Cooloola Recreation Area visitor guide - Department of National ...

Drives around Cooloola
Roads through the park allow visitors to
explore Cooloola’s magnificent natural
features. Take time to plan trips and
enjoy the area’s highlights. Cooloola’s
sand tracks are only suitable for high
clearance 4WDs. All-wheel-drive vehicles,
or vehicles towing trailers, boats or
caravans may have difficulty and are not
recommended on inland tracks.
Photo: Qld Govt.
Photo: Adam Creed, Qld Govt.
Domestic animals restricted
Domestic animals are prohibited in
the Cooloola Recreation Area,
including dogs:
• Travelling inside vehicles traversing
through the recreation area;
• On beaches north of the village of
Teewah to Middle Rock, including the
intertidal zone (see map pp 10–11);
• On all vehicle tracks (see map
pp 10–11 and table below);
• In all camping and day-use areas.
A designated dog-friendly area
in the beach intertidal zone is
provided from 1 st cutting on Noosa North
Shore to the northern edge of the village
of Teewah, but dogs must be on a leash
and under control at all times.
Cooloola’s inland tracks are generally
one lane. Use existing passing bays (pulloff
areas) when encountering other traffic.
Avoid driving over vegetation.
Horses are permitted in the beach
intertidal zone on Noosa North
Shore—between the beach closure at
the Noosa River estuary and Teewah
township. Horses must not exceed
walking pace between the 1 st and 3 rd
cuttings. Horses are not permitted on
the Cooloola Great Walk.
Cooloola drives at a glance
Drive
Vehicle access
permit required?
Access Distance More details
Teewah Beach Yes 4WD only 44 km Providing access to the Teewah Beach camping area
(spanning 15 km), the Freshwater camping and day-use
area and Double Island Point.
Cooloola Way No 4WD 32 km Connecting Rainbow Beach Road and the Kin Kin–Wolvi
Road, through Cooloola’s western catchment. This track
contains a low area of wallum banksia that flowers
prolifically in spring, with some taller forests on sand ridges.
Freshwater Road
Yes (only between
Bymien Picnic
Area and Teewah
Beach)
2WD Rainbow
Beach Road to
Bymien.
4WD only
Bymien to
Teewah Beach
19 km A delightful drive through Cooloola’s diverse plant
communities. From Rainbow Beach Road, 2WD vehicles can
drive 3 km to view rainforest around Bymien picnic area.
The road winds on, suitable for 4WD only, through tall
blackbutt forest, scribbly gum woodland and coastal
banksia communities. Freshwater camping and day-use
areas are 500 m inland from Teewah Beach.
Kings Bore circuit track
(locally known as
Pettigrews Road, Kings
Bore Road and the
eastern and western
firebreaks)
Yes 4WD 18 km (1hr)
40 km circuit
(4–5 hrs)
Take care!—remote, unsigned, rough sand tracks. Entry is
off Rainbow Beach Road. The final section—Kings Bore
Road—is very steep and one way only to the beach. Study
the map carefully. Be self-sufficient and carry enough
drinking water, appropriate communication equipment and
vehicle recovery gear. Read ‘Sand driving safety’ (pp 18–19).
Harry’s Hut Road No 4WD 10 km
(30 mins)
Poverty Point Road No 4WD 6.3 km
(20 mins)
This track is prone to flooding, so take care when driving
as there are generally washouts and large potholes.
The track meanders through open scribbly gum woodlands
and a pocket of hidden rainforest before ending at Harrys
camping and day-use area on the bank of the upper
Noosa River.
Track winds through low-lying wallum wetlands and ends at
a remote camping area on Tin Can Inlet. Expect some long
stretches of deep loose sand with some sections becoming
inundated after heavy rainfall.
Photo: Robert Ashdown, Qld Govt.
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