Three days, four country towns and a supported way to see a different side of Noosa.
The Great Noosa Trail Walk returns from Saturday 3 to Monday 5 October 2026, taking walkers through the Noosa hinterland from Cooroy towards Kin Kin, Cooran and Pomona. The organised event covers up to 56 kilometres over three days, with a one day option on the first section. This guide explains the route, what support is included and how to plan your stay without assuming that every visitor needs to walk the full distance.
October’s public holiday Monday is the King’s Birthday in Queensland. If you are arranging leave, accommodation or a meal after the walk, use the 3–5 October dates and check the latest event information before you travel.
What is the Great Noosa Trail Walk?
The Great Noosa Trail Walk is a ticketed, community based walking event through the Noosa Country landscape. It moves between small towns, forest, ridgelines and farmland rather than following the more familiar coastal track at Noosa Heads. Walkers use the event’s marked route and checkpoints, with volunteer guides, briefings, water stops and set shuttle services along the way.
The three day route is approximately 56 kilometres. Day one and day two are each around 23 kilometres, while the final day is around 10 kilometres. Those distances matter: a long walking day on mixed terrain can feel very different from a short holiday stroll. The organiser recommends moderate fitness, some hiking experience and preparation on varied ground. If you want to join for less time, the ticketed one day option covers Saturday’s Cooroy to Kin Kin section, about 23 kilometres.
Check the official Great Noosa Trail Walk site for registration availability and any final route updates. Some sections use event access and support arrangements, so treat the published itinerary as an event plan rather than an invitation to follow the whole route independently.
Great Noosa Trail Walk route day by day
Day one of the Great Noosa Trail Walk: Cooroy to Kin Kin
Saturday begins with registration at the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre on Maple Street. The organiser’s itinerary lists registration from 6.45 am, followed by a shuttle to the trail start near Lake Macdonald. The walk then heads towards Kin Kin through forest and open hinterland. A checkpoint around 18 kilometres offers a scheduled early finish option; the full day is approximately 23 kilometres and ends at Kin Kin Oval.
Bring your own breakfast and lunch for this day. Morning tea is provided on the route, and dinner in Kin Kin is available to purchase or arrange independently. If you have chosen the one day ticket, the return shuttle takes you to Cooroy town rather than back to Lake Macdonald. Its departures follow a schedule, so make plans around the organiser’s instructions rather than expecting an on demand pickup.
For a supporter who is not walking, Cooroy is a sensible starting point for a coffee and a gentle visit to nearby attractions. Later, Kin Kin offers a chance to meet the walker at the finish if road access and event directions allow. Confirm any meeting point with the organiser, particularly if you need to collect somebody at a set time.
Day two of the Great Noosa Trail Walk: Kin Kin to Cooran
Sunday’s approximately 23 kilometre leg continues from Kin Kin towards Cooran. The route rises onto scenic ridgelines and passes a checkpoint at James McKane Lookout, around 18 kilometres into the day. This is another planned early finish point with a shuttle at set times. The day’s walking ends at the Cooran Cutters Football Ground.
According to the current inclusion list, breakfast, fruit and a packed lunch are provided on day two. Dinner is a separate purchase or something to bring yourself. Make time for the practical jobs when you arrive: refill water, check the next day’s briefing and organise your overnight gear before settling into the community evening. If you are staying in private accommodation, use the event’s transport instructions to plan how you will get back to your vehicle.
The hills give this middle day a different feel from the relatively gentle finish on Monday. Allow for the effort when planning a late dinner, sightseeing or a long drive after walking. The useful goal is to arrive with enough energy to enjoy Cooran, not to fill every hour of the weekend.
Day three of the Great Noosa Trail Walk: Cooran to Pomona
Monday’s final section is about 10 kilometres from Cooran to Pomona, passing forest and farmland. The organiser’s itinerary ends the route in Pomona, with a finish gathering near Pomona Distilling Co. Lunch and drinks at the finish are at your own expense. The published schedule says walkers should collect luggage by 1 pm at the Pomona Old Railway Station Art Gallery, which is also the pickup point for the final shuttle to Cooroy.
Because this is the King’s Birthday public holiday, confirm Monday opening hours before promising yourself a particular café, gallery or dinner stop. Pomona works well as a place to pause after the finish, but the shuttle, luggage collection and onward journey should come first. If you are driving away that afternoon, leave time to rest after three days on your feet.
Choosing the one day or three day Great Noosa Trail Walk
The one day ticket is useful if you want the event atmosphere without committing to two nights away. It is still a substantial 23 kilometre walk. Its current inclusion list covers the Saturday shuttle from Cooroy, route support, a map and some refreshments, but does not include camping or meals. Pack food, enough water capacity and the gear recommended by the organiser.
The full event includes checkpoints, daily briefings and trail guidance, luggage movement between camping locations, and transport arrangements described on the event site. Camping at designated sites in Kin Kin and Cooran is included with the three day registration. Walkers provide their own tent and bedding unless they book an additional tent option. Basic showers and toilets are available. The meal inclusions differ by day; the event’s inclusions page is the right place to check exactly what you need to bring or buy.
These are event services, not an all inclusive holiday package. If a comfortable bed matters more than camping, book your own accommodation and work out how to reach each daily start. The organiser describes morning self drive starts in Cooroy, Kin Kin and Cooran, then scheduled shuttles from each finish back to that day’s start for people staying locally. Private accommodation transfers are not generally provided. Read the transport and accommodation information before paying for a stay.
Where to stay for the Great Noosa Trail Walk
Location can make more difference than room style when you have an early start. A stay near Cooroy suits Friday arrival and Saturday registration. Staying in Kin Kin or Cooran places you close to an evening stop, but those smaller towns have limited options, so availability may guide the choice. Pomona can suit a post walk night or a supporter who wants to see the finish. Noosa Heads, Noosaville and Tewantin offer a wider visitor base if you prefer coastal time before or after the event, with extra driving to account for.
Three day ticket holders can use the designated campsites if they are happy with simple facilities and their own gear. The event’s gear shuttle moves packed luggage to the next camp. Label bags clearly and follow the organiser’s size and packing guidance. Offsite stays need separate booking, and a host’s transfer service should never be assumed. The weekend also falls at the end of Queensland’s spring school holiday period, so accommodation is worth securing early.
Use Noosa Life’s accommodation guide to compare the type of stay that fits the rest of your trip, then confirm distance, check in arrangements and cancellation terms directly with the property. A family supporting a walker may value a base with other activities nearby; a solo walker may prefer the simplest route to registration.
What to pack and how to prepare
Wear walking shoes that have already covered long distances with you. Training only on flat pavement will not tell you how your feet respond to hills, uneven surfaces and consecutive days. In the lead up, build longer walks gradually and try carrying the day pack you intend to use. The organiser suggests capacity for two litres of water, sun protection, a rain jacket, warm evening clothes and personal first aid items, including a snake bandage and emergency blanket.
For the walking day, pack a hat, water, trail snacks, any required medication, a charged phone and a layer for changing conditions. Check which meals are provided each day before making a food plan. If camping, pack your own bedding, toiletries, reusable cup and cutlery, and clearly marked overnight gear. There are no cooking facilities at the event campsites according to the current accommodation guidance, so choose local meals or suitable self catering food in advance.
The organiser says a final event guide will be sent before the walk with check in, shuttle and gear drop instructions. Read it even if you have walked the trail before. If weather, access or a timetable changes, that direct update takes priority over a general visitor guide.
Exploring the hinterland with a non-walking companion
The Great Noosa Trail Walk also gives friends and family a reason to discover the country towns at a slower pace. A companion can begin in Cooroy, spend time at the Noosa Botanic Gardens by Lake Macdonald, then choose a local lunch without trying to follow the walkers along the track. On another day, a relaxed stop in Pomona or Cooran gives the trip its own shape. Check opening hours, parking and the event’s designated finish areas before travelling between towns.
For an extra day, look through Noosa Life attractions and the Noosa events calendar for plans that suit your group. Keeping supporters’ plans separate from the walking route avoids promising access to checkpoints or private land. It also means everyone has something enjoyable to do while the walkers are out for much of the day.
Plan the Great Noosa Trail Walk weekend
Start with the decision that shapes everything else: one day or three, campsite or private accommodation, and whether anyone is joining as a supporter. Then book the event and your stay, read the current itinerary and make a simple transport plan for each day. Leave room for a meal in a country town and time to recover after the finish.
For a longer Noosa visit, browse accommodation, attractions and local events on Noosa Life. The walk can be the centre of the weekend without being its only good memory.
