The hinterland behind Noosa
Most visitors to Noosa never leave the coast, which is their loss. The hinterland stretches from Doonan through Eumundi, Cooroy and Pomona out to Kin Kin and Cooran, and it is a completely different place — timber towns turned arts towns, farm gates, country pubs and a set of lookouts over the coastal lakes that you cannot get to from the beach.
This is a full-day guided run through the best of it. You are not driving, which on these roads is the point: they are narrow, they wind, and the views are the reason you came.
Where the day goes
Pomona
At the foot of Mount Cooroora
Renamed in 1906 after the Roman goddess of fruit and orchards, and the administrative centre of Noosa Shire from 1909. Mount Cooroora rises 439 metres straight up behind the main street — the fourth Sunday in July it becomes the King of the Mountain course. Street art, a country market and the Noosa Shire Museum in the original council offices.
The Majestic Theatre
Factory Street, Pomona
Built in 1921 and on the Queensland Heritage Register — promoted as the oldest continuously operating silent-movie theatre in the world. It showed talkies from 1930 to 1987, then went back to silent films. Community-owned since October 2006, and still screening with live organ and piano accompaniment.
Cooroy
20 minutes from Noosa Heads
A former timber town that has turned into the working heart of the hinterland. The Butter Factory Arts Centre occupies the 1930 butter factory and shows local and national work. Cooroy is also the gateway to Lake Macdonald and the Noosa Botanic Gardens, whose amphitheatre sits on the water.
Kin Kin
North, through the valley
A cedar and eucalypt timber town in its first life, now farming and arts. The country pub is the centre of it. The drive in — through the Kin Kin valley — is the reason to come as much as the town itself.
Lake Macdonald
Between Cooroy and Cooran
The Noosa Botanic Gardens, a paddle trail and the Fearnley Bird Hide. Quiet water, and the easiest stop on the route for anyone who would rather sit than walk.
The Noosa Trail Network
Cooroy · Pomona · Cooran · Kin Kin
Walking, cycling and horse trails linking the four villages, with lookouts over Lake Cootharaba, Lake Cooroibah and the Wahpunga Ranges. The Great Noosa Trail Walk covers up to 56 kilometres of it over the October long weekend.
What the day is like
Pace
Gentle. Four villages across a full day, with time to walk a main street, look at an exhibition and sit down for lunch rather than tick stops off a list.
Walking involved
Flat village streets, the arts centre, and the level sections of the botanic gardens. No summit climbs. The Mount Cooroora track is a chained scramble and is not part of this tour.
Good to know
Bring a hat and something warm — the hinterland runs several degrees cooler than the coast, particularly in winter, and the valleys hold the morning cloud.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Noosa hinterland tour?
A full day. The hinterland villages are close together — Cooroy is about 20 minutes from Noosa Heads and Pomona about 25 — but the point of the day is the driving between them, so we do not rush it.
Do we climb Mount Cooroora?
No. The summit track is a genuine scramble with chains and drilled steps, and it is not suitable for a mixed-ability coach group. We view the peak from Pomona, where it is at its most dramatic, and walk the flat sections of the trail network instead.
Will the Majestic Theatre be open?
Screenings run on a published schedule rather than daily, so we time the stop around it where we can. Even when there is no film on, the building itself is worth the stop — it is heritage-listed and largely unchanged.
Is this suitable for seniors or limited mobility?
Yes. The hinterland day is one of our gentlest — village streets, an arts centre, gardens and lakeside picnic areas rather than bushwalking. Tell us what you need when you enquire and we will plan the stops around it.
Where do you pick up?
Noosa, Coolum, Maroochydore, Mooloolaba and Caloundra, and from Brisbane on request. Confirm your pickup point when you enquire.
What does it cost?
Pricing depends on group size, pickup point and the season, so we quote rather than list a headline fare. Send us your dates and numbers and we will come back with a price.