Cotton Tree is the narrow strip of land between the Maroochy River and the ocean at the southern end of Maroochydore, and it has a quite different feel from the main beach. The river side is calm and sheltered, popular with stand-up paddleboarders, kayakers, and families with small children who want flat water.
The foreshore park along the river is one of the nicest spots in the area — shaded, grassy, with picnic tables and a sense of suburban ease that the more commercial parts of Maroochydore lack. A cluster of cafes and fish-and-chip shops sits nearby, catering to the steady stream of visitors who make this their first stop after arriving from Brisbane.