Noosa North Shore is the long, quiet stretch of coast on the northern side of the Noosa River, and the only way onto it by car is the cable ferry from Tewantin. Most of the locality is inside Great Sandy National Park and it includes the small town of Teewah, so a day here means beach, bush and sand tracks rather than shops and cafes.
It suits people with a beach-ready vehicle, a camping set-up or a bike, and anyone who wants to look back at Noosa Heads from the other side of the river mouth.
The Noosa North Shore ferry
The ferry runs between the river end of Moorindil Street in Tewantin and Maximillion Road on the North Shore. Two cable ferries carry vehicles and foot passengers, departing about every 10 minutes, 365 days a year. Noosa North Shore Ferries, part of the Entrada Travel Group, has run the service since July 2024.
Ferry hours and fares
- Sunday to Thursday: 5.30 am to 10.20 pm.
- Friday and Saturday: 5.30 am to 12.20 am.
- Standard vehicle (under 4.5 tonnes): $18 one way, $36 return.
- Vehicle with a trailer, boat or caravan: $36 one way, $72 return.
- Motorbike: $8 one way, $16 return.
- Pedestrians and cyclists: $2 return.
You can pay by cash or card on board, or buy tickets online and show the QR code when you board. The operator also sells a 10 trip pass for a standard vehicle, online only. Full price list and the live service status are on the operator’s tickets page.
Driving the beach at Noosa North Shore
The beach north of the ferry is part of the Cooloola Recreation Area in Great Sandy National Park. The Queensland Government says you must buy a vehicle access permit before driving there, and the operator’s camping page says to buy it before you arrive. Queensland Parks officers check permits on the beach, and the permits and fees are on the Queensland Government vehicle permit page.
The ferry operator says the beach is best suited to within 3 hours either side of low tide, and Noosa Council’s advice is not to set off up the beach within two hours either side of high tide. Check tide times before you cross, and stay off the vegetated dunes, which are off limits to vehicles with fines for breaking the rule. Obey the posted speed limits: Police patrol the beach and target dangerous driving.
The southern end of the beach is where you leave the ferry road behind and head onto the sand. Conditions change with the tide, the swell and recent rain, so look at the beach before you commit to it.
Camping at Noosa North Shore and Teewah Beach
Camping on the beach is in the Cooloola Recreation Area, so you need a vehicle access permit and a camping permit, both paid for before you arrive. Queensland Parks says campsite capacity is limited and recommends booking early for peak periods, and rangers may visit camps during the day to check permits. Book through the Queensland National Parks booking service.
The ferry road also reaches a BIG4 holiday park on the North Shore if you would rather stay in a holiday park than camp on the beach. See its ferry access page.
The wider North Shore is also the southern end of the Cooloola Great Walk, the long walking track through Great Sandy National Park.
Looking across to Noosa
From the North Shore you look back across the river mouth to the Noosa Heads headland. If you want the walks on that side, see Noosa National Park, and for cafes and shops after the beach, Hastings Street, Noosa.
Planning your visit
- How long: a full day if you are driving the beach; allow extra time at the ferry.
- Best time: around low tide for driving; pre-buying ferry tickets online saves time at the ramp.
- Cost: ferry fare plus a vehicle access permit; camping permits are extra.
- What to bring: a vehicle suited to soft sand, the vehicle permit, tide times, water, food and fuel, and a tyre gauge and recovery gear if you are driving on sand.
- Toilets: bathrooms on Maximillion Road on the left of the ferry approach, and at the Parks and Forests office on Moorindil Street about 200 m before the ferry approach. Neither has rubbish collection, so take your rubbish with you.
Getting there and parking
By car, the ferry is about 1 hour 55 minutes from the Brisbane CBD, about 137 km by road. From Noosa, head directly down Moorindil Street in Tewantin to the ferry. Pre-purchased tickets save time at the ferry.
The ferry carries foot passengers and cyclists for $2 return. Plan a public transport trip to Tewantin with the Translink Journey Planner or call 13 12 30. See the council’s ferry page for service details.
Nearby
- Noosa National Park – coastal walks and beaches on the Noosa Heads side of the river mouth.
- Hastings Street, Noosa – cafes, shops and the beach strip for after your day.
- Noosa Main Beach – a beach reached by road if beach driving is not for you.
- Peregian Beach – a road-access beach down the coast.
- Things to Do on the Sunshine Coast – more ideas for the region.
Browse more beaches and camping spots.
Quick answers
How do you get to Noosa North Shore?
By the cable ferry from Moorindil Street, Tewantin, to Maximillion Road. It runs about every 10 minutes, 365 days a year.
How much is the Noosa North Shore ferry?
A standard vehicle is $18 one way or $36 return, and pedestrians and cyclists are $2 return.
What time does the Noosa North Shore ferry run?
Sunday to Thursday 5.30 am to 10.20 pm, and Friday and Saturday 5.30 am to 12.20 am.
Do you need a permit to drive at Noosa North Shore?
You need a vehicle access permit to drive in the Cooloola Recreation Area, bought before you arrive. The beach is soft sand and tide-dependent, so check the Queensland Parks page for vehicle requirements before you go.
When is the best time to drive the beach?
Around low tide. The ferry operator says within 3 hours either side of low, and council says not to set off within two hours either side of high tide.
Can you camp at Noosa North Shore?
Yes, on Teewah Beach in the Cooloola Recreation Area with a vehicle access permit and a camping permit booked before you arrive, or in a holiday park on the North Shore.
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