20 Best Things
To Do on the
Sunshine Coast

The coastal walk through Noosa National Park is widely considered one of the finest short walks in Australia. Starting from the end of Hastings Street and tracking along dramatic headland cliffs above the Pacific, the 3.5km one-way track passes Tea Tree Bay (a snorkelling hotspot), Boiling Pot, Dolphin Point, and Hell's Gates — where the ocean crashes through narrow rock channels with thunderous drama.

Koalas sleep in the eucalypts along the trail, and wild dolphins and migrating humpback whales (winter months) are regularly spotted from the lookouts. The park protects a remarkable 4,000 hectares of coastal heath and rainforest just minutes from one of Queensland's most upmarket towns.

Running since 1979, Eumundi Markets have grown into one of Australia's largest and most beloved artisan markets — over 600 stalls of handcrafted furniture, jewellery, art, ceramics, organic food, live music, and street food spread across a beautifully shaded village precinct.

The atmosphere is genuinely magical on Saturday mornings when the whole town hums with activity. There are excellent coffee roasters, woodfire bakeries, and an extraordinary array of handmade Queensland crafts. Eumundi village itself is worth exploring beyond market hours for its heritage pubs, boutique galleries, and farm-to-table restaurants.

Rising dramatically from the coastal plain between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, the Glass House Mountains are a collection of volcanic plugs up to 556m tall — sacred to the Jinibara and Kabi Kabi peoples and one of Queensland's most arresting landscapes. Captain Cook named them in 1770, apparently reminded of the glass furnaces of his native Yorkshire.

The most popular climb is Mt Ngungun (5km return, 1.5 hours) — moderate difficulty with extraordinary 360-degree views across the entire range. More challenging: Mt Tibrogargan (4.4km, 2–3 hours, some rock scrambling) and the demanding Mt Beerwah (5km, 3–4 hours), the highest in the range. Easier circuit walks offer impressive views without the climb.

Hastings Street is one of Australia's finest shopping and dining strips — a relaxed, palm-fringed promenade of boutique fashion retailers, acclaimed restaurants, wine bars, and luxury hotels running between the beach and Noosa National Park. It's upmarket without being pretentious, and the atmosphere at sunset with a cocktail on a restaurant terrace is quintessentially Noosa.

Best restaurants: Noosa Beach House (Peter Kuruvita's beautiful coastal restaurant), Wasabi (acclaimed Japanese), Locale (modern Italian), and Sum Yung Guys (inventive Southeast Asian). For coffee, Café Le Monde has been a Noosa institution for decades and remains one of the best spots for people-watching over a long breakfast.

The Sunshine Coast's consistent waves and long stretches of sandy beach make it one of Australia's best places to learn to surf. Sunshine Beach (just south of Noosa) and Coolum Beach offer reliable beginner breaks, while Noosa's First Point serves up perfect longboard waves that attract experienced surfers from around the world.

Multiple surf schools operate across the coast with lesson packages starting from $60 per person for a two-hour beginner group lesson. The warm Queensland water (21–26°C year-round) means no thick wetsuit required — just a rash vest and sunscreen. Many operators include board hire in their lesson price.

Founded by the late Steve Irwin and still run by Terri and Bindi Irwin, Australia Zoo at Beerwah is one of the best wildlife parks in Australia — full stop. The Crocoseum (a spectacular amphitheatre for wildlife demonstrations), tiger encounters, cheetah encounters, wombat and koala interactions, and over 1,200 animals across 100 acres make this a genuinely full-day experience.

The Irwin family's passion and conservation ethos is evident throughout. Unlike some large wildlife parks that can feel corporate, Australia Zoo still has an authentic, educationally driven feel. The Wildlife Warriors program provides exceptional conservation context to every exhibit, making visits genuinely enriching for adults and children alike.

The Blackall Range hinterland behind the Sunshine Coast rises to 600m and is draped in subtropical rainforest. The villages of Montville, Maleny, and Mapleton perch on the escarpment with spectacular views to the coast and a cluster of galleries, organic cafés, artisan cheese shops, craft beer pubs, and day spas.

The drive along the Kondalilla Falls loop road is spectacular in any season — but particularly magical after rain when the waterfalls are thundering and the rainforest is vivid with new green growth. Maleny's Main Street has some of the Sunshine Coast's best independent bookshops, art galleries, and farm-fresh produce stores.

The Noosa Everglades — the only inland waterway of its kind outside the Florida Everglades — is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of extraordinary ecological significance. The crystal-clear, tea-coloured (tannins from reeds) waterways are teeming with birdlife: sea eagles, ospreys, jabiru storks, and whistling kites. Guided kayak and canoe tours navigate the twisting channels of Lake Cootharaba and the Noosa River headwaters in an experience of profound stillness and natural beauty.

Cooee Tours offers guided half-day and full-day everglades kayaking tours departing from Noosa. These are among our most requested experiences for visitors seeking something genuinely different from the usual beach holiday.