Noosa Bar & Noosaville
Noosa is the prettiest river mouth on this coast and one of the trickiest. The river spills out past Noosa Head into Laguna Bay over a shallow, shifting bar, then opens into Noosa Sound and the long Noosaville and Tewantin waterfront. Inside it's 6-knot water full of hire boats, ferries and paddlers. For a visiting keelboat the bar is the whole story. NGA gives 0.6 to 1.2 m over it, and MSQ says not to cross without local knowledge. Most deliveries anchor in Laguna Bay or carry on to Mooloolaba or the Wide Bay Bar.
- Overhead clearances: MSQ's NR-4 to NR-6 sheets print figures from about 1.1 m to 9.2 m (above HAT) for footbridges, pipes and bridges. These are read from the map text and not yet matched to each crossing on the map image.
- Fuel: OpenStreetMap marks a marine fuel point at the Noosaville boatyard. Hours and access are not confirmed.
- 1Noosa River entrance (approx.) · Designated coastal bar.
- 2MRQ Noosa, Munna Point · MRQ.
- 3Noosaville, Albert St ramp · TMR NS11.
- 4Noosaville, Thomas St ramp · TMR NS12.
- 5Noosaville, Waterside Ct ramp · TMR NS17.
- 6Terrace Marina · OSM.
- 7Noosa Marina and Markets, Tewantin · OSM.
- 8Tewantin, Lake St ramp · TMR NS32.
- 9Marine fuel, Noosaville (OSM) · OSM node 588397017.
At a glance
| What it is | Shallow river entrance west of Noosa Head, leading to Noosa Sound, Noosaville and Tewantin |
| The bar | ⚠ Designated coastal bar. NGA: 0.6 to 1.2 m over a shifting bar. MSQ: local knowledge only |
| Outside anchorage | Laguna Bay, 11 to 13 m, sheltered from S and SE gales (NGA). Not in an easterly |
| Inside | 6 knots throughout the river (MSQ schedule). Cable ferry at Tewantin runs day and night |
| Map age | MSQ NR-4 to NR-6 current to 28 January 2021 |
| Rescue | MRQ Noosa at Munna Point |
Getting here
- Log on/off and bar conditions: VHF 22 or phone (07) 5474 3695
- Emergency: VHF 16 or Triple Zero (000)
MSQ prints "Noosa bar and inlet should not be crossed except with local knowledge." The channel moves after every big sea, so call before every crossing.
Contacts checked on the unit's official website on 18 October 2026.From seaward. Noosa Head is bold and rocky, the northern end of a ridge of sand hills. NGA notes Arkwright Shoal (7.6 m) off Arkwright Point to the south and Hancock Shoal (9.1 m) further north. Coming from Mooloolaba, stay well off the coast past Point Arkwright in any swell.
The bar. NGA says the entrance discharges into the south-west corner of Laguna Bay, about 2 miles west of Noosa Head, with 0.6 to 1.2 m over a shifting bar, buoys and beacons in the channel and, when practicable, lights leading in. MSQ's enlargement NR-5A covers the bar and the inlet and carries the red warning that they shouldn't be crossed without local knowledge. Noosa is on MSQ's list of designated coastal bars. ⚠ Notice 016/2025 (17 January 2025): a starboard lateral mark opposite Culgoa Point was moved because the channel had shifted. Expect more of the same.
Inside. MSQ's soundings put the median around 1.5 m across NR-5 and NR-4, with plenty of drying patches, and no contours in the canals or Weyba Creek. MSQ also warns of submerged flood debris.
Anchoring and moorings
- Laguna Bay. NGA's anchorage is close in, in 11 to 13 m about 1.5 miles WNW of Noosa Head, sheltered from south and south-east gales. NGA says it isn't recommended if the wind goes east. This is the usual waiting spot for the tide or a pause on a delivery.
- Inside the river. Our sources don't give visitor moorings or anchorages for keelboats. Noosa Shire and MSQ manage moorings and anchoring here, so check the rules before you drop the pick.
Skipper's notes
Garry's own observations from deliveries through Noosa Bar & Noosaville. First-hand notes, dated, and no substitute for the chart.
- Depth
- [Garry to add: depths seen, state of tide and date.]
- Holding
- [Garry to add: bottom type and how the anchor held.]
- Shelter
- [Garry to add: wind directions it is good or bad in.]
- Other notes
- [Garry to add: anything else worth knowing, with date.]
- To check
- [Garry to add: Noosa bar: draft and tide you would cross at, and where it breaks first.]
- To check
- [Garry to add: Laguna Bay: holding and how quickly it turns in an easterly.]
- To check
- [Garry to add: Visitor moorings or berths you would use at Noosaville or Tewantin.]
Notes last updated: [date]
Facilities
- Marinas. OpenStreetMap shows Terrace Marina on Gympie Terrace at Noosaville and Noosa Marina and Markets at Tewantin. Neither lists visitor berths for deep keelboats in our sources.
- MRQ Noosa (formerly Coast Guard Noosa) is at Munna Point. See the call-out above.
- Trades. The marine business sweep found boat hire, a marine canvas shop, brokers and a boatbuilder along the Noosaville and Tewantin waterfront.
Fuel, water and pump-out
OpenStreetMap marks a marine fuel point at the Noosaville boatyard on the river, and the area guide lists a pump-out station near Tewantin. ⚠ We haven't confirmed hours or access for either.
Boat ramps
From the TMR list: Noosaville, Albert Street and Thomas Street (two lanes each, pontoons, toilets), Noosaville, Waterside Court (one lane) and Tewantin, Lake Street (two lanes, pontoon). None of them are tide-limited.
Rules in brief
- Bar. Designated coastal bar, with the lifejacket rule for open boats under 4.8 m.
- Speed. 6 knots on the Noosa River and waterways (MSQ schedule, gazetted 8 September 2023).
- Cable ferry. Give way to the Tewantin–Noosa North Shore ferry, which runs day and night.
Ashore
What's within about a 15-minute walk (1.2 km) of each marina, ramp or landing on this page, measured along streets and footpaths in OpenStreetMap. Addresses are from OpenStreetMap where it has one; where it doesn't, we show the name and distance only. ⚠ As at 18 October 2026: we haven't confirmed each place is still trading, so check before you walk.
From Noosaville, Albert St ramp / Noosaville, Thomas St ramp (boat ramp / dinghy landing)
| Name | Type | Walk | Street address (OSM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bars, pubs and clubs | |||
| Villa Noosa Hotel | Pub | 580 m | – |
| Restaurants and cafes | |||
| Gelato Caffe | Cafe | 100 m | – |
| Thomas Corner Eatery | Restaurant | 100 m | 1/201 Gympie Terrace |
| Jimmy Fox street food | Takeaway | 130 m | 203 shop 7 Gympie Terrace |
| The Boathouse | Restaurant | 210 m | – |
| Gin-ja | Restaurant | 250 m | – |
| Magic of India Restuarant | Restaurant | 260 m | 2/187 Thomas Street, Noosaville 4566 |
| Red Rooster | Takeaway | 280 m | 2 Mary Street, Noosaville 4566 |
| La vie en rose noosa | Restaurant | 310 m | 1/231 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville QLD 4566 |
| plus 5 more within the walk | |||
| Entertainment | |||
| The Big Pelican | Attraction | 250 m | – |
| Supermarkets and provisioning | |||
| Dan Murphy's | Bottle shop | 510 m | – |
| Noosa Village Shopping Centre | Shopping centre | 630 m | – |
| Woolworths | Supermarket | 630 m | – |
From Noosa Marina and Markets, Tewantin / Tewantin, Lake St ramp (boat ramp / dinghy landing, marina)
| Name | Type | Walk | Street address (OSM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bars, pubs and clubs | |||
| Café VinCino | Bar | 60 m | – |
| The Marina Bar | Bar | 60 m | – |
| Royal Mail Hotel | Pub | 390 m | – |
| Restaurants and cafes | |||
| Noosa Harbour Fish Market | Takeaway | 80 m | – |
| Noosa Gelato House | Ice cream | 240 m | – |
| Dusty's Kitchen | Cafe | 250 m | – |
| Potter's Pantry | Cafe | 420 m | – |
| Zabe | Cafe | 450 m | – |
| Pizza Hut | Restaurant | 660 m | – |
| Lakeside Seafoods | Takeaway | 760 m | – |
| Supermarkets and provisioning | |||
| Richie's Bakery | Bakery | 440 m | – |
| Woolworths | Supermarket | 520 m | – |
| Reddy Express | Convenience store | 890 m | – |
From Terrace Marina (marina)
| Name | Type | Walk | Street address (OSM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and cafes | |||
| Lazy River Bar and Bistro | Restaurant | 270 m | – |
| Red Emperor | Takeaway | 390 m | 22/287 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville |
| A Little Birdie | Restaurant | 410 m | 3/287 Gympie Terrace |
| Mr Jones and Me | Restaurant | 420 m | 301 Weyba Road, Noosaville 4566 |
| Grind Cafe | Cafe | 440 m | – |
| Marine stores, chandlers and boat services | |||
| Terrace Marina | Boat dealer/marine store | 20 m | – |
From Noosaville, Waterside Ct ramp (boat ramp / dinghy landing)
| Name | Type | Walk | Street address (OSM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and cafes | |||
| Sum Yung Guys | Restaurant | 890 m | 1/205 Weyba Road, Noosaville QLD 4566 |
| Little Cove Coffee | Cafe | 920 m | 4/205 Weyba Road, Noosaville QLD 4566 |
| Supermarkets and provisioning | |||
| The Bakers Pantry | Bakery | 960 m | 6/205 Weyba Road, Noosaville QLD 4566 |
| ALDI | Supermarket | 1000 m | 201 Weyba Road, Noosaville QLD 4566 |
Places, types, addresses and walking distances: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), fetched 18 October 2026.
About this page
These are free planning notes written by a working delivery skipper from public sources. They are not for navigation. Use the official chart, current MSQ notices to mariners, official tide tables and local advice. Spotted something out of date? Please use Report a correction below.
Official links
Check these before you go. They beat anything on this page.
- MSQ notices to mariners, SE Queensland outside pilotage areas (covers Noosa)
- MSQ speed limit schedule (PDF)
- MSQ: crossing a coastal bar (safety advice)
- Queensland notices to mariners, all areas (subscribe)
- MSQ Queensland tide tables
- Bureau of Meteorology: tide predictions
- Bureau of Meteorology: Queensland warnings (incl. marine wind warnings)
- Bureau of Meteorology: Queensland coastal waters forecasts
Sources & credits
Written in our own words from MSQ Beacon to Beacon Noosa River sheets NR-4, NR-5, NR-5A and NR-6 (read 19 October 2026; each sheet carries its own 'information current to' date, quoted on the page), NGA Pub. 127 Sailing Directions (Enroute) East Coast of Australia and New Zealand (2025), Sector 5, the MSQ notices-to-mariners listings on publications.qld.gov.au (titles and dates checked 19 October 2026), the Queensland Government (TMR) recreational boating facilities list (fetched 19 October 2026), Marine Rescue Queensland unit pages (checked 19 October 2026) and OpenStreetMap. Background from the Hartshorne Marine area guide for the Noosa River and lakes (16 October 2026). NGA Pub. 127 paras 5.33 and 5.34. MSQ notice 016/2025 identified by title and date.
Maritime Safety Queensland. Contains Maritime Safety Queensland data (Beacon to Beacon guide, notices to mariners, nav-aid open data, pump-out map C2-335, speed-limit schedule, tide information) © State of Queensland (Department of Transport and Main Roads), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Facts restated and summarised in our own words. Not endorsed by MSQ or TMR.
Queensland legislation. Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Regulation 2016 and Transport Infrastructure (Waterways Management) Regulation 2012 © State of Queensland, CC BY 4.0. Summarised; the authorised versions at legislation.qld.gov.au prevail.
NGA. Background from NGA Pub. 127, Sailing Directions (Enroute) East Coast of Australia and New Zealand (2025), U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, a US Government work in the public domain. Parts of it are out of date; where a page leans on it, we say so. Not endorsed by NGA.
OpenStreetMap. Map tiles and some facility positions © OpenStreetMap contributors, data available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL).
Others. Facts from local authority pages and notices (for example the Gold Coast Waterways Authority), volunteer marine rescue sites and businesses' own websites are cited for fact only and restated in our own words. Listing a business is not an endorsement.
Last checked: 19 October 2026.
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