Noosa Coastal Walk (2026) — Complete Trail Guide to Noosa National Park

With tropical rainforest, swimming holes, sparkling coasts and extraordinary wildlife there’s more to explore in the sunshine state of Queensland and Noosa Coastal Walk is no exception!

Noosa is an Australian resort town on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Known for its surf, backed by cafes and boutiques and of course Noosa National Park.

There are lots to do in Noosa Nation Park, our favourite however is the Noosa Coastal walk that runs from Main Beach to Sunshine beach!

Here is everything you need to know to spend a day in Noosa National Park and doing the amazing Noosa Coastal Walk!]

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Where to stay in Noosa

he resort town of Noosa is ideally located on the sunshine coast and it the perfect place for weekend getaways, family vacations and self-care retreats. There are some great accommodation options right in the heart of Noosa along Hastings St.

Our top pick is The Sebel, their Hampton’s inspired apartments are a stylish retreat to come home to after a day of shopping, soaking up the sun or indulging in Noosa’s café culture. They also offer different packages and discounted rates making The Sebel a great pick!

Getting there

Noosa is located about a 90-minute drive north of Brisbane. The closest airport to Noosa is the Sunshine Coast Airport which is around 30 minutes away. The airport has multiple daily flights from most major Australian capital cities.

Once you are in Noosa you can easily walk to the start of coastal walk in the National Park. You will start from Main beach and walk along the coast until you reach Sunshine Beach. See the map below.

About Noosa National Park

In 1962, when the Noosa Parks Association (NPA) was formed, the protected area was just a small landscape, it now covers more than 65,000 hectares, from the coastline of Rainbow Beach to the Noosa River.

The headland section of the Noosa National Park is one of Australia’s most frequently visited national parks and one of the easiest to access by foot from local areas, it’s popular with bushwalkers, nature lovers, families and surfers.

The park is very well organised with a Noosa Parks Gallery and Visitors Centre at the entry, as well as picnic areas, toilets and a number of well-marked walking tracks.

The main entrance is at the end of Park Road, we took the 13-minute walk from the end of Hastings Street although there is Car parking is available at the park entrance.

There are 5 different trails available in Noosa National Park. The Palm Grove Walk a 1.1km return hike, the Tanglewood Walk 8km return hike, the Noosa Hill Walk a 2.8km return hike, the Coastal Walk 10.8km return hike and the Alexandria Bay Walk 4.2km return hike.

We choose the wonderful coastal walk that has 5 highlights on the walking including Tea Tree Bay, Fairy Pools, Alexandria Bay and Hell Gates Lookout.

Main Beach

Start your morning with a yummy breaky at Blended, we fell in love with their Acai bowls and Almond Cappucino. They were spot on every time! What I also loved about a lot of cafes in Noosa is that they all use Bio Pak for their packaging. I am so about sustainable travel and even though I had my keep cup it was great to see so many businesses dealing with this huge problem of single-use plastic!

The Noosa Heads Coastal Walk which spans from Noosa Main Beach to Sunshine Beach is 5.4km and takes around 3 hours to complete. We completed it in around 4 hours, this was with a lot of photo stops and a swim at the fairy pools to cool off.

Ideally, you want to be starting in the morning, and don’t forget to pack your bag with sunscreen and a refillable insulated water bottle as the Australian sun can be very harsh. We also grabbed a couple of wraps from Coconut Head so we could have a picnic lunch somewhere in the park.

Editors Tip: Give yourself plenty of time to do the walk because there are numerous photo opportunities along the way! Also, don’t start too late in the day when the sun is the hottest.

Head to Noosa Heads and at the roundabout on Hastings Street turn right and follow the road to the end. From the surf life saving club to Noosa National Park entry is about 13 minutes. The walk is beautiful and if you are lucky you might even see whales at Little Cove Bay.

Once you get to the visitors centre, you can decide which route is for you. We choose the Coastal Walk, althought its one of the longest, it’s also the best!

Editors Tip: I would go to the toilet here. The other toilets are located at Tea Tree Bay.

Tea Tree Bay

The coastal walk although long is relatively easy. It is ideal families as there are great swimming spots in bays that are protected from large swell.

The best part of the walk is you can turn around and go back whenever you have had enough! From Noosa to Dolphin Point is an easy one-kilometre walk. To the fairy, pools are another 10 minutes and to Sunshine Beach is another 2km.
Once at Sunshine beach you can also opt to catch a bus back to Hasting St if you don’t want to walk.

As one of the top beaches in Australia its easy to see why Tea Tree Bay is a highlight on the Noosa coastal walk! The beautiful sheltered bay is a picturesque dream. Here you can take a dip or watch the surfers and take in the peace and quiet of the bay. Bordering the bay are the stunning lookouts at Boiling Pot and Dolphin Point.

The Coastal Track is paved until Dolphin Point which is just after Tea Tree Bay so if you have a stroller or those with reduced mobility can get access to Tea Tree Bay. After this, although well marked the track turns to dirt.

Editors Tip: The beaches within Noosa National Park are unpatrolled so be extremely careful when swimming and keep an eye on little ones.

Fairy Pools

Next up is my favourite part of the whole walk and maybe even Noosa. The fun little fairy pools! To get to the pool scramble down rocks off the eastern end of Granite Bay. While photogenic, these natural tide pools are a tourists magnet so they may not be as secluded as you had hope! Go early as possible and check the tide before you go!

Editors Tip: We went at the end of August which is still in Winter but had a beautiful day to enjoy the park. It also meant fewer crowds! So many of the coves and bays were deserted!

There are a few key lookouts along the walk, they all offer incredible views where if you are lucky you can spots turtles, dolphins and even whales! Don’t miss Boiling Pot (formerly known as the Witch’s Cauldron due to the surge of frothing water that bubbles into the bay), Dolphin Point and Granite Bay.

Hells Gate

Perhaps the most spectacular view on the whole walk is the one from Hell Gates! The dramatic scenery spans the coastline from Double Island Point and south over Alexandria Bay.

Hell Gates gets its name from the sandstone cave carved out by the harsh waves. The deep valley of the Gates sits on the edge of a headland, with infinite ocean views, here you can spot pied cormorant perch atop the various branches hanging about.

The area is also home to dolphins and turtles and we were also lucky enough to see whales! It’s truly a spectacular day!

Editors Tip: Visit from July to October to view the migrating whales.

Noosa Coastal Walk — Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the Noosa Coastal Walk take? Allow 3–4 hours for the one-way walk from Main Beach to Sunshine Beach at a comfortable pace with stops for photos and a swim. We took 4 hours on our visit with plenty of time at the Fairy Pools. If you want to walk back as well, allow a full day.

Is the Noosa Coastal Walk suitable for families with young children? Yes — it’s one of the best family walks in Queensland. The sealed path from the car park to Dolphin Point (just past Tea Tree Bay) is pram-accessible and suitable for strollers, making the first section very manageable with little ones. Beyond Dolphin Point the track turns to dirt but remains well-marked and easy underfoot. The bays along the way — particularly Tea Tree Bay — are sheltered and safe for children to swim in. Note that the beaches within the National Park are unpatrolled so always supervise children closely in the water.

Can you swim on the Noosa Coastal Walk? Yes — Tea Tree Bay and Alexandria Bay are both beautiful swimming spots along the route. Tea Tree Bay is sheltered and calm, making it the most popular. The Fairy Pools (at Granite Bay) are the other standout — natural rock pools that you access by scrambling down from the trail. Go early and check the tide before heading down as they can be crowded by mid-morning.

How do you get back from Sunshine Beach without walking? The Bus 627 runs from Duke Street in Sunshine Beach back to Hastings Street in Noosa Heads — cheap, easy, and saves you the return walk on tired legs. Check current timetables via TransLink before you go.

Are dogs allowed on the Noosa Coastal Walk? No — dogs are not permitted anywhere in Noosa National Park, including on the Coastal Walk.

What wildlife can you see on the Noosa Coastal Walk? More than you’d expect. Koalas are regularly spotted in the trees — particularly in the first section of the walk between the car park and Tea Tree Bay, so keep your eyes up in the canopy as you go. Dolphins are frequently seen from Dolphin Point (the name is well-earned). Whales migrate along this coastline between July and October and are best spotted from Hell’s Gates lookout. We were lucky enough to see whales on our visit — it genuinely stopped us in our tracks. Turtles are also occasionally spotted in the bays.

What is the best time of year to do the Noosa Coastal Walk? The walk is beautiful year-round but May to September is the sweet spot — cooler temperatures make the walk more comfortable, whale migration season runs July to October, and the park is quieter on weekdays outside school holidays. We went in late August and had many of the coves and bays almost entirely to ourselves.

Is there parking at Noosa National Park? Yes, but it’s limited and fills quickly on weekends and in peak season. The car park at the end of Park Road is free but small. Arrive before 8am in peak periods or park on surrounding streets. The best option is to leave the car at your accommodation and walk from Hastings Street — it’s a pleasant 13-minute walk and you won’t spend your morning circling for a spot.

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