Maroochydore is the commercial centre of Queensland's Sunshine Coast, sitting at the mouth of the Maroochy River about an hour north of Brisbane. It is less glamorous than Noosa further up the coast, but the beaches are just as good and considerably less crowded.
Maroochydore Beach is a long stretch of clean sand backed by parkland, good for swimming and bodyboarding. Cotton Tree, at the river mouth, is a quieter spot popular with families and stand-up paddleboarders. The Sunshine Plaza shopping centre makes Maroochydore the practical hub for the region, and the restaurant and cafe scene along Ocean Street has improved considerably in recent years.