I acknowledge the Kabi Kabi and the Jinibara peoples as the Traditional Custodians whose lands and waters we all now share on the Sunshine Coast.
It took me a while to realise it but the Sunshine Coast has quite a number of short walking trails, perfect for an hour or so of fresh air in the great outdoors.
But unlike the Gold Coast Hinterland, which seems to offer an unending supply of hiking trails of all sizes, the Sunshine Coast is slightly more limited in the long hike department.
That said, there are options for some slightly longer walks, including overnight hikes, you just have to know where to go!
FOREST, RAINFOREST AND A BIT OF COAST: LONG(ER) HIKES
Most of the longer bush walks are in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland but there’s also Noosa National Park and a few other trails around Noosa if you want a coastal experience (and not so much forest hiking).
Most of the longer hikes on the Sunshine Coast are half-day hikes so they will take you around 1.5-3 hours to complete. But there a couple of full-day options as well, or if you combine your hike with a picnic, it makes for a nice day out, I reckon. 🙂
So here are some of my favourite long(er) hikes, i.e. more than 5km, going from north to south.
1. MILL POINT CIRCUIT | COOLOOLA RECREATION AREA
BASIC TRAIL INFO
Distance: 5.1km loop
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: Carpark at Elanda Point (Mill Point Road, past Lake Flat Road)
This walk is only just over 5km and it’s really more of a short walk than a longer one. But there are a few other walks in the area so you could easily extend it if 5km is too short for you.
The Mill Point Circuit is a very easy walk, it’s entirely flat and takes you through bushy areas out to Lake Cootharaba at Mill Point.
You can still see a couple of historical remnants of a sawmill operation at Mill Point but as you stand at the shore of the lake, it’s hard to imagine that in the late 1800s, there used to be an entire complex of workshops, a school, hotel, store and houses here to support the Elanda Point sawmill.
2. NOOSA COASTAL TRACK | NOOSA NATIONAL PARK
BASIC TRAIL INFO
Distance: 10.8km return or loop (via Tanglewood Track or Noosa Hill Track)
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Trailhead: Carpark at day-use area, just off Park Road, Noosa; alternative: Sunshine Beach
The Noosa Coastal Track is one popular trail. On a sunny day, so pretty much every day, you will meet tons of people on this trail, and for good reason.
Noosa National Park is a gorgeous spot with a coastal track that winds around coves, takes you up on cliffs and across beaches.
If you want to walk the whole length, I suggest starting from Sunshine Beach for a good cardio workout up the stairs, and for slightly less trouble finding a parking spot.
You can either walk along the coast and return the same way, or turn the hike into a loop by taking Tanglewood Track or Noosa Hill Track and then some connector walking track back to the start at Sunshine Beach (or vice versa).
More details are in the below post.
READ MORE: Hiking the Noosa Coastal Track
3. BORONIA-LITTORALIS LOOP | MOOLOOLAH RIVER NATIONAL PARK
BASIC TRAIL INFO
Distance: ~7km return/loop
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Trailhead: Carpark at the end of Claymore Road, Sippy Downs, or along Kawana Way (where you see the signs for ‘Mooloolah River NP’)
The Boronia-Littoralis Loop at Mooloolah River (no, it’s not actually along a river) is not a hugely popular walk but I keep coming back because I’m a sucker for gorgeous heath and scrub scenery.
And that’s what you find here.
You can start at either trailhead and then loop off the Boronia trail onto the Littoralis trail (which turns into Aemula trail) or vice versa.
Unfortunately, you can sometimes also hear traffic noise from the motorway nearby but I really enjoy this walk for some fresh air and exercise.
The track is very exposed so avoid the heat of summer (plus, it can get very muddy on the track during the wet season).
4. GHEERULLA FALLS | MAPLETON NATIONAL PARK
BASIC TRAIL INFO
Distance: 11km return
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead: Leafy Lane carpark (Mapleton Forest Road)
Gheerulla Falls is accessible from quite a few different starting points, and you can do this walk as a quick hike or turn it into a longer loop.
For a longer hike, start at the Leafy Lane carpark and follow the signs to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk. Once you join the Great Walk, just follow the signs all the way to Gheerulla Falls.
A nice stop for a break / lunch is Ubajee Viewpoint just past the Ubajee walkers camp.
Return the same way.
Alternatively, you could take part of the Piccabeen Circuit once you’re past Ubajee walker’s camp to get back to Leafy Lane.
The track is great for a somewhat sunny day as you’re walking mostly through forest. It involves a bit of a descent on the way to Gheerulla Falls as you climb down the escarpment and into the Gheerulla Valley. And obviously that means a nice uphill stretch as you make your way back.
For an easier option, start at the gate entrance along Delicia Road (not at the Delicia Road trail head! Go past until you see a (small) sign to Gheerulla Falls / Great Walk on your right; there isn’t really a parking area, just park off the road). From here, it’s around 3km return and relatively flat.
4. KUREELPA FALLS CIRCUIT | MAPLETON NATIONAL PARK
BASIC TRAIL INFO
Distance: 8.5km loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead: Mapleton day-use area (Mapleton Forest Road)
The Kureelpa Falls Circuit is one of the shared trails in Mapleton National Park, meaning you’re sharing the trail with mountain bikers and horse riders.
It’s not the most scenic trail as you hike through dry sclerophyll forest but it’s worth it for the fabulous Kureelpa Falls half way along!
The falls are splendid after a bit of rain but even when they’re drier, the rock scrambling and exploring you can do around the creek area makes for a nice break from the trail. Just be careful around the cliffs as the drop into the gorge is rather steep.
The hiking track itself is on the rougher side and for the most part feels like a fire management track or maintenance road. It’s not steep but there is some drop in elevation down to the falls.
Side note: If you just want to see Kureelpa Falls, you can short-circuit it by taking Kureelpa Falls Road, parking right at the end and taking the goat track across the creek.
5. SUNSHINE COAST HINTERLAND GREAT WALK: HIKING OPTIONS
The entire Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk is 59km, spread over 3-4 days. But with several access points available, you can quite easily do parts of it, whether as overnight hikes or half/full-day hikes.
The full hike traverses the Blackall Ranges and goes from Lake Baroon, Kondalilla National Park, to Mapleton National Park with a loop section through the Gheerulla Valley.
You can slice and dice the great walk in so many different ways, it’s really up to you where you want to start and how far you want to walk.
Here are a couple of suggestions to get you started.
5.1 CIRCUIT SECTION | MAPLETON NATIONAL PARK
BASIC TRAIL INFO
Distance: 34.7km loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead: Several options but an easy one is Leafy Lane carpark, Mapleton National Park (Mapleton Forest Road)
If you want to do a short overnight hike, a really nice option is to just do the circuit part of the great walk, starting from the Leafy Lane carpark (or the Mapleton day-use area if you want to add 1km).
You walk past Ubajee walkers camp and then drop down into the Gheerulla Valley. You’ll follow Gheerulla Creek and then climb up onto the ridge again where the Thilba Thalba campsite is (eventually) located.
You could do the loop in a day if 35km means nothing to you but if 35km sounds like quite a distance (which it does to me 🙂 ), do it as an overnight hike by camping at the Thilba Thalba walkers camp.
The lookout at the campsite feels like a pretty nice reward after the hard work of climbing onto the ridge!
5.2 GHEERULLA VALLEY VIEWPOINT | MAPLETON NATIONAL PARK
BASIC TRAIL INFO
Distance: ~10km return
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead: Start at the gate entrance to Gheerulla Falls, Mapleton National Park (along Delicia Road)
If you don’t have the time or inclination for an overnight hike, you could just hike out to the Gheerulla Valley lookout.
A good option is to start at the gate entrance (to Mapleton National Park) along Delicia Road. There isn’t really a parking area so just look out for the gate and some national park signs. Be aware that this is not the carpark along Delicia Road (M4) but further along after the road has turned to gravel.
From there, head towards Thilba Thalba walkers’ camp, not past the gated entrance to Gheerulla Falls or you’ll be doing almost the entire circuit and take a long time to get the lookout!
The track is undulating if somewhat uphill to the lookout.
Gheerulla Valley Viewpoint is a nice spot for lunch as you can get some pretty views into the valley while you enjoy your picnic. Just take care around the cliffs, the area is unfenced.
5.3 MAPLETON FALLS TO UBAJEE VIEWPOINT | MAPLETON FALLS / MAPLETON NATIONAL PARK
BASIC TRAIL INFO
Distance: 14.2km return
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead: Carpark at Mapleton Falls day-use area (Mapleton Falls Road)
Another great option for a day hike is to start at Mapleton Falls (M3 entrance), and hike to Ubajee Viewpoint and back.
It’s a mostly flat walk and very easy to find. Just park at the day-use area at Mapleton Falls, take Wompoo Circuit and follow the Great Walk signs to Ubajee walkers camp.
The lookout is just some hundred meters past the campsite.
Return the same way.
6. EWEN MADDOCK DAM MAIN TRACK
BASIC TRAIL INFO
Distance: 7.7km one-way
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: Carpark at Maddock Park (Mooloolah Connection Road)
The Main Track at Ewen Maddock Dam starts at Maddock Park, mostly follows the lake shore and then eventually ends at Gympie Street North.
The track is a shared trail and there’s a fair bit of horse-riding and mountain biking so keep on the lookout for others.
Since it’s a one-way track, you’ll either need to organise a car shuttle at the other end or walk back the same way. And of course, you could also do less than the 7.7km and turn around sooner.
There are also a few side loops (max. 1km each) that you can add on if you want a longer hike. A great option is actually to walk to one of the loop tracks and use that as your turn around point.
7. ROSES CIRCUIT | DULARCHA NATIONAL PARK
BASIC TRAIL INFO
Distance: 8km loop
Difficulty: Easy-Hard
Trailhead: Carpark at the end of Paget Street, Mooloolah (northern entrance); park at Beech Road, Landsborough (southern entrance)
The Roses Circuit is a great training hike for uphill (or downhill) fitness.
The tunnel section is straightforward and flat but as soon as you start the Roses Circuit track it’s uphill until you reach the Old Maleny Road exit. You’ve then got a bit of a flatter section only to descend all the way to the old railway tunnel again.
The hike is through dry sclerophyll forest and not particularly scenic but in terms of exercise and getting your heart rate up, it’s hard to beat.
Keep in mind that all the trails in Dularcha are shared trails and there’s a fair bit of mountain biking happening here so be on the lookout (even though they should be giving way to you).
8. TRACHYTE CIRCUIT | GLASS HOUSE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
BASIC TRAIL INFO
Distance: 5.7km loop (~9km if you add Tibrogargan)
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Trailhead: Tibrogargan carpark (Barrs/Marshs Road)
Both the Tibrogargan and the Trachyte Circuits have had a bit of a make-over in the last couple of years. Part of the Trachyte Circuit has been re-routed so that it’s now slightly shorter than it used to be.
It’s a fairly easy trail, there only are a couple of uphill-ish sections but for the most part it’s flat and easy walking.
Jack Ferris Lookout is a highlight with great views of Mount Beerwah and Mount Tibrogargan. On a clear day, you may even glimpse Caloundra in the far distance.
If you want a longer walk, you could tag the Tibrogargan Circuit on at the end (or start with it). This probably adds about 3km to the hike, and you’ll end up doing roughly 9km. Tibrogargan is the more popular track of the two so expect more traffic on this track.
I actually prefer the Trachyte Circuit because you get excellent views of Mount Tibrogargan, and the scenery seems slightly more interesting.
MORE OPTIONS FOR HIKING TRAILS
There are a few more hiking trails longer than 5km on the coast but they’re not necessarily my go-to ones. But of course, it’s also nice to try somewhere different.
- Piccabeen Circuit (6.7km loop) | Mapleton National Park: A shared trail through blackbutt forest. You’ll have to cross Gheerulla Creek a few times.
- Yul-yan-man Track (13.4km return) | Glass House Mountains National Park: A new Grade 5 trail starting at Tibrogargan carpark to Beerburrum carpark. You can make a loop using the shared trail on your return.
- Lake Baroon to Kondalilla day-use area (11.4km one-way) | Kondalilla National Park: This track follows the first (or last) section of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk and involves a fairly steep section down to Obi Obi Creek. Obviously you don’t have to walk as far as the day-use area in Kondalilla, you could turn around whenever you want.
- Kin Kin Countryside Loop (14km loop): This circuit is part of the Noosa Trail Network and starts, not surprisingly, in Kin Kin. The elevation profile looks very flat so it’s probably a great walk to do if you’ve got knee problems or just feel like more of a relaxing hike.
- Booloumba Creek to Mount Allan (11km return) | Conondale National Park: Starting from Booloumba Creek day-use area, this track follows the Conondale Great Walk to the fire tower at Mount Allan and offers great views into the valley.
MAP OF HIKING TRAIL LOCATIONS
SUMMING UP
At first it might seem like there aren’t that many hiking trails on the Sunshine Coast but you can actually find plenty once you start looking a bit more.
Most of the longer Sunshine Coast walking trails are in the hinterland but there are also a few trails around Noosa. I’m still to explore most of them so I’m not exactly sure how well they’re signed, graded, etc. You can find more information on the Noosa Trail Network website.
Let me know in the comments if I’ve missed a particularly wonderful hike on the coast, and I’ll be super happy to go check it out!
Happy hiking,
MORE POSTS ON HIKING ON THE SUNSHINE COAST
If you don’t have the time or inclination to do one of the longer walks on the Sunshine Coast, I’ve also got suggestions for short hikes, all under 5km.
Alternatively, you could visit some coastal lookouts, some of which you can conveniently drive to in your car or just walk a couple of hundred metres.
And if you want more details on the Noosa Coastal Track or the quick Mount Coolum Summit Walk, I’ve got posts on these as well.
6 Comments
Joshua
12 June 2021 at 9:09 AMHey Kati! Great to read a full local guide with proper breakdowns on specific areas which was lacking in the other hiking guides I read. I think quite a bit of work went into writing this up, so thank you! 🙂 Looking forward to ticking a few of these off my list this winter.
Kati
7 August 2021 at 9:31 AMHi Joshua,
Sorry for the very slow response, I’m just catching up after a trip to Central Australia.
Thanks heaps for your feedback, I really really appreciate it! I spend far too much time writing up my lists (I’m probably just slow :D) so I’m super stoked to hear that you found this one helpful. I’ve got a few more to add but haven’t had time to update the post or write another one. Some time soon maybe…
Zach
13 September 2021 at 9:12 AMSuch a great article. Thorough, technical information along with photos and your personal perspective – gives a great impression of each trail. Much appreciated, Kati.
Tara
16 October 2022 at 7:19 AMThis is really helpful. I’ve been looking everywhere for more info on longer hikes. Thanks for all the work you’ve put in.
Kati
16 October 2022 at 10:53 AMHi Tara,
That’s great! 🙂 I found it a bit confusing too trying to get info on various hiking options on the coast so this is my own reference list as well. 🙂 Happy hiking.
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