The Cooloola Great Walk showcases the very best of Cooloola's outstanding natural attractions. From giant sandhills to hidden rainforests, you'll be surrounded by nature's chorus both day and night, captivated by myriad spring wildflowers and stunned by the mirror-image surface reflections on the dark waters of the upper Noosa River. The walk is up to 102 kilometres long, takes five full days of walking and offers four walkers-only camps. Here is a chance to change the working week into a walking week. No campfires are permitted, bring your own fuel stove. Each camping area has a water tank and toilet facilities, although water cannot be guaranteed at all times of the year. To enjoy this remote walk, choose a time from March to late September, always walk in small groups (four is recommended), and carry reliable communication and navigation equipment. Do not walk without the Cooloola Great Walk topographic map, available from QPWS info centres. Camping bookings are essential and permits must be carried with you.
Double Island Point is located just south of Rainbow Beach. The point is a magnet for marine life of every description. Dolphins and whales (the latter from July to November) are a common sight there and Wolf Rock, a formation of four volcanic pinnacles a short distance from the point is rated as one of Australia's top 10 dive spots. As a dive location, there are plenty of swim throughs, vertical gutters and overhanging ledges to explore. Plunging to a depth of 40 metres, it is excellent for multilevel scuba diving. Fish life is prolific and you're likely to see lots of trevally, cod, coral trout, perch, mackerel, batfish, leopard sharks, wobbegong and the famous resident Grey Nurse sharks. It is home to several giant Queensland groper, and manta ray are frequent visitors.
This trail in the Cooloola Section of the Great Sandy National Park offers walkers a wilderness experience of wildflowers, chattering birds, cool clear waterways and solitude. This is a harsh yet stunning coastal environment, where conditions vary greatly, from hot and dry summers to cool winters. Low-lying areas are usually wet all year round. The northern end of the trail is at Mullens car park and the southern end is at Elanda Point. Both points can be accessed by conventional (two wheel drive) vehicles. From Mullens car park to Harry's camping area the trail crosses the western catchment and Noosa Plain. Tall eucalypt and banksia forests on deep sandy soils give way to low wallum on shallow soils. From Harry's camping area to Elanda Point, the trail passes through remnant rainforest on the rich deep soils along Kin Kin Creek, and paperbark and cabbage palm wetlands on adjacent waterlogged plains.
The Inskip Peninsula Recreation Area separates open ocean surf from the sheltered estuary waters of Tin Can Bay and the Great Sandy Strait. This is a wetland of international importance. The sand spit is clad in casuarina, cypress pine and other coastal vegetation, providing a great habitat for birds. The beaches and mudflats are roosts for waders and thousands of resident and migratory shorebirds. Bring your own drinking water and camp in one of four shady camping areas. Enjoy wide ocean beaches. Watch sunsets over quiet bay waters. Dogs are permitted in the recreation area, but must be kept on a leash and under control at all times. Bring your binoculars to view birds in the early morning or late afternoon. Look for button-quail on the sandy tracks and shorebirds (in summer). Watch for dugong, turtles and dolphins in the bay. You must bring your own firewood for campfires, but best to bring a fuel or gas stove and reduce your use of campfires.
Wolf Rock consists of five interconnecting granite pinnacles rising from 40 metres aligned on a north-south axis. The southern pinnacle reaches 19 metres, the next two break the surface, the northern pinnacles are at 11 and 16 metres. The terrain varies; the eastern sheer walls drop to 35 metres; the western side has a wide gutter at 25 metres plus. Black coral trees, spiky soft corals, hard corals, gorgonians and spiral sea whips. Grey nurse sharks, spotted eagle rays, turtles, Queensland gropers, schools of batfish, trevally and surgeonfish, as well as sweetlips, bream, angelfish, goatfish, globefish and fairy basslets. In the shallows look for the smaller critters including moray eels, nudibranchs, gobies, scorpionfish, sea stars, shrimps and coral crabs.
Rainbow Beach Tourist Information Centre is located right in the centre of town next to the Chemist and opened 7 days a week. This accredited visitor information centre offers a one stop shop for information including maps and brochures. Owned by knowledgeable locals that have been in the business for 26 years, the Rainbow Beach Information Centre can provide advice on the things to see, things to do, where to eat and where to stay. Talk to the friendly staff about your travel plans or to make a booking including half day tours to Cooloola National Park and Coloured Sands and to book your one, two or three day tours to Fraser Island. They are also agents for National Parks so you can purchase your permits in store. Tide times and local beach driving information is friendly and free. Incorporating the 7th Wave Surf Shop it has shopping for all your holidays needs from thongs, hats, sunglasses, towels, sunscreen and insect repellent to swimsuits and surf wear for all the family.
For travelers who are new to surfing, getting in the water for the first few waves can be an unnerving challenge. This surf lesson makes it easier by offering one-on-one guidance from a local surf school instructor, who gives lessons in surf awareness, techniques, board handling, and riding. Afterward, the instructor takes you to spots on Rainbow Beach ideal for beginners.
The 'Swimming Ride' for experienced riders to take their horse for a ride into the ocean. You literally immerse yourself into nature by swimming with your horse while whales breach on the horizon and dolphins play nearby.
Rainbow Beach is rated in the top five most incredible beaches in the world and the third most colorful beach in the world, with views of Fraser Island and the colored sands of Double Island Point, this is an incredible lifetime experience
This is a bare back ride with previous riding experience necessary.
Mount up for a thrilling 90-minute horseback ride along Rainbow Beach, one of Australia’s most spectacular beaches. Enjoy a scenic route along bushland trails and golden sands, and pose for photos against the spectacular ocean backdrop. Best of all, there are horses suitable for all levels, ensuring a fun time for both first-timers and experienced riders.
The Country Day Ride starts and finishes from our farm Goomboorian, which is situated between the town of Gympie and Rainbow Beach. The ride covers a variety of different terrain including open grassland, timbered country, creek crossings and mountain riding and includes lunch at the Silky Oak Tea Gardens. Each ride is tailored to the riding abilities of each group/individual.
The Country Day Ride starts at 9am and returns at 3pm. Guests are invited to arrive at the farm in Goomboorian 30 minutes prior to the ride . Goomboorian is located between the town of Gympie and Rainbow Beach, in Queensland, Australia. Â It also includes lunch at the popular 'Silky Oak Tea Gardens', who have a reputation for delicious home cooked meals in an iconic country surrounding.Discover the scenic coastline around 1770 by land and sea, on-board a LARC Amphibious Vehicle. Explore the beautiful beaches and woodland trails of the Eurimbula National Park, tuck into a picnic lunch with views of Bustard Bay, and look out for wildlife including kangaroos, dolphins, white bellied sea eagles, and brahminy kite.
Our beach fishing tours operate daily at spectacular Rainbow Beach Queensland.
Rainbow Beach is a prime fishing destination for many experienced anglers and the perfect location for novices to learn how to fish with pristine waters, stunning locations and a diverse range of wildlife and fish species.
Humpback whales playing just offshore, dolphins pushing baitfish into the shallows, tuna busting up on the surface, spanish mackerel getting airborne and sea eagles riding the thermals above you...just waiting for the fish you catch.
Our pristine waters hold a diverse range of fish species from whiting, trevally, flathead, bream and tailor, to bonito, wahoo, cobia, snapper, kingfish, tuna, GT's and much more.
Much more than just fishing. It's a stunning location, abundant wildlife, relaxing in the ocean and just taking it all in.
So come and have some reel fun...
Discover one of the world’s fastest-growing watersports in perfect waters with this stand-up paddle (SUP) experience from Rainbow Beach. Benefit from instruction and having all the required equipment laid on, and learn to paddle on the crystal-clear shallows of Double Island Point—a paradise for beginners. Plus, enjoy the chance to spot turtles and rays as you go, and perhaps advance your paddling on Double Island’s super-long beginner waves.
Enjoy abseiling at sunset on an urban adventure at Kangaroo Point cliffs in Brisbane. An experienced guide leads the abseiling tour, which is suitable for both beginning and experienced participants. Enjoy a fun outdoorsy experience in the heart of Brisbane at a spot that overlooks the Brisbane River and city skyline. Watch the sun set over Brisbane during your 2-hour abseiling tour, making for an amazing end to your day.
A truly unique experience watching the sun set, then watching as the full moon rises over the ocean whilst riding a horse along the stunning setting of Rainbow Beach. Departure time is 45 minutes before sun set and does vary each month according to the time of year.
This night riding experience is a horse riding adventure along the picturesque Rainbow Beach while the sun is setting and the moon is rising. This is an amazingly unique experience only occurs once per month and starts by leaving the yards in Clarkson Drive in the late afternoon taking guests through a small bush trail before entering the beach and taking in the stunning scenerySee wild dolphins and other marine animals during a 3-hour kayak tour from Rainbow Beach. Hundreds of dolphins live in these waters and they often frolic close to the kayaks. Also keep on the lookout for sea turtles, humpback whales (seasonal from June to October), sea birds, manta rays and large schools of fish. Your expert guide provides easy instructions for kayaking; no prior experience is needed. Bonus: your trip starts with a fun ride on the beach by 4WD-vehicle to the boat launch only accessible by 4WD at Double island Point.
Pull on your swimsuit, wax your board and get ready to hit the waves with this 3-hour beginner-friendly surf class. Head to Double Island Point, one of Australia’s surf hotspots, where the gentle waves and crowd-free waters are ideal for mastering the basics. With small-group classes and an expert instructor, you’ll be catching your first wave in no time, and 4WD transfers from Rainbow Beach are included.
If you’re spending a day on Great Keppel Island off the Queensland coast, you can discover some of its natural beauty on a kayaking tour along Leekes Creek. As you journey along the saltwater creek, listen to stories from the guide about the island’s history before reaching a heritage-listed homestead and shearing shed.
Add a twist to your family vacation as you head out to Cunnamulla for an authentic 3-day outback adventure, including accommodation and meals. Get up close to wild kangaroos, wallabies and emus; bathe in the Eulo mud springs; and hunt for opals in Yowah. That’s not all: go kayaking on the Warrego River, sandboard down the Cunnamulla dunes and try typical Aussie ‘bush tucker’.
The golden sands and vibrant corals of Great Keppel Island are part of the Southern Great Barrier Reef and lie just off the coast of Rosslyn. On this full-day tour, ride the ferry over to the island, then explore the island from the water on a guided kayaking excursion. Paddle around Keppel Bay to Monkey Beach, stop to swim and snorkel along the barrier reef, and look out for sea turtles and clownfish along the way.