Queensland · Australia

Sunshine Coast and Noosa

Coast north of Brisbane with the beaches and Noosa National Park, the Mooloolaba foreshore, the Australia Zoo in Beerwah and the volcanic peaks of the Glass House Mountains.

Queensland (Gold Coast and Cairns)

In the photo: Alexandria Bay, Noosa National Park

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

The Sunshine Coast is the stretch of Queensland’s coast that starts about 100 km north of Brisbane and runs up to Noosa. It has light-sand beaches, rivers, lakes and, inland, forested hills and the peaks of the Glass House Mountains. It is the land of the Kabi Kabi (also written Gubbi Gubbi) and the Jinibara.

Noosa, at the northern end, combines the main beach—sheltered from the wind—with Noosa National Park, where coastal trails pass by coves and viewpoints and where koalas live. North of the Noosa River the lakes and channels of the Noosa Everglades begin, inside Great Sandy National Park.

In the middle of the coast, Maroochydore and Mooloolaba have the busiest waterfronts, with lifeguarded beaches, cafés, an aquarium and the harbour where fishing and sightseeing boats depart.

In the interior, at Beerwah, is the Australia Zoo, the zoo founded in 1970 by the Irwin family. Around it, the Glass House Mountains—peaks of volcanic rock that navigator James Cook sighted from the sea in 1770—have trails and viewpoints.

This destination brings together 3 cities: Noosa Heads, Maroochydore, Beerwah.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Sunshine Coast and Noosa is

Boundaries: Australian Bureau of Statistics / geoBoundaries (CC BY 4.0). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Sunshine Coast and Noosa

✈ Aeroporto da Sunshine Coast (MCY), in Marcoola · 30 km to Noosa Heads

✈ Aeroporto de Brisbane (BNE), in Brisbane · 150 km to Noosa Heads

Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY), in Marcoola, has flights from Sydney, Melbourne and other capitals. Brisbane Airport is about 1.5 hours by road from Maroochydore and about 2 hours from Noosa, with shuttle buses. By train the Brisbane line reaches Beerwah and Nambour.

Suggested arrival point: Noosa Heads

Queensland · Sunshine Coast and Noosa Suggested arrival point

Noosa Heads

Town at the far north of the Sunshine Coast, between the Noosa River and the headland of Noosa National Park. Hastings Street, with restaurants and shops, runs behind the main beach, which faces north and is sheltered from the wind. Coastal trails in the park pass by coves, lookouts and woodlands where koalas live. Boats and kayaks leave from the river to the lakes and channels of the Noosa Everglades.

Queensland · Sunshine Coast and Noosa

Maroochydore

Main urban center of the Sunshine Coast at the mouth of the Maroochy River, Maroochydore sits beside Mooloolaba, about 5 km away. Mooloolaba’s waterfront has a patrolled beach, a seaside promenade, cafés and the SEA LIFE aquarium next to the harbor. To the north, Mount Coolum offers a short climb with coastal views. The region’s airport is a few kilometers away, in Marcoola.

Queensland · Sunshine Coast and Noosa

Beerwah

Town inland on the Sunshine Coast at the foot of the Glass House Mountains, about 1 hour from Brisbane by train or road. It is home to the Australia Zoo, founded in 1970 by the Irwin family and known for crocodile shows. Around it the volcanic rock peaks of the Glass House Mountains have viewpoints and trails, such as the Ngungun summit walk.

The local experience

Things to do in Sunshine Coast and Noosa

Beerwah · Queensland · Theme park

Australia Zoo

Zoo founded in 1970 by the Irwin family in Beerwah, with Australian animals, an African savanna, tigers, shows in the 5,000-seat Crocoseum and a wildlife hospital.

Noosa Heads · Queensland · National park

Noosa National Park

Park on the Noosa Heads headland, created in 1939, with coastal trails passing coves and lookouts like Hell's Gates, forests where koalas live and beaches such as Alexandria Bay.

Maroochydore · Queensland · Beach

Mooloolaba Beach

A patrolled pale-sand beach between Alexandra Headland and Point Cartwright, facing Mooloolaba Esplanade, with cafés, restaurants and the harbour nearby.

Beerwah · Queensland · National park

Glass House Mountains

Thirteen volcanic rock peaks around Beerwah, the highest at 556 meters, sacred to the Jinibara and Kabi Kabi, with a lookout and trails such as Mount Ngungun.

See 4 more places in Sunshine Coast and Noosa

Noosa Heads · Queensland · Beach

Noosa Main Beach and Hastings Street

Noosa Heads Beach faces north and is sheltered from the wind, with a lifeguarded area, beside Hastings Street, the town’s street of restaurants, cafés and shops.

Maroochydore · Queensland · Aquarium

SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast

Aquarium beside Mooloolaba Harbour, with an 80-meter underwater tunnel, sharks, rays, seals and marine animal presentations.

Maroochydore · Queensland · National park

Mount Coolum

Isolated volcanic-rock hill by the coast north of Maroochydore, with a short steep trail to the summit and views over the Sunshine Coast beaches.

Noosa Heads · Queensland · National park

Noosa Everglades

Lakes and channels of the upper Noosa River, in Great Sandy National Park, with dark, mirror-like water, mangroves and forest, visited by boat or kayak.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

All year round, with a subtropical climate. From September to November and from March to May days are usually mild and drier. Summer, from December to February, is hot and humid and the busiest time at the beaches. From June to October humpback whales commonly pass offshore.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Three or four days: one for Noosa and the national park, one for Mooloolaba and Maroochydore and one for the Australia Zoo and the Glass House Mountains. With an extra day, a boat or kayak trip in the Noosa Everglades.

Which city to stay in

Noosa Heads, near Hastings Street and the main beach, concentrates accommodations and restaurants; Noosaville, on the riverbank, is quieter. In Mooloolaba and Maroochydore there are beachfront apartments and hotels. Beerwah and the Glass House Mountains area have rural guesthouses and campgrounds.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Sunshine Coast and Noosa

How many days to stay on the Sunshine Coast?

Three or four days: Noosa, Mooloolaba and the Australia Zoo with the Glass House Mountains, one per day.

Do you need a car on the Sunshine Coast?

It helps a lot: towns are spread along the coast and public transport is limited. In Australia you drive on the left. There are buses between towns and airport shuttles.

Can you do the Australia Zoo as a day trip from Brisbane?

Yes. Beerwah is about 1 hour by car from Brisbane, and the train line reaches Beerwah station, from where there is a shuttle to the zoo.

What is the best beach on the Sunshine Coast?

It depends on what you’re looking for: Noosa’s main beach is sheltered from the wind and good for families; Mooloolaba has a lively foreshore and generally calm seas; more exposed beaches, like Sunshine Beach, attract surfers.

What time zone is the Sunshine Coast in?

Queensland time, UTC+10, with no daylight saving time.

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Sunshine Coast and Noosa

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

The cities on this trip