Mount Coolum

Rising alone above the Sunshine Coast beaches, Mount Coolum is a domed volcanic monolith with a steep track to its flat summit, one of the most popular short climbs in the region. The path zigzags up through heath and forest - home to rare plants found only on the mountain - to a summit view that sweeps the coast from Noosa to the Glass House Mountains and out over the sea. Busy at dawn with locals getting their exercise, it rewards the early start with sunrise over the ocean. Short, sharp and scenic, it is the Sunshine Coast's favourite morning climb.