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Region in Queensland, Australia
Photo: wood26, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Sunshine Coast, or the Sunny Coast as it's colloquially known, is a peri-urban area and a holiday city comprising of several settlements in South East Queensland. It has a population of around about 400,000, making it Queensland's third largest settlement behind Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and the ninth in Australia.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Two lighthouses both quite historic (at least, in Queensland terms), that were designed to light up the passage to the North-West channel. There's a volunteer organisation that manages the lighthouse, and on occasion, you can pay $2 to go to the top.
A local history museum with many old photographs of historical Eumundi, Indigenous artifacts from the region, old documents etc. There is also a small art gallery, but behind the museum.
Landsborough Historical Museum
A local history museum established in 1976 which preserves some collections on what life used to be like on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, including plenty of old machinery from the farmlands.
Commemorates the traditions and skills of the Queensland Mounted Infantry (which were part of the Queensland Police Force) and the Australian Light Horse, a military force noted for its contribution to the Boer War and World War I. Open Sundays, ANZAC Day, Australia Day, Remembrance Day and by appointment.
A military museum inside of Maroochy RSL, with a large collection of memorabilia and remains as a legacy for the Australian Defence Force. Items on display include frigates, gunships, aviation instruments and bomb casings.
A 32-metre lighthouse constructed in 1978 marking the entrance to the North-West Channel. Unlike most other lighthouses, Port Cartwright has always been automatically operated owing its recent completion date. As with most other lighthouses, the outside is free to enter, but the inside of the tower is closed to the public.
Great collection of aircraft and a place to learn more about aviation history, especially considering the nondescript location and good price. A real Boing 737 flights simulator is available, but a time slot needs to be booked in advance online.
St Isidore's Farm College
Most historic house in the region, built in the early 1900s by Mapleton orchardist William James Smithnow, and later bought by Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane for tertiary training. Now privately owned.
It is not the most historic castle that you could find, but the inside resembles very much a typical European medieval castle.
One of the highest points in the Maleny area, with good views of the Glass House Mountains and islands off the coast.
Overlooking the Conondale Valley with Mary Valley and Conondale Ranges in the western distance. Great place at sunrise to catch the spectacular dawn colours across the ranges and the spectacular sunset views.
Owned and run by the family of the late Steve Irwin, is a popular tourist drawcard. The site tends to be frequented more by overseas visitors.
Although this zoo is not as famous as its other Sunshine Coast Counterpart, this is a zoo with a ZAA Accreditation Program, which means they have animal welfare in mind. There is also a greater focus on Australian wildlife rather than what you'd find in any other zoo.
SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast Aquarium
A fantastic aquarium located adjacent to the Wharf. Popular with tourists and local alike, you can catch the seal shows, swim with sharks, and learn more about the sea life that so amazes many city visitors. One of its exhibits includes the Ocean Tunnel, an 80-m oceanarium with three separate marine habitats.
The Sunshine Coast's local art gallery with several exhibitions, collections and programs. It can be a bit hard to spot though, as it's not very prominent on the street despite its good-looking building. There's 2-hour street parking just in front of the gallery, so parking should not pose an issue.
Coolum-Art Picture Framing and Gallery
While this may be a framing shop, this place also has an interesting contemporary art gallery featuring contemporary and post-modern artworks.
A small regional household art gallery with a range of artworks from different time periods.
Noosa branch: Shop 10, Noosa on The Beach, 49 Hastings St, Noosa. +61 7 5449 2100
A popular scenic location for picnicking, swimming, fishing, sailing and canoeing. Viewing platform near the spillway, with barbecues and toilets. There are bushwalks through rainforests and Obi Obi Gorge.
A 16-metre (52-ft) tall pineapple that is one of Australia's big things. The pineapple contains many retail and restaurant spaces, train ride and nutmobile, crops, rainforest, the Macadamia Nut Factory, the Big Macadamia, a "Tomorrow's Harvest greenhouse", farm show, wildlife gardens, and an animal nursery.
The Ginger Factory
Yandina. Mini-theme park based on ginger. Cane Train through rainforest and a couple of rides and features to entertain children, including a boat ride with animate characters - like a Ginger "It's a small world". Claims to be biggest selection of ginger products anywhere in the world. Cafe for meals and snacks.
Buderim House is a heritage-listed homestead designed by George Trotter and built around 1915 by Christian Schriver. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 2 March 1993.
More than 20 km outside the main centre of Maleny, in Conondale. Famous intentional community started in 1987. A permaculture village working toward a balanced natural ecology. 200 permanent residents. Regular markets (1st Saturday of each month), festivals, workshops and permaculture training courses. Campground, bunkhouses and cabins for visitors. Tours available.
Serene historic timber town in a rural valley below the Blackall Ranges. Eudlo features a general store, a café, a hall and has a single railway station that fits four carriages on a platform. Nearby is Chenrezig, a Buddhist meditation retreat that oozes with nature and is known to be the largest Buddhist centre in the Western World.
Country town tucked beneath the lush backdrop of the eastern Blackall Ranges. The community has existed under the name since 1995, and enjoys a charming central hinterland atmosphere with a rural-residential lifestyle.
Quiet hinterland town, known for its leafy, retro vibe. Palmwoods retains a charming rural atmosphere with traditional timber architecture. In the town centre is a wooden boardwalk, a key attraction featuring 50 newly-planted piccabeen palms.
58 km walk through the Blackall Ranges, starting from Lake Baroon near Montville. Subtropical rainforest, tall open eucalypt forest and picturesque waterfalls. Entire walk takes 4 to 6 days. Call +61 13 13 04 to book campsites, which have water, toilets and platforms.
Maple Street right in the centre of town. Movies, plays, weekly Sunday markets, annual May Maleny Arts and Crafts Fair and many other activities. Information centre open daily
70 McCarthy's Road. Tours Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. Appointment necessary.
5 Glasshouse Parade. Various tours of the Blackall Ranges, Saturdays, Sundays or by appointment. Known for Winery and Gourmet Foods Tours. Free pick-up in Brisbane for groups of 12 or more.
Tozer Street, Gympie. Steam Locomotive Scenic Tours operated from Gympie, slightly more than 1 hr drive north of Maleny. The Mary Valley Heritage Railway runs steam, railmotor and diesel passenger tours on the Mary Valley Line of Queensland Rail as a non profit venture, owned and operated by the local community.
In nearby Woodford, is a very famous annual musical event, held in late December. (It began in Maleny but moved to Woodford some years ago.)
The Sunshine Coast boasts over 80 km of coastal cycling paths and these run right through the heart of Maroochydore and surrounding suburbs.
Treetop walking experience. See some wonderful Queensland fauna in the process.
The Sunshine Coast's primary sporting stadium with a capacity of 12,000 where many of the city's soccer and rugby games occur. It will also be one of the primary home grounds for the new Redcliffe Dolphins NRL team once they enter the NRL in 2023.
A family fun-park, dodgem cars and the like, located next to the Ettamogah Pub.
Glasshouse Mountains
Queensland's most iconic mountains, about 30 minutes southwest of Maroochydore and Mooloolaba mostly protected as part of the Glass House Mountains National Park. They're a series of dome-like mountains, that apparently looked like "glass houses" when Captain James Cook was sailing along the East Coast of Australia during 1770.
On Western Avenue about 4 km north of the centre of Montville. 327 hectares of lush subtropical rainforest and tall open forest plus Kondalilla Falls dropping 90 metres from Skene Creek into water pools below. Parking area, picnic facilities, barbecues, shelter sheds, toilets, a lookout and three walking trails. No fresh water available. Can become quite crowded during peak holiday periods.
Mapleton Forest Reserve
Just to the northwest of Mapleton. 11,000 hectares with several picnic areas and walks. Camping allowed in three areas (with permits).
The falls tumble 120 metres down the escarpment from Pencil Creek. 26 hectares with rainforest and nice views and typical Blackall Ranges wet eucalypt environs. Picnic area, toilets, shelters, barbecue facilities and walks. Can be crowded during holidays. No camping.
A very small tiny park, protecting the last remaining habitats of the vulnerable tusked frog.
This park has no tourist facilities, so visiting inside is very hard, but this area is home to many different species of birds in such a small area surrounding the Maroochy River catchment.
The Sunshine Coast's equivalent of Noosa's Noosa National Park, preserving one of the last remains of bushland in the Sunshine Coast. There are few developed facilities here, though.
Very few people visit this park, but if you find that the Glass House Mountains are way too far away to see, here's just a mountain that resembles one of them. The impressive dome-shaped mountain can also be climbed via a 1.6-km trail from the park's east, but it is very steep and rocky, hence its Grade 4 rating under the AWGTS.
A short walk through rainforest to enjoy a small waterfall. Swimming or getting into the water is not advised though, as stormwater is known to pass the creek.
Adjacent to Mapleton Forest Reserve, just to the northwest of Mapleton, protects remnants of rainforest. The park includes several bushwalking tracks, but there is no camping available.
Corner of Landsborough-Maleny Road and Mountain View Road. Open daily. Well worth a visit to the 52 hectares of natural sub tropical rainforest and walking trails include many varieties of native fauna and flora, such as the pygmy mouse, possums, pademelons, wallabies, gliders, bandicoots, echidnae, bearded dragons, and a great many types of birds. Picnic tables, barbecue facilities, children's playground, toilets, a kiosk, a ranger in attendance. At the entrance is the Thynne Natural History Education Centre. Nice views over the Glasshouse mountains. Tours available.
Has an easy access boardwalk through pristine wetland areas where fish, crabs, frogs, birds and other flora and fauna breed and feed.
Coolum Thai Spice Licenced Restaurant
A budget Thai restaurant, fully licensed but with few options and unfortunately the restaurant doesn't have much of a range, but that is what you get in a budget restaurant that cannot spell licensed properly.
Has some surprisingly good Asian (in particular, Japanese) food albeit being budget. There are some Korean options too.
A budget Thai restaurant with lots of prawn meals. Otherwise, there are plenty of chicken, pork and vegetarian options, plus as with every Thai restaurant, fried rice is not to be missed.
Has the typical Thai food found pretty much in any Australian Thai restaurant, but with an emphasis on local seafood. There are also some specials in this restaurant, such as chilli noodles.
Located on Maple St, Maleny's main street, this place is known for gelati, an extensive range of cheese, with a cafe which caters to a gluten free diet.
An Italian restaurant but with very Australianised replacements. The most notable of all is probably the fact that a lot of meals contain barbecue sauce, something that's not the most Italian.
A beachside restaurant managed by the local surf club with some classical and modern Australian cuisines. Has some excellent burgers, seafood and pizzas with a particular emphasis on local ingredients.
A sushi shop that sells not only sushi, but nearly all the important meals of Japanese cuisine found in Australia, in a cosy setting. The interior of the restaurant is very Japanese-themed, and it's reflected in its walls, paintings and statues inside.
Has a mix of Asian-fusion dishes, including Asian cocktails too. The range of Asian food ranges from Japan, down to Indonesia, but as the Australian definition of Asian food only refers to East and Southeast Asian food, that's what you'll find in this restaurant.
German cuisine with spectacular views of the Glasshouse Mountains, but unlike most views where you see the mountains from the east facing west, it's the opposite here. Fully licensed and has a good range of Bavarian beers.
A budget BYO specialising in East and Southeast Asian cuisines though modified to suit the Australian tastebud though there's a great deal of seafood owing to the fact that the Sunshine Coast is located along the coast.
A very tasty Thai restaurant with takeaway, dine-in and BYO (bring your own) with all the typicals of a Thai restaurant, though the restaurant is a bit compact.
A classic Italian pizza restaurant specialising in pizza (obviously) along with many other Italian dishes and specialties. The variety available resembles more like the one you would find in southern Italy, like most other Italian restaurants. The restaurant is also fully-licensed, and has both dine-in and takeaway.
A modern Australian restaurant though presented in a very rural rainforest area (and that's why it's located on the edge of Buderim Forest Park), with many rainforest ingredients, local seafood and has a surprisingly good vegan menu. It's inside a heritage listed building over 140 years old, and is fully licensed too. Strangely, the restaurant has led to some maps incorrectly labelling the nearby park as "Harrys Restaurant Park".
Terrace of Maleny
When you first think of going to a seafood restaurant, that's also fine-dining too, ideally you'd often think of the coastal areas, as with practically every seafood restaurant in Australia. But strangely, this restaurant is rather nestled on the mountains of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, making it an unusual combination.
Fully licensed cafe with espresso coffee, tea and cold drinks, special cheese dishes, cakes, scones & desserts. (Watch cheese & yoghurt being made on the premises.). Cheese is generally the European style, and you can watch cheese and yogurt being made.
Cafe and BYO dining.
A cafe with an all-day menu ranging from bacon to sausages to great beverages. Apart from the coffee, which well is good in any cafe, there are many other cold beverages such as milkshakes, smoothies and frappés.
Winner Queensland Club of the Year for the 4th time (Clubs Queensland Awards). Winner Best Food Venue in Queensland for the 5th time (Clubs Queensland Awards).
Country Cafe
Home baking is their specialty – Home baked apple pie, scones, quiche or chunky beef pie with garden salad.
A small bar with a beer garden. Cocktails start from $15, while there is a good range of all kinds of wines.
Award-winning wines. Open daily.
Brews their own IPA, available on tap. A rare find in Australia.
Off Ensbey Road. Tranquility on 1.4 hectares. Great views. 'On call' natural therapies professional.
Air conditioned bed and breakfast on two acres.
Bed and breakfast. Also on offer is therapeutic massage and yoga classes, followed by a guided meditation in the garden.
Private, self-contained pavilions with tropical gardens and broadband internet.
A 15-storey waterfront apartment along the Maroochy River, with some good amenities, but none of the rooms have air conditioning though.
Caloundra Backpackers
Bushland setting near the main Crystal Waters facilities and cafe. Powered and unpowered sites, plus bunkhouses available.
Cabins, caravans, camping, swimming pool, camp kitchen, under-cover gas barbecues, TV lounge plus playground for children. With avocado orchard and Wi-Fi internet access.
Self contained air-conditioned cabins with powered sites for caravans. There is an amenities block, and there's some great views over the coast from the Hinterland.
Highly sought after conference and camping facility also boasting an outdoor education program. Accommodation for 240 guests, four swimming pools, meeting hall for 600 people, climbing wall, canoeing lake, abseil tower, archery.
A motel that's a bit inland and quite a distance from the beach, but contains a pool if you don't feel like driving to the beach. Includes free Wi-Fi and free parking.
4.5 star king studio with private garden and outdoor hot tub spa, located on a secluded forest ridge overlooking Obi Obi Valley, adjacent to Maleny National Park. Breakfast in suite or private gazebo. Minimum stay 2 nights. No pets.
Located in a historic 1894 building near the centre of Maleny, bed and breakfast accommodation with an open fire in the winter.
A motel around 5 km from the centre of Maleny with some excellent rainforests just beside the motel's doorstep. However, the rooms are a bit small though.
New accommodation as of 2019, away from main roads. Solar heated infinity edge pool, spa with a view and sauna on premises. During the cooler months there is an open fire in the lounge room. Movies can be viewed in their cinema room. A selection of drinks and snacks are available for purchase.
Bed and breakfast in a federation era (early 1900s) house. The house has some pretty impressive ocean and mountain views, but that should be no surprise given it's located on a lookout.
A mid-sized coastal hotel with facilities such as a pool, a gym and some barbecue areas and includes complimentary parking plus free Wi-Fi.
Self contained western red cedar cottages, adjacent to a working dairy farm, set on a ridge overlooking Lake Baroon and the Obi Obi Gorge National Park, surrounded by rainforest. Watch cows being milked, feed the calves and collect eggs. 2 km (1.25 mi) of walking tracks in privately owned rainforest & waterfall viewing areas.
Watermark Resort Caloundra Queensland
Watermark Resort at Caloundra on Queenslands Sunshine coast occupies a prime location right on the waterfront. The Resort is a perfect holiday destination for the whole family. With its own private fishing jetty at your back door, the Watermark resort is the envy of many other local Caloundra hotels and resorts.
Ocean Views Resort – Caloundra Queensland
Ocean Views Resort can boast one of the best holiday resort locations the Sunshine Coast has to offer. Situated right on Bulcock Street Caloundra, Ocean Views Resort is only metres from the waterfront boardwalk and just a stones throw from beautiful Bulcock Beach.
Provides guests with a variety of accommodation ranging from Hotel Spa Rooms to Self Contained Apartments and Villas. Rydges Oasis Resort is located on the southern tip of Queensland Sunshine Coast at Caloundra. Rydges Hotels and Resorts is an Australian owned and operated company.
Another one of Caloundra's hotels that are close to the beach. Facilities include free Wi-Fi, an outdoor pool, free breakfast, and free parking.
Maroochy River Bungalows
Self contained family holiday cabins. Private boat ramp, kayaks, tennis, bbqs, pools, sunlounges. Close to the action but away from the rat race.
Apartment-style accommodation on Maroochydore beach, views of the beach, river and hinterland.
Luxury cottages with A/C overlooking Lake Baroon. Beautiful views. Therapeutic massage, special shiatsu treatments and reflexology available.
A set of six cottages and a villa with great views overlooking the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. You might be able to spot some of the mountains in the Glass House Mountains Range though it depends on which direction your cottage is facing.
Middleton Manor
4.5 star bed and breakfast just outside Maleny in the locality of Witta.
Secluded cottages on 50 acres.
A resort style hotel located near the beach in Caloundra, and includes a reasonably sized pool and a restaurant, but at a cost. It's also a bit more southerly, but a convenient walk to Bulcock Beach.
It displays and sells various wall and grandfather clocks. The shop also has one of the largest ranges of cuckoo clocks in Australia, mostly from German-made cuckoo clocks.
Flaxton Gardens Sunshine Coast
Wine cellar offering tastings and sales, plus a pottery, cafe, and gift shop. Excellent views.
Caloundra Street Fair Markets
Perhaps the most organised of all the street markets in the Sunshine Coast, there's plenty of arts and crafts, clothing, food trucks (mobile canteen) and live entertainment.
Australia's largest outdoor market and one of Queensland's leading tourist attractions since 1979, held every Saturday and Wednesday. Arts, crafts, music, street entertainers, food, atmosphere.
From locally made items to fresh produce, this is one of the Sunshine Coast's largest markets out there. As Maroochydore is a major population centre, the markets get very crowded, but since few start their day in Queensland before 7:30, the early hours before 9 is a good time to visit and beat the crowd.
Farmer's market with street food and music. The markets do get surprisingly crowded for a town of its size though, but that can be largely attributed to Marcoola being very close to the population centres of the Sunshine Coast.
A great place to get fresh local produce, local crafts and second hand goods. They take place every Saturday 7AM to noon, at the Yandina sports grounds, off the Bruce Highway.
Maple Street. (In the middle of town). Organic and other produce, plus gourmet cheeses. Open 7 days.
A famous local co-operative started in 1979 that aims to supply high quality organic foods and products (vegetables and fruit) for a reasonable price to Co-op members and the community. Open 7 days.
A fresh food store with local organic produce mostly with unpackaged wholefoods. You can also find organic coffee here too, something that is not very common to find in Australia in urban areas.
A shopping mall with large outdoor areas around a waterway. Normal chain stores are represented, but there are also paddle boats and quite a few eateries alfresco style.
Centenary Square Shopping Centre
Located on Currie Street, which is the town of Nambour's main street. The mall is just the standard kind of Queensland shopping complex in the centre of the settlement.
Nambour Central Mall
A classic Queensland style plaza with a few specialty shops, though not a particularly large shopping centre. It's predominantly taken up by Woolworths and Big W, and aimed more at locals, but useful if for some reason you need to go to Woolies.
Buddina's local shopping centre with over 70 specialty stores, a 10-screen cinema/movie theatre and a large food court.
By car
When driving, and if it's your first time visiting the Sunshine Coast, it may be a strange question to think about, but you might be thinking of that when driving.
By bus
It is also possible to take a coach from Brisbane and/or the Gold Coast.
By train
Queensland Rail operates the T1 Nambour/Gympie North line from Brisbane to Landsborough railway station with connecting buses to the population centres of Caloundra, Mooloolaba, Maroochydore and…
By car
Car is by far the easiest way to see most attractions in a short amount of time, or at your own pace. Larger car hire companies may offer relocations to Brisbane Airport or the Gold Coast.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Maroochydore · International · MCY
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