Noosa Heads is a gorgeous beach town just north of Brisbane, located in the wider area known as Noosa. It's a popular holiday destination right on the coast, with vibes similar to Byron Bay but somehow a little more laid back and with fewer backpackers!
We're currently living full-time in our campervan, a 2018 Mercedes Sprinter, and exploring Australia, with a plan of "driving the lap" (completing the entire perimeter of the country). I first visited Australia in 2019, following the classic backpacker route, mostly visiting big cities, staying in hostels and traveling by public transport. This time, with the freedom of our campervan, we're trying to hit the lesser known spots and go slower.
For over 40,000 years, the Kabi Kabi people have lived on this land, long before any Europeans arrived. The name Noosa Heads is derived from the Kabi Kabi word written down as Noothera meaning "shadow" or "shadowy place".
The first Europeans arrived in 1842 when a group landed on the beach in search of an escaped convict. The area was named a reserve in 1879 but it did not become a town until much later in 1930 which is also when a road and two bridges was built and also when Noosa National Park was established. Until that point, it could only be accessed by boat down the Noosa River. With road access, more people came both to visit and to live, turning it into the holiday and lifestyle destination it is today.
Every single spot (and more) that I mention in all my blog posts about Australia can be found in my Australia | Ultimate Map!
This is a digital map featuring hundreds of my favourite restaurants, campgrounds, accommodations, shops, photo spots, museums, beaches, lakes, animal spots, bridges, viewpoints, hikes and SO much more in Australia, including its three external territories.
Each pin includes exact locations, images, detailed information, the ability to open and save the spot in your Google Maps and a link to my relevant blog post to read more.
COMING SOON → Buy the Australia | Ultimate Map!
Below is some useful information for preparing for your trip to Noosa Heads. In all cases, please be sure to check with the relevant local authorities for the latest and accurate information.
Language: The official language of Australia is English. In Noosa Heads, the traditional language of the Kabi Kabi people is Gubbi Gubbi.
→ Learn more about the language of the Kabi Kabi people.
Currency: The currency used in Australia is the Australian dollar, denoted as AUD $. I use a Wise account when I travel which allows me to have a single, free account with multiple currencies. I only have to pay once to convert my money in the app and then I can pay in AUD $!
→ Check the latest currency conversion between AUD $ and your local currency.
Data/WiFi: Before you arrive, I recommend purchasing an eSim on your phone so that you can access data the moment you land. eSims are much more convenient as it means you don't have to put a separate physical Sim into your phone. AirAlo offers great deals for eSims of various data sizes and time lengths with Optus.
→ Load an international eSim on your phone with AirAlo.
If you are visiting Australia long term, you might wish to put a physical Sim in your phone as AirAlo is geared more towards short term visitors on holiday. This way you can access a local phone plan. There are three main mobile phone network providers in Australia: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Telstra has the best coverage across the country whereas Optus and Vodafone are good within cities. I recommend Telstra as it means you have the best coverage while you travel around the country, especially in rural areas.
There is free WiFi available at the Noosa Library, Civic Shopping Centre and in a number of restaurants, hotels and cafes.
Visa: All passport holders except New Zealand require a visa to visit Australia. All arrivals must fill out an Australian arrival card before landing.
→ Check which visa you need for Australia.
Time of year to visit: Australia can be visited all year-round. Noosa Heads, north of Brisbane in Queensland, can get very hot and busy in the summer, especially around school holidays, and cool in the winter months. I recommend visiting in spring (September-November) or autumn (March-May) for pleasant, sunny days.
Length of stay: We spent just one day exploring Noosa Heads, but plan to come back and visit a bit more, especially of the beaches. It was just too busy on the day we visited and we couldn't get parking close to the beaches! It would be a great day or weekend trip to do from Brisbane and is a popular holiday destination.
By flight: The closest major international airport to Noosa Heads is south in Brisbane, about an hour and a half away by car.
There is also a smaller airport on the Sunshine Coast, connecting primarily domestically with Adelaide, Cairns, Melbourne and Sydney. It also has a few international flights to Auckland, Bali and Singapore.
From the Sunshine Coast Airport, it's just a 30-minute drive to Noosa Heads. You can also catch a bus for an hour; take the 622 from the airport and transfer at David Low Way at Namba Street to the 620 which goes straight to Noosa Heads.
By car: If you're driving around the country as we are in our campervan, then the easiest way to get to Noosa Heads is with your own wheels. The most popular way of exploring Australia is by camping - whether with a motorhome, campervan, caravan or a roof tent on top of a car. This gives you the ultimate freedom of going as fast or as slow as you like.
→ If you don't have your own car, you can rent one in Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast.
By bus: There are a number of buses connecting Noosa Heads with the rest of the Sunshine Coast including the 620, 631 and 632.
→ Plan your trip by bus to Noosa Heads.
By coach: You can catch a Greyhound or a Flixbus to Noosa Heads from 18 different cities along the east coast.
By guided tour: Noosa Heads is included a stop on many day tours from Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast if you'd like to go the guided route.
Noosa Heads is a popular holiday destination near the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, so has plenty of ways to get around.
On foot: Noosa Heads is relatively small and has lots of paved paths throughout the town. You can also walk the whole way through Noosa National Park on the Coastal Walk.
By car: If you have your own wheels, of course you can drive yourself around. However, especially during peak season, parking can be limited and hard to find.
We found the easiest was to park along the Noosa Parade across the Garth Prowd Bridge just southwest of the main town area and walk from there. There is also some parking available at the start of Noosa National Park to access the beaches and Coastal Walk.
By bus: Translink runs public buses around Noosa in order to alleviate some of the car traffic; best of all, it's just AUD $0.50 per trip.
→ Plan your trip around Noosa with Translink.
By Uber: Uber is readily available in Noosa Heads and can be a convenient way of getting around the city.
By bike: Getting around by bike is very common in Noosa Heads. There are loads of cycling trails available and many local options for bike rentals.
→ Check out Noosa Heads' bike trails.
→ Book a guided bike tour of Noosa Heads' Beach Trail.
By ferry: The Noosa Ferry runs along the Noosa River every 45 minutes from 8:00am to 6:00pm starting from Noosa Marina and stopping seven times along the way to Hastings Street.
By water taxi: For a fun alternative to Uber, you can book the Noosa Water Taxi with pick-ups all along the Noosa River servicing restaurants, jetties and accommodations.
By cruise: Noosa is home to one of just two of the world's everglades (the other being in Florida in the United States). Hop on a cruise through this incredible waterway home to wildlife and beautiful nature.
By kayak or stand-up paddle: You can explore the Noosa River by kayak or stand-up paddle visiting its mangroves and getting up close with wildlife.
Noosa Heads is a popular holiday destination near the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, so has loads of food options no matter what you're craving.
We had a quick and casual sushi lunch at Sushi Sushi, a takeaway spot right on Hastings Street serving up fresh, classic Australian sushi rolls. There are a few benches out front where you can sit to eat before carrying on with your exploring.
Make sure to stop by at Massimo's Gelateria for a sweet afternoon treat; they've been making their own authentic Italian gelato and sorbet since 1995.
We also had delicious coffee and pastries from Noosa Social, an espresso and wine bar on the quieter end of Hastings Street near the national park. We were a bit too late to try their breakfast menu but it looked yummy!
Sushi Sushi
Massimo's Gelateria
Noosa Social Espresso & Wine Bar
We spent just one day exploring the town of Noosa Heads and plan to come back through again later on our lap of Australia to explore Noosa National Park.
Here is everything we did in our day in Noosa Heads to get you started:
Go for a walk along the Boardwalk Pass
We stumbled across this as we had parked on the Noosa Parade and crossed the Garth Prowd Bridge. Instead of heading straight into town, we veered left onto the Boardwalk Pass, a beautiful boardwalk wrapping along the river on which to wander and take in the views, connecting into the Noosa Spit Recreation Reserve.
From here, you can catch the Noosa Ferry as it cruises up and down the river.
Go shopping on Hastings Street
Hastings Street is the heart of Noosa Heads, the popular main street lined with shops, restaurants and cafes. You can spend a whole afternoon just wandering along the street, stepping in at any boutique you like - we like to call this "mooching"!
Some of our favourite shops we found include Lamington for beautiful artwork, especially of mermaids, Aje for ethereal dresses and Goddess for beautiful linen pieces (I picked up two linen dresses, perfect for beach towns!).
Take in the view from Laguna Lookout
Just outside of town, there is a beautiful view from Laguna Lookout. There is a small free parking lot at the top so you can drive there, otherwise you can hike straight up from Morwong Drive at the end of Hastings Street as well.
BOOK AN EXPERIENCE IN NOOSA HEADS!
PIN THIS POST TO REFER BACK TO LATER!
GET READY TO TRAVEL!
— Book tours and experiences - with GetYourGuide
— Get all the gear you need for your trip - with Amazon (North America)
— Get all the gear you need for your trip - with Amazon (Europe)
— Find a place to stay - with Booking.com
— Choose a hostel to stay at - with Hostelworld
— Purchase global travel insurance - with World Nomads
— Load an international eSim on your phone - with AirAlo
— Start your own travel blog - with Hostinger
— Join the GetYourGuide Travel Creator Community - with GetYourGuide
Discover more from Jana Meerman
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
