Alexandria Bay is a long surf beach inside Noosa National Park on the Sunshine Coast, reached on foot along the Coastal Walk. It sits just along the track from the Hells Gates headland, and the walk in is part of the appeal.
It is a place to walk, look and take photos, not a swimming beach. The beach is not patrolled.
How to get to Alexandria Bay
Both routes are on foot. The Coastal Walk runs between the Noosa Headland day-use area at Noosa Heads and Sunshine Beach, with Hells Gates and Alexandria Bay along the way. Start from Noosa Heads (main entrance) or Sunshine Beach.
From Noosa Heads
Many walkers begin at Noosa Main Beach, where a timber boardwalk winds around the coves to the National Park headquarters. From there the Noosa Hill track, Palm Grove Circuit and Tanglewood Track all connect through to Alexandria Bay and Sunshine Beach. This is the longer way in, and it passes Dolphin Point (1.2 km along the Coastal Walk) and Hells Gates first.
From Sunshine Beach
The Coastal Walk also continues from Hells Gates to Sunshine Beach, so the beach can be reached from that end of the park. Sunshine Beach has untimed car parks at Webb Road, the Sunshine Beach Surf Club and Bicentennial Drive.
Can you swim at Alexandria Bay?
Several beaches in the park are suitable for swimming in good conditions, but none is patrolled, and swimmers should watch for strong currents at Alexandria Bay. Noosa Council lists Noosa Main Beach and Sunshine Beach as patrolled, with Sunrise Beach patrolled seasonally.
For a swim with lifeguards, go to Sunshine Beach or Noosa Main Beach. The Beachsafe app shows patrol services, hazards and conditions for each beach.
What to see at Alexandria Bay
The beach curves away below the headland, with Hells Gates at one end. From the top of Hells Gates you look back over the bay, and the headland is a popular place to watch migrating humpback whales between about June and November. Read more in our Hells Gates guide.
The park’s headlands have open eucalypt forest and wallum heath, so expect low coastal bush rather than rainforest on the way in.
Combine it with the rest of the park
Alexandria Bay fits neatly into a longer walk. The coves near Noosa Main Beach are home to turtles and dolphins, and the boardwalk there is an easy warm-up before the headland tracks. You can walk out along the coast, take in Hells Gates and the bay, then return by one of the inland tracks rather than retracing your steps. Check the park map before you choose, because Visit Noosa gives no distances for the links.
See the Noosa National Park guide for the whole park.
Is Alexandria Bay good for families?
It suits families who like a walk and a beach to look at rather than a swim. The water is not patrolled and strong currents are a risk, so keep little kids well back from the surf and pack your own water and snacks.
If your group wants a calmer swim, head to patrolled Noosa Main Beach and treat Alexandria Bay as a walk and lookout stop.
Planning your visit
- What to bring: water, a hat, sunscreen and sturdy shoes.
- Best time: June to November if you want to watch for whales from the headland.
- Conditions: check the Queensland Parks Noosa National Park page for closures and park rules before you go. Phone 13 74 68 for park information.
Getting there and parking
Noosa Heads and Sunshine Beach are both about 2 hours by car from the Brisbane CBD. At Noosa Heads the closest car park to the Coastal Walk is the National Park (Park Road) car park, with a 4 hour limit from 8 am to 5 pm, and Park Road has a 2 hour limit. That is a short limit for a long walk, so the untimed Sunshine Beach car parks suit Alexandria Bay better. See Noosa Council’s car parks page.
Translink buses serve Noosa, so check the Translink Journey Planner.
Nearby
- Hells Gates – the headland lookout at the end of the bay.
- Noosa National Park – the whole park and its walks.
- Noosa Main Beach – a patrolled beach for swimming.
- Noosa Heads – the town beside the park.
- Little Cove, Noosa – a small sheltered beach near the headland.
- Sunrise Beach – another surf beach further up the coast.
Browse more beaches or everything to do in Noosa.
You might also like
- Sunrise Beach (Noosa)
- Castaways Beach (Noosa)
- Noosa North Shore
Quick answers
How do you get to Alexandria Bay?
On foot along the Coastal Walk, from Noosa Heads (main entrance) or Sunshine Beach.
Is Alexandria Bay safe for swimming?
The beach is not patrolled and has strong currents. Swim at patrolled Sunshine Beach or Noosa Main Beach instead.
Where do you park for Alexandria Bay?
At Sunshine Beach, Webb Road, the Surf Club and Bicentennial Drive car parks are untimed. At Noosa Heads the National Park (Park Road) car park has a 4 hour limit.
Is Alexandria Bay near Hells Gates?
Yes. Hells Gates is the headland at one end of the bay, and the Coastal Walk passes both.
How far is Alexandria Bay from Brisbane?
About 2 hours by car from the Brisbane CBD to Noosa Heads or Sunshine Beach.
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