Cootharaba: Lake, Nature and History

The area around Cootharaba offers several points of interest to help you plan your trip: Lake Cootharaba, with its nature and water activities, and Mill Point, with the remains of a historic timber settlement. Both provide a concrete starting point for tailoring your stay to your interests. If you’re looking for a hotel in Cootharaba, you could first consider whether the lake, the landscape or the region’s history is your priority.

Lake Cootharaba: Water and Nature

Lake Cootharaba is the largest lake on the Noosa River and has a circumference of 25 kilometres. It’s suitable for camping, fishing and sailing. Windsurfing and sailing competitions are also held on the lake. This means individual activities sit alongside sporting events. When planning your trip, you can decide whether you’re more interested in activities on the water or the competitions. These two aspects complement one another: Lake Cootharaba’s status as the largest lake on the Noosa River places it in its geographical context, while its 25-kilometre circumference gives you a sense of the lake’s size.

The lake is also a habitat for a variety of wildlife. The Kinaba Information Centre offers views of the lake and information about wetlands and waterbirds. This connects the waterside scenery with nature-related topics. If you’re more interested in wetlands and birdlife, the centre offers a different perspective from activities on the water.

Mill Point: History and Route

Remains of a thriving timber settlement from the late 19th century have been preserved at the Mill Point Settlement. The site gives your trip a concrete historical focus. It can be reached by boat from Boreen Point or by canoe from Elanda Point. These options differ both in mode of transport and in their respective starting points.

A route from the Elanda Point car park follows the Cooloola Wilderness Trail through Elanda Plains, formerly cleared farmland that has since regrown with native trees. It then follows an old road alignment towards Mill Point. Elanda Plains shows the transformation from cleared land to land covered again with vegetation; the old road alignment adds another historical element to the route.

The Mill Point circuit is open 24 hours a day. Check the Park Alerts for access and conditions before your visit.

Trip Focus and Hotel Search

Lake Cootharaba is all about water activities and nature, while Mill Point combines the history of the timber settlement with the route through Elanda Plains. This comparison can help you decide whether you’d prefer to focus your stay on the lake or on history and landscape change.

Discover more destinations: St. George, Stanthorpe, Carindale, Cunnamulla, Cottonvale, Miles, Bargara, Palmwoods.

For the broader travel overview: Queensland.