Cooloola Recreation Area, Great Sandy National Park Sunshine Coast

Drop into the Great Sandy Information Centre during business hours to have a chat to our friendly staff. Photo credit: Rob Cameron © Queensland Government

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

Great Sandy Information Centre

Find answers to all your questions, and then some, when you chat to our friendly visitor centre staff before setting out.

Accessible by

  • Conventional vehicle

Attraction facilities

  • Toilets (flush)
  • Wheelchair access (may require assistance)

Drop into our Information Centre in Tewantin, near the Noosa River car ferry to Noosa North Shore, to find out all you need to know about Cooloola, Inskip Peninsula and Fraser Island recreation areas. Chat to our friendly rangers during business hours or, if it’s busy (on weekends and public holidays) use one of the self-service computers for details about permits, advice on camping and tips on the best experiences.

If you visit after hours, check out the lit-display with information on camping and beach driving permits as well as displays of the latest Cooloola and Fraser Island conditions reports (detours and temporary closures and tide times for beach driving).

Getting there and getting around

Great Sandy Information Centre is in Tewantin, near the southern access to Cooloola Recreation Area, Great Sandy National Park on the Sunshine Coast between Noosa Heads and Rainbow Beach (155–240km north of Brisbane).

  • The Great Sandy Information Centre is at 240 Moorindil Street in Tewantin, 200m from the Noosa River ferry, which provides access to Noosa North Shore and Teewah Beach.
  • Commercial boat tours on the Noosa River operate from Noosa and Tewantin.
  • For tourism information for all regions in Queensland, see Queensland.com, and for friendly advice on how to get there, where to stay and what to do, find your closest accredited visitor information centre.

Getting to Tewantin

  • 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 River ferry, cross the river to Noosa North Shore, and drive 2.2km on Maximillian Road.

Wheelchair access

The information centre and toilet facilities are wheelchair accessible. No assistance is required

Before you visit

Opening hours

Great Sandy Information Centre is staffed 8am – 3pm daily, except Christmas Day.

Permit Information, camping tags and vehicle access stickers are available 24hrs from outside the building.

Check park alerts for the latest information on access, closures and conditions.

Visiting safely

For more safety information see Visiting Cooloola Recreation Area safely.

View all park alerts