When it comes to stunning panoramic views of the Sunshine Coast, Mount Coolum is the epitome for me. Not only does it boast stunning views, it’s only 1 hour’s drive from the Brisbane Northern Suburbs. It’s only a 20-30 minute summit, pretty steep in places, but easily doable for most levels of fitness. Upon reaching the top the views are breathtaking, looking over the town of Coolum Beach, and the vast waters of the Tasman Sea.
We were up nice and early this morning, and after an hours drive arrivied at Mount Coolum at 5am. The plan was to get there early enough so we could make an easy hike up, with the hope of being blessed with a half decent sunrise.
It’s usually a pretty popular and busy hike, due to the beautiful views, short distance, and its close proximity to the beach. We were early enough to beat the rush though taking our time as we followed the light of our torches up the steep mountain. This is the view we were greeted with as we reached the summit.
Just after 6pm the sun began to emerge, however there were a few low lying clouds that blocked its visibility initially.
We spent about 30 minutes up on the summit watching the sun gradually rise above the low lying clouds, and providing a spectacular sunrise. The higher it rose the more it began to glisten on the crystal blue waters.
Once the sun was well and truly up we ventured down slowly, greeting numerous group of walkers on the way, embarking on the journey up to soak up the views we had just seen.
Another reason we love Mount Coolum is because it’s only a 5 minute drive to Coolum Beach, which is perfect in the warmer months for swim, or just to enjoy the beach vibe in general.
Even at 7am in winter there were plenty of surfers out in the ocean, and lots of locals enjoying the fantastic coastal walkways in the township too. There was even a surf competition hosted down there this morning that we caught a glimpse of.
There’s also heaps of beachfront cafes to choose from, all pretty popular on a Saturday or Sunday morning. After an early start, breakfast went down an absolute treat.
After breakfast we ventured around the township, which seems to have a bit of everything for everyone. There was some yoga classes in the parklands, walking tracks for people and their dogs, a playground for the kids, even a little skatepark.
We love Coolum Beach, it’s definitely one of our favourite spots on the Sunshine Coast with the diversity it provides.
If your ever on the Sunshine Coast pop on down, there’s something for all the family down there.
Hope everyone’s having an awesome weekend ✌️
