Noosa Everglades Afternoon River Cruise

Noosa Everglades: the River of Mirrors

The Noosa Everglades are the upper reaches of the Noosa River, a slow blackwater system that winds north from Lake Cootharaba through paperbark swamps and tea-tree forest inside Great Sandy National Park. Tannins from the leaves stain the water a deep amber, and because there is almost no current the surface becomes a perfect mirror, which is why locals call it the River of Mirrors. A Noosa Everglades tour is the only way to see this part of the park, because no road reaches the narrow channels.

On this afternoon cruise the vessel moves at walking pace so the reflections stay unbroken and you can photograph trees, clouds and birds doubled in the water. The commentary explains how the wetland formed on ancient sand. Many visitors ask whether the Noosa Everglades are worth visiting; the answer is yes if you enjoy quiet nature, and the best time to visit is a calm afternoon like this one, when the wind drops and the mirror effect is strongest.

Lake Cootharaba and Boreen Point

Lake Cootharaba is the broad, shallow lake that the Noosa River flows through before it narrows into the Everglades. It is about ten kilometres long and rarely deeper than a couple of metres, so it is popular with sailors and kayakers, and its western shore at Boreen Point is where this cruise begins. The village of Boreen Point sits about 25 minutes north of Noosa township and is reached by the shuttle on a pleasant drive through Tewantin and the farmland along Lake Cootharaba.

The cruise crosses the lake first, with wide views of the Cooloola sand mass and the hills of the hinterland, before the channel narrows at the top end and the Everglades proper begin. This crossing is the most open stretch of the trip, so hats and sunscreen are useful. If you are wondering how to get to the Noosa Everglades from Noosa, the shuttle included in the default option solves the question: you are collected in town and brought straight to the jetty at Boreen Point.

Birdlife and wildlife of the Cooloola wetlands

The Cooloola wetlands are among the richest birdwatching areas in Queensland, and the Noosa Everglades cruise commentary helps you pick out species as you pass. Look for white-bellied sea eagles and whistling kites circling above the river, azure kingfishers flashing along the banks, egrets and herons stalking the shallows, and cormorants drying their wings on dead branches. Pelicans gather on the lake, and black swans feed in the sedges on calm afternoons.

The stained water also supports fish, eels and turtles, which you may spot surfacing near the boat, and the guides point out plants such as the paperbark melaleuca, swamp banksia and the carnivorous sundews on the sandy margins. This is the wildlife side of a Noosa Everglades day trip from Noosa: not a zoo, but a living wetland inside the Noosa Biosphere Reserve where the commentary turns a scenic cruise into a gentle nature lesson for adults and children alike.

The lakeside eco camp at Boreen Point

The cruise departs from and returns to a lakeside eco camp on the shore of Lake Cootharaba at Boreen Point, a bush setting of eucalyptus and paperbark with a jetty, a small cafe area and open grass where eastern grey kangaroos graze in the late afternoon. The camp is the gateway to the Everglades and the place where every cruise, kayak and canoe trip into the wetlands starts, so it has a relaxed, outdoors feel rather than a busy terminal.

After the cruise you have about 30 minutes of free time here, usually the moment the kangaroos come out to feed near the trees; keep a respectful distance and you will get good photos. Food is not included, so this is also the time to buy a snack before the shuttle leaves. At certain times of year you may walk through shallow water to board the boat, so shoes that can get wet are a sensible choice.

Noosa Heads, Noosaville and Tewantin: the shuttle route

The default option collects you from seven stops spread across the Noosa area: David Low Way at Sunshine Beach, Noosa Heads station, Noosa Parade at Nancy Cato Park and Quamby Place, the Noosa Marina coach parking in Noosaville, the arts centre in Noosa Junction and a stop in Tewantin. The 50-minute drive follows the Noosa River past the Noosaville foreshore and through Tewantin, the oldest settlement on the river, before turning north along Lake Cootharaba to Boreen Point.

The shuttle makes the Noosa Everglades an easy half-day addition to a stay in Noosa, Australia, with no need to hire a car or find parking at the lake. The pickup time is earlier than the 14:00 cruise departure, and we confirm your exact pickup time and stop after booking. Drop-off follows the same route in reverse, returning you to Noosa in the early evening with time for dinner in Hastings Street or on the Noosaville riverfront.