The Mount Coolum eight hundred metre summit walk is an easy climb for relatively fit people. Although the signage at the entrance to the track informs of a two-hour return walk, moderately fit people will take half of that time to make it to the highest point and back.
The single track is steep in some places going up and a warm-up prior to climbing is recommended. Coming down, the track is steep, rocky and uneven, especially from the summit.
Appropriately sturdy walking shoes are highly advisable. The track is reported to be extremely slippery and slick in wet weather and it is highly recommended to stay off it on wet days.
The sights along the way and, even more so, the view at the top are well worth the climb. A sweeping three hundred and sixty-degree vista of the coast and its hinterland is Mount Coolum's main attraction. Continuous views to the Pacific Ocean, as well as views to The Glasshouse Mountains, Point Cartwright, Noosa National Park, Caloundra, Maroochy River and the Blackall Range are well afforded.
Mount Coolum is in a national park in Mount Coolum, Queensland. It is located in the Sunshine Coast, one hundred kilometres north of Brisbane. Mount Coolum is an extinct dome-shaped volcano generally consisting of twenty-five million year old volcanic and felsic rock. It ascends two hundred and eight metres from the coastal plain.
Mount Coolum is part of the protected coastal plains due to an extensive flora of rare and conserved species that grow and thrive in the area. Its botanical richness contains seven hundred different species of plant and vegetation. The rare coastal montane heath and the endangered She-oak are among the species of plant that survive and grow on Mount Coolum.
Mount Coolum is also home to a range of Australian fauna, including beautiful species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals; rare and colourful golden whistlers and scarlet honeyeaters live here and magnificent Peregrine Falcons nest in its cliffs.
Mornings are best to walk Mount Coolum. You will need: a pair of hardy walking shoes, drinking water, a hat, sunscreen, and a healthy dose of appreciation for nature. A camera and a pair of binoculars are optional. To take in and relish the panoramic scenery is compulsory.
