Sunshine Beach: Beaches and Walking Trails in Noosa National Park

Sunshine Beach combines open coastal scenery with trails in Noosa National Park. The town lies on the southern side of the Noosa National Park headland and marks the start of a 15 km stretch of open beaches with surf breaks and plenty of white sand. This makes it a distinctive focus when choosing your destination: you can put the beach at the centre of your trip or use Sunshine Beach as a base for a holiday that also includes walking trails and nature experiences.

Beach and Views

At the northern end of the beach, visitors can walk or jog up the Sunshine Beach stairs. From the steps, there are clifftop views of the Noosa National Park headland and the Coral Sea. The climb is a chance in its own right to experience the coastal scenery from above. If you want to combine the beach with some exercise, you can consider including this lookout in your day’s plans without treating it as a specific walking route.

A specific section of beach may also be of interest to travellers with dogs: dogs are allowed off leash at North Sunshine Beach. This rule applies to the section named. If you are travelling with a dog, you can take this spot into account when planning.

Walking Trails in the National Park

The Coastal Walk runs along the coast in Noosa National Park, between the Noosa Headland day-use area and Sunshine Beach. The park also has signposted trails, including coastal trails and hilly inland trails, leading to Sunshine Beach. This offers a choice of different trail types: if you prefer the coast when walking, you can follow the Coastal Walk; if you are looking for trails in hilly inland terrain, these are also part of the trail network described.

The headland section of Noosa National Park can be accessed via Parkedge Road and the northern end of Sunshine Beach. This information may be useful when choosing a location if access to national park trails is an important part of your trip. It describes access to the section, not the location of a particular holiday rental.

The Alexandria Bay Walk

Another walking option is the Alexandria Bay Walk. This mostly sandy trail passes through open eucalypt forest and heathland to Alexandria Bay. Its scenery is therefore different from that of the coastal and hilly inland trails that also lead to Sunshine Beach. The walk can be accessed via Parkedge Road in Sunshine Beach. From the bus station on Solway Drive near Surf Street, it is 150 m to the start of the walking trail.

Nature as Part of Your Trip

Nearby, Noosa National Park offers rocky coastal tracks and walking trails, as well as diverse native flora and fauna. This adds another way to experience nature to Sunshine Beach’s open-beach character. When choosing a holiday rental, you can therefore consider whether your trip is mainly about days at the beach or whether you would also like to explore trails, coastal scenery and native nature.

More destinations to explore: Maleny, Eumundi, Marcoola, Caloundra, Buderim, Yandina, Flaxton, Alexandra Headland.

For the broader travel overview: Sunshine Coast.