Noosa

The Sunshine Coast's most refined resort town: spot koalas and dolphins on the Noosa National Park coastal walk, then dine on Hastings Street and cruise the river.

Noosa sits at the northern end of Queensland's Sunshine Coast in Australia, about 140 km north of Brisbane, and the entire Noosa Shire is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Its heart, the town of Noosa Heads, is backed by a national park and faces the north-facing Main Beach; strict height limits have kept its low-rise, laid-back resort character, making it one of Australians' favourite upmarket holiday spots. The area breaks down into a few parts: ① Noosa Heads – eating, drinking and shopping on Hastings Street, swimming and learning to surf at Main Beach, looking for koalas and dolphins on the national park's coastal walk, and the Laguna Lookout; ② the Noosa River and lakes – cruises and stand-up paddleboarding at Noosaville, and canoeing on Lake Cootharaba and the Noosa Everglades upstream; ③ Noosa North Shore to Rainbow Beach – take the ferry across and drive a 4WD along the beach to see the coloured sand cliffs, Double Island Point Lighthouse and the Carlo Sand Blow; ④ the Sunshine Coast hinterland and south – Eumundi Markets, the Ginger Factory, Montville and Kondalilla Falls, the Glass House Mountains, Australia Zoo and Mooloolaba. The climate is mild year-round; Apr–Oct is dry and sunny and the best time to visit, with whale watching from Jun–Oct. Dec–Feb is hot and humid with frequent thunderstorms and coincides with Australian school holidays, so book accommodation well ahead. Getting there: Sunshine Coast Airport is about 30 minutes' drive from Noosa, Brisbane Airport about 2 hours. Local buses cover Noosa Heads and Noosaville; for the hinterland and 4WD routes, self-drive or join a tour. Allow 4–5 days.

Top sights

• Noosa National Park Coastal Walk – Walk straight from Hastings Street into Noosa National Park, following the headland coast past Boiling Pot, Tea Tree Bay and Hell’s Gates…
• Noosa Main Beach – A rare north-facing beach on the Queensland coast, sheltered from the waves and patrolled by lifeguards. It's the top choice for learning t…
• Noosa Everglades – Still wetlands on the upper Noosa River, known as the “River of Mirrors.” Paddle a canoe through waterways stained dark by tea tree tannins.
• Australia Zoo – A zoo run by the family of “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, featuring crocodile arena shows, koala photo opportunities and kangaroo feeding.
• Hell's Gates – A clifftop lookout at the easternmost point of Noosa Headland, where waves batter the cliffs. In winter it is a prime spot for watching hum…
• Alexandria Bay – The longest natural beach in Noosa National Park, reachable only on foot, and often rated one of Queensland's most beautiful beaches.
• Hastings Street – Noosa's refined resort strip, with the beach on one side and the river on the other, where restaurants, boutiques and resort hotels are con…
• Laguna Lookout – A lookout on the summit of Noosa Hill overlooking Laguna Bay, the mouth of the Noosa River, the northern beach and inland lakes.
• Noosa Spit & Noosa Woods – A sand-spit park at the mouth of the Noosa River, with a calm river bay on one side and the sea on the other. A good place for picnics, dog…
• Noosa River & Noosaville – A relaxed riverside town on the Noosa River where you can take a ferry trip, rent electric boats and paddleboards, and watch the sunset fro…
• Lake Cootharaba & Boreen Point – The largest lake in the Noosa River system, where the small lakeside village of Boreen Point has an old pub and a sailing club. It is the g…
• Noosa North Shore & Teewah Coloured Sands – Take a car ferry across the Noosa River, then drive a 4WD along the long beach past towering sand cliffs banded in color by oxidized minera…
• Sunshine Beach – An east-facing surf beach southeast of Noosa Headland, with bigger waves than the main beach and a very local café-town atmosphere.
• Peregian Beach – A quiet seaside village with a long beach and a central lawn park, where free open-air concerts are often held on Sunday afternoons.
• Eumundi Markets – One of Australia's best-known craft markets, with about 600 stalls of local handmade goods, art and food, open only on Wednesdays and Satur…
• Mount Coolum – A steep volcanic rock dome rising straight out of the sea. The climb takes about 40 minutes, and the summit offers 360-degree views over th…
• The Ginger Factory – A world-famous ginger products factory and theme park. See how ginger is processed, ride a sugar cane train, and taste ginger sweets and gi…
• Mount Tinbeerwah Lookout – A volcanic rock lookout in Tewantin National Park. A short paved walk leads to views over the Noosa River lakes and the main beach.
• Noosa Botanic Gardens – A free botanic garden on the shores of Lake Macdonald, with native plants, sculptures and an open-air amphitheatre. A good spot for a picni…
• Glass House Mountains – A line of volcanic rock plugs rising abruptly from the flat plain. Captain Cook named them in 1770, and a short climb up Mt Ngungun gives a…
• Mooloolaba Beach – The liveliest beach in the southern Sunshine Coast, with a palm-lined seafront esplanade, seafood at the marina and whale-watching trips.
• SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast – An aquarium beside the Mooloolaba marina with an underwater tunnel, seal shows and sharks. A great choice for families and rainy days.
• Montville – A small inland town on the Blackall Range with galleries, craft shops and cafés with views over the coast. Good for a half-day trip.
• Kondalilla Falls – A waterfall in rainforest with a drop of about 90 metres. There is a natural rock pool at the top where you can swim, and a 4.7-kilometre l…
• Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve – A native subtropical rainforest near Maleny. Small wallabies are often seen along the rainforest trails, and the car park has views of the…

Where to eat

• Ricky's River Bar & Restaurant – A landmark riverside restaurant on the Noosa River for over two decades, known for its spanner crab linguine and passio…
• Sum Yung Guys – A lively modern Asian restaurant founded by MasterChef contestant Matt Sinclair and friends, known for prawn toast and…
• Bistro C Beach – A Noosa main beach institution since 1992, with seating right by the sand and seafood dishes that bring Asian flavors.
• Somedays Pizza – A wood-fired pizzeria in Noosa Junction, with dough cold-fermented for 48 hours. It is a popular and relatively afforda…
• Lucio's Marina – A small Italian seafood restaurant at Noosa Marina in Tewantin, run by the second generation of Sydney's famous Lucio's…

Itineraries

• Brisbane to Cairns East Coast Road Trip – Drive approximately 1,700 km north along the Bruce Highway, connecting sand islands, the Southern Reef, the Whitsundays…
• Noosa, Rainbow Beach & K'gari (Fraser Island) – Head north along the Sunshine Coast through the hinterland and Noosa to Rainbow Beach, then spend two nights on the wor…