Cooloola Recreation Area, Great Sandy National Park Sunshine Coast

Pitch your tent in the Freshwater camping area—a perfect bush camping setting within walking distance to the beach. Photo credit: © Chris Whitelaw

Four-wheel drive past towering coastal sand cliffs and coloured sands in the paradise of Cooloola Recreation Area. Photo credit: © Tomek Z Genek

Freshwater (tent site) camping area

Wake with the birds after a peaceful night’s sleep surrounded by scribbly gum woodland, just a stone’s throw from the beach.

Accessible by

  • High clearance 4WD

Camping area facilities

  • Telephone (pay phone)
  • Toilets (flush)
  • Waste transfer station
  • Wheelchair access (may require assistance)
  • Tent camping
  • Hot showers (paid)
  • Cold showers
  • Tent camping beside car
  • Short walk to tent
  • Walking
  • Scenic drive

Always check

Take the family back to nature in this popular bush camping area just behind Teewah Beach and close to the Freshwater day-use area. It's an ideal spot when strong winds are forecast.

Wake to laughing kookaburras or screeching sulphur-crested cockatoos and watch small silvereyes, brush turkeys and pigeons feasting on midjin berries in autumn. See large goannas stalking the camping area—be sure not to share your meals with them! Stroll the Freshwater Lake circuit or explore Teewah Beach before continuing your journey on foot along the Cooloola Great Walk or by 4WD along the Cooloola Beach drive or Freshwater Road 4WD track.

Getting there and getting around

Freshwater camping area is in Cooloola Recreation Area, Great Sandy National Park, on the Sunshine Coast between Noosa Heads and Rainbow Beach (155–240km north of Brisbane).

Via Freshwater Road access

  • From Brisbane, drive about 160km north on the Bruce Highway towards Gympie. Take the Gympie Connection Road Exit and turn right. Turn left onto Tin Can Bay Road and drive 38km to turn right onto Rainbow Beach Road.
  • From Maryborough, drive 57km south on the Cooloola Coast Road, then turn left onto Tin Can Bay Road and drive 3.5km, then turn right onto Rainbow Beach Road.
  • Drive 25km on Rainbow Beach Road towards Rainbow Beach township, then turn right into Freshwater Road, drive 3km to Bymien day-use area and continue 11.5km on the sand road to the Freshwater camping area.

Via Cooloola Beach drive

  • Remember all vehicles must be registered, drivers must be licensed and all Queensland road rules apply, even on beaches.
  • A vehicle access permit must be purchased.
  • There are two main entrances to Cooloola Beach drive—the southern beach entrance on Noosa North Shore allows access onto Teewah Beach, and the northern beach entrance allows access onto Rainbow Beach.
  • At the northern beach access, visit the Mantaray Barges office, or the Shell service station for vehicle access permits, also camping permits and other information (business hours only).
  • At the southern beach access, visit the Great Sandy Information Centre, located near the Noosa North Shore Ferries on Moorindil Street for vehicle access permits, also camping permits and other information (business hours only).

Route to southern entrance

  • From Brisbane drive 135km north on the Bruce Highway or the Sunshine Motorway to Tewantin; or from Gympie drive 58km south and east on the Bruce Highway to Tewantin.
  • In Tewantin, follow Moorindil Street to Noosa North Shore Ferries, cross the river to Noosa North Shore, and drive 2.2km on Maximillian Road.
  • Turn right onto Beach Road and drive 2.1km on the bitumen road, then turn sharply to the left (past the 1st beach access cutting) and head north on the Wilderness Track.
  • Drive 2.8km to the end of the bitumen road and turn onto the 4WD-accessible 3rd beach cutting sand track. You must enter and exit the beach via this track.
  • Drive 37.5km north along the Cooloola Beach drive to the Freshwater Road entrance and drive 500m to the camping area.

Route to northern entrance

  • From Brisbane, drive about 160km north on the Bruce Highway towards Gympie. Take the Gympie Connection Road Exit and turn right. Turn left onto Tin Can Bay Road and drive 38km to turn right onto Rainbow Beach Road.
  • From Maryborough, drive 57km south on the Cooloola Coast Road, then turn left onto Tin Can Bay Road and drive 3.5km, then turn right onto Rainbow Beach Road.
  • Drive 29km on Rainbow Beach Road into Rainbow Beach township, then turn left onto Kirchner Avenue.
  • After 300m, turn right onto Griffin Esplanade and follow this road to the council car park and vehicle access ramp to access the beach.
  • Drive south along the Cooloola Beach drive for 10km, drive 1km inland on the Leisha track, the travel a further 3km south on the beach to the Freshwater Road entrance and drive 500m to the camping area.

Before you visit

Opening hours

Freshwater camping area is open 24 hours a day. Check in to your camp after 2pm and check out by 11am on the day of departure.

Camping area features

Tent sites are suitable for walk-in camping. Four-wheel-drive vehicles can park beside bollarded tent sites.

Tent sites are suitable for walk-in camping. Four-wheel drive vehicles can park beside bollarded tent sites.

Photo credit: René Burgess, Queensland Government

Trailer sites provide room to reverse off-road camper trailers or 4WD camper vans into sites.

Trailer sites provide room to reverse off-road camper trailers or 4WD camper vans into sites.

Photo credit: René Burgess, Queensland Government

Freshwater camping area provides shady, sheltered sites set among scribbly gum woodland about 500m inland from the beach. It offers formalised camping with defined sites.

Location: 8km south of Double Island Point along Teewah Beach or approximately 40km north of 3rd cutting on the Noosa North Shore.

Maps:

No. sites: 21 tent sites and 28 trailer sites (separate but not numbered), including designated group camping areas. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Access: The camping area can be accessed by 4WDs only via Freshwater Road from Rainbow Beach Road or Teewah Beach. Vehicle access permits are required to access this camping area.

Suitable for: Tent camping beside a car; walk-in camping; and, camper trailers (with good clearance). Group camping areas are available. Four-wheel drive vehicles can park beside bollarded tent sites. Trailer sites provide room to reverse camper trailers or camper vans into sites.

Surface: Sand

Facilities: No rubbish bins provided, see Waste management below. Water (treat before use), flushing toilets, hot ($2 coins needed) and cold showers, rubbish bins and a pay phone. Free gas barbecues are provided at the nearby day-use area. There is a portable toilet waste disposal facility adjacent to the Freshwater day-use area, see Portable toilets below.

Waste management

Take all rubbish out of the recreation area. For the convenience of visitors and campers, waste transfer stations are available at:

  • Beach Road, 2nd cutting, Noosa North Shore
  • Freshwater Road, off Rainbow Beach Road.

Alternatively, take your rubbish home with you. All waste, including broken camping equipment must be deposited in a bin or removed from the recreation area. Littering and illegal dumping are prohibited, and penalties apply for non-compliance. Report littering and illegal dumping.

Waste management tips when camping:

  • Do not hang rubbish bags from trees or tents. Securely store your waste until disposal in sealed containers to prevent negative interactions with wildlife.
  • Be part of the solution – reduce, reuse and recycle.
    • Choose a menu with less packaged goods.
    • Choose good quality camping equipment that will withstand the harsh elements of the coastal environment.
    • Take recyclables home for proper disposal.
  • Repair broken equipment – do not be a consumer with a throwaway mentality.
  • Remove all waste, including broken camping equipment and domestic waste.
  • Don't burn or bury anything.
  • Carry out sanitary products, disposable nappies and cigarette butts. Do not put these in the toilet facilities.
  • Avoid bringing glass as it can’t be crushed. Broken glass can harm other visitors and wildlife.
  • Bring small sealable canisters for cigarette butts. Don't discard butts in the park.

Also see:

Portable toilets

QPWS have implemented a waste management plan to protect the natural environment, your coastal camping experience and visitor health. If you are camping with a portable toilet in Freshwater camping area, please note the requirements below.

  • It is illegal to bury a noxious substance, such as portable toilet waste. Do not empty your portable toilet waste into any toilets in the recreation area as it creates a risk to human health. Penalties apply.
  • Portable toilets must have a sealed waste holding tank and must be transportable and suitable for emptying into a portable toilet waste facility.
  • Bag and bucket style toilets are not permitted.
  • Bag sanitary items, disposable nappies, toilet wipes and cigarette butts and remove from the area.

Portable toilet waste disposal facilities are located at:

  • Beach Road, 2nd cutting, Noosa North Shore
  • Freshwater day-use-area (beach camper service bay)
  • Clarkson Drive, Rainbow Beach

Also see:

Open fires: Prohibited. Only cooking and heating appliances that meet the below requirements are permitted unless a Queensland Fire Department (QFD) total fire ban is in place.

  • The appliance must use gas or manufactured fuel (heat beads, briquettes). Manufactured fuel does not include timber or wood.
  • It must be used only for cooking and/or heating.
  • It must be a minimum of 20cm off the ground and more than 2m from flammable materials, which includes vegetation.
  • It must not have the potential to generate airborne embers, or possibly ignite nearby ground fuels.
  • It must be fully self-contained (heat source enclosed and no exposed flame) and never left unattended when in use.
  • Appliances that are not fully self-contained, such as braziers, are not permitted.
  • All appliances, materials and burnt fuel must be removed from the recreation area on your departure.

Approved cooking and heating appliances may vary from the above list during and QFD total fire bans. Check park alerts and QFD fire bans and restrictions for more details. Test your cooking appliance before leaving home and never use them in confined spaces, such as tents.

Also see:

Generators: Prohibited

Essentials: Fuel or gas stove, rubbish bags, sealable containers to store waste until disposal to minimise negative interactions with wildlife, $2 coins for camping area hot showers (NB: $2 buys 4min of hot water), first aid kit, insect repellent and sunscreen.

Also see:

Mobile phone coverage: Not available. There is a pay phone opposite the amenities facility at the camping area.

Bookings

Book online or learn about our camping booking options. Advance bookings are required for holiday periods.

Book a camping area Book a vehicle access permit

Visiting safely

For more safety information see Visiting Cooloola Recreation Area safely and camp with care.

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