Guide · Queensland ·
Noosa Everglades day trip: boat tours and kayaking
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Noosa Everglades day trip plans come down to one choice: ride a boat or paddle a kayak. Both go into the same quiet waterway in Queensland. The boat is easier and covers more ground. The paddle is slower, closer to the water and takes more effort.
This guide compares the two, sets out the distances and launch points from Queensland Parks, and gives tips for a calm, safe day. Prices change often, so check them with each operator before you book.
Sources for this section: Queensland Parks and Forests, Upper Noosa River waterway; Visit Noosa, Noosa Everglades.
What the Noosa Everglades are
The Noosa Everglades is the upper part of the Noosa River system, north of Noosa Heads. Visit Noosa calls it a 60 km stretch of still water, tall trees and narrow channels. The dark, tea-coloured water reflects the sky and the forest, which is why it is nicknamed the River of Mirrors.
Visit Noosa says 65 per cent of the catchment is in national park, and that more than 40 per cent of Australia's bird species are found here. It also says the area stretches across two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. Queensland Parks places the waterway in the Cooloola Recreation Area of Great Sandy National Park, on the Sunshine Coast between Noosa Heads and Rainbow Beach.
Visit Noosa says the trip is about 40 minutes by road from Noosa Heads, and that you can see it in as little as half a day.
Sources for this section: Visit Noosa, Noosa Everglades; Queensland Parks and Forests, Upper Noosa River waterway.
Boat cruise or kayak: which is better?
Pick a boat if you want an easy day. Pick a kayak if you want to paddle. Here is how they compare.
| Question | Boat cruise | Kayak or canoe |
|---|---|---|
| Effort | Low. You sit and watch. | Moderate. Queensland Parks suggests about 5 hours of paddling for the full 27.7 km one-way river journey. |
| How far you go | Further upriver in a short time. | A shorter stretch, unless you camp. |
| Where it starts | Tour boats operate daily from Noosa and Tewantin, says Queensland Parks. | Hire from private operators at Boreen Point and Elanda Point, or join a guided tour. |
| Best for | Families with young children, and people who prefer not to paddle. | Confident paddlers who want quiet and a closer look at the water. |
Some operators combine both. Visit Noosa lists guided and self-guided kayak tours, guided boat tours, and trips in your own boat. Visit Noosa says kayak and boat tours leave from Boreen Point and Elanda Point, so ask your operator where your trip begins.
Sources for this section: Queensland Parks and Forests, Upper Noosa River waterway; Visit Noosa, Noosa Everglades.
The river route and distances
Queensland Parks sets out the paddling route. You launch from Elanda Point, cross the north end of Lake Cootharaba to the Kinaba Visitor Information Centre, then follow the river upstream. Here are the legs it lists.
| Leg | Distance | Time by paddle |
|---|---|---|
| Elanda Point to Kinaba | 4.5 km | 1.5 hours |
| Kinaba to Fig Tree Point | 2 km | 20 minutes |
| Fig Tree Point to Harrys hut | 5 km | 1 hour |
| Harrys hut to camp site 1 | 3.5 km | 35 minutes |
Between Fig Tree Point and Harrys, the river winds for 2.5 km through a stretch called The Narrows. Queensland Parks says the tea-coloured water there reflects the forest and sky. Past camp site 3, it says the only sounds are nature and your paddles. You cannot go upstream beyond camp site 15.
Most day visitors will not go that far. A return paddle from Elanda Point to Fig Tree Point is about 6.5 km each way by these figures, which is a long day on its own once you add the lake crossing back.
Sources for this section: Queensland Parks and Forests, Upper Noosa River waterway. The return-trip figure is our own sum of the legs above.
Tips for a calm, safe day
- Cross the lake early. Queensland Parks says to cross Lake Cootharaba early in the morning, when conditions are likely to be calm.
- Stay near the shore. It advises keeping close to the shoreline while paddling north to Kinaba.
- Bring drinking water. Water is provided at Harrys day-use area, and Queensland Parks says to treat all water before use.
- Plan for toilets. The waterway has non-flush toilets. Wheelchair accessible toilets, with assistance, are at Fig Tree Point and Harrys day-use areas only.
- Check park alerts. The waterway is open 24 hours a day, and the park alerts list closures and conditions.
If you bring your own motor boat, Queensland Parks says you can take it as far as camp site 3. Beyond that you need an electric motor. The speed limit is 40 knots from Boreen Point to Kinaba and 6 knots further upstream.
Sources for this section: Queensland Parks and Forests, Upper Noosa River waterway.
Getting there
Queensland Parks says both launch areas can be reached by two-wheel-drive car. From Brisbane, drive about 135 km north on the Bruce Highway or the Sunshine Motorway to Tewantin. From Tewantin, drive 19 km west and north to Boreen Point, then turn onto Lake Flat Road and drive 2 km to the Elanda Point access road. Canoes launch from Elanda Point, and boats launch from the Boreen Point ramp.
Most people book a tour that starts in Noosa, so the driving is done for them. Ask the operator about pickup, what to wear and what the tour includes.
Sources for this section: Queensland Parks and Forests, Upper Noosa River waterway.
Sources
- Queensland Parks and Forests, Upper Noosa River waterway, Cooloola Recreation Area, Great Sandy National Park: parks.des.qld.gov.au
- Visit Noosa, Noosa Everglades: visitnoosa.com.au