Noosa bursts with intense summer vibes. It’s full of pandanus trees, brilliant aqua waters and beaming, warm sunsets. While this coastal town is extremely busy (even in the “off” months), I still managed to find tranquil pockets of coastline to relax and bask in the spring sunshine.
Finding beautiful coves
There are many beautiful beach coves to explore in Noosa. Two of my favourites are Tea Tree Bay and Granite Bay.
Tea Tree Bay
This serene little beach can be found two beaches around from Noosa Main Beach. (Little Cove sits between the two). It is accessed via the Coastal Walk. As it is a bit of a walk, it’s noticeably quieter than other parts of Noosa. This cove has a stretch of sand ideal for days spent sunbaking and delving into fresh pineapple – the perfect summer snack.
If you’re feeling like a paddle and a ride on some (small) waves, the southern point of this beach is ideal for longboarding. It’s an incredible place for dolphins too. James had a moment with the dolphins, swimming underneath his board, blowing bubbles to the surface.
Strangely enough, the quietest time here for us, besides sunrise and sunset, was lunchtime! As this beach is so close to main Noosa, everyone seems to leave around midday to go and grab a bite to eat.
Granite Bay
There is another little cove further along the Coastal Walk called Granite Bay. The northern end of this beach is full of large, granite boulders.
James and I had an amazing, peaceful afternoon here, tiptoeing on the waters edge as the sun set for the afternoon.
There is something about these smaller beaches that is amazing. The quiet ambiance, the crystal clear water and the abundance of marine life all contribute to making these places magical.
Enjoy Granite Bay all to yourself just before sunset!
Coastal Walk
I just adore the Coastal Walk in Noosa. It runs right along the coastline of Noosa National Park. It’s long enough to get a good workout and SO gorgeous you can’t help but relax. Every single time I did this walk I was blessed with the presence of dolphins.
After the amount of dolphins James and I have seen, we almost feel like dolphin whisperers now!! They pop up everywhere we go. And while they’re just as special every time, we know it delights tourists more than anything to get the chance to see them so we always point them out to others who haven’t noticed them. It’s the best way to make someone’s day.
At the end of the walking track is a pretty incredible pocket of nature called Hells Gate’s. It’s where the ocean fiercely crashes into the cliff side. The view here is eye opening and you can’t seem to look away.
This walk is best done at first light or just after sunrise. It gets extremely busy here and you’ll constantly be dodging other walkers or walking single file if you do it at any other time of day.
Fairy Pools
On our very first visit to Noosa, James and I scouted out Noosa’s very own Fairy Pools. These rockpools can be hard to find and on our last visit here we noticed the signs had been taken down making them even harder to locate.
The rockpool is small compared to others I have visited, but it’s amazingly refreshing none the less. Especially after a long walk to get there!! Be careful here, you’ll want to visit on low tide when the swell is small.
How to find the Fairy Pools
- Start the walk at Noosa Main Beach. (If you want to cut some of the walk off, park at Noosa National Park Carpark and walk from there).
- Walk past all of the small beach coves, including Little Cove, Tea Tree Bay and Granite Bay.
- Once you’re at the end of Granite Bay, look for a park bench where the track turns to the right around a bend.
- Leave the walking track and head onto the rocks. Carefully walk down to the waters edge until you can see the two pools.
Helpful tip!
Don’t do this walk barefoot or even with thongs! Wear proper walking shoes. From Noosa Main Beach it is around 6.5 kilometers.
There is usually always someone else here, but if you can time it correctly with the sunrise and low tide you’ll most likely have the pools all to yourself.
A surprise whale
It was during our time at the Fairy Pools when we were surprised by a humpback whale cruising close to shore. James and I were sitting on the rocks when all of a sudden we heard a loud spraying sound. It was a whale!! We were so lucky that we had our camera with us and James was able to capture this moment.
Noosa Main Beach (the quiet end)
Even at sunrise, this beach is busy. However, James and I discovered that a little further down the beach was much, much quieter.
If you’ve been following our adventure for some time now, you’ll know we don’t like crowds and love finding places all to ourselves. So this was perfect!
To enjoy this beach with less people around, continue down the main strip to Claude Batten Drive. Along here you will find a bunch of car parks. Park about 3 bays down. You’ll find if you follow the short waking track through the bush it will lead you out to a hushed section of this beach. This was the ideal setup for us.
Sunshine beach
We spent some beautiful mornings at Sunshine beach. This beach sits at the southern end of Noosa. It’s a long stretch of coastline which has views that go for days complete with a long staircase which leads you down to the beach.
The houses dotted along this beach are also magnificent. I would sit here manifesting my dream house all morning!!
Each time we visited here we parked in The Esplanade. Try this street if you arrive early in the morning or during the week. There’s also a picnic table here which is a really nice place to enjoy your morning coffee or a packed lunch.
And for all the free campers out there, there is a beach shower!
Getting back to nature
A little bit of nature is always good for the soul. There is nothing quite like jumping in the car and heading inland, even if it’s just an hours drive away. Particularly in this part of Australia.
Just over an hours drive south lies the breathtaking Glass House Mountains. I seriously mean it when I say they took our breath away. These incredible volcanic mountains just all of a sudden spring up on the landscape. There are 11 in total, each one as magical as the next.
We took the walk up Mount Ngungun to watch one of the most alluring sunsets. The view from the top is incredible as is, but topped with a sunset of oranges and purples just made the experience truly fascinating.
Make the hike to the top of the mountain during the week. Sunrise or sunset will be your quieter times.
All photography taken by James Knight at Aeroaus and is available for purchase.
Are you planning a trip to Noosa? Ask me your questions in the comments below!