If you’re looking for a 4WD trip that delivers maximum adventure without needing a week off work, an overnight run from Noosa North Shore to Double Island Point is hard to beat.
Think long stretches of beach driving, towering sand cliffs, turquoise lagoons, a historic lighthouse, kilometres of open coastline and a campsite tucked behind the dunes with the Pacific Ocean just metres away.
Better still, it’s all achievable in a single overnight trip.
Double Island Point is ideal for an overnight 4WD adventure from Noosa North Shore. The trip can include beach driving along Teewah Beach, crossing Leisha Track, exploring Double Island Point and its lighthouse, then camping overnight at Teewah Beach or Freshwater. Plan your driving around the tides, organise your vehicle and camping permits beforehand, and carry suitable recovery gear, water and supplies.
But Double Island Point and Teewah Beach are places where preparation matters. The tide controls your itinerary, sand conditions can change quickly and once you’re properly into the Cooloola Recreation Area, there aren’t many opportunities to fix something you forgot.
Get the timing right, though, and this is one of Southeast Queensland’s best short 4WD escapes.
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Before you Hit the Sand
There are two things to organise before the tyres even touch the beach: your vehicle access permit and camping permit.
A valid vehicle access permit is required to drive through designated sections of the Cooloola Recreation Area, including Teewah Beach and Leisha Track, while camping permits are required for your chosen Teewah Beach camping zone or Freshwater camping area.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can sort the permit out afterwards. QPWS uses 24-hour automatic number plate recognition cameras throughout the recreation area, so make sure your registration details are correct and your permit is active before entering. Penalties apply for driving or camping without the appropriate permits.
Signage at the Cooloola Recreation Area
The other thing to check before leaving home is the tide.
QPWS currently recommends driving the beaches around two hours either side of low tide. Beach conditions change constantly, so also check the latest Cooloola conditions report and park alerts before departing.
On this trip, the tide sets the schedule, not you.
Fuel up in Tewantin
Approaching from Noosa, your adventure begins at Tewantin.
Before heading for the ferry, fill the tank. Once you cross the Noosa River and head north towards Teewah Beach, you don’t want your trip dictated by a fuel gauge.
From Moorindil Street, drive aboard the Noosa North Shore Ferry for the short crossing to Noosa North Shore.
The ferry operates every day of the year and generally departs around every 10 minutes, but weekends, school holidays and busy travel periods can add time to the journey, so build some flexibility into your itinerary.
The Noosa ferry to Teewah Beach
Once across, this is also the time to make sure you have everything you need for the night.
Food, drinking water, ice, sunscreen and any forgotten camping supplies should be sorted before you head onto the beach. There are no shops waiting for you at Double Island Point or halfway up Teewah Beach.
From here on, self-sufficiency is part of the adventure.
Air Down and Hit Teewah Beach
Once you reach the beach entrance, air your tyres down to an appropriate pressure for your vehicle, tyres, load and conditions.
Teewah Beach forms part of the Cooloola Beach drive, with roughly 40 kilometres of open beach stretching north through the recreation area.
At low tide, the firmer sand can make for fantastic beach driving.
To your right, the Pacific rolls endlessly towards shore. To your left, enormous dunes and exposed sand cliffs rise above the beach, creating the landscape that makes this part of Queensland so distinctive.
Teewah Beach sand cliffs
It’s tempting to simply point north and cover kilometres, but take your time.
Washouts, creek crossings, soft sand, pedestrians and other vehicles can appear quickly, and Queensland road rules still apply on the beach.
Depending on conditions, allow roughly an hour to an hour and a half from the southern Teewah Beach entrance to reach Double Island Point.
The drive itself is half the experience.
Leisha Track: the Gateway to Double Island Point
Eventually, Double Island Point will come into view ahead.
This is where you’ll reach Leisha Track, the short inland route cutting across the base of the headland.
It may only take around five minutes to cross in favourable conditions, but Leisha Track shouldn’t be underestimated.
The sand can become extremely soft and chopped up, particularly after periods of heavy traffic. Heavier 4WDs, camper trailers and larger touring setups can have a much harder time maintaining momentum through the soft sections.
This is where proper preparation pays off.
Carry suitable recovery gear, including a shovel, recovery boards, tyre-pressure gauge, compressor and rated recovery equipment. Leave space between vehicles and avoid stopping unnecessarily in the softest sections.
The northern entrance to Leisha Track is also constantly influenced by tides and swell, and conditions can change significantly from one visit to the next.
Never assume last trip’s conditions will be today’s conditions.
Explore the Protected Side of the Point
Cross Leisha Track and the landscape changes almost immediately.
Turn right after exiting the track and follow the beach towards the end of Double Island Point.
When conditions cooperate, this side of the headland can offer much more protected water than the open surf of Teewah Beach, with spectacular views stretching back along the sand towards Rainbow Beach.
It’s a brilliant place to stop for lunch, swim or simply park up and enjoy having the 4WD sitting metres from the water.
Depending on swell and weather, the point is also popular for surfing, bodyboarding and other water activities.
If you’re keen to stretch the legs, leave the vehicle behind and head for the lighthouse.
The Double Island Point lighthouse walk is officially a 2.2km return Grade 3 track, with QPWS recommending around an hour to complete it. The short but steep climb leads to panoramic views stretching from Noosa towards Rainbow Beach and K’gari on a clear day. The lighthouse itself dates back to 1884.
Keep watching the ocean from the top. Dolphins, turtles and manta rays can be spotted around the headland, while migrating humpback whales pass through during the cooler months.
Find the Lagoon and Sandbar
Back at Leisha Track, head in the opposite direction and low tide can expose one of the most photogenic parts of the trip.
Shifting sandbars around Double Island Point can create protected pockets of tranquil water that are perfect for a swim when conditions are suitable.
Continue exploring and you’ll find yourself driving beneath some of the huge sand formations and cliffs that give the Cooloola coastline its unmistakable look.
Don’t get Caught by the Tide
a 4X4 on Teewah Beach, shot from a drone over the ocean
Double Island Point is the type of place where it’s very easy to lose a few hours.
That’s fine - provided you haven’t lost track of the tide as well.
Give yourself plenty of time to retrace your route and get back through Leisha Track while the beach is still safely passable.
Don’t stay on the point until the tide has forced you into making a rushed decision, and don’t assume continuing north towards Rainbow Beach provides an easy escape route.
Natural sand movement can restrict access north of the point, while areas around Mudlo Rocks closer to Rainbow Beach have a long-standing reputation for becoming difficult or completely impassable under unfavourable conditions.
Chase Sunset Back Down Teewah
If your tide window gives you enough time, catch the beginning of golden hour around Double Island Point before crossing Leisha Track and heading south again towards Teewah Beach.
As the afternoon light drops, the huge dunes and sand cliffs take on a completely different look.
Your destination for the night is one of Teewah Beach’s seven camping zones.
The camping area stretches behind the vegetated foredunes, with campsites accessed from the beach.
Each section feels slightly different, but the common denominator is the Pacific Ocean sitting right outside camp.
Pull in, find a suitable spot within your booked zone and get everything set up before dark.
Sand dune camping on Teewah Beach
There are no toilets within the Teewah Beach other than at Freshwater Creek campground - campers are required to carry an approved portable toilet with a sealed waste tank. Campfires are also prohibited throughout zones 1–7, so bring a suitable self-contained cooking setup.
Then the day's work is done.
Cook dinner, pull out the camp chairs and let the stars provide the entertainment.
Few things beat falling asleep behind the dunes with nothing but the sound of the surf on the other side.
Want a Few More Creature Comforts?
If you’d prefer a more established campground, Freshwater is another excellent overnight option around eight kilometres south of Double Island Point.
Freshwater sits approximately 500 metres inland among sheltered scribbly gum woodland and offers flushing toilets, hot and cold showers and access to free gas barbecues at the nearby day-use area.
Water is available, but it must be treated before drinking.
And after a full day coated in sand and salt, the hot showers might be the best $2 you spend all weekend.
Bring $2 coins - each coin currently buys four minutes of hot water.
One Night, Plenty of Adventure
The next morning, wake up to the Pacific, make breakfast and pack the 4WD before timing your return journey with the tide.
Then point south and enjoy one final run along Teewah Beach before crossing the Noosa River and returning to civilisation.
An overnight trip to Double Island Point doesn’t require a huge expedition build or weeks away from home.
What it does require is preparation.
Get your permits. Check the weather and tides. Carry proper recovery gear. Pack enough water and supplies. Give yourself more time than you think you need.
Do that, and in little more than 24 hours you can go from the bitumen to one of Queensland’s most spectacular stretches of coastline, explore it by 4WD, camp beneath the stars and wake up with the ocean outside your tent.
Sometimes the best 4WD trips aren’t about going further.
They’re about making the most of where your 4WD can take you.
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