Minyama is a Sunshine Coast suburb on the Mooloolah River, about 85 minutes by car from Brisbane, and it is a handy base for parks, river paths and a boat ramp with the surf beaches of Mooloolaba and Buddina close by. The suburb is almost entirely surrounded by water, and its landscape is dominated by artificial harbours and canal-style waterways.
It is not a beach suburb itself, so most visitors come for a family park stop, a launch onto the river or a base near Kawana. This guide covers the parks worth stopping at, where to launch a boat and where the nearest beaches are.
Jessica Park
Jessica Park is the main park to visit in Minyama. It is a 3-hectare park on Nicklin Way with plenty of open space for kicking and throwing, and a lot of natural shade. A large pond with ducks sits in the middle of it.
The playground area is split in two. One playground is fully fenced and has shade sails, and the other is unfenced and sits under natural shade. Between them the equipment includes a play fort with a slide, a climbing net, swings, a pendulum swing and play bridges.
There is also a basketball half-court and a cricket pitch, plus barbecues, shelters, picnic tables, seating and public toilets. Off-street parking is available. Sunshine Coast Council says dogs are allowed off-leash in the areas signed for it, so keep your dog on a lead everywhere else.
Outrigger Park and the Mooloolah River
Outrigger Park is on Brisbane Road in Minyama, and you enter it from Brisbane Road travelling south. It has the Mooloolah River Boat Ramp, parking for vehicles and boat trailers, and it is home to the Panamuna Outrigger Canoe Club. The park is part of the Coastal Pathway and sits opposite Mooloolah Drive Park.
Check the council page for Outrigger Park for current details before you tow a boat there.
Beaches and parks next door
Minyama has no surf beach of its own, so you go next door for the sand. Buddina Beach is the nearest, and Mooloolaba Beach and the Mooloolaba Esplanade are the bigger stop for swimming and a feed. Point Cartwright is the headland to the east, and Kawana Waters covers the wider suburb to the south.
La Balsa Park, in neighbouring Buddina on Harbour Parade, is a good river alternative. It runs along the Mooloolah River waterfront with three play areas, exercise equipment, picnic facilities, shelters, barbecues, public amenities and a beach shower. It also has the La Balsa (Buddina) Boat Ramp with boat and trailer parking, and it sits on the Coastal Pathway.
If the weather turns, SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast at Mooloolaba is the nearest big indoor attraction.
A little history
The Queensland Place Names Board named Minyama a town on 1 September 1967 and redesignated it a suburb on 8 July 1989. Land developer Alfred Grant Pty Ltd proposed the name, which is believed to be an Aboriginal word for wildflowers. Nicklin Way is the main road through the suburb, and Kawana Shoppingworld is just outside it.
Planning your visit
- How long: an hour or two at Jessica Park, or an afternoon if you add a picnic and a beach stop.
- Cost: the parks have no entry fee.
- Best time: mornings and late afternoon, when the shade at Jessica Park and the river paths are most comfortable.
- What to bring: a hat, sunscreen and water. Bring your own food for the barbecues.
- Dogs: off-leash only in the signed areas at Jessica Park.
Getting to Minyama and parking
Minyama is about 97 km and about 85 minutes by car from the Brisbane CBD without traffic. It is 7.7 km south-east of Maroochydore and 14.4 km north of Caloundra. Jessica Park and Outrigger Park both have off-street parking. For buses and trains, plan your trip with the Translink Journey Planner. Details can change, so check before you go.
Nearby
- Buddina Beach – the closest beach to Minyama.
- Mooloolaba Beach – the main beach stop nearby.
- Point Cartwright – the headland east of Minyama.
- Kawana Waters – the wider suburb around Minyama.
- SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast – a wet-weather option.
Browse more Sunshine Coast days out, beaches and lakes and rivers.
You might also like
- Lake Macdonald (Cooroy)
- Lake Kurwongbah (Whiteside)
- Lake Manchester (Brisbane)
Quick answers
Where is Minyama?
On the Mooloolah River on the Sunshine Coast, 7.7 km south-east of Maroochydore and 14.4 km north of Caloundra.
Does Minyama have a beach?
Not a surf beach of its own. The nearest beaches are at Buddina and Mooloolaba, a short drive away.
What is there to do in Minyama?
Visit Jessica Park for playgrounds, barbecues and a duck pond, launch a boat at Outrigger Park, and walk the Coastal Pathway along the river.
Is Jessica Park dog friendly?
Dogs are allowed off-leash only in the areas signed for it, so keep them on a lead elsewhere in the park.
Is there a boat ramp in Minyama?
Yes. The Mooloolah River Boat Ramp is at Outrigger Park on Brisbane Road, with parking for vehicles and trailers.
How far is Minyama from Brisbane?
About 97 km, or about 85 minutes by car from the CBD without traffic.
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