Can schools share this Noosa guide with families?

Yes. This guide and the printable family checklist are free to share with families relocating to Noosa - add them to a school welcome pack, enrolment page or newsletter. No sign-up or permission is needed, and a school contact form is available for questions or resource requests.

Noosa relocation guide

Moving to Noosa

The short answer: Noosa suits people who want beaches, the river, national park and a relaxed low-rise town, and who don't need a fast daily commute. Choose your pocket first - Noosa Heads for walk-to-the-beach living, Noosaville and Tewantin for everyday family life, the eastern beaches for surf villages, or the hinterland for space. Most newcomers rent first, check the school catchment for the exact address and plan on needing a car.

Noosa schools Relocation checklist

Where to live

Which part of Noosa should you move to?

Noosa Heads

Hastings Street, Main Beach, Noosa Junction and the national park. Walk-to-everything beach living, with holiday crowds and parking pressure in peak periods.

Noosaville

Riverfront Gympie Terrace, calm-water swimming, parks and cafes, with Noosa Civic shopping nearby. The most practical base for many families.

Tewantin

An established river town with services, sporting fields and a less tourism-led feel. Handy to the North Shore ferry and hinterland.

Sunshine, Sunrise and Castaways Beach

Surf-beach neighbourhoods east of Noosa Heads with the Duke Street village, a local primary school and the state high school.

Peregian Beach and Peregian Springs

A small beach village and a newer family estate with schools, shops and the Coolum and Noosa centres either side.

Noosa hinterland

Cooroy, Pomona, Eumundi, Doonan, Cooran, Kin Kin and Boreen Point. More land and a country-town pace, rail access at Cooroy and Pomona, and a 15 to 30 minute drive to the beach.

More detail in the Noosa and Noosaville, Sunshine Beach and Peregian suburb guides.

Essentials

What you need to know before moving to Noosa

Council

Noosa has its own council - Noosa Shire Council - separate from Sunshine Coast Council. Rates, bins, planning, flood maps and permits all go through Noosa Council.

Healthcare

Noosa Hospital in Noosaville has a 24-hour emergency department. Sunshine Coast University Hospital at Birtinya (about 45 minutes) is the region's major public hospital. Register with a GP early - some practices close their books.

Getting around

Translink buses link Tewantin, Noosaville, Noosa Heads, Noosa Junction and the eastern beaches, but there is no train station in Noosa itself. Cooroy is the nearest station. Most households need a car.

Airport and Brisbane

Sunshine Coast Airport at Marcoola is about 25 to 30 minutes away. Brisbane CBD is roughly 2 hours by car, and Brisbane Airport about 1 hour 45 minutes.

Climate

Warm, humid summers with most of the year's rain, and mild, dry winters that are the best time of year. Summer storms, occasional cyclone-season weather and bushfire weather in spring are part of life.

Work

The local economy leans on tourism, hospitality, health, education, construction and small business. Many residents work remotely or commute south to Maroochydore, the hospital precinct or Brisbane part of the week.

Schools

Schools in and around Noosa

Noosa has state primary schools in each main suburb, two state high schools (Sunshine Beach and Noosa District at Cooroy and Pomona), and Catholic and independent options from Prep to Year 12. State schools may be catchment-based, so check the exact address on EdMap and contact the school before signing a lease or contract. Independent schools often have waiting lists - apply early.

Independent schools

St Andrew's Anglican College - Peregian Springs, Prep to Year 12
Good Shepherd Lutheran College - Noosaville, Prep to Year 12
Noosa Christian College - Cooroy, Prep to Year 12
Peregian Beach College - Peregian Springs, Prep to Year 12

A school link does not guarantee a place. Check catchments on the Queensland EdMap. See also the school finder map, how catchments and fees work and moving with children.

Lifestyle

What is it like living in Noosa?

Noosa National Park coastal walk, Main Beach and the surf breaks at Tea Tree, Granite and Sunshine Beach.
The Noosa River and Noosaville foreshore for paddling, sailing, fishing and calm-water swimming for young children.
Noosa Everglades and Lake Cootharaba via Boreen Point for kayaking and camping.
Noosa Farmers Market on Sunday mornings and the Eumundi Markets on Wednesday and Saturday.
Surf lifesaving clubs with nippers at Noosa, Sunshine Beach and Peregian - the quickest social entry point for families.
Noosa Aquatic Centre, local AFL, rugby, soccer, netball and tennis clubs, and school holiday programs through Noosa Libraries.
Noosa is part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which shapes the council's low-rise, low-density planning approach.

Read more on weather and climate and the cost of living.

Renting and buying

Should you rent or buy when moving to Noosa?

Noosa is the Sunshine Coast's most expensive housing market, and rentals are competitive, with some homes let seasonally to holidaymakers. Most interstate movers rent for six to twelve months first, then buy once they know which pocket suits them.

Renting in Noosa

Start early, have references ready and check whether a lease is long-term or holiday-let.

Executive Relocations - rental search →

Buying in Noosa

Local knowledge matters street by street in Noosa. For help buying, talk to Home Scouts.

Visit Home Scouts →

See rent or buy and buying costs in Queensland.

First steps

A Noosa moving checklist

Rent for 6 to 12 months first if you do not yet know which side of Noosa suits you - beach, river or hinterland.
Check the school catchment for the exact address on EdMap before signing a lease or contract.
Join childcare and outside school hours care waiting lists as soon as you have a shortlist.
Check Noosa Council flood mapping and bushfire mapping for every address you are serious about.
Drive the school run and your commute at peak times, including a school holiday weekend.
Register with a GP, the library and a local club in the first month.

Full relocation checklist Family checklist (printable)

Direct answers

Questions about moving to Noosa

Is Noosa a good place to live?

Noosa suits people who want beaches, the river, national park, good food and a relaxed low-rise town more than city conveniences or a fast daily commute. The tradeoffs are higher housing costs than most of the Sunshine Coast, holiday-season crowds and limited public transport.

Compare Noosa with other suburbs →

Is Noosa part of the Sunshine Coast?

Noosa is the northern end of the Sunshine Coast region, but it has its own council, Noosa Shire Council, which separated from Sunshine Coast Council in 2014. Check planning, rates, flood maps and services with Noosa Council.

Which Noosa suburb is best for families?

Noosaville, Tewantin, Sunshine Beach and Peregian Springs are the most common family choices because of schools, parks and everyday shopping. Hinterland towns such as Cooroy suit families wanting more land. The right choice depends on your school, work and budget.

Noosa and Noosaville suburb guide →

What schools are in Noosa?

State options include Noosaville, Tewantin, Sunshine Beach and Peregian Springs state schools, Sunshine Beach State High School and Noosa District State High School. Non-state options include St Teresa's Catholic College, St Thomas More, Good Shepherd Lutheran College, St Andrew's Anglican College, Peregian Beach College and Noosa Christian College.

Search and map Noosa schools →

Do you need a car to live in Noosa?

Most households do. Buses cover the main Noosa centres and beaches, but there is no train station in Noosa and hinterland towns have limited services. Test your exact trips in the Translink journey planner.

Getting around the Sunshine Coast →

How far is Noosa from Brisbane?

About 2 hours by car to the Brisbane CBD, depending on traffic on the Bruce Highway. Trains run to Brisbane from Cooroy and Nambour, but the trip is slow, so few people commute daily.

Is it better to rent or buy when moving to Noosa?

Most people relocating from interstate rent first for six to twelve months to learn the beach, river and hinterland pockets before buying. Rentals are competitive and some stock is seasonal holiday letting, so start your search early.

Is Noosa flood or bushfire prone?

Some low-lying land near the Noosa River, lakes and creeks is flood-affected, and properties near bushland and the national park can be in bushfire-prone areas. Risk varies by street and lot, so check Noosa Council mapping and get an insurance quote for the exact address.

Is Noosa busy in the holidays?

Yes. Noosa Heads, Hastings Street and the river get very busy over Christmas, Easter and school holidays. Residents in Noosaville, Tewantin and the hinterland feel it less, but traffic and parking are noticeably harder in peak weeks.

Sources to check

For schools

Are you a school helping families move to Noosa?

School office staff, principals and P&C committees on the Noosa shore regularly meet families who have just moved - or are about to. This guide and the printable family checklist are free to share with them: link to this page from your enrolment page or welcome pack, print the checklist for new-family folders, or include it in a newsletter. No sign-up, fee or permission is needed, and the checklist works as a handout for any relocating family, not just those moving to Noosa.

Link to movingtosunshinecoast.com.au/moving-to-noosa from your school website or enrolment page.
Print the family checklist - a one-page A4 handout with 19 tick-box steps for the move.
Download the ready-made PDF version for email newsletters and welcome packs.
Questions or resource requests? Use the school contact form - it goes straight to the guide's editor.

Download the family checklist (PDF)Contact the guide's editor

Also useful for new families: the Noosa school finder map and how catchments, enrolment and fees work.

Buying a home

Found your area? Let's find the property.

Home Scouts provides independent buyer representation across the Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Brisbane - assessing value and risk, and negotiating on your behalf.