Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel is pumping fresh momentum into the Sunshine Coast’s hospitality scene.
So long, beige beach stays devoid of personality. The Sunshine Coast has just scored its most exciting address in almost four decades.
Meet Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel , a slice of modernist coastal calm set to welcome guests from 11 May 2026. Twelve stories high and 180 rooms strong, the hotel is the first full-service internationally branded hotel to open in the region in nearly 40 years. It falls under Minor Hotels’ global expansion vision, which aims to operate 850 properties worldwide by the end of 2027.
Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel offers design-forward flair.
Set just 100 metres from the sand – where gentle surf meets a happening esplanade – the property lands smack in the heart of Mooloolaba’s evolving foreshore precinct, currently undergoing major parkland and public space upgrades. The Sunshine Coast Airport (15 minutes by car) and major attractions such as Australia Zoo also lie within easy reach.
This isn’t nostalgia-core beach accommodation with rattan leftovers and surf posters curling at the edges. The Avani brand is known for its social atmosphere and design-forward flair, and the new Mooloolaba outpost is no exception. Rooms are light-bathed and spacious, ranging from 27 to 45 square metres, with interconnecting options ticking boxes for families and groups. The design language is considered yet relaxed, splashing spaces with travertine, timber and a warm peachy palette.
Freestanding tubs and travertine sinks feature in the bathrooms.
Sunset hour is where Avani truly turns heads. A rooftop pool perched on level 12 promises immaculate views of Mooloolaba Beach, Point Cartwright and the Glass House Mountains. Sully’s Rooftop has open-air dining and a bar to match, offering a modern Australian menu that leans into seasonal produce and seafood that celebrates the Sunshine Coast’s fishermen, growers and artisan producers. It’s the kind of place you’ll end up lingering long into the night.
An energetic lobby adds to the appeal.
Downstairs, the street-level lobby bar is set to be a lively social space where guests can sip morning lattes or converse over evening tipples. It’s intended to start and end your day on a high-note, welcoming you back after taking a refreshing ocean dip or hunting down the best restaurants on the Sunshine Coast.
Tapping into the ever-growing Aussie wellness scene, which spans bathhouses in Sydney to authentic Scandi saunas, the hotel’s AvaniSpa offers results-oriented treatments. Fitness is part of the vision, too, with AvaniFit providing a high-performance fitness studio and in-room wellbeing programming for guests keen to get their daily movement in.
Sip evening cocktails at the lobby bar.
Scott Wright, General Manager of Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel says the hotel’s launch marks a significant moment for the fast-growing region.
“We are counting down the days to welcoming our very first guests through the doors. After four decades without a new full-service internationally branded hotel in the region, this opening feels genuinely historic."
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Families and groups can opt for spacious, adjoining rooms.
Arriving at a key inflection point for the Sunshine Coast – where food, outdoor adventure and world-class beaches already draw visitors in droves – this Avani signals a new era. It’s stylish without being precious, energetic without trying too hard, and ready to put Mooloolaba on the shortlist for your next Aussie retreat.
Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or testing her friends’ patience with increasingly obscure vocabulary.
From the moment you arrive in Moreton Bay, stunning natural vistas, fresh and tasty dining, history and more invite you to stay and play.
Untouched national park, mirror-like lagoons and endless stretches of beaches all make Moreton Bay experiences feel like you’ve stumbled across a secret Queenslanders collectively vowed not to tell. Yet it’s easily accessible. Explore further and discover hinterland farms, ancient rainforest, fresh seafood and more: there’s something on offer for every pace, interest and generation.
Just 20 minutes from Brisbane Airport, it’s hard to believe how underrated this Queensland getaway is. Here’s your ultimate guide to rediscover play with unmissable experiences in Moreton Bay.
1. G’Day Adventure Tours, Bribie Island
Explore Bribie Island with G’Day Adventure Tours.
G’Day Adventure Tours’ Sea to Table Experience should be your first agenda item in Moreton Bay. Take a 4WD journey through the sandy tracks of Bribie Island’s beaches to the still, glassy waters of the island’s lagoons. Glide over perfect replicas of paperbarks and fluffy blue clouds mirrored in the lagoon waters in your kayak. Listen as native birdsong echoes around you.
Then, it’s on to Fort Bribie. During the Second World War, these concrete bunkers – now slowly being enveloped by the dunes – were the last line of defence for Moreton Bay.
End the day with a sun-dappled beach picnic of locally caught Queensland prawns and famous Moreton Bay bugs. As you head home, watch the dolphins playfully dart in and out of the surf.
2. Morgan’s Seafood at Scarborough
It doesn’t get fresher than Morgan’s Seafood. (Image: Ezra Patchett)
Right on the Scarborough Boat Harbour, you’ll find Morgan’s Seafood . Between the luxury yachts, you’ll also spot trawlers and fishermen delivering their day’s catch right to Morgan’s. The family-owned and operated spot is one of the best places to try the region’s eponymous Moreton Bay bug. Or, sample more of the area’s direct-from-the-boat seafood fresh at their oyster and sushi bar. If you’re lucky, your visit might coincide with a day they’ve caught tuna.
Picture fish caught that day, prepared and then served to you as fresh sashimi as the sun sets over the unique silhouette of the Glasshouse Mountains.
3. Woorim Beach, Bribie Island
Hang 10, or relax, on Woorim Beach.
On Bribie’s eastern coastline, you’ll find Woorim Beach : aka the closest surf beach to Brisbane. Find a place on the sand by the patrolled area or wander further south to find a quiet spot and while the day away between the shaded dunes, the pages of your book and the peaceful sound of rolling waves.
Ask any local where to grab lunch, and they’ll direct you to Bribie Island Surf Club Bistro . Tuck into a fresh, local seafood platter, just metres from the beach.
4. D’Aguilar National Park
Admire the landscapes of D’Aguilar National Park.
D’Aguilar National Park is a 40,000-hectare slice of greenery that stretches from urban Brisbane right up to Woodford (home of the Woodford Folk Festival). The vast expanse of park is home to ancient rainforests, eucalypt forests and shaded swimming spots hidden within gorges and under waterfalls. The area is significant for the Jinibara and Turrbal people, with ceremonial bora rings and dreaming trails all found within the park.
Carve out some time in your itinerary to explore the park’s many trails. The Maiala day-use area is the perfect starting point for walks for all levels of ability.
5. Arcade Wine Bar
Sit down to a menu inspired by Italy.
Opposite the Redcliffe Jetty and down a laneway, you’ll find an unassuming wine bar. Venture inside and quickly fall in love with Arcade Wine Bar , one of the region’s most beloved local haunts.
Owners Danilo and Matt have a combined 50 years of sommelier experience, which they have poured into the menu, styling and wine list. More than just a hole-in-the-wall wine bar, Arcade Wine is an enoteca (a wine repository), whose walls are lined with bottles upon bottles of Italian wine varietals from every corner of Italy.
Settle in with a wine and work your way through the menu inspired by Danilo’s native Italy: traditional meatballs, their quick-to-sell-out terrine, or a selection of Italian cheeses, charcuterie and arancini.
6. Wamuran & Loop Rail Trail
Away from the ocean, tucked in the hinterland, is the Wamuran & Loop Rail Trail . Perfect for cyclists or walkers, the trail was built to showcase the history of the Caboolture to Kilcoy rail corridor (last operating in 1964) and makes for the perfect family day out. The trail runs for 10.5km and connects Wamuran and Caboolture via an accessible path.
Pass through former railroad, bridges and shaded bushland as you cut from A to B. Plus, visit in winter for a detour along the way to one of the many pick-your-own strawberry farms.
7. Farm Visits
Beaches, mountains and history make an enticing combination. But Moreton Bay also brings hinterland, family-friendly farms to the table. Trevena Glen is one of the area’s most loved, with bunnies, ponies, sheep, alpacas (and more) available to visit for the kids. For the adults, book a horse-riding session and be treated to a grazing platter as you watch the sun set over the mountains of D’Aguilar National Park.
At White Ridge Farm , find camels, putt-putt, train and tractor rides and all kinds of animals. The entire farm is paved, making it accessible for all.
8. Miss Sprinkles
Pick your scoop at Miss Sprinkles Gelato.
An ice cream at the beach is one of life’s most perfect pleasures. While in town, stop by Miss Sprinkles for the locals’ pick of homemade gelato on the Scarborough foreshore.
The gelato here is made the authentic Italian way and scooped up just across from the beach. Or, settle in at their kitschy pink wooden tables for traditional gelato in the sunshine. Aside from the homemade gelato, you’ll also find tarts, pies and even doggie gelato.
