The Complete
Sunshine Coast Touring Guide

Why the Sunshine Coast?

Ask Australians where they'd live if they could pick anywhere, and the Sunshine Coast comes up more than almost any other answer. It's not hard to see why. The region stretches from the canal suburbs of Caloundra in the south to the headland elegance of Noosa in the north, with 60km of beaches in between — surf breaks, sheltered coves, tidal rock pools, and long flat stretches of sand patrolled year-round by lifeguards.

But the coast is only half the story. Turn inland and within twenty minutes you're climbing through dairy country into the Blackall Range — a spine of subtropical rainforest that runs parallel to the coast, rising to about 450m at its highest (named in 1874 after Sir Samuel Blackall, Queensland Governor 1864–1871). Its eastern edge is lined with lookouts that offer one of the great panoramic views in Queensland. The villages up here — Maleny, Montville, Mapleton, Flaxton — feel like a different climate and a different century: art galleries, cheese makers, fudge shops, second-hand bookshops, and cafés that source everything from the farms next door.

Further south, the Glass House Mountains — 11 volcanic peaks formed 26–27 million years ago by trachyte and rhyolite intrusions — rise dramatically from flat sugarcane and pineapple country. Captain Cook named them on 17 May 1770 because their shapes reminded him of the glass furnaces of his native Yorkshire. Mount Beerwah is the highest at 556m. Today the lookouts here are among the most photographed viewpoints in South East Queensland, and the peaks hold deep cultural significance for the Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) and Jinibara peoples.

All of this sits within easy reach of Brisbane — about ninety minutes north. That proximity, combined with the region's variety, is what makes the Sunshine Coast such an effective touring destination. In a single day you can swim in the ocean, walk through rainforest, lunch in a mountain village, spot a koala, and browse an artisan market. In a week, you can do all that at a pace that actually lets you enjoy it.

Noosa & the Headland

Noosa sits at the northern tip of the Sunshine Coast and operates on a different frequency to the rest of the region. Hastings Street — the main drag — is a low-rise, tree-lined avenue of restaurants, boutiques, and gelato bars that opens directly onto Main Beach, a north-facing crescent of golden sand with some of the calmest, clearest water on the coast. There are no high-rises. No neon. Just a village-scale beach town that happens to have exceptionally good food and one of Australia's most beautiful national parks on its doorstep.

Noosa National Park occupies the headland east of Main Beach. The 5.4km coastal trail is the main draw — it contours the cliff edge past Tea Tree Bay (a perfect sheltered swimming spot and the koala hotspot), Granite Bay, the tidal rock pools at Fairy Pools (accessible only at low tide), and out to Hell's Gates, the dramatic rocky point at the headland's tip. Along the way, koalas doze in the paperbark canopy overhead (~90% sighting rate at Tea Tree Bay), goannas sun themselves on the track, and dolphins cruise just offshore. It's an easy-to-moderate walk that most people — including school-age children — can manage comfortably in two to two and a half hours. Boiling Pot lookout at the start of the track is wheelchair-accessible for non-walkers.

The return walk takes the inland rainforest trail, which is cooler, greener, and another koala-spotting opportunity. Your guide knows which trees to check. Back at the car park, Main Beach and Hastings Street are a two-minute walk — swim, lunch, browse, or grab a flat white and watch the world go by.

The Noosa River

South of the headland, the Noosa River empties into the ocean through a wide, calm estuary lined with restaurants, kayak hire, and pelican-feeding spots. Gympie Terrace — the river's main promenade — is the place to end a Noosa day: golden-hour light, dolphins in the shallows (pelican feeding around 4:30pm daily), and a pace that makes you wonder why you'd ever leave. Optional kayak hire lets you explore upstream where the river narrows into mangroves and birdlife.

Blackall Range, Glass House Mountains & Waterfalls

The Sunshine Coast hinterland is the region's quiet counterweight to the beaches — cooler, greener, and slower. The Blackall Range rises to about 450m, and its eastern escarpment is draped in subtropical and temperate rainforest that has been protected in pockets since the early twentieth century. The two standout reserves are Kondalilla National Park (where Kondalilla Falls drops 90 metres into a swimming hole surrounded by rainforest) and Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve — a 55-hectare remnant with a 1.7km wheelchair-accessible boardwalk and views to the Glass House Mountains. Mary Cairncross was gifted to the community in October 1941 by the Thynne sisters (Elizabeth, Mabel, and Mary) to honour their mother Mary Thynne née Cairncross. The reserve sits on Jinibara Country (Native Title formally asserted 2012), and houses 391 plant species, 141 bird species, and 68 mammals/reptiles/amphibians including a Wonga Vine estimated at 450 years old.

The villages strung along the range — Maleny, Montville, Mapleton, Flaxton — are what give the hinterland its character. Montville (population 1,092, elevation 400m, originally called "Razorback" then renamed in 1893 after Montville Connecticut) has heritage-style buildings housing art galleries, a clock shop, handmade fudge and chocolate stores, a bookshop, and cafés with views that stretch to Moreton Island on a clear day. Maleny (population 3,959, elevation 425m) a few kilometres south has a stronger agricultural identity — a cooperative community, farm-gate produce, the historic Cheese Factory (first butter factory opened 1904), Maleny Dairies, and some of the best cheese on the coast.

Glass House Mountains

South of the range, the Glass House Mountains form one of South East Queensland's most recognisable landscapes — 11 volcanic cores rising abruptly from flat farmland. The best panoramic viewpoints are accessible by car (Wild Horse Mountain Lookout and Glass House Mountains Lookout), while several of the peaks offer challenging summit walks for experienced hikers. Mount Beerwah is the highest at 556m; Mount Tibrogargan and Mount Coonowrin are the most prominent silhouettes. The cultural significance of this landscape to the Kabi Kabi and Jinibara peoples is profound; your guide shares the dreaming stories associated with the peaks.

Family Beaches & Coastal Towns

The Sunshine Coast's beaches are remarkably varied. Noosa Main Beach is the glamorous headliner — calm, north-facing, and framed by national park — but the rest of the coastline holds its own. Mooloolaba, halfway along the coast, wraps around a protected bay with a fishing harbour on one side and a long esplanade of restaurants, ice-cream shops, and Norfolk pines on the other. The water is calm and warm, the sand is fine and golden, and the whole place has a relaxed family-holiday energy that's hard to beat. The Wharf precinct has been the heart of Sunshine Coast tourism since the 1970s and is home to SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast (80m Ocean Tunnel, opened 1989 as Underwater World).

Further south, Caloundra occupies a headland with multiple beaches — Kings Beach (patrolled, with rock pools and a saltwater swimming pool), Bulcock Beach (sheltered, ideal for toddlers), and Moffat Beach (a local favourite with a great café scene). Between Mooloolaba and Noosa, quieter stretches like Coolum, Peregian, and Sunshine Beach offer surf, space, and a more local feel.

Markets, Food & Local Flavour

The Sunshine Coast's food scene is driven by proximity to producers. The region's subtropical climate, rich red volcanic soil, and dairy country produce everything from macadamias and avocados to artisan cheese, honey, coffee, and small-batch gin. The result is a café culture and market scene that punches well above its weight.

Eumundi Markets

The jewel in the crown is Eumundi Markets — held every Wednesday (8am–1:30pm) and Saturday (7am–2pm) in the small hinterland town of Eumundi, inland from Noosa. Over 600 stalls sell handmade jewellery, textiles, ceramics, woodwork, skincare, fresh produce, gourmet food, and live music fills the tree-shaded lanes since 1979. The strict "make it, bake it, grow it, sew it" policy means every item is made by the person selling it. It's one of Australia's largest and most authentic artisan markets, and a highlight of most Sunshine Coast tours. Our Noosa Day Trip from Brisbane includes an Eumundi stop on Wednesday and Saturday departures.

Hinterland produce & wine

In the hinterland, farm gates and boutique producers are scattered along the Blackall Range. Maleny is the epicentre — local dairies produce rich cheeses, the co-op stocks seasonal fruit and vegetables, and cafés use ingredients sourced from farms you can see from the window. Montville's main street adds fudge, chocolate, and preserves to the mix. The region also supports a growing cluster of boutique wineries including Flame Hill (Montville, opens daily), Maleny Mountain Wines (Chambourcin since 1999), Clouds, and Dingo Creek Vineyard. See our dedicated Winery & Cellar Door Guide. Our Hinterland & Waterfalls Adventure and Paradise Tour both include village time in Maleny and Montville for browsing and tasting.

Coastal dining

On the coast, Hastings Street in Noosa is the fine-dining hub (Bistro C, Sails, The Boathouse, Sum Yung Guys, Locale, Massimo's gelato), but Mooloolaba's wharf and esplanade restaurants offer excellent seafood in a more relaxed setting. Caloundra's Kings Beach has a growing café strip. And every tour includes your guide's personal recommendations — the places locals actually eat, not just the ones with the biggest signs. See our dedicated Food & Wine guide.

Wildlife Encounters

The Sunshine Coast is one of the best places in South East Queensland to see native wildlife in natural habitat — no sanctuaries or enclosures required.

Koalas are the headline act. Noosa National Park's resident population is one of the most accessible in the country — your guide knows which trees the koalas favour (mostly the Tea Tree Bay section), and sightings occur on approximately 90% of walks. You don't need to go far: the inland trail section of the national park, just a few hundred metres from the car park, is prime territory.

Dolphins are regulars in the Noosa River estuary and along the headland, often visible from the walking trail. From May to November (peak July–October), ~40,000 east-coast humpback whales migrate along the coast and can be spotted from elevated lookouts on the headland and at Point Cartwright near Mooloolaba. For guaranteed close encounters with native wildlife, Australia Zoo at Beerwah (Steve Irwin's legacy, 1,200+ animals) features on our 6-Day Tour.

Golf on the Sunshine Coast

With a subtropical climate that delivers golf-friendly weather year-round, the Sunshine Coast is home to some of Queensland's best courses. The range covers everything from Greg Norman–designed resort layouts to demanding championship tracks and relaxed coastal clubs — all set against a backdrop of hinterland mountains, river corridors, and Pacific breezes.

The standouts include Noosa Springs Golf & Spa Resort (a championship layout winding through bushland with a luxury spa on site), Palmer Coolum Resort (a former PGA Tour venue beneath volcanic Mount Coolum), Pelican Waters (Greg Norman Signature design with Glass House Mountains views), and Headland Golf Club (a challenging, great-value championship course near Buderim). For social rounds, Maroochy River and Caloundra Golf Club offer scenic, relaxed play. Twin Waters rounds out the seven-course catalogue.

Planning Your Trip

When to go

The Sunshine Coast is a year-round destination. Summer (December–February) brings warm water, long days, and Eumundi at its liveliest; autumn (March–May) offers mild temperatures and clear skies ideal for walking; winter (June–August) is dry and crisp with crystal views from the hinterland; spring (September–November) brings wildflowers, whale migration, and comfortable hiking weather. There is no bad season — only different highlights. Marine stinger advisories typically operate Oct–May further north, but Noosa is generally safe with patrolled flagged areas.

Getting there

The Sunshine Coast is approximately 90 minutes north of Brisbane by road. Our tours include door-to-door pickup from Brisbane CBD hotels, Sunshine Coast accommodation (Caloundra to Noosa), and — on select tours — the Gold Coast. The Sunshine Coast also has its own airport at Maroochydore with direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and other Australian capitals.

How long to spend

A single day tour covers one theme well — a coastal day at Noosa, a hinterland waterfalls day, or a beaches-and-family day at Mooloolaba. Two to three days let you combine coast and hinterland comfortably. Our 6-Day Sunshine Coast Tour covers the full region at a relaxed pace, including Noosa, Mooloolaba, Australia Zoo, Eumundi Markets, hinterland villages, and SEA LIFE with flights from Sydney and 5 nights at Mercure Kawana Waters.

Who are our tours for?

Everyone. We run family tours with toddler-friendly beaches, senior-friendly tours with flat boardwalks and relaxed pacing (see our Seniors Day Trips), active tours with 5km+ coastal walks, romantic couples' escapes, corporate golf days, and private group itineraries for celebrations and events. Small groups (max 12) mean personal attention, and every itinerary is flexible enough to adapt to weather, tides, and your interests on the day.

Multi-Day & Complete Coverage

If one day isn't enough — and for most people it isn't — our multi-day option lets you see the full Sunshine Coast without rushing. The 6-Day Tour is the flagship: six guided days covering Noosa, Mooloolaba, Australia Zoo, Eumundi Markets, the hinterland, SEA LIFE, and the Noosa River, with return flights from Sydney, 5 nights at Mercure Kawana Waters, daily breakfast, and selected meals included.

All Nine Tours at a Glance

Nine guided Cooee Tours covering every interest, season, and pace.

For a full listing with images and pricing, visit our Sunshine Coast Tours directory.

Frequently Asked Questions