Things to do · 20 minutes from Coolum Beach
Things to do from Coolum Beach, just inland
A morning with the goats and chicks, brunch in the shade, and back to the beach by the afternoon.
- 20 minutes from Coolum Beach
- Open daily 8am-4pm
- Free entry to the café, Country Store and Nursery
Coolum has the beach covered. For the rest of the day, Fairhill Adventure Gardens is about 20 minutes inland in Ninderry, near Yandina, with a farmyard, play spaces and gardens built for families.
Come early while it is cool under the trees, or save us for the day the surf is blown out and the sky looks grey. Either way the kids get hands-on time with the animals, and you get a proper coffee.
Coolum with kids: a morning inland
- From 8am: the gates open, and the first farmyard session follows. Sessions run at 8.30am, 9.30am, 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2pm and 3pm; listen for the Gong and meet the Rangers at Reception.
- In between: the Forest Fairy Trail, the Little Engineers' Dig Zone and Turtle Lake, at your own pace.
- Before 2pm: brunch or lunch at the Gardens Café, free to enter, then the drive back to the coast.
When it rains in Coolum
A wet beach day is a good day to head inland. Cuddle Corner, with chicks to hold and guinea pigs to feed, is under cover; Little Sprouts is indoor play; and the Longhouse Pavilion gives you sheltered dining with the gardens all around. Our rainy day guide has the full list.
Back at the coast
- Coolum Beach and Tickle Park. A patrolled, family-friendly beach, with play and picnic facilities at Tickle Park next to the surf club. Sunshine Coast Council
- Coolum Coastal Boardwalk. A 350 metre timber walkway from the village to Wilkinson Park at Point Perry. Sunshine Coast Council
Animal days, festivals and more
Coolum families with animal lovers in tow: every morning the mini goats take their Promenade down to Turtle Lake, and children on a farmyard session walk with them. Our wildlife days add more, from World Animal Day and National Bilby Day to World Turtle Day and World Honey Bee Day, and our National Science Week Sunday brings science to the Nursery and gardens.
Through the year there are bigger gatherings too: the Spring Equinox Bonfire Celebration, the Spring Festival, Halloween PumpkinFest and Santa at Fairhill in December. Grown-ups can join a Frog Night after dark with ECOllaboration.
Visiting in the holidays? See school holidays at Fairhill or what's on this weekend.
Here every day we are open
Sun or showers on the coast, these are waiting inland.
The Animal Farmyard
Chickens, ducks, miniature goats and guinea pigs. The Rangers run farmyard sessions at 8.30am, 9.30am, 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2pm and 3pm: listen for the Gong and meet at Reception.
Meet the farmyard
Fairhill Adventures
At your own pace all day from 8am: the Forest Fairy Trail, the Little Engineers' Dig Zone, Little Sprouts indoor play and Turtle Lake.
Fairhill Adventures
The Native Botanic Gardens
Shaded paths, rainforest pockets and big lawns on the slopes of Mount Ninderry, with water dragons and turtles for sharp eyes.
The gardens
The Gardens Café
Breakfast, brunch, lunch and barista coffee. Daily 8am - last orders 2pm. Free entry.
The Gardens Café
The Native Plant Nursery
Australian natives, grafted grevilleas and bush tucker plants, with help to choose. Daily 8am-4pm. Free entry.
The native plant nurseryGetting here from Coolum
- About 20 minutes by car from Coolum Beach. Head inland towards Yandina, then follow the signs for “Fairhill Botanic Gardens”.
- 114 Fairhill Road, Ninderry QLD 4561. Free parking on site.
Coolum day out questions
What is there to do near Coolum Beach with kids?
Twenty minutes inland, Fairhill Adventure Gardens has Ranger-led farmyard sessions with the chickens, ducks, miniature goats and guinea pigs at 8.30am, 9.30am, 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2pm and 3pm, plus the Forest Fairy Trail, the Little Engineers' Dig Zone and Little Sprouts indoor play.
How far is Fairhill from Coolum?
About 20 minutes by car from Coolum Beach. Head inland towards Yandina, then follow the signs for "Fairhill Botanic Gardens". We are at 114 Fairhill Road, Ninderry, and parking is free.
What can we do on a rainy day in Coolum?
Drive inland to Fairhill. Cuddle Corner, where children hold chicks and feed the guinea pigs, is under cover, Little Sprouts is indoor play, and there is sheltered dining at the Gardens Café.
Can we do the beach and Fairhill in one day?
Yes. We open at 8am, so you can spend the morning with the animals, have brunch, and be back at Coolum Beach for the afternoon. The café's last orders are at 2pm.
Is it free to visit?
Entry to the Nursery, the Country Store and the Gardens Café is free. The farmyard and Fairhill Adventures are on a Day Pass or Membership.
Is Fairhill open every day?
Yes, daily 8am-4pm.
Anything else? Please use the livechat or the search bar on our website.
Coming from somewhere else? See things to do from Noosa, Eumundi and Nambour, or all our things to do on the Sunshine Coast.
Twenty minutes from the sand
Book your Day Pass ahead for the farmyard sessions, or drop in for the café and Nursery on your way through.