Discover the Sunshine Coast

The Sunshine Coast can be explored while planning your trip by considering specific questions: Which route should shape your stay, and how might you get there? In the wider region, two named routes offer different points of reference: the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk through the Blackall Range and the Sunshine Coast Coastal Pathway, from Bells Creek in the south to Coolum in the north. There are also flights from Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY). This distinction is useful when searching for a holiday apartment: choosing outings and deciding how to get there are separate decisions that together shape your travel plans.

Two routes, different points of reference

The Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk runs for 58.8 kilometres through the Blackall Range. Its length makes it easy to identify as a longer hiking route to include in your travel plans. If you’re interested, you can treat it as a trip in its own right and check current trail conditions before setting out. The Blackall Range is the geographical reference point for this route; it gives your outing plans a specific name and distinguishes the Great Walk from a route described mainly by its starting and ending points. When choosing activities, you can first consider whether a longer hike through the Blackall Range suits your interests.

For the Sunshine Coast Coastal Pathway, its length and endpoints are both informative: it is 73 kilometres long and runs from Bells Creek in the south to Coolum in the north. This provides a north–south point of reference, while the Blackall Range serves as the geographical anchor for the Great Walk. The figures can also be compared: the Coastal Pathway is 14.2 kilometres longer than the Great Walk. This comparison helps you consider the route lengths side by side, while the endpoints make the Pathway’s course easy to picture. When weighing up outing ideas, you can ask whether the hiking route through the Blackall Range or the Pathway running from south to north better matches your interests.

Check flight connections before your trip

Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) is another regional point of reference to consider when planning how to get there. It has direct flights from major cities, as well as some international connections. Check which destinations and flight schedules are relevant to your travel dates before your trip, since flight connections are subject to change. Getting there is therefore a separate planning step from deciding which outings to take. If you plan to travel by plane, first check the destinations and schedules currently available, then compare them with your travel dates. This lets you keep organising your stay separate from choosing specific activities, rather than combining the two questions too soon.

Choose accommodation to suit your travel plans

Searching for a holiday apartment on the Sunshine Coast is easier when you first identify your main focus: a longer hiking route through the Blackall Range, the 73-kilometre Coastal Pathway or flights from the regional airport. These points relate to different aspects of trip planning; they are not a ranking. If you’re travelling as a family, you could first discuss which activity would be most interesting for everyone and how much space it should have in your travel plans. You can then match your accommodation search to your travel dates and daily plans. This way, your choice of holiday apartment reflects the plans that matter most to you.

Discover more destinations

Noosaville, Montville, Noosa, Peregian Beach, Yandina, Sunshine Beach, Mooloolah Valley, Woombye, Pelican Waters, Tewantin, Ringtail Creek, Ninderry, Nambour, Mudjimba, Pacific Paradise, Pomona, Caloundra, Alexandra Headland, Coolum Beach, Marcoola, Buderim, Maleny, Glass House Mountains, Buddina, Mapleton, Doonan, Eumundi, Cooroy, Marcus Beach, Flaxton, Beerwah, Bald Knob, Curramore, Kiels Mountain

For the broader travel overview: Queensland.