The best traffic-free bike rides in Bribie Island National Park

The Rock Wall at Point Cartwright is a breakwater that juts out into Mooloolah River where it meets the ocean. When the surf is big it can crash and spray onlookers, but when the surf is down there are tide pools at the base of the rock wall teeming with life. This rock wall is a great area to also catch a glimpse of humpback whales, migrating between June and November.

Point Cartwright Lighthouse stands 32 meters tall and safeguards Moreton Bay, the Port of Brisbane, and Mooloolaba Harbour. It's an active lighthouse, and it is free to visit the outside of the lighthouse and surrounding park year round. The inside of the lighthouse is closed to the public. Instead of a typical cylinder, the lighthouse was built in a pentagonal (five sides) shape, and the beam can reach 23 nautical miles.

The Sunshine Coast Coastal Pathway is a 73-kilometre shared pathway stretching from Bells Creek in the south to Coolum in the north, and links beaches, parks, and foreshore reserves along the coastline. Divided into nine sections known as “connections,” it allows walkers, runners, and cyclists to explore the coast using a mix of on and off-road paths, whether for a short seaside stroll or a longer journey. The Mooloolaba Connection follows the coastline between Mooloolaba and Buddina, passing beaches, river views, parks, and the harbour entrance near Point Cartwright, connecting some of the Sunshine Coast’s most popular waterfront areas.

Point Cartwright is a rocky headland at the mouth of the Mooloolah River, and home to one of Australia’s oldest working lighthouses, with beautiful, sweeping coastal views. From the headland, you can look north to Mooloolaba, south along Kawana Beach, and east across the ocean, with migrating humpback whales sometimes spotted offshore during winter. Coastal heath, rocky outcrops, and open grassy areas surround the reserve, which has remained a popular public recreation area since the 1930s.

Keith Hill Park is a long waterfront park that stretches for around 1.5 kilometres along the southern end of Golden Beach, following the edge of the Pumicestone Passage. There are open lawns, picnic areas, playgrounds, and a shared pathway, making it a popular place for walking, cycling, and spending time by the water. At the southern end, the park reaches the mouth of Bells Creek, with a boat ramp and calm waters popular for boating, paddling, and fishing.

Tripcony Park is a small waterfront park nestled along the Pumicestone Passage with open views across the water toward Bribie Island. The park sits near what was once an important arrival point for early visitors to Caloundra, when passengers and supplies reached the town by boat before road access improved. Today, there are open lawns with plenty of shade, and several picnic areas, and its position on the coastal pathway makes it a lovely place to stop and watch boats move through the channel.

Caloundra Coastal Walk is a picturesque coastal trail that runs roughly 25 kilometres connecting beaches, headlands, and waterfront parklands along the shoreline. The sealed pathway follows the coastline past well known recreation areas including several parks, Kings Beach and Bulcock Beach, with endless beautiful ocean and passage views. It's relatively flat and well-maintained, making it an easy and popular route for walking, cycling, and running.

Bulcock Beach is a sheltered beach in Caloundra on the western side of the headland overlooking the Pumicestone Passage. Its calm waters are protected from ocean swell, making it an ideal spot for swimming, paddling, and family use. The beach sits alongside a lively foreshore with a boardwalk, picnic areas, and nearby cafés, making it an easy, accessible spot for relaxed seaside recreation.