If like us, you’re starting the Sunshine Beach to Noosa Heads walk from the southern end, a stair climb leads you up with views that only get better as you go. You’ll weave through Australian bush, with views along the coastline before hitting Devil’s Kitchen. This is a dramatic cliff edge which has panoramic views across Alexandria Bay and the Coral Sea.

Alexandria Bay is a wild, surfy beach that’s less crowded than those at either end, so you’ll find much less foot traffic here. This is also a nudist beach so consider yourself forewarned. Once across the beach, the trail climbs to Hell’s Gate, an exposed headland with ocean views and a sheer drop. Spotting turtles from here isn’t uncommon, we saw a few ourselves and dolphins are often spotted too.

Beyond Hell’s Gate, the path then takes you past smaller coves – Winch Cove, Granite Bay, Tea Tree Bay, and loops past Dolphin Point and Boiling Pot. Each of these bays have a drawcard and are absolutely gorgeous – think white sand and turquoise waters. I’d highly suggest bringing togs to swim as even in winter, the Sunshine Coast feels like a New Zealand summer.

While the AllTrails track ends at Deadly Espresso, we walked to Noosa Main Beach for lunch – which is a really great way to wrap up the walk.

If you do plan a return leg, note that the inland trails do offer a quicker loop. There are also plenty to choose from but most likely, you’ll lose the sweeping ocean views.