Boardwalk - Alex Head To Mooloolaba foreshore

This flat coastal boardwalk links Alexandra Headland to the Mooloolaba foreshore, running past the surf breaks and the beach for the whole way. It is around 4.4 kilometres out and back, easy to shorten to a one-way stroll, and one of the busiest walking paths on this stretch of the Sunshine Coast. For dog owners it is the classic combination: a leash-only path with timed off-lead beach access at either end of the day.

The walk

The surface alternates between paved path and elevated timber boardwalk, very flat and stroller friendly, with ocean views, dune vegetation and plenty of benches. You can start at either the Mooloolaba Surf Club end or the Alexandra Headland Surf Club end and turn back whenever the dog has had enough.

Leash status

Dogs stay on-leash on the boardwalk and pathway at all times. The adjacent beaches carry timed off-lead access in the early morning and evening rather than all day, and the dune and foreshore bushland reserves are off-limits. Sunshine Coast Council updated its dog rules from 3 July 2026, so exact access points and times may have shifted: read the signage at each beach access before you unclip rather than relying on an older rule.

Max: the path is leash-only no matter the hour. Only the sand gets the timed window, and only at the marked spots, so the sign at your access point wins over anything you read online.

Water and facilities

Drinking fountains, some with dog bowls, sit near the Alex and Mooloolaba surf clubs, and waste-bag stations run along the path. Still carry your own water in the warm months; the exposed sections hold the sun from mid-morning.

Getting there and parking

Metered parking runs along Alexandra Parade on the beach side, with free side-street parking further back. Sunbus routes along Alexandra Parade stop close to the path, which makes a one-way walk with a bus return quite workable.

When to go

Go early, before 8am, to catch the quieter path and the morning off-lead beach window. Weekend mid-mornings are heavy with walkers, runners and cyclists, and at high tide the shrinking sand pushes everyone onto the boardwalk.

Close by with the dogs

The Alex Surf Club deck and Esplanade cafes take leashed dogs in outdoor areas, so fold a coffee into the walk. Francis Bean at Alex and Backstreet Cafe at Mooloolaba are both options, and Alexandra Headlands Hotel works for a post-walk lunch. To keep walking, the Point Cartwright Walkway continues the coastal theme south of Mooloolaba.

More options are on the Queensland dog walks guide and the Mooloolaba destinations page.