9 of the best day trips from the Sunshine Coast

The Sunshine Coast Hinterland towns of Maleny, Montville and Mapleton are an endless source of adventure, no matter how many times you visit.

If you’re a first-timer, hit the country roads and make your way to Montville's cafes and wineries, and add a hike to serene Kondalilla Falls. Veteran hinterland-trippers who can’t get enough of the fresh country air should try these lesser-known spots. 

This is the place to swap salty seas for freshwater chasing the coast’s best waterfalls, or fuel your creativity with an art gallery crawl. If you'd prefer your tastebuds lead the way, plan to stop at some local breweries - the Sunshine Coast's craft beer scene has exploded in recent years. Hand over driving duties to a local from Sunshine Coast Craft Beer Tours and you can spend the day hopping between local farms, coffee roasters and breweries on a tour full of flavour. 

2. Soak up country life in the Noosa Hinterland

There's another hinterland you need to know about. 

Just a short zip up the motorway dicover the lesser-known green behind Noosa brimming with delights of its own.

Quaint country villages like Pomona, Cooroy and Kenilworth are packed with new cafes, quirky local sights, farm-to-table produce, a distillery and nature trails worth wandering. Follow this Noosa Hinterland guide or feast your way through a road-trip.

If it’s a Wednesday or Saturday morning, start your day at Eumundi Markets before hitting up Fox and Hound Espresso in Cooroy for their liquid gold. Bookworms shouldn't miss trawling through the stacks of literary goodness at Berkelouw Book Barn in Eumundi before taking off.

If you’re after a more carefree, uplanned road trip, follow the Mary Valley Scenic Drive winding through the small villages of Kenilworth, Imbil, and Amamoor, stopping to peruse the historical townships and picnic by local swimming holes.

3. Explore Noosa Everglades

While most day-trippers tend to gravitate towards Noosa National Park, one of Queensland's best kept secrets is hiding just 30-minutes drive outside of town.  

The Noosa Everglades is a 60km stretch of spectacular river and lake system, and is one of only two Everglade environments identified on the planet. This is pure, undisturbed wilderness at its finest, thanks to 65% of its catchment being protected by the Great Sandy National Park, its inclusion in the Noosa UNESCO Biosphere and its proximity to the World Heritage-listed Fraser Island.

The best way to explore is by paddling, so join a tour with Kanu Kapers or Everglades Eco Safari, which combines an eco-cruise with the opportunity to explore via canoe as well. 

4. Meet the animals at Australia Zoo

Whether you’ve got a family of your own or it's just been too long since you let your inner child run free, Australia Zoo remains one of the best day trips on the Sunshine Coast - and one of Queensland's best wildlife sanctuaries. 

From the classics like koala cuddles and hand-feeding the roos, to leaping lemurs, the croc show and the African Safari Park, there’s a lot of animal action to keep die-hard wildlife fans on their toes. 

5. Have a sea change on Bribie Island

It's connected to the mainland by a bridge, but crossing over to Bribie Island feels like stepping back in time, where beach swims were followed by fish and chips on the sand. 

Got the kids in tow? Head to the western side of the island where the sheltered waters of the Pumicestone Passage allow for safe swimming all along the foreshore, with picnic and BBQ facilities, playgrounds and easy shore fishing to boot. If you don’t have your own tinnie or waters toys to explore, hop on a family-friendly eco-tour with Ferryman Cruises, hire a SUP or kayak from the Bribie Island Hire Hut, or zip your way on a high-speed or leisure jet ski ride.

Coming with the dog? Make your way to the off-leash fun of Woorim Beach.

Got a 4WD? Hit the sand on the ocean side to find a quiet spot all to yourself for the day. 

6. Discover Double Island Point

Known by locals as a beach camping paradise, Double Island Point (sitting between Rainbow Beach and Noosa North Shore in the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park) is still worthy of day-trip status. 

Purchase a vehicle access permit and pack the 4WD with rods, surfboards and kayaks, before jumping aboard the Noosa North Shore Ferry at Tewantin to cross the river (departing every 10 minutes).

On the other side, choose your adventure: head to Lake Cooroibah for a spot of fishing and paddling; keen 4WDers can tackle the remote Kings Bore circuit, or make your way up the coastline for some beach driving before setting up for the day at the point (don’t forget to check out the lighthouse while you’re here).

Double Island Point and the Great Sandy National Park can also be accessed from the north, which happens to be another unforgettable day trip from the Sunshine Coast, Rainbow Beach.

7. Find the coloured sands of Rainbow Beach

As far as day trips from the Sunshine Coast go, this one's the pot of gold.

Located just under two hours from the Sunshine Coast (via the Bruce Highway), the laid-back town of Rainbow Beach is home to one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in Queensland, known for its Coloured Sands sprinkled with a palette of over 72 different hues.

Part of the Great Beach Drive, this sandy highway can easily be tackled in a day as you cruise by 4WD past the rainbow phenomena and onto Double Island Point. Want to experience every inch this day trip but don't have a 4WD? Great Beach Drive 4WD Tours will take you there. 

But for those who’d rather focus solely on this pretty coastal pocket, you can ditch the wheels and walk south from the main beach to gaze up at the mass of sandy cliffs – which reach up to 200 metres high –  or join Rainbow Beach Horse Rides for a truly unforgettable experience in the saddle. Be sure to visit Carlo Sand Blow at sunset before you head home. 

8. Make your way to Hervey Bay

If you're up for a Sunshine Coast day trip that'll put some miles on your odometer, get ready for an early start. Today's destination: the world's first whale heritage site, Hervey Bay. 

Take a quick pitstop in Maryborough – the home of Mary Poppins’ author P.L. Travers – and make your inner child sing by getting a snap with everyone’s favourite nanny. 

Some of the region's best experiences are on the water, so book ahead for a whale watching tour or the 4-hour Turtle Discovery Tour with Hervey Bay Eco Marine Tours - an inspiring trip through the eyes of local indigenous guides that includes island-hopping, dugong and dolphin spotting. 

Prefer to stick to the mainland? Rent paddleboards or kayaks from Aquavue: the calm waters make it a cinch to explore. Or hire one of the Surrey Bikes for a cruise down the esplanade and stroll along historic Urangan Pier. Grab seafood from one of the local fish and chips shops, and spend the afternoon clocking up some serious beachtime along the foreshore - there's playgrounds and picnic areas here too. 

9. Journey to misty Bunya Mountains

Set amongst a 30-million-year-old landscape of lush rainforests and woodlands, the Bunya Mountains combines nature’s finest – rolling mountains, rainforest, rock pools, and waterfalls – into one easy day trip.

Set your alarm for the crack of dawn as it’s roughly a three-hour drive from the Sunshine Coast; a little longer if you take the scenic route along the Great Bunya Drive starting in Gympie.

Your reward? Having the second-oldest national park in Queensland and Australia’s largest collection of Bunya pines as your playground. Lace up those walking boots because the best way to get amongst it is by foot. From the popular Barker Creek and Scenic Circuit tracks to the challenging hikes on the western cliffs, you’ll find strolls to suit all ages and abilities.

If the kids aren’t too keen on the cardio burn, Bunya Mountains Horse Drawn Tours run a variety of joy rides to cater to their attention spans, ranging from 10 minutes to a two-hour adventure down an old logging track before enjoying billy tea and damper around a campfire.

Don’t want to leave? Escape reality for a little while longer overnighting at one of three national park camping grounds. If camping's not your thing, hole up in a nearby cosy cottage or chalet instead.

Tip: If it’s the last Sunday of the month, drop into the Bunya Mountains Community Markets on Bunya Avenue to score some handmade local goodies and a bag of the famous Bunya nuts.