Five of the best planet-friendly experiences on the Sunshine Coast

Sonya Gellert Sonya Gellert
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From active outdoor adventures for nature lovers to eco-epicurean escapades and Earth-conscious accommodation, the Sunshine Coast is brimming with planet-friendly experiences.
Kondalilla National Park, Montville, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Who wouldn’t want to preserve and rejuvenate this precious environment? (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland)

And it’s not just Aussies who are noticing. The Sunshine Coast has recently become the only place in the world where three UNESCO-declared biospheres sit side by side, as the Sunshine Coast Biosphere Reserve, the Noosa Biosphere Reserve and the Great Sandy Biosphere Reserve form a green corridor from the Glass House Mountains along more than 100 kilometres of coastline to Tin Can Bay.

Also worth noting? The Noosa Everglades are one of only two everglade systems in the world.
With its rich abundance of precious environments, it’s no wonder more travellers are seeking ways to tread lightly when traversing this biodiverse destination. Here are five ways to experience the Sunshine Coast in sustainable style.

1. Kayak for the koalas

Kayak Tours, Everglades, Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Paddle the Noosa Everglades (one of only two everglade ecosystems in the world) and help fund koala conservation. (Image: Tourism Events Queensland)

Paddle through the striking, world-renowned Noosa Everglades while raising money for koala habitats (who said you can’t multitask while on holiday?). Kanu Kapers not only gives kayakers a front-row seat to the incredible beauty of the everglades, but also provides the satisfaction of knowing you’re touring with a company that’s giving back to the land it tours on. Through its carbon offset scheme, Kanu Kapers’ owners, Viv and Kym – in collaboration with local charity Queensland Koala Crusaders – raise much-needed funds to maintain and create leafy homes for koalas. Better yet, these tour operators don’t use motorised boats, instead opting to guide visitors with handcrafted sea kayaks to ensure they’re not polluting these ancient waterways. This peaceful experience is a must-try for avid wildlife watchers and active travellers.

2. Retreat into the rainforest

Glass House Mountains, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Narrows Escape host multi-day walking retreats using the sustainable villas as a base.

It’s easier resting your head in accommodation that’s centred on planet-friendly practices, sleeping safe in the knowledge that sustainability is a priority. Narrows Escape in Montville is a luxurious hinterland retreat that focuses on ensuring its water and energy consumption is minimal, its waste is managed responsibly, and sustainability is the end goal. Nature-loving guests can take part in the retreat’s six-day, five-night guided Sunshine Coast’s Great Walk package, which allows hikers to become much better acquainted with the local environment. Just want to unwind? Combine style and eco-friendly principles and opt for a stay in one of six private villas, complete with your own crackling log fire and bubbling spa, perched on the edge of Kondalilla National Park.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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3. Set sail sustainably

Saltwater Eco Tour, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Sail the Sunshine Coast with local knowledge, bush tucker and seafood. (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland)

Mooloolaba-based Saltwater Eco Tours welcomes its guests aboard a 113-year-old, carefully restored heritage timber ship, Spray of the Coral Coast, to sail over the serene, turquoise waters of the Sunshine Coast. Having collaborated with the traditional owners of the land, this tour provider ensures visitors take in the ancient wisdom of the local Kabi Kabi First Nations peoples as the ship sets sail through a distinctly photogenic setting. Saltwater Eco Tours provides a choice of a dedicated cultural tour, a sunset tour with live music, a native bushfoods and seafood cruise, or a private charter. Each tour encourages its participants to connect with Indigenous culture, the Mooloolah River and the area’s maritime history.

4. Imbibe feel-good brews

Terella Brewing, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
There are loads of options like their ginger beer or hard lemonade at the sustainable Terella Brewing. (Image: Visit Sunshine Coast)

With a strong connection to the land, a name that means ‘little earth’, and a devotion to producing great, German-inspired beer, Terella Brewing in North Arm creates its popular beverages in a sustainably minded cycle system (which means its waste products are put to good use). And because the innovative, eco-conscious brewery shares a home with a vertical farm, both companies are making use of each other’s growing and brewing by-products to further lower their footprint and waste. Travellers – and their dogs – can visit the brewery’s tranquil, family-friendly hinterland tap room, meet farmyard animals, and enjoy snacks and beers on the sprawling lawns. If beer isn’t your drink of choice you still have lots of options, as the brewery also produces the popular Mad Dog range: try their ginger beer, hard lemonade, or hibiscus and lychee hard lemonade.

5. Wake among the mountains

Glasshouse Mountains Eco Lodge, Sunshine Coast, QLD
Restored 1880’s train carriages with solar power, composting and the planting of trees have turned Glasshouse Mountains Ecolodge into a responsible destination on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

There are few places more scenic to wake up than in the Glass House Mountains, and fortunately, a sustainably inclined accommodation option awaits those who wish to help protect this stunning stretch of the coast while they’re in the area. At Glass House Mountains Ecolodge you can rest assured knowing the lodge is taking measures to preserve the local environment as you cosy up in a restored 1880s train carriage or 125-year-old timber church. Since buying the property more than 30 years ago, owner Keith and his family have planted hundreds of trees on site, while solar power, composting, self-sufficient water usage, a grey water recycling system and low-energy lighting all contribute to the lodge’s gentler approach.

For more ideas and information on the Sunshine Coast’s best eco-friendly experiences, go to visitsunshinecoast.com.

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Sonya Gellert
Sonya Gellert is a writer whose insatiable appetite has seen her travel the world in pursuit of great culinary experiences to share on the page (and plate). Sonya's been the travel editor at a national food magazine, a restaurant and hotel reviewer, a freelance lifestyle writer and a life-long glutton.
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Can’t handle the cold? Hamilton Island serves a slice of summer in winter

(Image: Hamilton Island)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    When the winter chill settles in, an escape to Hamilton Island’s year-round tropical shores is the only acceptable coping mechanism.

    As a heliophile with the cold tolerance of a Mediterranean house cat, the arrival of winter tends to spark a particular panic. How will I survive? Must I really start layering? What do you mean, Aperol season is over? But there are far better ways to spend the cooler months than sulking in the depths of your doona.

    Enter, Hamilton Island. With its year-round sunshine and permanent on-holiday atmosphere, this Whitsundays favourite promises a veritable slice of summer in winter.

    Think salt-stiff hair and the smug pleasure of devouring seafood beside the water while friends back home are defogging their windscreens. Here’s why Hamilton Island should figure into your winter plans.

    1. Year-round summer weather

    A woman hiking along the Passage Peak trail on Hamilton Island.
    Hike under sunny winter skies on Hamilton Island. (Image: Andrew Caitens)

    In the crisper months, Hamilton Island offers perfectly mild, sunny weather (17-24°C) that lends itself to morning swims and afternoon spritzes. Better still, you can enjoy the island’s outdoor adventures – from hiking to mountain biking – without the humidity or rain you’ll often find in summertime. With direct flights from most major Australian cities offering ease of access, Hamilton Island is the ideal place to flee the cold.

    2. Getting active without the humidity

    A buggy parked overlooking Hamilton Island’s golf course, with sweeping views of the sea at Whitsundays in winter.
    Zip around Hamilton Island by buggy. (Image: Hamilton Island)

    Whether you’re hiking up to Passage Peak or exploring the island by buggy, tropical Queensland humidity is nobody’s friend. The one way to guarantee you will avoid the inevitable stickiness and fluffy hair? Visit during winter. There’s plenty to be enjoyed, from sunrise yoga at The Sundays (exclusive to guests of The Sundays) to playing golf on Dent Island.

    3. Hamilton Island Race Week

    Yachts racing across the sparkling Whitsundays during Hamilton Island Race Week.
    Feel the thrill of Hamilton Island Race Week. (Image: Salty Dingo)

    Taking place in August, Hamilton Island Race Week is a destination in its own right that attracts spectators and racers from around the globe. Boating enthusiasts and thrill-seeking holidaymakers flock to the island, which is palpably energetic as the first yachts set off for Dent Passage from Hamilton Island Yacht Club. The annual action-packed week, taking place from 15 to 22 August in 2026, offers an exciting calendar of on- and off-water events – spanning everything from celebrity chef dinners to golfing comps and wine tastings.

    4. Best time for snorkelling

    A woman snorkelling in the crystal-clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
    Explore Hamilton Island’s winter waters. (Image: Andrew Caitens)

    While the crowds on Hamilton Island may disperse with the cooler weather, the marine life certainly doesn’t. Winter is widely considered one of the best times to snorkel and dive in the Whitsundays.

    It’s down to a number of reasons: excellent water visibility, higher chances of seeing whales as they migrate north and – best of all – no nasty stingers. This means no need to wear those notoriously unflattering full-body wetsuits visitors have to wear in warmer months. On top of all this, you’ll find calm seas ideal for sailing and Great Barrier Reef tours.

    5. Fewer crowds

    People kayaking.
    Experience a quieter Hamilton Island on a kayaking adventure. (Image: Hamilton Island)

    Winter is often the quietest time to visit Hamilton Island, with the peak season crowds thinned to a relaxed trickle. You can snorkel or dive straight off the reef-laced waters of Catseye Beach, then swap fins for a buggy and zip between One Tree Hill, the marina and sunset cocktails without the usual summer queues. Active days stretch from kayaking, sailing and jet skiing to hopping over to famous Whitehaven Beach to witness those breathtaking white swirls of silica sand. You won’t have to elbow your way to the front of the crowd to get a good snap.

    6. Delicious dining

    The interiors of Bommie Restaurant, featuring modern coastal design with warm lighting and elegant detailing.
    Treat yourself to Bommie Restaurant’s fine dining featuring fresh, seasonal Aussie produce. (Image: Nikki To)

    The food on Hamilton Island tastes just as good any time of year, and winter is still perfect weather for sundowners. Start with an iced tea Negroni at harbourside Bommie Deck, before transitioning to Bommie Restaurant for a fine-dining feast centering on seasonal Aussie ingredients. Or perhaps enjoy a more casual poolside evening at Sails Restaurant, where plates of chermoula chicken skewers, baked cauliflower steak and crispy sumac squid come served with ocean views. From family-friendly pub meals to elevated wine tastings, there’s something for everyone.

    5. Clear skies for idyllic views

    The golden hour across the Whitsundays in winter.
    End your day with golden Hamilton Island sunsets over the water. (Image: Hamilton Island)

    Never let a cloud rain on the parade of Hamilton Island’s spectacular scenery. Winter brings clearer skies and more stable weather to the Whitsundays, meaning your picture-perfect sunset at One Tree Hill is likely to remain that way. And after putting in the legwork to hike to a scenic lookout, the last thing you want is a vista hidden behind low cloud and haze.

    To learn more about travelling to the Whitsundays in winter, visit hamitlonisland.com.au.