Lake Cootharaba

Lake Cootharaba is one of the largest natural lakes in Queensland and is used for sailing, paddling, fishing, swimming and as well as some motorised water sports. Sailing events are often hosted from Boreen Point.

The Noosa River Kin Kin Creek are its major tributaries along with smaller Cooloothin Creek.

It's unlikely that the unnamed reach at the top of the lake will reach Lake Cooloola, a large freshwater lake to the noreast.

What to expect

The lake is slightly tidal with brackish water extending to beyond its northern extremity. It is a very extensive water body that is mostly lined by a forest fringe that is part of various national parks and reserves. The foreshore is mostly made up of sandy beaches and mangroves, intermittently interrupted by rocky points.

Surrounding mountains and forested high dunes including Mount Seawah behind Teewah Beach make for an attractive backdrop with minimal urban development noticed around the lake with the exception of small areas around Boreen Point and Elanda Point.

The lake is about 10 km long and up to 5 km wide in places. It is at the upper tidal reach and the water will be slightly brackish and mangroves can be seen around the lake.

The lake is very shallow, with even the navigable channel is often less than 2 m deep in places. Small boats often leave a trail of fine sediments as they dart across the lake. Short, steep waves are commonly generated in windy conditions and these can be tricky for beginners.

Lake Cootharaba mean high water mark (MHWM) tidal range is 0.15 m.

Cootharaba Creek has a small navigable section with a narrow fringe of mangroves. Kin Kin Creek is covered separately.

Between Lakes Cootharaba and Cooroibah has approximately 6 km of scenic waterway with little evidence of development. The wayway is generally fairly deep 3 - 7 m, and has a narrow mangrove fringe with mature Melaleuca and Casuarina forests behind this.

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Paddling Options

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Logistics

Usual access points include the Elanda Point QPWS Kayak Ramp and the Boreen Point boat ramp, although almost anywhere along the southern foreshore of the township could be used to launch a kayak/canoe.

There is also a small boat ramp on Cooloothin Creek with very limited parking.

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Tides

There is only a small tidal influence on the lake, just a 0.15 m range in the spring tides. The tides are approximately opposite to those seen at the river entrance.

Tidal info for Lake Cootharaba

HAT

2.30 m

MSL

1.16 m

MHWS

1.80 m

MHWN

1.50 m

MLWN

0.70 m

MLWS

0.40 m

September

8

Sun

03:40

1.61 m

11:03

0.53 m

16:24

1.63 m

23:34

0.80 m

September

9

Mon

04:09

1.49 m

11:34

0.60 m

17:06

1.60 m

September

10

Tue

00:24

0.90 m

04:44

1.37 m

12:10

0.67 m

18:00

1.57 m

September

11

Wed

01:33

0.97 m

05:32

1.26 m

13:01

0.74 m

19:29

1.58 m

Tide predictions are estimates only. The tidal datum is for Noosa Head. Tide predictions are calculated from Noosa Head with times adjusted by 400 minutes for low tide and 334 minutes for high tide.
Please refer to the Bureau of Meteorology and Australian National Tide Tables for official tidal information.
© Commonwealth of Australia

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Distances

Starting at Elanda Point and heading anti-clockwise around the, you have:

^† Most of the features were taken from local council pages.
^§ Distances have been manually calculated from the river mouth.

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Map

Explore the key locations in the map below. Most locations will have a photograph that can be seen by clicking on the icon or number in the map itself.

• Lake Cootharaba
• Cooloothin Creek
• Lower Noosa River
• Teewah Landing
• Upper Noosa River
• Kin Kin Creek
• Kinaba Information Centre
• Lake Cooroibah
• Boat Ramps
• Kayak Ramp or Path
• River Campsite

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What to take

Ensure electronic devices and gear have waterproof containers / dry bags if needed.

^* Highly recommended (aka required)
^† You should wear clothing and footwear that you can comfortably swim in.
^‡ These are for self or assisted rescues as there are places that you can't easily swim back to the shore.

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Wildlife

The fringing riparian vegetation is predominantly intact. The small bays between rocky points and includes sandy beaches, mangrove with Melaleuca and Casuarina forests behind these. In the fresher northern sections and creeks, a higher eucalypt and rainforest between 10 - 30 m can be seen. Some of the vegetation seen includes:

• mangroves such as Avicennia marina and Excoecaria agallocha seen around the Kinaba Visitors Centre.
• native hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus)
• she-oak (Casuarina equisitifolia)
• coastal tea tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia)

Between Lakes Cootharaba and Cooroibah has a narrow mangrove fringe with mature Melaleuca and Casuarina forests behind this. An understorey of rush is usually seen under the Melaleuca forest and mature Eucalypts, including Eucalyptus intermedia and E. tereticornis, dominate in drier soils.

The lake has seen a large number of wetland birds as well as other species that come in for water.

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