Discover Rainbow Beach

Rainbow Beach is located on the Great Beach Drive. There are several possible focuses for your stay: hiking, beach visits, fishing and water activities. If you’re looking for a hotel in Rainbow Beach, first consider which of these interests will shape your trip. Location details for hiking trails and tours help distinguish the destination’s options and plan your days accordingly.

Hiking between two clear reference points

The Double Island Point walk begins at the QPWS Information Centre as you drive into Rainbow Beach. The track is open 24 hours a day; check the Park Alerts before setting out. The Cooloola Great Walk focuses on a route with two named endpoints: the 102 km trail runs between Noosa North Shore in the south and Rainbow Beach in the north. The northern access point is at the Carlo Sand Blow car park in Rainbow Beach. This distinguishes the hiking options geographically: for the Double Island Point walk, the starting point at the Information Centre is key, while for the Cooloola Great Walk, it is the northern access point and the route between the endpoints. When choosing, consider whether you’d prefer to focus on a specifically named starting point in town or a route between two endpoints.

Beach and water activities

Access by two-wheel-drive vehicles is possible at Rainbow Beach; the beach is also accessible from town. There is a patrolled swimming beach in front of Rainbow Beach. If you want to swim there, follow the local signs showing patrol hours. Fishing is popular along Rainbow Beach and adds another activity to the coastal options. For water activities, Dolphin View Kayak Tours depart daily from Rainbow Beach. Surf Lessons on Australia's longest wave also depart from there daily. The two offerings differ as a kayak tour and surf lessons; check the schedules before setting out. Conditions for the surf lessons may also change. These involve different timing considerations: check the schedule for tours and the locally posted patrol hours at the swimming beach.

Cooloola National Park and Coloured Sands

The landscape of Cooloola National Park is accessible from Rainbow Beach; the park extends from Rainbow Beach towards the Noosa River. The Coloured Sands are another natural feature, located about two kilometres south of Rainbow Beach and made up of a complex arrangement of 72 shades of sand. This places the park landscape extending towards the Noosa River alongside a feature located specifically south of town. Access to the beach at the Coloured Sands may vary depending on the tide and weather. Take these factors into account when planning.

Discover more destinations: Landsborough, Malanda, Innisfail, Pialba, Hatton Vale, Jimboomba, Kenilworth, Tully

For the main travel overview: Queensland.