Attractions

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Cooroy Attractions, Events, Leisure, and Outdoor Activities

Many events are held in Cooroy throughout the year.  Check out our events calendar.

Butter Factory Arts Centre

Much of Cooroy township dates to the early 1900s when it was a timber and dairy centre. The original Cooroy Butter Factory is now home to an arts centre which holds regular exhibitions and workshops.

Visit their website to see the latest exhibitions and workshops.

Lake Macdonald

Situated 6 km from Cooroy township lies Lake Macdonald which was created by the construction of Six Mile Creek Dam for town water. It has a surface area of 260 ha an average depth of 6 meters and holds some 15 600 ML of water at full supply level. Lake Macdonald is home to the Noosa Botanical Gardens. It is also a great fishing spot for catching a variety of fish, bird watching and canoeing.

Mountain Climbs

There are several mountains close to the township of Cooroy that have walking tracks. Mount Tinbeerwah is nearby with a driving track that takes you to almost the top and just an easy stroll to the lookout. And Cooroora Mountain (home to King of the Mountain in July) is at the nearby township of Pomona, has some beautiful views but requires a moderate level of fitness to climb. Once a year (subject to weather conditions), the Rotary Club of Cooroy organise a day to climb Cooroy Mountain.

Shops & Retail

Cooroy shopping is interesting and diverse with something here for everyone. Fashion, homewares, beauty, arts, gifts, books, antiques and second hand bargains can all be found by browsing through our diverse range of shops. Shopping in Cooroy is a pleasure with plenty of parking, loads of choices and good old fashioned country service.

bush walking

Wilderness Walks & Wildlife

The best part of Cooroy is to be seen on foot, many walking trails to relax amongst the birds, and the picturesque green foliage of plants and trees. Close by, Noosa biking trail, bird trails or Noosa trail horse riding network (see below).

Dining, Drinking & Occasions

Cooroy is home to a great range of cafes, restaurants and watering holes to fill your bellies with gourmet delights and quench your thirst. Whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner you are after, there is a good selection of restaurants, cafes, clubs and pubs to choose from.

For a list of retail shops go to our Business Directory or just come and visit and browse through the shops.

Lower Mill Site

Cooroy’s roots have run deep in the timber industry since the town became a logging camp in the 1880s. To meet the need to process local timber, the Fenwick brothers and Robert Morrish established Cooroy’s first sawmill in 1908 in the vicinity of what is now the Lower Mill Site.  Today the Lower Mill Site is a community and tourism hub which includes an interpretive walk through the restored boilers and kilns; a hinterland library and open space parkland.  Visit our History pages for more information about our past.

Bike Trails

Cooroy has access to three of the four scenic hinterland cycle routes which are on road cycle routes.

Noosa Trails

Cooroy has access to four of the renowned Noosa Trails:

Trail Eight: Cooroy Wanderer is 11 kilometre one way and is a flat easy walking trail.  For safety, horse riders are asked not to ride in the town of Cooroy but to start/finish at the loat parking area on Mary River Road.
Trail Seven: Mak “N” Back is 15 kilometres one way and crosses Six Mile Creek and can easily be completed as a day walk.
Trail Six: Cudgerie Countryside Loop is a five kilometre circuit. This is an easy circuit that winds its way around the rural residential subdivision of Cudgerie Estate. Parking is provided at the Community Hut located on Blueberry Drive.
Trail Four: Kin Kin to Lake MacDonald is 25 kilometres one way. This trail traverses a variety of terrain from open grassy paddocks to woodland forest. You will experience spectacular lookouts and also traverse through rural residential developments at Lake MacDonald.
Detailed trail information and maps are available from the Noosa Trail Network Brochure.

The Noosa Trail Network Interpretative Guide is designed to take with you as you meander the trails. It explains the sights, smells and sounds you can experience on the trail, giving you a greater understanding of Noosa’s beautiful environment.

Bird Watching

Get up close and personal with Noosa hinterland’s beautiful birds while walking the Noosa Trail Network. Council’s Bird Observation on the Noosa Trail Network Brochure will help you locate and identify the many different birds that live throughout the trail network. The Noosa Bird Trail brochure also offers five additional sites located in Cooroy:

Cooroy Waste Water Treatment Plant at Mary River Road which is home to water birds, finches and manikins;
Jabiru Park & Fearnley Bird Hide at Lake MacDonald where magpie goose, black-necked stork, comb-crested jacana, cotton pygmy goose and great crested grebes can be found.
Old Tewantin Road, Lake MacDonald which is home to pheasant coucal, yellow-tailed black cockatoo, Australian king parrot and rufous fantail.
Ringtail State Forest – Old Coach Way Lake MacDonald which is home to green catbird, Australian king parrot, brown grey-gone and large billed scrub wren.
West Cooroy State Forest on Top Forestry Road, West Cooroy with little friarbirds, cicadabird, rose-crowned fruit dove and spectacled monarch.