What are the best things to do in Marcoola, Queensland?
The best things to do in Marcoola, Queensland, include Skydive Noosa’s tandem skydives, surfing at Marcoola Beach and the Mount Coolum Summit Walk.
Marcoola isn’t exactly one of the most heralded parts of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Most visitors prefer to head to Noosa, Mooloolaba, Kings Beach in Caloundra or Coolum. Even Mudjimba Beach to the south gets more attention than Marcoola Beach.
Things to do in Marcoola, Queensland: Tandem skydives
Marcoola is best known for being the home of Sunshine Coast Airport, the closest airport to Noosa. Flights to the Sunshine Coast from Melbourne (or any other Australian city) will land there. But the presence of the airport is a key part on one of the best things to do in Marcoola.
Skydive Noosa offers tandem skydives from 15,000ft above the Sunshine Coast. It’s called Skydive Noosa because Noosa’s the most recognisable name on the Sunshine Coast. The experience starts in Marcoola, however. Tandem skydives on the Sunshine Coast cost from $289.
12 fantastic Sunshine Coast experiences to book now
- Taste coffee and ginger, do rainforest walks, and visit the best lookouts on a highlight-packed hinterland tour.
- Take a serene Noosa Everglades cruise along the mirror-like waterways – or canoe through the Everglades.
- Learn to surf at a Sunshine Coast surf school – or try paddleboarding instead.
- Combine sight-seeing and thrills on a fast boat tour.
- Go e-mountain biking on the downhill trails of Tewantin National Park.
- Kayak with dolphins as part of a beach 4WD tour.
- Explore the Sunshine Coast from above on a seaplane flight.
- Take an indigenous cultural tour – with bush tucker tasting.
- Visit the region’s best craft breweries and distilleries on a drinks tasting tour.
- Go jetskiing through the gorgeous Pumicestone Passage.
- Taste wines, cheeses and chocolates on a hinterland food tour.
- Watch migrating humpbacks on a whale-watching cruise.
Can you swim at Marcoola Beach?
If lying on the beach appeals more than jumping out of a plane, then Marcoola Beach is pretty decent. It’s by no means the best on the Sunshine Coast, but it’s a long beach backed by a grassy reserve and picnic area. Swimming at Marcoola Beach can be dangerous, however – there are several rips along the beach. It’s still possible to swim there, but you’re best off doing it in the patrolled section between the flags near the Marcoola Surf Club.
Surfers should have a better time of it at Marcoola Beach as there are a series of beach breaks. The conditions tend to be best neat Point Arkwright to the north, however.
If you’re thirsty, the Marcoola Surf Club is also a good place for a beer or three after a session on the beach.
What to do in Marcoola: Mount Coolum National Park
If you count Mount Coolum as part of Marcoola, and you might as well as it’s just to the north, you can also visit Mount Coolum National Park. It’s one of Australia’s smallest national parks and essentially covers Mount Coolum.
The Mount Coolum Summit Walk is the highlight here. Get to the top of the dome-shaped mountain, and there are marvellous views of the surrounding beaches and wetlands. Don’t expect the 1.6km return walk to be easy, though. It is very steep in places, and should take around two hours.
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