Top Things to do in Mooloolaba

The best things to do in Mooloolaba are on and around the water: river cruises from the Wharf, whale watching boats between June and October, and an aquarium a short walk from the beach. This Sunshine Coast town sits about 100 km north of Brisbane, between Caloundra and Coolum, and the experiences here suit couples after a sunset sail as much as families who need a wet-weather plan.

Cruises from the Mooloolaba Wharf

Mooloolaba cruises are the main event, and most leave from The Wharf on Parkyn Parade. The 1-hour canal cruises pass the waterfront mansions with commentary on the coast's history and a licensed bar on board, and sunset sailings on the Mooloolah River leave earlier in winter than in summer.

Plenty come with food. The seafood lunch cruise is a 90-minute loop of the river, harbour and canals that stops at the Mooloolaba fish markets to pick up fresh prawns, calamari or the fish of the day. Dining cruises from Mooloolaba also include a 2-hour bushtucker cruise on a century-old heritage vessel, with native canapes and commentary on local culture and maritime history.

A sunset cruise with live music and a grazing box, and a Sunday session with a live DJ, make up live entertainment in Mooloolaba, while the bushtucker cruise is the pick for cultural experiences in Mooloolaba. The Aquaduck is the amphibious one: a 1-hour tour that starts outside SEA LIFE, runs along the Esplanade and splashes down into the Mooloolah River, where kids can take the wheel.

Whale watching in Mooloolaba from June to October

Whale watching season on the Sunshine Coast runs from June to the end of October, when humpbacks pass on their migration between Antarctic feeding waters and warmer Queensland seas. Mooloolaba whale watching trips leave from the Wharf area on Parkyn Parade, and they range from small-group outings of around 20 guests to longer cruises and half-day trips where qualified crew take swimmers into the water with the whales.

Whale and dolphin cruises from Mooloolaba add a high-speed wildlife safari that looks for dolphins and turtles.

Water sports: shark dives, wreck dives and turtle spotting

Water sports in Mooloolaba start with a cage-free shark dive through the ocean tunnel at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast: a 90-minute training session in the Learner Diver Tank, then a 30-minute dive alongside grey nurse sharks. That is how shark dives in Mooloolaba work.

Out at sea, the HMAS Brisbane wreck double dive is a half-day trip to an artificial reef where rays, groupers and reef fish gather, part of snorkelling and scuba diving in Mooloolaba. The Turtle Tour is the dry option: a fast RIB past Point Cartwright lighthouse and Mudjimba Island with a maximum of 23 guests.

Attractions and family days out around Mooloolaba

Mooloolaba attractions are anchored by SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast on the Wharf: 11 themed zones, Tidal Touch Pools, daily seal presentations and a Little Blue Penguins zone, and a 90-minute visit is the recommended minimum. It leads zoos and aquariums in Mooloolaba.

Amaze World at Tanawha mixes a living hedge maze with augmented-reality surprises, a water play zone and 18-hole mini golf. More ideas for the family are in things to do with kids in Mooloolaba.

Helicopter and scenic flights from Caloundra

Helicopter flights for two take off from Caloundra Airport, a short hop south of Mooloolaba. One heads to the Glass House Mountains and Bribie Island, another tracks over the Pumicestone Passage and the old Second World War forts, and a third carries on up the coast to Point Cartwright, Maroochydore and Mount Coolum. Pilots give commentary on all of them, and the Glass House flight has a chance of humpbacks in season. Together they make up helicopter flights from Mooloolaba, part of flying experiences in Mooloolaba.

Activities: high ropes, mini golf and arcades in Maroochydore

Next Level at Sunshine Plaza in Maroochydore has a high ropes course with ziplines up to 130 m long, and Holey Moley mini golf and the Archie Brothers arcade and bowling are at the Big Top Shopping Centre. They fill out the dry-land end of Mooloolaba activities, including zip line experiences near Mooloolaba. Mini golf, the arcade and SEA LIFE also lead rainy day activities in Mooloolaba.

Tours and transfers from Mooloolaba

The Aquaduck and the Glass House Mountains helicopter flight both count as tours in Mooloolaba, one by road and river and the other by air. For a day inland, hinterland tours depart from coastal accommodation between Noosa and Mooloolaba, with stops that include Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, Maleny and Montville.

For getting in from the airport, Mooloolaba transport includes a shared door-to-door coach to your hotel.

How Mooloolaba fits together

Mooloolaba is the waterfront. The Wharf, with its restaurants, shops and markets, is a short walk from the Esplanade and the beach, and the seafood wholesalers sit out at Point Cartwright, known locally as the Spit. SEA LIFE, the cruises, the whale boats and the dives all start in this one patch.

Maroochydore, the next town up, is where the indoor entertainment sits, and Caloundra to the south has the helicopter base. The Sunshine Coast Hinterland is a 30 to 40-minute drive inland, so things to do in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland work as day trips.

When to go and how long to allow

Whales set the calendar: June to October is the window, and winter mornings on the water call for a jacket. Sunset cruises depart from around 4pm in winter to 5pm in summer.

A long weekend covers the best of it: a cruise and SEA LIFE on the first day, a hinterland tour on the second and a flight or a dive on the third. If it rains, SEA LIFE, mini golf, the arcade and bowling are all indoors.

From a sunset on the river to a morning among the humpbacks, Mooloolaba is built for days on the water. Start with a cruise from the Wharf and work out from there.