Editing Noosa National Park

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                   = protected
| name                   = Noosa National Park
| state                  = qld
| iucn_category          = II
| image                  = Noosa head-raffi kojian-CIMG6549.JPG
| caption                = A beach on the headlands coastal trail
| image_alt              = 
| coordinates            = {{coord|26|23|04|S|153|06|46|E|display=inline,title}}
| local_map              = yes
| zoom                   = 11
| force_national_map     = 
| relief                 = 
| pushpin_map_caption    = 
| pushpin_label_position = 
| map_alt                = 
| nearest_town_or_city   = 
| area                   = 28.83
| area_footnotes         = 
| established            = 1939
| established_footnotes  = 
| visitation_num         = 2,041,000 (domestic visitors only)
| visitation_year        = 2012<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 2012 |title=Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Community Survey 2012 |url=https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/156833/community-survey-exec.pdf |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=Department of Environment, Science and Innovation}}</ref>

| visitation_footnotes   = 
| managing_authorities   = [[Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service]]
| url                    = http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/noosa/
}}

'''Noosa National Park''' is a national park in [[Queensland]], Australia, 121&nbsp;km north of [[Brisbane]]. It is situated near [[Noosa Heads, Queensland|Noosa Heads]] between the Pacific Ocean and the [[Sunshine Coast, Queensland|Sunshine Coast]]'s northern area of urban development and extends southwards, past [[Lake Weyba]] to [[Coolum, Queensland|Coolum]].<ref name="annp"/>

==Geography==
The 4,000-hectare park is divided into four sections; Headland Section, Peregian Section, Emu Mountain Section and the East Weyba Section.<ref name="annp"/> Noosa National Park is the most popular national park in the country, with more than 1 million visits each year.<ref name="ntr">{{Cite web |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/publications/nrs/noosa.html |title=Noosa tourism and reserves |access-date=23 September 2010 |date=16 September 2010 |publisher=[[Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/media-room/2009/01/m01369.html |title=Noosa Parks Association is EPA partner at information centre |access-date=25 September 2010 |date=20 January 2009 |work=Media Release |publisher=Department of Environment and Resource Management |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109160933/http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/media-room/2009/01/m01369.html |archive-date=9 January 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
[[File:Lake Weyba (2099873732).jpg|thumb|[[Lake Weyba]]]]
Several beaches in the park provide good locations for swimming.<ref name="discover"/> These beaches are not patrolled. Swimmers should be aware of strong currents at Alexandria Bay. The southern end of Alexandria Bay is unofficially clothing optional.<ref name="annp">{{Cite web |url=http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/noosa/about.html |title=About Noosa National Park |access-date=23 September 2010 |date=29 April 2010 |publisher=Department of Environment and Resource Management |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216032407/http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/noosa/about.html |archive-date=16 December 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Rockclimbing, fishing, surfing and snorkeling are other recreational activities undertaken in the park, while camping is banned.<ref name="discover"/>

==History==
The land area of what is today part of Noosa National Park was formed by a series of landforms, including parabolic high dunes from the [[Pleistocene]] era, but also includes  [[sandplain]]s, that have continuously been forming since the [[Quaternary]] era. Nearby is Hell's Gate, which has been a sandstone cliff when it created the [[cove]]s around 190 million years ago.  

The early settlers of Noosa Heads set aside a reserve to protect the area in 1879.<ref name="discover">{{Cite book |title=Discover Australia's National Parks |last=Hema Maps |year=1997 |publisher=[[Random House]] Australia |location=Milsons Point, New South Wales |isbn=1-875992-47-2 |pages=200 }}</ref> The reserve officially became a national park in 1939.<ref name="annp"/>

Advocates for the park's protection were active in the early 1960s when the Noosa Parks Association was formed at time when urban development was threatening the wilderness area.<ref name="dvd">{{Cite news |url=http://www.noosanews.com.au/story/2009/11/27/dvd-shows-how-national-park-saved/ |title=DVD shows how national park saved |author=Gail Forrer-Arnold |access-date=23 September 2010 |date=27 November 2009 |work=Noosa News |publisher=APN News & Media  }}</ref> A management plan for the park was released in October 1999.<ref name="nnpmp">{{Cite news |url=http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/services_resources/item_details.php?item_id=200873 |title=Noosa National Park management plan |access-date=23 September 2010 |date=9 September 2010 |publisher=Department of Environment and Resource Management |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317192521/http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/services_resources/item_details.php?item_id=200873 |archive-date=17 March 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2003, an extra 300 hectares at Coolum were added to park.<ref name="mlnnp">{{Cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200302/s788858.htm |title=More land for Noosa National Park |access-date=23 September 2010 |date=20 February 2003 |work=[[ABC News Online]] |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation }}</ref>

==Flora==
The Headlands Section of the park contains pockets of rainforest where [[hoop pine|hoop]] and [[kauri pine]]s dominate.<ref name="annp"/> There are also areas of open [[eucalypt]] forest, [[wallum]] [[heath (habitat)|heath]]s, [[pandanus|pandanus palms]] and grasslands.<ref name="discover"/><ref name="xqnp">{{Cite book |title=Explore Queensland's National Parks |year=2008 |publisher=Explore Australia Publishing |location=Prahran, Victoria |isbn=978-1-74117-245-4 |pages=49 }}</ref> The Peregian Section is known for its wildflowers which blossom in spring, particularly the rare [[Phaius tankervilleae|swamp orchid]] and [[Blandfordia|Christmas bells]].<ref name="annp"/><ref name="xqnp"/>

==Fauna==
A population of [[koala]]s is found in the park, as are mammal species such as the [[short-nosed bandicoot]], [[common ringtail possum]], [[brushtail possum]].<ref name="discover"/> Birds such as the  [[eastern ground parrot]], [[glossy black cockatoo]], [[eastern yellow robin]], [[rufous fantail]], [[satin bowerbird]] and [[crimson rosella]] are all found in the park's forests.<ref name="discover"/> Headlands in the park are a popular place to watch migrating [[humpback whale]]s.<ref name="wne">{{Cite news |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/lifestyle/outdoors/whales-northern-exposure/story-e6frer76-1111113845585 |title=Whales' northern exposure |author=Phil Hammond |access-date=23 September 2010 |date=29 June 2007 |work=[[The Courier-Mail]] |publisher=Queensland Newspapers }}</ref> Noosa National Park is also home to endangered species such as the red goshawk.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wrigley|first=Kelseigh|date=November 19, 2020|title=The Weekender: Noosa, Queensland|url=https://www.hunterandbligh.com.au/travel/the-weekender-noosa-queensland/|access-date=3 December 2020|website=Hunter and Bligh}}</ref>

==Walking tracks==
[[File:Walkway in Noosa National park Australia.jpg|thumb|Walking track in Noosa National park Australia]]
An [[oceanway]] runs from the [[Noosa River]] mouth along Hastings Street town centre and then out around the Noosa National Park headlands and beaches to [[Sunshine Beach, Queensland|Sunshine Beach]].

The highest point in the park is Noosa Hill.  One of the [[trail|walking track]]s in the park leads to the top of the 147&nbsp;m hill.<ref name="discover"/> There are a total of five walking tracks with the longest being 8&nbsp;km.<ref name="qh">{{Cite web |url=http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au/things-to-see-and-do/noosa-national-park/index.cfm |title=Noosa National Park |access-date=22 September 2010 |work=queenslandholidays.com.au |publisher=Tourism Queensland }}</ref> Another track leads to Hell's Gate, one of the park's [[headland]]s.  This track is the most traversed trail in Queensland.<ref name="npnhg">{{Cite news |url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/national-park-at-noosas-hells-gate-raped-by-heavy-machinery-and-development/story-e6freoof-1225854916896 |title=National Park at Noosa's Hell's Gates 'raped' by heavy machinery and development |access-date=22 September 2010 |date=17 April 2010 |work=[[The Sunday Mail (Brisbane)|The Sunday Mail]] |publisher=Queensland Newspapers }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Queensland}}
* [[Great Sandy National Park]]
*[[Noosa Biosphere Reserve]]
* [[Protected areas of Queensland]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.noosaparks.org.au/ Noosa Parks Association]

{{Noosa Shire}}
{{South East Queensland}}
{{National Parks of Queensland}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:National parks of Queensland]]
[[Category:National parks on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1939]]
[[Category:1939 establishments in Australia]]