Point Cartwright Walkway

The Point Cartwright Walkway runs 750 metres one way along the Mooloolah River bank from La Balsa Park to the end of the rock wall, under the lighthouse at the mouth of the river. It is a short, easy on-leash walk with a big payoff: clifftop outlooks over Mooloolaba, passing ships, and whale watching from June to November.

The walk

Made paths suit most dogs and unhurried company, and you can stretch the outing to a 2 to 3 kilometre loop by adding the headland tracks and the reserve loops up past the painted water tank. This is a walk-and-look outing rather than a distance workout, and the coastal pathway connections north to Mooloolaba or south towards Kawana extend it further if you want more.

Leash status

Dogs are on-leash on the reserve pathways, in La Balsa Park and along the Buddina beach paths. Under the Sunshine Coast Council dog rules that took effect on 3 July 2026, dogs are prohibited on Carties Beach, the rocky foreshore and the protected dune areas, so keep to the made paths and check the signage on the day, as boundaries have shifted recently.

The designated off-lead sand for a swim sits further along at the Buddina Beach off-leash area between accesses 210 and 217, with the end of dog beach at access 226 beyond it.

Max: this is sensitive coastal habitat with strict boundaries. Keep the lead on, stay on the made paths, and save the off-lead romp for the marked beach zones up the road.

Water, hazards and when to go

Waste bag dispensers, bins and water fountains sit around the reserve, with picnic shelters, barbecues and a playground down in La Balsa Park. There is no shade on the exposed headland, so go early on warm days, and keep dogs away from the rock wall edges. Weekday mornings are quietest; the reserve fills on weekend mornings and late afternoons.

Getting there

Drive in via Nicklin Way and Point Cartwright Drive, parking at La Balsa Park or the hilltop car park off Pacific Boulevard. Sunbus routes 600, 601 and 602 stop on Nicklin Way a short walk away, and the coastal pathway makes it reachable on foot or by bike.

Pair it with

Little Miss Saine is the easy coffee stop to finish the loop, and the off-leash beach zones make it a two-stop morning if your dog has energy left.

More routes are on the Queensland trails guide and the Buddina destination page.