Maroochydore Beach is the long, patrolled surf beach on the Sunshine Coast between the Maroochy River mouth at Cotton Tree and Alexandra Headland. It runs from beach access 141 to 153, has a surf club at access 146, and it is free to visit.
Most people come for a swim between the flags and a walk on the wide sand, with showers, toilets, cafes and a playground within a few minutes of the beach.
Can you swim at Maroochydore Beach?
Yes. Maroochydore Beach is patrolled all year, and the Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club sits beside the sand near Beach Parade at beach access 146. Swim between the red and yellow flags, and check BeachSafe before you go for the day’s patrol hours.
The river mouth at the northern end of the beach (beach access 140 to 143) is different: it only has a lifeguard service during the September school holidays, at Christmas and at Easter, from 7.30 am to 5 pm. Outside those times, walk down to the flags at the surf club.
The surf club, showers and toilets
Beach showers and public toilets are near the surf club, so this is the easiest spot to base yourself for a day on the sand. Cafes, restaurants and takeaway outlets are close by on the streets behind the beach.
Beside the club there is a memorial to the victims of the 1950 RAAF Wirraway plane crash at Maroochydore.
Peirce Park playground
Peirce Park is on Alexandra Parade, between Kingsford Smith Parade and Melrose Parade, with beach access at points 149 and 150. The playground is covered by a shade sail and has a play fort with a climbing net and slide, a dual slide, a rocker, swings, a Supernova spinner and a life-sized snakes and ladders game. There is also an open grassed space for kicking a ball.
The park has barbecues, shelters, picnic tables, public toilets, beach showers and off-street parking, and it sits on the Coastal Pathway.
Walking the beach and the Coastal Pathway
The sand carries on south into Alexandra Headland, where the beach has a skate park, a second surf club and a walk over the headland. The Coastal Pathway links the two, and runs on through Peirce Park. To the north, Cotton Tree has the calm river, a riverside playground and the Sunday markets.
The beach is wide, and it is easy to walk a long way along the water at low tide. Access paths cut through the dunes, so look for the numbered beach access signs when you want to find your way back to the car.
Is Maroochydore Beach dog friendly?
Not in front of the surf club. Council lists Maroochydore Beach at beach access 145 to 147 as a dog prohibited area. Council’s coastline-wide dog rules changed on 3 July 2026, and access varies from beach to beach, with some areas having time or seasonal limits. Dogs must be on a leash in public areas unless the area is a designated off-leash one, and council’s local law keeps them out of coastal dunes and away from playgrounds and barbecue areas. Check council’s interactive dog map or the signs at the access you use.
Planning your visit
- How long: a morning or afternoon for a swim and a walk, or a full day if you add the playground and lunch at the park.
- Best time: early morning for parking and quiet sand; school holidays and summer weekends are busiest.
- Cost: free to visit.
- What to bring: sunscreen, a hat, water, a towel and a rug for Peirce Park.
Getting there and parking
By car, Maroochydore Beach is about 100 km from the Brisbane CBD, about 1 hour 25 minutes without traffic. Allow longer on weekends and school holidays. If the kids are in the back, these tips for surviving long car trips with kids help.
Peirce Park has off-street parking, and many bays around Maroochydore are signed and time limited, so read the signs. Council publishes parking maps for Maroochydore.
By bus, Translink route 600 runs between Caloundra and Maroochydore via Mooloolaba. The nearest stops are on Alexandra Parade at Alexandra Headland Beach and at Okinja Road, and on Cotton Tree Parade at Cotton Tree Caravan Park. None is on the beachfront at Beach Parade, so plan on a walk to the sand; use the route 600 timetable or call 13 12 30.
More detail is on council’s Maroochydore Beach page. Details can change, so check before you go.
Nearby
- Cotton Tree – the river mouth, playground and Sunday markets at the north end.
- Alexandra Headland – the next beach south, with a skate park and headland walk.
- Mooloolaba Beach – the Esplanade, cafes and a patrolled beach.
- Marcoola Beach – a beach north of the river mouth.
- Coolum Beach – another patrolled surf beach, further north.
- Things to do on the Sunshine Coast – more ideas for the rest of the trip.
Browse more beaches or everything on the Sunshine Coast.
Quick answers
Is Maroochydore Beach patrolled?
Yes, all year. The Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club is at beach access 146 near Beach Parade. Check BeachSafe for the day’s patrol hours.
Are there toilets and showers at Maroochydore Beach?
Yes. Beach showers and public toilets are near the surf club, and Peirce Park has toilets and beach showers too.
Is there a playground at Maroochydore Beach?
Yes. Peirce Park, on Alexandra Parade, has a shaded playground with a play fort, slides, swings and a snakes and ladders game, plus barbecues and picnic tables.
Can I take my dog to Maroochydore Beach?
Not in front of the surf club (beach access 145 to 147), which is a dog prohibited area. Rules differ along the beach, so check council’s dog map and the signs.
Is parking free at Maroochydore Beach?
Peirce Park has off-street parking, and many bays nearby are signed and time limited. Check the signs and council’s Maroochydore parking maps.
How long does it take to get to Maroochydore Beach from Brisbane?
About 1 hour 25 minutes by car without traffic, roughly 100 km from the CBD.
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