• Feel the temperature drop in the sheltered rainforest of this walkers' camp. Photo credit: © Queensland Government
• Camp under the slender piccabeen palms at Kauri walkers' camp. Photo credit: Briony Masters © Queensland Government

End your long day’s walk at this walkers’ camp in cool, sheltered rainforest , one of several along the Cooloola Great Walk. Sleep surrounded by slender piccabeen palms and towering blue quandong, lilly pilly and strangler figs. Look for fungi of all shapes, sizes and colours that grow in this moist environment. Listen for the ‘Cooloola chorus’ of rainforest birds, and the piercing whip-crack call of eastern whipbirds.

If you’re lucky you may spot a carpet python sporting its beautiful colour patterns in the rainforest. Notice the imposing kauri pine growing nearby—lie on one of the picnic platforms and gaze up at its ‘gun barrel’ trunks.

Getting there and getting around

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

• This walkers’ camp is on the Cooloola Great Walk, 20.5km north of Litoria walkers’ camp and 15.2km south of the Carlo Sand Blow car park trail head (or 29km if you take the coastal route past Double Island Point); and can only be accessed on foot.
• You can access the Cooloola Great Walk from the south (Noosa North Shore) and from the north (near Rainbow Beach).
• Camping permits and other information (business hours only):
  • At Rainbow Beach (northern access), visit:
    • QPWS Rainbow Beach Information Centre on Rainbow Beach Road
    • Mantaray barge office
    • Shell service station.
  • At Tewantin (southern access), visit:
    • Great Sandy Information Centre, located near the Noosa North Shore ferry on Moorindil Street
    • BIG4 Park Lane Noosa North Shore, accessible via a short car ferry ride.
• Bus and taxi services are available in both Tewantin and Rainbow Beach.
• Read walk with care for tips on walking safely and walking lightly.

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 the Noosa North Shore ferry, cross the river to Noosa North Shore, and drive 2.2km on Maximillian Road.
• Continue along Maximillian Drive past Beach Road and follow the signs 250m to the southern entrance of the Cooloola Great Walk.

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 into Rainbow Beach township, turn right off Rainbow Beach Road onto Double Island Drive then turn left onto Cooloola Drive and follow the signs for 850m to the Carlo Sand Blow car park and the northern entrance of the Cooloola Great Walk.

Before you visit

Opening hours

Kauri walkers’ camp 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

Why Kauri? In Cooloola, kauri pine Agathis robusta occur naturally at the southern limit of their range. The excellent specimen growing nearby shows this species distinctive ‘gun barrel’ trunk.

Walkers’ camp features: The camping area sits on a ridge of rainforest.

Location: Kauri walkers’ camp is 73.5km from the Cooloola Great Walk’s southern entrance and 20km from Litoria walkers’ camp.

Access: Walk-in only.

Number of sites:

• 7 unnumbered campsites – maximum of 2 people per site
• maximum group size: 6 people
• Kauri camping area total capacity: 14 people
• maximum stay at Kauri walkers’ camp: 1 night.

Campsites are suitable for: Walk-in camping only.

Campsite surface: Cleared rainforest floor—leaf litter likely.

Facilities: Untreated drinking water, composting hybrid toilet system, platform tables and food security boxes in most campsites.

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 above list during QFD total fire bans. Check Park alerts and QFD fire bans and restrictions for more details.

Also see: permitted cooking appliances during fire bans (PDF, 763.6KB) .

Generators: Prohibited.

Essentials to bring: Topographic map, fuel or gas stove, drinking water, water treatment solution, first aid kit, insect repellent, sunscreen, sealable container or rubbish bags; no rubbish facilities are supplied – carry out what you carry in, washing up basin, ground sheet to place under your tent to prevent wear, warm clothes and wet weather gear.

Also see: Planning your walk.

Mobile phone coverage: Nil. For emergency communication advice, see walk safely.

Bookings

Book online or learn about our camping booking options.

Book in advance for all weekends, public holidays and school holidays. Bookings can be made up to 12 months in advance.

Book a camping area

Visiting safely

For more safety information see Visiting Cooloola Great Walk safely and camp with care.