Coolum Beach is a relaxed beachside village, only 20 minutes north of Maroochydore and 20 minutes south of Noosa Heads. Coolum is an open beach, with a patrolled surf beach as well as bays and Mount Coolum which makes it a great place for holiday makers and residents alike.
Coolum Beach is characterised by its beachside character, a relatively small number of higher-density apartments along the busy David Low Way, but lower density in the streets behind. It has a beautiful open patrolled beach, and adjacent to its popular surf club is a large grassy beachfront park and skate ramp, as well as a caravan park located on the beachside. Over school holidays, the park is also the location for the Coolum Twilight Markets (seasonal) and outdoor movies.
Living in Coolum Beach
Getting around
The suburb is bounded to the west by the Sunshine Coast Motorway and the east by the coastline and David Low Way. Adjacent suburbs include:
- South (along the coast) – Point Arkwright and Yaroomba
- West – Mount Coolum, Yandina and Valdora
- North (along the coastline) – Peregian Springs and Peregian Beach
It is home to about 10,000 residents living across a range of traditional tin and timber homes, more modern brick and tile and in multi-storey apartment blocks closer to the beach. Towards the back of Coolum Beach you will find homes on larger blocks in leafy and more hilly parts of the suburb.
David Low Way runs through the eastern part of Coolum Beach, and there are no houses or apartments to the east of David Low Way, all Coolum properties are on the western side of David Low Way.
Public transport
In terms of public transport options, bus services are the main public transport available to get around Coolum. SunBus buses (a subdivision of TransLink) operate in Coolum Beach, with services running frequently along David Low Way. Coolum Beach is conveniently just a ten minute drive from Sunshine Coast Airport. Visit Translink’s website to see what services are available.
If you’re a cyclist or walker, there are also a range of dedicated bicycle and walking paths (as well as on-road bike lanes). There is a beautiful Coolum coastal boardwalk, which is a 350 metre suspended timber pedestrian walkway above the Point Perry Foreshore Reserve and connects the Coolum village to Wilkinson Park at Point Perry (part of the greater Coastal Pathway).
Coolum is approximately:
• 120 km to Brisbane (1 hr, 45 minute drive)
• 18 km to Maroochydore (20-25 minute drive)
• 11 km to Sunshine Coast Airport (15-20 minute drive
Weather in Coolum Beach
As with the rest of the Sunshine Coast area, Coolum is renowned for its mild climate and amazing weather almost all year round. It has an average annual temperature of 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit). In winter, the temperature can drop to 10 degrees Celsius overnight but generally, the daytimes are still warm.
Ocean water temperature ranges from 19 degrees in winter to 25 degrees in summer. With this sort of climate, it’s no wonder it’s a very popular place for people wanting to visit or live.
Shopping in Coolum Beach
Coolum’s key shopping precincts include:
- Coolum Village – has a Coles supermarket, post office, bottle shop, barber, chemist, medical surgery, second hand shops, newsagent along with takeaway food and cafes.
- Coolum Park Shopping Centre – On South Coolum Rd (at the back of Coolum Beach and close to the Sunshine Motorway), this complex has Woolworths, cafés, a butcher, dentist, chemist, newsagent, bottle shop, medical centre and a Hoyts Kiosk.
- Coolum Beach Esplanade – along the David Low Way are coffee shops and eateries, clothing, ice cream and surf shops etc.
- Birtwill St Coolum – close to the beach, this shopping hub features a range of services, retail outlets and food options.
Adjacent suburbs to Coolum which also have their own shopping precincts include Mount Coolum, Peregian Springs and Peregian Beach.
Activities and community support when living in Coolum Beach
There are hundreds of community groups across Coolum so whatever your interest – be it sport, recreation, art, hobbies, etc – there is likely to be a community for you to be part of! In the north part of Coolum is the Coolum Sports Precinct, including the Coolum Peregian Aquatic Centre.
Here are some other great activities around the Coolum Beach area:
1. Climb Emu Mountain Summit Walk – Head to the end of Tritonia Drive (near the pony club) and take the walk through the park and up the mountain. You can also access from the front entrance of Coolum High School.
2. Coolum Bays and Coolum Coastal Boardwalk – If you head south on the track up over the hill past Point Perry, you will come to the Bay Walk. You will see turtles and sea birds on the way as the track ends at Point Arkwright.
3. Climb Mount Coolum – Just 3.5kms south of Coolum Beach, you can access the start of the walk up to Mount Coolum. This is an awe-inspiring volcanic dome that presides over the Sunshine Coast landscape. Climbing to the top of this 25 million year old gives you 180 degree views of the coast, which are absolutely spectacular. It’s no wonder it’s such a popular walk for residents and tourists alike.
4. Located in the heart of Coolum Beach and close to the beach is the Coolum Beach Bowls Club, a great place to go with your family for some entertainment.
5. Blast Aqua Fun Park, Coolum. This park is a highly popular venue for families with a wide array of inflatable fun items for everyone’s enjoyment, suitable for ages from 6.
Demographics (source: 2021 ABS )
- Population – 39,152
- Median age – 45
- Owner 67% / renter 33%
- Family 70 % / Single 30%
Property in Coolum Beach
When looking to buy your Coolum Beach investment property or own home, it is worthwhile to find out from a local first about the specific neighbourhood you’re looking at and what it’s like to live there, before you buy or invest.
Median property prices in Coolum Beach
Properties closer to the beach naturally attract a higher price point than those at the back of Coolum Beach. You also need to be careful to avoid properties located on busy roads. There have traditionally been a lot of low set brick homes in the suburb, and these are progressively being renovated or rebuilt to create high end homes.
Buying a Coolum Beach property to short-term let
Under the council’s Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme 2014, properties built prior to 2014 should have no issue renting out their dwelling as a short-term or holiday rental, such as an Airbnb, as long as the dwelling is compliant with regulations and lawful.
However, any properties built after this date, specifically those located in low-density zones currently utilised as short-term accommodation, could be required to submit a Material Change of Use (MCU) or Development Approval (DA) application to the local council in order to seek approval to utilise the property as a holiday rental or short-term stay.
To determine if you can operate short stay letting from the property you are planning to purchase you need to contact Sunshine Coast Council.
If you would like further help purchasing a home or investment property in Coolum Beach or want to know more about this suburb, please get in touch with Home Scouts, your local Coolum Beach Buyers Agent.
