Safety note: Admin approval is an initial review, not a guarantee that every detail is correct. Check important or urgent claims with official sources and report anything inaccurate or unsafe.
The Cootharaba Lookout in the Noosa hinterland has been upgraded with new viewing platforms, seating, water facilities and other improvements as part of a broader regional trail upgrade.
A popular lookout in the Noosa hinterland has received a major upgrade, giving visitors improved facilities and new viewing platforms as part of a broader program of works across the region’s trail network.
The Cootharaba Lookout, formerly known as Shepperson’s Lookout, has been transformed with new infrastructure designed to make the destination more welcoming and functional for walkers, horse riders and mountain bike riders. The completed improvements provide visitors with new places to stop and take in views across the surrounding hinterland.
The project forms part of the Noosa Regional Trail Upgrade, a wider program covering trail experiences in the Woondum and Wahpunga areas. The broader program is supported by $1.6 million in funding from the Australian Government’s Growing Regions Program and is scheduled to continue through to the end of 2026.
At Cootharaba Lookout, the works include new viewing platforms, picnic seating and improved visitor facilities. A shade structure has been relocated, while water facilities have also been upgraded. A new horse hitching post has been installed to better accommodate riders using the surrounding trail network.
The site has also received new bollards designed to prevent unauthorised vehicle access. Retaining walls, seating areas and wayfinding features have been added to improve how visitors move through and use the lookout.
Environmental considerations have also formed part of the project. More than 700 native trees and shrubs have been planted around the site to help integrate the upgraded facilities with the surrounding landscape.
The improvements are intended to support a growing network of outdoor recreation opportunities across the Noosa hinterland. The regional trail program includes repairs to existing trails, drainage improvements, upgraded trail nodes, access controls and improved wayfinding and interpretive signage.
The project is being delivered in accordance with the Noosa Trails Master Plan and forms part of ongoing efforts to create a connected and accessible trail network for residents and visitors.
Cootharaba Lookout provides an important stopping point for people exploring the surrounding trails. The upgraded platforms give visitors an opportunity to pause and enjoy the hinterland views, while the additional facilities are intended to make the area more practical for different types of trail users.
The project also reflects a broader focus on maintaining recreational infrastructure while protecting the environmental character of the Noosa hinterland. New vegetation, improved drainage and carefully planned visitor facilities are being incorporated into the wider trail improvements.
The lookout upgrade was reported by Sunshine Coast News on 30 September 2026, making it a today-only story. It is different from the previously provided stories about the Moffat Beach vehicle fire, Mooloolaba Marine Rescue transition, the flying-club proposal and the Baringa crash.
TrailLookoutBeenFacilitiesHinterland
A popular lookout in the Noosa hinterland has received a major upgrade, giving visitors improved facilities and new viewing platforms as part of a broader program of works across the region’s trail network.
The Cootharaba Lookout, formerly known as Shepperson’s Lookout, has been transformed with new infrastructure designed to make the destination more welcoming and functional for walkers, horse riders and mountain bike riders. The completed improvements provide visitors with new places to stop and take in views across the surrounding hinterland.
The project forms part of the Noosa Regional Trail Upgrade, a wider program covering trail experiences in the Woondum and Wahpunga areas. The broader program is supported by $1.6 million in funding from the Australian Government’s Growing Regions Program and is scheduled to continue through to the end of 2026.
At Cootharaba Lookout, the works include new viewing platforms, picnic seating and improved visitor facilities. A shade structure has been relocated, while water facilities have also been upgraded. A new horse hitching post has been installed to better accommodate riders using the surrounding trail network.
The site has also received new bollards designed to prevent unauthorised vehicle access. Retaining walls, seating areas and wayfinding features have been added to improve how visitors move through and use the lookout.
Environmental considerations have also formed part of the project. More than 700 native trees and shrubs have been planted around the site to help integrate the upgraded facilities with the surrounding landscape.
The improvements are intended to support a growing network of outdoor recreation opportunities across the Noosa hinterland. The regional trail program includes repairs to existing trails, drainage improvements, upgraded trail nodes, access controls and improved wayfinding and interpretive signage.
The project is being delivered in accordance with the Noosa Trails Master Plan and forms part of ongoing efforts to create a connected and accessible trail network for residents and visitors.
Cootharaba Lookout provides an important stopping point for people exploring the surrounding trails. The upgraded platforms give visitors an opportunity to pause and enjoy the hinterland views, while the additional facilities are intended to make the area more practical for different types of trail users.
The project also reflects a broader focus on maintaining recreational infrastructure while protecting the environmental character of the Noosa hinterland. New vegetation, improved drainage and carefully planned visitor facilities are being incorporated into the wider trail improvements.
The lookout upgrade was reported by Sunshine Coast News on 30 September 2026, making it a today-only story. It is different from the previously provided stories about the Moffat Beach vehicle fire, Mooloolaba Marine Rescue transition, the flying-club proposal and the Baringa crash.
Rising rents and living costs are pushing more people, including working families and older Australians, towards homelessness, according to Western Aust...
The planned opening of Broome’s multi-million-dollar Cable Beach foreshore redevelopment has been pushed back to 2027, leaving local residents and busin...
Land Forces 2026 opens in Perth for the first time, bringing international defence organisations, Australian industry and heightened security measures t...
Regional councils are calling on the Australian Government to establish a $200 million funding program to help maintain regional airports, after a surve...
Both dogs involved in an attack on a man in Brisbane’s northern suburbs have been captured and placed in council custody while authorities consider thei...
A 46-year-old man has been refused bail after being charged with eight counts of sexual assault and additional alleged stalking, intimidation, harassmen...
A 39-year-old woman has received 18 months’ probation and been ordered to pay A$3,000 in compensation after pleading guilty to assaulting her teenage son.
A 19-year-old man from the Bendigo area died after the car he was driving struck a tree on Inglewood–Powlett Road near Fiery Flat. Police are investigat...
A 57-year-old former digital forensic officer has been charged with multiple offences, including alleged possession of child abuse material, following a...
South Australia Police have released CCTV footage in an effort to identify a man suspected of stealing a gold bracelet from a jewellery store in Salisbu...
