Named after Mount Cooroy, Cooroy is a picturesque town in the Sunshine Coast hinterland home to one of the best adventure playgrounds in south-east Queensland. It was settled by timber-cutters in the mid-19th century and soon had two sawmills in operation before the opening of its butter factory in 1915.
Things to do in Cooroy
Changing exhibitions are showcased at the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre, which occupies a building that dates back to 1930. Browse the works by local and touring artists, shop for handmade pottery and jewellery or coincide your visit with a hands-on workshop. On the other side of town is the Cooroy Golf Club, which offers magnificent views across the Noosa Hinterland from its 18 holes.
Travelling with kids? Cooroy is home to the Hinterland Adventure Playground, which features nature-based, all-abilities equipment on the banks of Cooroy Creek. It occupies an old timber mill site and comprises several different play zones linked by informal pathways. In addition to swings, a flying fox and a water playground, there’s a sensory garden, barbecues and picnic tables.
A short drive north of Cooroy is the Noosa Botanic Gardens, which sprawls across eight hectares on the shores of Lake Macdonald. This beautifully manicured green space is planted with both native and exotic species that attract a diversity of bird life. In addition to its winding pathways and grassy lawns, the garden features an open-air bush chapel, a fern house and a Greek-inspired amphitheatre.
Getting around Cooroy
Cooroy is around 30 minutes’ drive from Noosa Heads and 35 minutes from Sunshine Coast Airport, which has flights to destinations across Australia and New Zealand. Regular trains connect from Brisbane to the Cooroy railway station and the town centre is small enough to explore on foot.