You may have heard of some of these, but you might also find some hidden gems. Read on for our 10 braggable spots to photograph on the Sunshine Coast.
Mt Ngungun summit
The view from the top of Mt Ngungun in the Glass House Mountains is like nothing else in Queensland. The easy-to-summit peak offers amazing views of near perfectly-aligned Mount Coonowrin and Mount Beerwah, and is particularly composition-friendly when backlit at sunset.
It is just a 2.8km climb on a marked track to the top and it also serves up plenty of highlights on your way to the top.
Sunset from Mt Ngungun, Glass House Mountains
Buderim Falls
Who knew there was a picturesque waterfall so close to town! Buderim Falls, also known as Serenity Falls, is a sub-tropical oasis perfect for nature lovers and photographers alike.
Explore the beautiful walking track and get lost in the lush bush while posing for the perfect candid photo with the falls and the bridge overlooking them to frame your shot.
Buderim Forest Waterfalls (Serenity Falls), Buderim
Point Cartwright
There is something about a lighthouse on a headland that makes for great photos! Snap the views of Kawana from the top or down on the rocks. If you time your visit right, you might get some unique light.
Point Cartwright is one of the few spots on the Sunshine Coast where you can watch the sun set over the ocean (at certain times of the year). Add in the lighthouse and the tessellated pavement at low tide and you have all the ingredients for some epic photos.
Beautiful views of Point Cartwright, Kawana
Lake Dunethin
Dunethin Lake has one of the most impressive jetty and pontoons on the Sunshine Coast which makes it perfect for your Instagram feed. While the lake is truly beautiful, be sure to take mosquito repellent as the mangroves provide the perfect breeding ground.
Sunset is the best time to visit with amazing views in the afternoon light.
Dunethin, Maroochy River
Mt Coolum Boardwalk
This raised timber boardwalk meanders through the Marcoola-Yaroomba Foreshore Bushland Conservation Reserve all the way to a patrolled beach.
It is a wonderful backdrop for photographs with spectacular views of Mount Coolum and along the coastline.
Boardwalk at Coolum
Noosa National Park
Noosa National Park has an abundance of quality outlooks and postcard-perfect hidden beaches that will inspire any budding photographer.
There are so many vantage points to choose from, including west-facing beaches like Laguna Bay and Tea Tree Bay that will give you the elusive east-coast beach sunset shot.
Noosa National Park, Noosa
Double Island Point
This spot is definitely one of Australia’s best kept secrets. The Lighthouse is not to missed if you love photography. Walk up from either side of the point to capture the perfect shot and don’t forget to capture the amazingly clear aquamarine waters below and the colourful sands of Rainbow Beach in the distance.
Kayak at Double Island, Rainbow Beach
Rainbow Beach
Living up to its name, Rainbow Beach delivers coloured sands you won’t see anywhere else. Named for cliffs of colourful, mineral-rich sand, it really is as picturesque as it sounds.
Nestled between K’gari (formerly Fraser Island), Great Sandy National Park and the expansive Pacific Ocean, you will probably fill up your memory with snaps to take home.
Dive in at Rainbow Beach, Gympie Region
Pumicestone Passage, Caloundra
Stretching for 35km, this body of water is made for photographs. In addition to being beautiful to look at, Pumicestone Passage is one of Australia's most important bird and marine habitats on the east coast.
You might be able to capture a turtle or a dolphin on your camera if you are lucky!
Jetski Tours on Pumicestone Passage, Caloundra
Mudjimba Island
Also known as Old Woman Island, you can spot this about a kilometre off the beach at Mudjimba. It is the perfect backdrop for your sunrise snaps over the ocean.
If you venture out to the island by boat or kayak, you may be lucky and see terns, cormorants, egrets, tattlers, and ospreys. In the right season there are wedge-tailed shearwaters nesting in burrows as well as an abundance of underwater life too.
Two surfers at sunrise, Mudjimba beach