Noosa National Park: Coastal Walk, Beaches and Parking

Noosa National Park is a coastal national park on the headland at Noosa Heads, on the Sunshine Coast, with walking tracks, surf bays, lookouts and wild koalas a short walk from Hastings Street. It is about 2 hours by car from the Brisbane CBD, and the park entrance is at the end of Park Road.

The Headland section has five marked walks, from a 1.1 km return stroll to the 10.8 km return Coastal Walk. Most people come for the coastal track and its bays, but the inland tracks run through rainforest and heath.

Walks in Noosa National Park

The park map shows five walks in the Headland section. The distances are return trips.

• Palm Grove Walk: 1.1 km return
• Noosa Hill Walk: 2.8 km return
• Alexandria Bay Walk: 4.2 km return
• Tanglewood Walk: 8 km return
• Coastal Walk: 10.8 km return

Download the Noosa National Park map (PDF) before you go, as it marks every track and the beaches along the way.

The Coastal Walk to Hells Gate and Sunshine Beach

The Coastal Walk starts at Noosa Main Beach, where a timber boardwalk leads to the park entrance and information hut at the end of Park Road. From there the track follows the coast, looking out over Laguna Bay and the North Shore, with side tracks down to Tea Tree Bay and Granite Bay. It carries on to Hells Gate and then to Sunshine Beach.

At 10.8 km return the full walk is a big outing, but you can turn back at any bay or headland and still have had a good walk.

Inland walks

The quieter inland tracks pass through rainforest, open woodland, heath and stands of hoop and kauri pine. Noosa Hill, Palm Grove and Tanglewood can be linked through to Alexandria Bay and Sunshine Beach, and Noosa Hill, at 147 m, is the highest point in the park. Many of the tracks start and end at the Noosa Headland day-use area, and Laguna Lookout is one of the park’s viewpoints.

The park has a southern section at Peregian Beach and Emu Mountain, with three short walking tracks and coastal outlooks. Learn more about Peregian Beach if you are heading that way.

Can you swim at Noosa National Park?

Yes, but not with lifeguards. Noosa Main Beach, at the start of the walk, is a sheltered north-facing beach with lifeguards. The bays inside the park, including Tea Tree Bay and Granite Bay, are not patrolled, and swimmers should watch for strong currents at Alexandria Bay.

Surfers use this coast, and Tea Tree Bay is a popular surf spot, so keep an eye out for boards in the water as you walk.

Koalas, wildlife and whale watching

Look up into the eucalypts near the park entrance: there is often a koala high in the trees. You may also see wallabies, brush turkeys and goannas on the tracks.

From the coastal tracks you might spot turtles and dolphins, and from June to October the headlands are the best place in Noosa to watch migrating humpback whales.

Planning your visit

• How long: the shorter walks are 1.1 km to 4.2 km return. Allow a good part of a day for the 10.8 km Coastal Walk if you want to do it all and swim.
• Best time: June to October for whales. Go early, because parking around Noosa Heads is limited and time restricted.
• What to bring: water, a hat, sunscreen, sturdy shoes and swimmers if you plan to cool off.
• Dogs: not allowed. Dogs are banned from Queensland national parks, and Noosa National Park is one of them.
• Accessibility: the park map marks a barrier-free path from the day-use area to Dolphin Point. Beyond Boiling Pot, some short sections are steeper than 1 in 10.
• Information hut: volunteers from the Noosa Parks Association run an information hut at the park entrance, open every day of the year.
• Questions: the Noosa Visitor Information Centre is on 07 5430 5000. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service manages the park, so check its Noosa National Park page for current closures and conditions.

Getting there and parking

By car, Noosa National Park is about 2 hours from the Brisbane CBD (about 139 km by road) and about 30 minutes from Sunshine Coast Airport. The park entrance is at the end of Park Road, Noosa Heads, a short walk from Hastings Street.

The closest car park is the National Park (Park Road) car park, which has a 4 hour limit from 8 am to 5 pm. Other car parks nearby include:

• Park Road street parking: 2 hour limit, 8 am to 5 pm
• Noosa Heads Lions car park: 4 hour limit, 8 am to 5 pm
• Surf Life Saving Club car park: 3 hour limit, 8 am to 5 pm

Hastings Street and the rest of Noosa Heads have limited, time-restricted street parking, and the Bay Village car park is paid. See the full list on Noosa Council’s car parks page.

By public transport, Translink buses serve Noosa, and the park map marks a bus station at Noosa Junction. No stop at the park entrance is confirmed, so plan your trip with the Translink Journey Planner or call 13 12 30. From Brisbane, Visit Noosa lists Greyhound coaches and the Queensland Rail Travel Train to Nambour or Cooroy, then a Sunbus to Noosa. More is on Visit Noosa’s getting around page. Details can change, so check before you go.

Nearby

• Peregian Beach – a surf beach south of Noosa, next to the national park’s southern section.
• Coolum Beach – a beach town further south on the Sunshine Coast.
• Mount Coolum – a summit walk near Coolum Beach.
• Eumundi Markets – a Sunshine Coast Hinterland market.
• Things to do on the Sunshine Coast – more ideas for the rest of your trip.
• Burleigh Heads National Park – another coastal national park, on the Gold Coast.
• Essential Tips for Hiking Trails in South East Queensland – what to carry before a long walk.

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