own hand during a conversation with The Advocate this morning. 

The South East Queensland surf town has long been a hotspot for South African migrants, who now make up almost 2% of the area's population.

Johannes van Wyk, who moved from South Africa’s administrative capital Pretoria ten years ago, says Noosa was the clear cut choice. 

“Yah, as soon as I arrived I just knew, this is the place for me. It felt just like home, but like, 30 years ago. But without the violence and stuff, yah?” he said.

“It was just the people, man. Like taking a walk down Hastings street, it was just good vibes from everyone around me, I felt safe man.”

Though Noosa is often jokingly referred to as ‘one big retirement village’, the place is also undeniably and somewhat suspiciously white. 

“It was pretty much between Noosa and Byron. And some buddies told me to check out the Mornington Peninsula, which also ticked all the right boxes, or just one box actually. But yah, ten years later, it’s still the people at Noosa that really do it for me,” Johannes continued. 

“In fact, in the last ten years, the people have only gotten better. Everyone complains about all the blow-ins from Melbourne after Covid, but you know what, I’ve read stuff on News24 about what goes on in that city, so I get why they want to come up here and be surrounded by the right sort of people.”

When pressed on what he meant by ‘right sort’, Johannes refused to comment further, but suggested our reporter just “look around”.

More to come.