Elanda Point Lake Cootharaba Noosa Everglades

Elanda Point, Qld ideal starting point for the Noosa Everglades

Some of the FishMax team recently took the opportunity for a father and kids week end of camping, boating and a spot of fishing (of course) at the Elanda Point Camp Grounds at Elanda Point, Qld.

Elanda Pt on Lake Cootharaba is at the southern entrance of the Cooloola Section of the Great Sandy National Park and a great gateway to the Noosa Everglades. The Coolooola is at the northern or Noosa end of the Sunshine Coast and is just a couple of hours easy drive from Brisbane but comprises 50,000 hectares of unspoiled tranquility, a coastal wilderness of heathland, everglades and forest watered by streams and dotted by lakes.

Noosa Everglades - home to Australian Bass
Tarpon, Mangrove Jack, Trevally and more

The Elanda Point campgrounds themselves are well maintained, with heaps of space to pitch a tent and plenty of clean showers and toilets and a shop which sells all the essentials in case you arrive without something you need.You can choose to pitch right up close to Lake Cootharaba, but because a wind often picks up across the lake, we'd recommend that, like us, you get one of the sites a little back from the lake behind a stand of trees which provide both privacy and shelter.

The only thing that was perhaps a little disappointing was the fact that open fires are not permitted, so no roasting marshmellows over the open fire. Don't be daunted by what at first appears to be the large number of rules posted about the camp site, as any well behaved and sensible group of campers will have no trouble complying and it's just unfortunate that the operators feel the need to have so many rules. Obviously there have been some selfish and unthinking campers in the past that make this necessary.

Lake Cootharaba itself is ideal for the littlies as it is very shallow and so toddlers and the under tens can enjoy splashing and swimming in safety. The shallow water from the launch site does mean however that you will have to walk your boat out a couple of hundred metres before putting the outboard down and even canoes must be dragged the last 30 or so metres in to shore.

Elanda Point is the ideal place to introduce kids to
canoe and kayak fishing

Canoes, Tinnies and everything else you need can be hired on site from the Elanda Point Canoe Company.

In terms of fishing, Lake Cootharaba itself is nothing special, with bream and mullet being the primary catch, although there are occassional reports of nice flathead. The Noosa Everglades however  are reputedly good bass grounds (one of the historic sites, Harry's Hut, is a former bass fishing camp of a local pharmacist) and also plays host to catfish, trevally, mangrove jack and tarpon and of course mud crabs.

Bookings are not necessary but for camp information and equipment hire, contact Elanda Point Canoe Company Phone (07) 54853165 Fax (07) 54853634.