Sand, wind and water have sculpted a varied landscape at Cooloola, the largest remnant of coastal vegetation on the southern Queensland’s mainland. High sand dunes, coloured sand cliffs, sweeping beaches, sandblows, freshwater lakes, tall forests, paperbark swamps and wildflower heath make this a spectacular part of the Cooloola Recreation Area in the Great Sandy National Park.
Cooloola is a refuge for plants and animals whose habitats have dwindled with coastal development. Some of the animals living here, such as the Cooloola acid frogs and ground parrot, are rare or threatened with extinction. The park also has one of the few remaining emu populations in coastal Queensland.
The scenic waterways of the upper Noosa River and its tributaries form part of the Noosa River catchment with two-thirds of this catchment being protected within the national park. The dark tannin-stained waters offer spectacular reflections of the twisted paperbarks and bloodwoods that line the riverbanks. The surrounding wetlands of the upper Noosa River also provide extensive nurseries for juvenile fish and other aquatic life.
For thousands of years, Cooloola has been a special place for Indigenous people. Through timber-getting, agriculture and sandmining, Cooloola has undergone many changes in the past 150 years. Today, Cooloola protects valuable coastal ecosystem remnants and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Queensland.
Camping is available at Freshwater, Teewah Beach and Poverty Point. Bookings essential.