Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) at Marcoola has a car rental centre about a 2-minute walk from the terminal, with eight brands. Three more operators are self-service and three are off-airport, so check the collection point on your booking. Noosa is a separate drive north, with time-limited council car parks and a busy national park entrance.
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Prices are shown in Australian dollars. Before you book, open the offer and check where that company's desk or depot is, the bond, and what the agreement says about the roads you plan to drive.
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Avis, Bargain, Budget, Redspot, Europcar, Hertz, SIXT and Thrifty use the car rental centre near the terminal. RaD, Bespoke Noosa and KINTO are self-service options; East Coast, Apex and Aussie Bargain operate off-airport. Check your selected company’s handover or transfer instructions before leaving Arrivals.
Your booking identifies the collection point for these operators.
Centre brands (Avis, Bargain Car Rentals, Budget, Redspot, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt, Thrifty) are in the car rental centre, about a 2-minute walk from the terminal.
RaD Car Hire, Bespoke Noosa Car Rentals and KINTO use the airport self-service area. East Coast, Apex and Aussie Bargain are off-airport operators; use the airport map to find the shuttle bus pick-up point and follow your booking instructions for the depot transfer.
Contact your centre operator before arrival if you need collection help.
Confirm the return point with your provider. Check whether your return uses the rental centre, self-service area or off-airport depot.
The airport's kerbside zone directly outside the terminal is only for the immediate pick-up and drop-off of passengers, so do not leave the hire car there while you check in.
Distances are approximate and measured along the road.
42 km from the airport, about 35 minutes
Noosa National Park's main entrance is at the end of Park Road, a very popular and busy car park with Noosa Council 4-hour regulated parking. Hastings Street is about 1 km (30 minutes) from the main entrance by seaside boardwalk.
Noosa North Shore Ferries carry vehicles across the Noosa River every day of the year, roughly every 10 minutes: Sunday to Thursday 5:30am to 10:20pm, Friday and Saturday 5:30am to 12:20am. Driving the beach is best within 3 hours either side of low tide, and permits are booked through Queensland National Parks.
about one hour north of Brisbane
The national park is about 70 km north of Brisbane, and some parts of it have no vehicle access.
about an hour's drive
Brisbane Airport's access roads to the Sunshine Coast mostly charge a toll, so ask your provider how tolls are passed on.
A coastal town south of the airport. Collect your car at the airport rental centre and drive.
There are 2, 3 and 4 hour parking zones across Noosa Shire, with 3 and 4 hour zones in Noosa Heads, and most timed parking operates 8am to 5pm. Parking restrictions are enforced, so read the signs at each car park.
The main entrance car park at the end of Park Road is very popular and busy. Extra limited parking is at Parkedge Road and the northern end of Sunshine Beach. Free public buses run from the Noosa Heads bus station near Hastings Street during busy Christmas and Easter periods.
King tides, sea surges, severe winds and heavy rain can make the North Shore ferries too high above road level or unsafe, so check the ferry operator's website before you travel.
Travelling south from the Noosa North Shore Cooloola Recreation Area, you must exit the beach at third cutting. Permits for driving in the recreation area are booked through Queensland National Parks.
Most roads leading from Brisbane Airport towards the Sunshine Coast are tolled. Hire cars typically carry an electronic tag, and the toll plus a service fee is charged to you.
Rental terms differ by company. Where an answer depends on your agreement, we say so.
Eight brands (Avis, Bargain Car Rentals, Budget, Redspot, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt and Thrifty) are in a rental centre about a 2-minute walk from the terminal. Self-service operators include RaD Car Hire, Bespoke Noosa Car Rentals and KINTO; off-airport operators include East Coast Car Rentals, Apex Car Rentals and Aussie Bargain Car Rentals.
Yes. Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) was formerly Maroochydore Airport. It is in Marcoola, 10 km north of Maroochydore.
Noosa Heads is about 35 km north of Maroochydore and the airport is 10 km north of Maroochydore, so it is a drive north up the Sunshine Motorway.
Noosa Heads car parks include Lions, Police Beat (Maze), National Park (Park Road) and Noosa Woods, mostly with 3 or 4 hour limits between 8am and 5pm. The Noosa National Park main entrance car park is very popular and busy.
The ferry carries vehicles, and driving on the beach needs a permit booked through Queensland National Parks. Check your rental agreement for its rules on the ferry and beach driving.
Budget's Australian terms give a minimum age of 21, and drivers under 25 can only rent certain groups such as compact, intermediate, standard and full size passenger cars and compact and intermediate SUVs.
Search live prices in Australian dollars, then check the pickup point and conditions on the offer.