Car Rental Caloundra Downtown

Caloundra is a picturesque town on the east coast of Queensland, just a 20-minute drive south of the Sunshine Coast, packed with more beaches than you can shake a stick at and more natural and cultural activities than you could possibly want. Caloundra is surrounded by nature, with the waters of the coral sea to the east and state forests and national parks to the west and south.

A popular day trip from Caloundra is Bribie Island. The island and national park are just over an hour away by car. Bribie Island is the perfect car destination, as it is the only island in Queensland connected to the mainland by a bridge, meaning you can drive from Caloundra to Bribie Island without having to catch a ferry. The island has multiple accommodation options, including hotels if you wish to stay longer than a day trip. This can be an excellent idea due to the sheer number of activities available on the island. Bribie Island is teeming with native wildlife, from kangaroos, dingoes, emus, wallabies and hundreds of species of fish and birds.

All in all, there are over 1,500 different plant and animal species. Going camping on the island is a sure-fire way to come across some of these incredible creatures. The island also has restaurants, cafes, art galleries, museums, cinemas, aquatic activities such as jet skiing, water surfing and more. It makes the perfect weekend or day trip from Caloundra, depending on how much time you have.

Life’s a Beach with a Car Hire

As you would expect in Queensland, Caloundra is home to many beaches. Start with Kings Beach. Home to rockpools, ocean swimming, protected swimming areas and surfing, King’s Beach is the main surfing beach of the area; you will also find many oceanfront bars and bistros to enjoy. Then move on to Bulcock Beach, another fantastic swimming area with a boardwalk, picnic areas and barbeque facilities. There are fishing options as well on the lower deck of the boardwalk at the western end of the Bulcock Esplanade. Moving on to a spectacular third beach, Moffat Beach. It is a beautiful, quieter beach location, with plenty of surfing options, picnic, and fishing spots. But be wary; Moffat Beach isn’t a patrolled beach.

A great way to take in a lot of beaches is the Caloundra Coastal Walk, which stretches 25 kilometres from Golden Beach to Mooloolaba. At certain times during the year, you will see dolphins passing by, particularly at the Pumicestone Passage. The walk itself is around 16 kilometres long and takes four hours. 

With a Rental Car; There’s More to Caloundra Than Just Beaches

You could spend your entire stay in Caloundra hopping from beach to beach and enjoying their various activities, restaurants and cafes, and it would be a trip well spent. However, you could also see the other attractions that Caloundra has to offer. Start off by buzzing into the Queensland Air Museum, entirely run by passionate volunteers. See nearly 100 aircraft on the museum grounds, making it the largest and most diverse collection in Australia. Get up close and personal with the displays, including military planes and helicopters. The museum is just a 5-minute drive from the city centre. You will also find the Caloundra Golf Club and Ben Bennett Botanical Park in the immediate area.

See one of the local markets with the Caloundra Street Fair, Currimundi Lake Twilight Market, Baringa Twilight Market and Caloundra Twilight Market, all operating close to or in Caloundra. The street fair has over 120 separate stalls. The Caloundra Street Fair was voted the best market on the Sunshine Coast, with activities, live performances, street theatre, fresh food, flowers, and boutique arts and crafts on offer. These markets make a great night out and are all easy to get to with a car hire.