Stand on the viewing platform near the spillway at Baroon Pocket Dam and the water sits still below the rainforest of the Obi Obi Gorge, with the Blackall Ranges rising behind it. That contrast — calm water, dense green, a ridge line — is the Sunshine Coast hinterland in one frame, and it is a short drive from the beaches and the towns.
The region suits travellers who want to split their time between coast and country: aviation and military collections, local history museums, lookouts, wildlife parks and a handful of small towns with timber architecture and a slow pace. It also suits families, since several of the larger sites are built around children.
This guide covers the specific sights and experiences worth your time, ordered from the strongest down, followed by a one-day plan and answers to the questions travellers ask most often.
Top things to do in Sunshine Coast
1. Australia Zoo
Australia Zoo at Beerwah is owned and run by the family of the late Steve Irwin and is a popular tourist drawcard. It is open daily from 9AM to 5PM, and the site tends to be frequented more by overseas visitors than by locals.
Because it draws a crowd, plan it as a full morning or afternoon rather than a quick stop, and pair it with the Glass House Mountains area if you are heading further inland afterwards.
2. Sea Life Sunshine Coast
This aquarium sits on Parkyn Parade at Mooloolaba, adjacent to the Wharf, and is open daily from 9AM to 3PM. You can catch the seal shows, swim with sharks, and see the Ocean Tunnel, an 80-m oceanarium with three separate marine habitats.
It is popular with tourists and locals alike, so arriving earlier in its opening window gives you a quieter run at the exhibits. Its position next to the Wharf makes it easy to combine with a walk and a meal nearby.
3. Queensland Air Museum
Located at 7 Pathfinder Drive in Caloundra West, inside Caloundra Aerodrome, this museum holds a collection of aircraft and is a place to learn about aviation history. It is open from 10AM to 4PM, and the setting is more nondescript than you might expect for what is inside.
A real Boeing 737 flight simulator is available, but you need to book a time slot in advance online. Entry is $25.
4. Sunshine Castle
Sunshine Castle on David Low Way at Bli Bli is not the most historic castle you could find, but the inside resembles a typical European medieval castle. It is open Monday to Saturday 9:30AM to 4:30PM and Sunday 10AM to 3PM.
It works well as a stop for families and for anyone travelling between the coast and the hinterland towns along the same road.
5. Buderim Ginger Factory
The Ginger Factory at 50 Pioneer Road in Yandina is a mini-theme park based on ginger, open daily from 9AM to 5PM. It claims the biggest selection of ginger products anywhere in the world, and there is a cafe for meals and snacks.
Children are well catered for: a Cane Train through rainforest, a couple of rides, and a boat ride with animated characters. Set aside longer than you think, since the train and rides are the main draw for younger visitors.
6. Big Pineapple
The Big Pineapple on Nambour Connection Road at Woombye is a 16-metre tall pineapple, one of Australia's big things. Inside the pineapple there are retail and restaurant spaces, and the surrounding site includes a train ride and nutmobile, crops, rainforest, the Macadamia Nut Factory, the Big Macadamia, a "Tomorrow's Harvest greenhouse", a farm show, wildlife gardens and an animal nursery.
It sits on the same road as the Ginger Factory, so the two combine naturally into a single day of hinterland stops.
7. Baroon Pocket Dam and Lake Baroon
Reached via Baroon Pocket Road off North Maleny Road, this is a popular scenic location for picnicking, swimming, fishing, sailing and canoeing. There is a viewing platform near the spillway, along with barbecues and toilets, and bushwalks through rainforests and the Obi Obi Gorge.
Bring what you need for a picnic, since the facilities are set up for it, and allow time for one of the gorge or rainforest walks rather than just the spillway view.
8. Howells Knob Lookout
Off Maleny–Kenilworth Road on Reeseville Road, this is one of the highest points in the Maleny area. The views take in the Glass House Mountains and the islands off the coast.
It pairs well with the drive between Maleny and Kenilworth, and with the Glass House Mountains lookouts if you are continuing south.
9. Witta Lookout
At 460 Maleny-Kenilworth Road in Witta, opposite Gumland Drive, this lookout is open 24/7 and overlooks the Conondale Valley, with the Mary Valley and Conondale Ranges in the western distance.
It is a good place at sunrise for the dawn colours across the ranges, and equally good at sunset. It is about 7 km from Maleny, so it fits easily into a Maleny-based day.
10. Caloundra Lighthouses
At 3 Canberra Terrace in Kings Beach, these are two lighthouses, both quite historic in Queensland terms, designed to light the passage to the North-West channel. A volunteer organisation manages them, and on occasion you can pay $2 to go to the top.
Access to the top is not guaranteed, so treat it as a bonus rather than the reason for the trip, and combine it with the Kings Beach area.
11. Point Cartwright Lighthouse
On Pacific Boulevard at Buddina, this 32-metre lighthouse was constructed in 1978 and marks the entrance to the North-West Channel. Because of its recent completion date it has always been automatically operated.
The outside is free to enter, but the inside of the tower is closed to the public. It is a straightforward stop rather than a long visit.
12. Eumundi Museum
At 73 Memorial Drive in Eumundi, on the corner of Gridley Street and Memorial Drive, this local history museum holds many old photographs of historical Eumundi, Indigenous artifacts from the region and old documents. There is also a small art gallery behind the museum.
It is open Tuesday to Saturday 10AM to 3PM. Check the days before you travel, since it is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
13. Landsborough Museum
At 4 Maleny Street in Landsborough, this local history museum was established in 1976 and preserves collections on what life used to be like on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, including plenty of old machinery from the farmlands. It is open Wednesday to Friday and Sunday, 9AM to 3PM.
Entry is $5 per adult, seniors and pensioners, and children under 15 can enter free. It sits on the same street as Landsborough Galleries, so the two make a natural pairing.
14. Caloundra Regional Gallery
At 22 Omrah Avenue in Caloundra, this is the Sunshine Coast's local art gallery, with several exhibitions, collections and programs. It is open Tuesday to Friday 10AM to 4PM and Saturday and Sunday 10AM to 2PM, and closed Mondays.
It can be a bit hard to spot, as it is not very prominent on the street despite its good-looking building. There is 2-hour street parking directly in front, so parking should not be an issue.
15. Maroochydore RSL Museum
At 105 Memorial Avenue in Maroochydore, this military museum sits inside Maroochy RSL and holds a large collection of memorabilia, kept as a legacy for the Australian Defence Force. Items on display include frigates, gunships, aviation instruments and bomb casings.
It is open Monday to Friday 9AM to 4PM, so it suits a weekday rather than a weekend.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Australia Zoo in Beerwah when it opens at 9AM, since it is the region's biggest single draw and takes the most time. If you would rather stay closer to the water, begin instead at Sea Life Sunshine Coast at Mooloolaba when it opens at 9AM and work in a walk by the Wharf afterwards.
Afternoon: Head inland on the Nambour Connection Road and stop at the Big Pineapple at Woombye, then continue to the Buderim Ginger Factory at Yandina, which is open until 5PM. If you are on the coastal route instead, use the afternoon for the Queensland Air Museum at Caloundra West, open 10AM to 4PM, and book the Boeing 737 simulator slot online beforehand if you want it.
Evening: Finish at Witta Lookout on Maleny-Kenilworth Road, which is open 24/7 and looks west over the Conondale Valley, the Mary Valley and the Conondale Ranges. It is a good place for the sunset colours across the ranges, and it is about 7 km from Maleny if you want to eat there afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Witta Lookout?
It is open 24/7, and the source notes it as a great place at sunrise for the dawn colours across the ranges, as well as for sunset views. Either end of the day works.
Do I need to book anything in advance on the Sunshine Coast?
Yes, for one specific thing: the real Boeing 737 flight simulator at the Queensland Air Museum requires a time slot booked in advance online.
Which museums are open on weekends?
Eumundi Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, so Saturdays work but Sundays do not. Landsborough Museum is open Wednesday to Friday and Sunday. Maroochydore RSL Museum is open Monday to Friday only. Caloundra Regional Gallery is open Saturday and Sunday, and closed Mondays.
Can I go inside the lighthouses?
At the Caloundra Lighthouses, a volunteer organisation manages the site and on occasion you can pay $2 to go to the top. At Point Cartwright Lighthouse, the outside is free to enter but the inside of the tower is closed to the public.
Pick the coast or the hinterland for your first day, check the opening days for the museums you want, and start mapping your route through the Sunshine Coast.