Car Rental Sunshine Coast Airport

Everyone needs a spot of Sunshine for their holidays. True to name, Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is warm and cheerful, with golden sandy beaches and a relaxed vibe. The Sunshine Coast Airport is located in Marcoola, 10 kilometres north of the region’s main town of Maroochydore and 90 kilometres from Brisbane. The airport is an ideal hub. Most of Australia’s state capitals fly directly here, including Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. Take a flight inland to Emerald where you’ll be fossicking in the sapphire fields, or north up to tropical Cairns for a balmy good time. What’s more, with your hire car on the ready, you’re perfectly placed to explore some of the region’s most popular coastal destinations, including Noosa and Mooloolaba, right down to Caloundra.

Mount Coolum National Park is just 10-minutes up the road from Sunshine Coast Airport. The mount itself is a great, massive rock said to be our second-largest next to Uluru, in the heart of Australia. Here at Mount Coolum, you can marvel at the complete panoramic view that takes in the whole region, across the Maroochy River Valley and along the stunning coast. If you’re not ready to come down to earth, you can skydive over the beach for an amazing experience in the clear blue skies. You’ll soon discover that there’s rarely a cloudy day in sunny Queensland.

Base yourself in beachside Maroochydore for some family-friendly attractions. This easy-going town is your gateway to the best of the Sunshine Coast. You’ll find everything you need here, from cafes and cocktails to frolicking on the water. Looking for some old-time fun for the little ones? Make your way to Sunshine Castle, a replica Celtic castle that comes with its own fortress walls and a Medieval Museum. From dolls to dungeons, this fairy tale experience for the family ends with a treasure hunt. 

A nearby attraction you can’t miss is The Big Pineapple in Woombye, just off the Bruce Highway. Possibly our top pick of the cult tourist hits known collectively as ‘The Big Things’. There’s even a music festival to celebrate this iconic fruity landmark, standing since the early 1970s. Now it will really feel like a true blue Aussie road trip!

A hire car is your easy ride through the Sunshine Coast

The bustling beachfront of Mooloolaba is just a stone’s throw away. This is your perfect day trip: a great main beach that’s sheltered from the winds, plus stacks of retail and dining options. There are almost 100 cafes, bars and restaurants to choose from. Find the best of them on the Esplanade where all the action is on land. Grab a table outside and watch the world go by, or head for a juice bar to rehydrate. For fun on the water, you can surf, swim, jet-ski, sail, or even charter a vessel for fishing. Take a whale watching cruise and spot the mighty humpbacks as they travel along the coast for their own R&R. You can even swim with these gentle giants of the ocean between July and October.

Make your way to Mooloolaba’s oceanarium for another kind of extreme marine extravaganza at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast. Dive with sharks and rays, experience multiple show-and-tells, and take a peek behind the scenes. Discover over 11 themed underwater zones, feed the penguins and swim with seals. Plus, find Dory in the special Disney Pixar display. Before you leave, make sure to visit The Wharf, one of the busiest working seafood ports along the Queensland coast. Watch the trawlers bring in their boatloads and eat fresh in the precinct. Have a drink and enjoy the energy, the shopping and entertainment.

Discover beach heaven with the help of your hire car

Hit Caloundra and you’ve struck beach heaven. Six beautiful beaches await you, to suit your personal style. Discover the pristine waters of the Pumicestone Passage (part of the Moreton Bay Marine Park). Shop and eat on the King’s Beach promenade, a favourite surf hangout. Enjoy the Caloundra Coastal Walk, explore ocean pools, spend an afternoon by the calm waters of Golden Beach, or take advantage of the headland for great views. Add to this, jet-skiing, paddle boarding and kayaking. Or you could always hop on a hydrofoil.

What’s a trip to Australia without meeting the local wildlife. In under half an hour, you’ll be in Beerwah, home of Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo. Pat a koala, feed a kangaroo, attend croc school, and get closer to other wild and wonderful creatures. Your ticket to the Sunshine Coast unlocks an iconic Australian beach holiday, made even better with the flexibility of your hire car.