Pomona, Noosa: Majestic Theatre, Mount Cooroora and Things to Do

Pomona is a small heritage town in the Noosa hinterland, known for the Majestic Theatre, which screens silent films with a live organ, and for Mount Cooroora, the volcanic peak that rises behind the main street. It makes an easy half day or full day out for anyone who likes a country town with a bit of history, a market and somewhere good to eat.

The town grew around the railway, which arrived in 1891, and it was first known as Pinbarren Siding. Fires in 1939 and 1942 hit the main street hard.

Silent films at the Majestic Theatre

The Majestic Theatre at 3 Factory Street was built in 1921 as a social hall and has been used as a cinema ever since. It bills itself as the world’s longest running silent movie theatre, and it has been owned by the community since October 2006. It is a not-for-profit venue run with the help of volunteers.

Silent films screen on Saturdays at midday. Doors and the bar open at 11 am, tickets are $15 at the door and children are free. You do not need to book. Films run for about an hour, and the 1937 Compton organ plays along with them. It also hosts live shows, which have their own times and prices.

Climbing Mount Cooroora

Mount Cooroora is a volcanic plug in Tuchekoi National Park, about 2 km south-west of the town. It stands 439 m high and is known for its King of the Mountain foot race. The climb takes about two hours and is graded moderate to hard, with steep metal stairs fixed to the rock in one section.

Visit Noosa describes it as a challenging single-track climb from the town, best for more experienced walkers, with 360 degree views from the top. The longer, flatter Cooroora Trail also passes the mountain and is covered below.

The Mountain Challenge race to the summit began in 1959 and drew about 100 runners each July, with the winners reaching the top in a little over 20 minutes. In 2024 the organisers announced that it would no longer be held because of restrictions imposed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. A Family Fun Day continues in Stan Topper Park, so check the current arrangements before you go.

Cooroora Trail and the Noosa trails

The Cooroora Trail is part of the Noosa Biosphere Trails. It runs 10 km one way on a natural surface, through eucalypt forest and grazing land past Mount Cooran and Mount Cooroora, with a lake at Wirruna Drive Bushland Reserve and several bench seats on the way. It suits walkers without bushwalking experience, mountain bikers with basic skills and horse riders. Pomona and Cooran both have lunch options and a railway line, but trains are infrequent, so plan ahead if you want to walk one way.

If you are planning a bigger day in the area, the Cooroy guide covers the next town along.

Museum, galleries and the heritage walk

The Noosa Museum is at 29 Factory Street in the former Noosa Shire Council Chambers, a building from 1911. It is run by the Cooroora Historical Society, which formed in December 1981, and it has historical and Indigenous displays. It is open Wednesday and Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm, and at other times by appointment.

Pomona also has a few galleries along the main street, so allow time to browse.

The easy Pomona Heritage Walk passes the historic buildings, shops, pub and cafes along the main street. Three of the town’s buildings are on the state heritage list: the Majestic Theatre, the Cooroora Masonic Temple (1923) and the courthouse and former police station (1934).

For more on the area’s heritage, see the History and landmarks category.

Markets, food and drink

Local food and craft markets are held every Saturday morning. Stalls sell organic produce, native plants, local honey and homemade preserves. If you want a bigger market day, Eumundi Markets and the Noosa Farmers Market are both a short drive away.

Pomona Distilling Co has a restaurant, atrium, beer garden, gallery and cocktail bar, makes small-batch gin and vodka, and serves pub classics and coal-fired meats. Trail 518 is listed for coffee and food, and Pomona Village Kitchen is a small cafe serving slow-food dishes with local produce.

Parks and dogs

Stan Topper Park is the main town park and the site of the early Pinbarren Provisional School. Cooroora Creek Park, established in 1988, is an off-leash dog park with free public exercise equipment and walking and running paths. The Rotunda and Soldiers Memorial Park was dedicated in 1939 and the rotunda was restored in 2018.

Planning your visit

• How long: a half day covers a film or the market, the museum and lunch. Add the Mount Cooroora climb (about two hours) and it becomes a full day.
• Best time: Saturday, when the silent film, the markets and the museum are all open.
• What to bring: water, a hat and sturdy shoes if you plan to climb.
• The Noosa Country Show has been held in Pomona since 1909, each September.

Getting there and parking

Pomona is about 136 km from Brisbane CBD, about 1 hour 45 minutes by car without traffic. For a longer loop, combine it with Tewantin and the Noosa River, or head down to the coast at Marcus Beach. For lakes nearby, see Lake Cootharaba.

Nearby

• Cooroy – the next hinterland town, with its adventure playground and cafes.
• Lake Macdonald – about 8 km away.
• Kin Kin – about 12 km away.
• Marcus Beach – a quieter Noosa coast beach.
• More Noosa places

You might also like

• Eumundi Markets – the famous Wednesday and Saturday markets.
• Lake Cootharaba – sailing, camping and Boreen Point.
• The Big Pelican (Noosaville)

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