The most idyllic Noosa walks for nature lovers

Celeste MitchellBy Celeste Mitchell
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When it comes to nature settings, these Noosa walks offer peak Australiana, from the coast to the mountain peaks of the hinterland – koala spotting, all but guaranteed.

Gracing the junction of two UNESCO-recognised Biosphere Reserves (Noosa and the Great Sandy), Noosa offers rocky coastal tracks, verdant hinterland trails, vertiginous mountain climbs, and serene riverside pathways. Whatever your predilection when it comes to hiking, you’re sure to find one of these Noosa walks to suit. And if you’re looking for even more adventure, check out our list of things to do in Noosa for ideas to complement your outdoor experience

Noosa National Park

two women walking along the seaside boardwalk at Noosa National Park
Take in the sights from the seaside boardwalk. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

There’s no better start to any Noosa walks than one that treads the timber boardwalk from Main Beach, into Noosa National Park . The park’s most popular tracks crisscross their way through here, the Noosa Headland section , and the Coastal Walk is undoubtedly the headliner. Expect a 10.8km return ocean-hugging journey that takes you to the park’s hidden beaches – from Tea Tree to Granite Bay and around to Alexandria Bay, ending at Sunshine Beach.

Once you’ve done it and are thirsty for more, explore the short Palm Grove walk (1.1km return), inland Tanglewood walk (8km return) or the short hike up to Noosa Hill (2.8km return). Further south, there are more Noosa National Park walks at Emu Mountain, Peregian Beach, and Mt Coolum.

Cooloola Great Walk

the Cooloola Great Walk in Great Sandy National Park
Meander through lush rainforest. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

This 102km one-way Noosa walk is not for the faint of heart, but as far as multi-day hikes go, the Cooloola Great Walk in Great Sandy National Park may just be one of the best ways to reconnect with nature, full stop. Linking Noosa North Shore with Rainbow Beach, the trail meanders past vast sand blows and perched lakes, and along long stretches of beach. For some of the best conditions – and colourful sprays of wildflowers – plan to hike the trails between August and October.

Allow five days to tackle the Grade 4 track, with walkers camps along the way best booked in advance. Access to the walk is from Noosa North Shore via Tewantin.

Noosa Biosphere Trails

Head inland from the beach, and the beauty of the Noosa hinterland and its charming small towns takes hold. Here you’ll find a varied mix of trails shared by hikers, mountain bikers and horse riders, connecting you with villages like Kin Kin, Cooran and Cooroy. Currently undergoing a series of upgrades, the Noosa Biosphere Trails will eventually encompass nine Noosa walks that extend from Peregian Beach all the way through the Noosa Hinterland

For now, start with the Cooroora Trail , a 10km one-way trail from Pomona to Cooran, which offers up shady eucalypt forest and views of the peaks of Mt Cooran and Mt Cooroora. There is a train service between the towns if you don’t want to tackle the return but check the timetable as services are infrequent. The 14km one-way Yurol Trail , which runs from Pomona to Lake McDonald and across 19 creek crossings has also been recently upgraded.

Noosa River

the foreshore pathway along the Noosa River
Swirling shades of turquoise in Noosa River. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

One of the flattest, and most accessible Noosa walks, the foreshore pathway along the Noosa River makes for a great stroll or roll anytime of day.

Starting from Mill Street next to Chaplain Park in Noosaville, the 3.5km path hugs the water, leading you across a pedestrian bridge, past playgrounds and coffee spots, and ends at a Noosa Ferry stop, where you can catch a ride all the way to Hastings Street or back to the Noosa Marina. It’s particularly pretty around sunset.

Noosa Everglades canoe and walk

an aerial view of the Noosa Everglades
The Noosa Everglades are one of only two everglade systems in the world. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Venture to the Upper Noosa River and, if you’ve got an adventurous spirit, you can combine hidden Noosa walks with kayaking in the pristine Noosa Everglades. Accessed from the Elanda Point carpark, or by paddling across Lake Cootharaba first (hire kayaks from Habitat Noosa or Kanu Kapers ), the 12.2km (return) Kinaba Visitor Information Centre walk will take you through woodlands and wetlands, and along Kin Kin Creek, which has been revegetated with 50,000 native trees each year over the last 10 years.

To go deeper into the Cooloola wilderness, drive (4WD recommended) or paddle to Harry’s Hut, and from there, set out early to Camp Site 3 (1hr 20 mins) and onto the 12km (return) Cooloola Sandpatch walk . After trekking through blackbutt and scribbly gum forests, you’ll reach the 2 km-wide sand patch, with views back across Lake Cooloola, Lake Como and Lake Cootharaba.

Cool off at one of the best Noosa Beaches.

Celeste Mitchell
With visions of hosting Getaway, Celeste Mitchell graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism and entered the hard-hitting world of boy bands, puberty, and fashion, writing for magazines like Girlfriend, Total Girl, CLEO and TV Hits in the early noughties (there was a lot of Twilight references). Since switching gears to full-time freelancer in 2013, focused exclusively on travel, she’s criss-crossed the globe, opened a co-working space, lived in Mexico, and co-founded slow and sustainable site, Life Unhurried. The Sunshine Coast-based author (Life Unhurried & Ultimate Beaches Australia, Hardie Grant) and mum of two regularly pinches herself that she gets to explore new places and ask all the nosy questions she wants in the name of work.
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What it’s really like to stay on the world’s largest sand island

    Kassia ByrnesBy Kassia Byrnes
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    Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

    The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort  with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

    But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

    Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

    Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

    Exploring K’gari

    ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island
    Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

    This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

    If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

    The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

    kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island
    Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

    If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

    While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

    The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

    Unwind at sunset

    two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort
    Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

    As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

    The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

    When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

    Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

    Indulge and disconnect

    woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa
    Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

    The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

    Getting there

    kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island
    The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.