Noosa Everglades Kayak & River Walk
Paddle into the Noosa Everglades — one of only two everglades systems in the world — through mirror-still tea-tree waterways in the Cooloola section of Great Sandy National Park.
- 1
Noosa River Launch Point
The Noosa River begins in the Cooloola wilderness and flows through Noosaville to the sea — kayak hire operators on the river provide access to the everglades system upstream.
- 2
Lake Cootharaba Entry
Lake Cootharaba is the gateway to the everglades — the large, shallow lake is surrounded by paperbark forest and is home to osprey, sea eagle, and the largest concentration of brolgas in southeast Queensland.
- 3
Kinaba Information Centre
The Kinaba Information Centre at the entrance to the everglades provides the context for what follows — the tea-tree waterways ahead form one of the world's rarest ecosystems, comparable only to the Florida Everglades.
- 4
Tea-Tree Mirror Waterway
The narrow tea-tree channels of the Noosa Everglades are perfectly still — the tannins from the paperbarks colour the water a deep amber that creates perfect reflections and a landscape of extraordinary beauty.
- 5
Freshwater Lake Swim
The freshwater lakes within the everglades system have tea-tree tannins that act as a natural antiseptic — the water is crystal clear and the swimming experience in the silent, amber-coloured lake is unlike anywhere else.
- 6
Campsite Galaxy Viewpoint
The everglades camps are in a dark sky zone — overnight paddlers experience star fields of extraordinary density above the silent paperbark canopy, one of the darkest skies accessible in southeast Queensland.
Walk this route with audio
Stories play automatically as you reach each stop — no tapping needed.
