Noosa National Park Park

Address: Noosa National Park, Noosa Heads, Queensland, Australia

Website: https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/noosa

Hours: Open daily (park trails accessible daylight hours)

Admission: Park access free; some car parks and facilities inside may charge small fees

Noosa National Park is a coastal national park on the Sunshine Coast at Noosa Heads in Queensland, Australia. It was first set aside for protection in 1939 and is one of Queensland’s most visited national parks.

The park is centred on rugged coastal headlands, beaches and sheltered bays and is crossed by a network of walking tracks. The main coastal walking route follows the headland past several lookouts and beaches and day-walks commonly cover about 5-7 km round trip depending on where walkers turn back. The park is also noted for frequent sightings of koalas, reef and shore birdlife, and seasonal marine mammals seen from the headlands.

Protection began in the early 20th century and the park has been expanded in stages to include additional headlands and adjacent marine foreshore. Management focuses on visitor access, habitat protection and controlling invasive species.

The park sits on the headland at Noosa Heads on the eastern side of the Sunshine Coast, immediately adjacent to the township of Noosa. It lies roughly 130 km north of Brisbane and fronts the Coral Sea.

• Best viewing times: The best light for photography on the coastal headlands is early morning and late afternoon, and winter months (June-August) increase the chance of spotting humpback whales on migration.
• Wildlife sightings: Koalas and other native mammals are routinely seen in the eucalypt pockets along the coastal track, so move quietly and keep dogs out of the park.

What to See#

• Coastal Track: Runs along the coastal headland from Noosa Main Beach toward Sunshine Beach and returns via inland tracks; includes multiple short side paths to beaches and lookouts. Common sections used by day walkers total about 5-7 km round trip depending on the chosen route.
• Tea Tree Bay: A sheltered bay with a sandy beach popular for swimming and surfing; often used as a turnaround point on the coastal walk.
• Headland lookouts: Headland viewpoints at the park’s tip offering ocean vistas and lookouts where humpback whales and dolphins can be spotted in season.

Noosa National Park is a short walk from Noosa Heads township. From Brisbane, drive north on the Bruce Highway (M1) for about 1.5-2 hours, or use regional coach services. Local parking near the park is limited during peak times-arrive early or use Noosa’s local buses and shuttles.

• Head to Hells Gates or the Coastal Track early in the morning to avoid crowds and catch wildlife at the edges of the forest.
• Bring a map of the park-the coastal trails fork frequently and signage can be sparse in places.
• If planning to swim at Noosa Main Beach, use the patrolled areas and heed lifeguard flags-rips can form quickly.