Little Sunny Coast

Little Sunny Coast Your guide to Sunshine Coast kids’ activities, parks, cafés & family fun. Easing your mental load 🧡
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If your little one is in their train era… this one’s for you 🚂One thing we’ve learnt as mums is when your child is obses...
21/06/2026

If your little one is in their train era… this one’s for you 🚂

One thing we’ve learnt as mums is when your child is obsessed with something… leaning into it can make getting out of the house feel so much easier. And right now, trains are having a big moment in our house.

So we pulled together some of our favourite train spots across the Sunshine Coast… from playground trains and miniature railways, to real passenger trains, steam train adventures, and a few iconic family spots you might not have thought of.

Some are free, some are worth planning a full day around… but all of them have that “this is the best day ever” energy for train-loving little ones.

And if we’ve missed a train spot your little one loves on the Coast, pop it in the comments so other families can discover it too 👇

18/06/2026

Baringa Forest Park Aura - City Of Colour

📍 Eden Dr, Baringa

A lovely local mum told us this park was a must visit, so of course we had to check it out for ourselves. We decided to start with the forest walk before heading to the playground and honestly, it felt like we’d stumbled across a hidden little adventure.

👍🏻 Toilets
👍🏻 Shade
👍🏻 Parking
👍🏻 Pram Friendly
👍🏻 Grassy Area
👍🏻 Tables + Chairs
👍🏻 BBQ’s
👍🏻 Suitable for wheels/scooters
👍🏻 Dog friendly (off leash area next door)
👍🏻 Partially fenced
❌ Bites
❌ Sips

The Blackbutt forest walk is what makes this park so special. It’s hard to believe you’re right in the middle of a residential estate because once you’re under the trees it feels like you’ve escaped into nature. The path is flat and easy, making it perfect for little legs, prams and balance bikes, and it only took us about seven minutes to reach the edge of the forest, where the track opens onto another boardwalk walk that you can continue exploring before turning back towards the playground.

After exploring the forest we headed back to the playground, where there was plenty to keep both of our kids entertained. The toddler play space was a hit, while the bigger climbing tower, flying fox and swings kept everyone busy.

One thing to be aware of is that the two open slides are seriously fast. They definitely surprised our kids, so it’s worth keeping an eye on younger adventurers.

The only downside to our visit was the mozzies along the forest walk, so definitely pack the insect spray before you go!

This is such a beautiful place to mix nature play with a playground visit and we’ll definitely be back. Save this one for your next Sunshine Coast adventure and let us know if there’s somewhere we should explore next 💛

Little Ones Coolum📍10/21-37 Birtwill St, Coolum Beach🗓️Tue to Fri 9–2 and Sat 9–12This has been sitting on our list of p...
17/06/2026

Little Ones Coolum
📍10/21-37 Birtwill St, Coolum Beach
🗓️Tue to Fri 9–2 and Sat 9–12

This has been sitting on our list of places to share for a little while now.

Little Ones Coolum is a pre-loved baby, toddler and kids store with a concept we know a lot of families will love.

Instead of storing tubs and tubs of clothes your little ones have outgrown, you can take quality pieces in and choose to exchange them, receive cash back or store credit.

We also love that 10% of profits are donated to local charities supporting women, children and the environment.

A few things to know before heading in 👇🏼
✨ Exchanges only happen on certain days, so make sure you check their socials before heading in.
✨ Count your items, give everything a quick wash and check the condition beforehand to help make the process quicker.
✨ There is a strict item limit, exchange handling fee and same-day exchange process, so it's worth having a quick read of their updated exchange information before your visit.

Such a clever concept when kids seem to outgrow clothes every five minutes.

15/06/2026

Wildhorse Mountain Lookout
📍Johnston Road , Coochin Creek

We’ve seen a few people do this walk and were really keen to check it out for ourselves. We took our two four year olds, an almost three year old and a two year old along for the adventure, and it definitely didn’t disappoint.

👍🏻Shade - walk has trees covering and lookout is shaded
👍🏻Parking - plenty of parking at base
👍🏻Tables + Chairs - there are benches at the lookout
👍🏻Dog Friendly - on leash
❌Toilets
❌Pram Friendly
❌Grassy Area
❌BBQ’s
❌Suitable for wheels/scooters
❌Bites
❌Sips
❌Fenced

Our biggest piece of advice? Start the walk with no expectations. Don't give yourself a time limit and don't be surprised if the kids ask to be carried. We actually found the walk up quite manageable. It is steep, but the entire track is a smooth concrete driveway. Our kids ran, walked backwards, stopped to explore, and our two year old needed carrying every now and then.

When we reached the top, the view made it all worthwhile. We had packed lunch for the kids, who happily sat on one of the benches taking in the scenery. They also loved looking at the information boards and photos showing the history of the Sunshine Coast.

The walk back down was where things got interesting. Even though it's relatively easy walking, it took us SOOO long. The kids wandered off course, stopped every five minutes and somehow turned the downhill section into the bigger challenge. We were genuinely surprised because we'd assumed it would be the easy part!

This is a walk we'd happily recommend for the whole family, dogs included. The 360-degree views are incredible, the kids can burn off plenty of energy, and it's a beautiful way to spend some time immersed in nature.

We visited June 2026.

13/06/2026

We were invited along to Noosa Food and Wine Festival Village and decided to test it with the kids and without them.

The reason? We couldn’t find much information online about what the Festival Village was actually like for families.

We arrived first thing with the kids and had a lovely time. We grabbed a complimentary picnic rug from the Airbnb Zone, enjoyed the welcome canapés, listened to the live music and soaked up the atmosphere. Arriving early meant it felt relaxed and easy to explore before the crowds started to build.

A few things to keep in mind if you’re bringing little ones:
• Kids’ drink options were limited
• Some food stalls had long queues
• Toilets are portaloos and we couldn’t find a change table (Noosa Woods is just across the road if needed)

There were plenty of families with prams and trolleys, but aside from a giant Connect 4 in the Airbnb Zone, there isn’t really anything specifically for kids in terms of activities, entertainment or dedicated food options.

After about 90 minutes, the kids were collected and we spent another hour there on our own. And honestly? It was easier.

Once the kids headed off, it turned into such a fun girls’ hour. We were able to slow down, let our hair down a little, enjoy some incredible food, grab a drink and fully immerse ourselves in everything the festival had to offer.

The food was genuinely delicious, the live music created such a great atmosphere and the whole village had a really relaxed, vibrant vibe that made it easy to spend a few hours there.

Would we take the kids again? Yes.
Would we choose it as a family event? Probably not.

For us, this felt more like a date day, girls’ day out, or a chance to spoil yourself with incredible food, live cooking demonstrations, great drinks and a really fun atmosphere.

We genuinely had a great time both with and without the kids, and hopefully this helps if you’re deciding whether to bring the kids too ❤️

One thing we’ve always been committed to at Little Sunny Coast is sharing places we’ve experienced ourselves.When we fir...
11/06/2026

One thing we’ve always been committed to at Little Sunny Coast is sharing places we’ve experienced ourselves.

When we first visited Montville, we stopped for a takeaway coffee before continuing our day. Since sharing that itinerary, many of you reached out with feedback about your experiences visiting cafes in Montville with young children and prams.

So we headed back to spend the morning doing exactly that.

We visited each of the cafes featured in this post with the kids and a pram, paying attention to the things that matter to families: how easy they were to access, how welcoming they felt and how accommodating they were to little ones.

Every family’s experience will be different, but we wanted to make sure we were testing these places in the same way many of you would visit them.

Thank you for continuing to share your experiences with us. Little Sunny Coast is only as helpful as the community behind it, and we’re incredibly grateful for the trust, feedback and support you give us every day.

❤️ Abi & Zara

If we had a day in Montville, this is how we’d spend it.A wander through the main street shops, a stop at the clock shop...
10/06/2026

If we had a day in Montville, this is how we’d spend it.

A wander through the main street shops, a stop at the clock shop (which our kids were completely fascinated by) and lunch at Kondalilla Restaurant while the kids played in the fenced play area (with a chalk board and kids table) and with the basket of toys inside.

One thing to keep in mind, some of the shops have lots of little breakable treasures within reach of tiny hands, so it’s definitely one where you’ll want to keep a close eye while browsing.

It’s the kind of day trip that feels easy with little ones. No huge plan needed, just a little wandering, good food and fresh hinterland air.

Have you done a Montville day trip with kids before? Or is there somewhere nearby we should explore next?

There are so many incredible handmade brands on the Sunshine Coast creating beautiful things for families, little ones a...
09/06/2026

There are so many incredible handmade brands on the Sunshine Coast creating beautiful things for families, little ones and homes!

As two local mums, we’ll always love supporting small businesses in our community, especially the ones pouring so much love, creativity and hard work into what they make.

We’ve included just a few handmade Sunshine Coast brands in this post, but we know there are so many more out there!

Tag your favourite handmade Sunshine Coast business, in the comments so we can discover even more local makers 💛

Gem Focussing 📍11 Ballantyne Ct, Glenview🗓️ Monday - Saturday 9AM - 4:30PM | Sunday 9AM - 4PM💰Entry is free | Gem Tubs...
08/06/2026

Gem Focussing

📍11 Ballantyne Ct, Glenview
🗓️ Monday - Saturday 9AM - 4:30PM | Sunday 9AM - 4PM
💰Entry is free | Gem Tubs Small - $12, Large - $20

We visited on an overcast day with showers rolling through and honestly, we don’t think we could have picked a better time.

👍🏻 Toilets
👍🏻 Parking
👍🏻 Pram Friendly - wouldn’t recommend inside scratch patch
👍🏻 Enclosed
👍🏻 Outdoor
❌ Booking Required
❌ Bites
❌ Sips
❌ Dog Friendly

Not only did we have most of the fossicking area to ourselves, but the rain had also brought the gemstones to life. The wet stones made all the colours pop, which made spotting treasures even more exciting for the kids (and for me too).

The kids loved searching through the gem patches and filling their containers with colourful finds. There are both undercover and open-air fossicking areas, so it’s a great option even when the weather isn’t perfect. And if you visit on a sunny day, don’t worry - there is a rinse bucket available so you can wet the stones and see their colours shine.

One thing we didn’t realise before visiting is that you can spend as much or as little time here as you like. Simply purchase a fossicking container, then collect as many gemstones as you can fit inside to take home.

There are also picnic tables and a lovely grassed garden area, so you can pack some snacks and make a morning or afternoon of it. Our kids loved exploring the gardens and were especially excited to spot the dinosaur and giant frog statues.

Such an unexpected wet weather activity and one we’ll definitely be doing again!

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Sunshine Coast, QLD

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