The coastal community of
Coolum lies in the shadows of
Mount Coolum, an imposing dome-shaped rock (208 metres above sea level) that is popular amongst visitors and locals alike to scale her east side and drink in the 360 degree views.
Coolum Beach’s
charm is that even at peak times there’s plenty of room for each and every sun lover to spread out a beach towel without bumping elbows. A favourite spot amongst locals is the off-leash dog beach at Stumers Creek, which is also a great place for beach fishing to snare whiting, bream, tailor and jewfish.
Coolum
spreads south to encompass the sleepy suburbs of Point Arkwright,
Yaroomba and Mt Coolum, where every second side street or sand path seems to lead to another empty part of the beach. Take a stroll or a pedal along
Coolum Beach’s 300 metre boardwalk, which snakes its way around from the surf club to the rocky headland at Point Perry.
Peregian Beach
has a village atmosphere that draws visitors into its embrace with its infectious, chilled-out beach vibe. It’s home to the Peregian Originals, an open-air, free concert supporting live, original music on the first and third Sunday of every month in the park between the surf club and the beach.
Peregian Beach has a wide and diverse range of one-off boutiques and welcoming eateries that fold out onto the epicentre of
Peregian Beach – the village square.
Drive north from
Peregian Beach on the David Low Way for a spectacular beach drive cruising through sleepy coastal suburbs like Marcus Beach, Castaways Beach and Sunrise Beach. Stop at either one of these unpatrolled beaches for your own secluded patch of sand and ocean free of crowds.
It’s worth taking the time to veer off David Low Way to pop into
Sunshine Beach
,
an uber cool coastal village that is a secret pocket below Noosa Heads.
Sunshine Beach is the gatekeeper to Noosa National Park, offering a network of sandy beach tracks through coastal scrub that lead to ocean vistas and hidden beaches like
Alexandria Bay.
Alexandria Bay, known amongst locals as ‘A Bay’, has attracted generations of surfers who are drawn to the points at this secluded north-facing bay.
PATROLLED BEACHES ALL YEAR ROUND
Sunshine Beach, Peregian Beach, Coolum North, Coolum Beach, Hyatt Regency
Check out the local surf conditions
here
SECRETS ONLY A LOCAL WOULD KNOW
- Shop for homewares and fashion, pick up some flowers and stop for a coffee at Birtwell Street, a funky side street off the David Low Way at Coolum Beach.
- Visit the markets on the first Saturday morning of each month on Coolum Terrace. Twilight markets pop up in the peak summer months.
- Take the kids to Tickle Park on the beachfront side of the esplanade at Coolum Beach – they’ll be entertained for hours.
- Set up for a day’s peaceful fishing at Yaroomba Beach where bream, whiting or tailor can be caught.
- Coolum has two sandy jewels that are often less crowded than better-known beaches, and each is protected from the south-easterly winds. This makes for pleasant paddling conditions. At Point Arkwright, steep steps lead to a southern bay that often has terrific surfing and a northern one that is suitable for children and families.
- Do you like lazy Sunday afternoons listening to live music? Well, salt has the perfect event for you: it’s known as the Peregian Originals and it’s held every first and third Sunday of each month between 1.30pm and 4.30pm. This free, open-air concert has a festival feel to it, with a variety of original music played each session.
- If you like to run a seriously good circuit, start at Parkedge Road on the Alexandria Bay track and follow it until it transforms into the coastal track and then circle back on either the Tanglewood track or, if you’re feeling super fit, the Noosa Hill track.
- Go native at the clothes-optional beach at Alexandria Bay accessed via the Alexandria Bay track or the coastal track via Parkedge Road or the beach.
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Shop ’til you drop! The Peregian Beach Markets kick off at 7am on the first and third Sunday of every month at Peregian Park on Kingfisher Drive. The surf club serves up a delicious brekkie to give you sustenance for browsing the scores of stalls selling fresh produce, art and photography, designer threads, deli goods and plants.
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Mount Emu boasts some of the most spectacular panoramic views of Peregian Beach and beyond. At only 72 metres high, it’s easy to climb without breaking much of a sweat. Access is off David Low Way from Havana Road.
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Thousands of humpback whales migrate south past Peregian Beach every September and October. You can soak up this awe-inspiring phenomenon by climbing Mount Emu for a panoramic view or just hanging out on Peregian Beach to spot them from shore.
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Peregian’s annual Christmas Eve event has been running since 1964 – that’s quite a tradition! Last year, 3000 people joined the festivities, hosted by the Peregian Beach Surf Life Saving Club at Peregian Park. Settle in for an evening of entertainment, including Christmas carols by the Peregian Beach Nippers Choir and local entertainers, as well as fireworks and a visit from Santa who might arrive by helicopter!
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Stroll along Coolum Beach’s 300-metre boardwalk. It links the surf club to the rocky headland at Point Perry with stunning views along Coolum Beach north to Noosa.
TO MARKET TO MARKET
Coolum Night Markets – Friday nights 4pm to 8pm over summer
Peregian Markets – First, third and fifth Sunday of each month – Kingfisher Drive, Peregian Beach