In short
- Head north on the Gateway Motorway to the Bruce Highway (M1). OpenStreetMap puts Hendra to Caloundra at about 92 km and Hendra to Mooloolaba at about 97 km, each a bit over 70 minutes before traffic.[2][1]
- There's no toll on this route: none of the toll points on Linkt's Queensland price list is on the Gateway north of the river or the Bruce Highway.[4]
- The Glass House Mountains are an easy stop on the way, off the Bruce Highway along Steve Irwin Way, about 67 km from Hendra.[3][6]
- In Mooloolaba, council's PARKnGO Mooloolaba Central car park offers the first four hours free at the time of writing (October 2026).[8]
- Unlimited kilometres: no kilometre limit and no charge per kilometre.
How do you get from Hendra to the Sunshine Coast?
Northbound is simpler than any trip south from Hendra, because the start of the route is on your doorstep. OpenStreetMap's car routing leaves Nudgee Road for Southern Cross Way, joins the Gateway Motorway (M1) northbound for about 15 km, then carries on as the Bruce Highway (M1).[1] Where you leave the highway depends on which part of the coast you want:
| Destination | Leave the Bruce Highway at | Distance | Router's estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass House Mountains | Steve Irwin Way | About 67 km | About 52 minutes[3] |
| Caloundra | Caloundra Road | About 92 km | About 72 minutes[2] |
| Mooloolaba | Sunshine Motorway | About 97 km | About 74 minutes[1] |
Router times assume clear roads. The Bruce Highway between Brisbane and the coast is a commuter road on weekdays and a holiday road on weekends, so build in slack, especially heading home on a Sunday afternoon.
Noosa is further up the same highway and has its own parking and national park questions, so it has its own guide: Noosa by car from Brisbane.
Are there tolls on the way to the Sunshine Coast?
No. On Linkt's price list, every Queensland toll point is south of the Brisbane River (Murarrie on the Gateway, plus the points further south such as Loganlea and Heathwood), on an inner-city tunnel or the Go Between Bridge, or on the Toowoomba Bypass.[4] Heading north from Hendra you never reach any of them. If your maps app suggests going through the city first (for example from an inner-south starting point), that's where tolls can creep in; tolls in Brisbane explains the options.
Is it worth stopping at the Glass House Mountains?
It's barely a detour. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service describes the park as about 70 km, or a one-hour drive, north of Brisbane; its directions are to follow the Bruce Highway north, take the Glass House Mountains tourist drive turn-off and follow the signs.[5][6] Walks include a circuit around the base of Mount Tibrogargan and the track to the top of Mount Ngungun.[5]
- Start at the visitor centre. The Glass House Mountains Visitor and Interpretive Centre is at Settler's Rotary Park, Bruce Parade, corner of Reed Street, in the Glass House Mountains township.[6]
- Each peak has its own entrance. The park has separate entry points for Beerburrum, Beerwah, Ngungun and Tibrogargan; the park's map shows the access road to each.[6]
- Go in daylight and in dry weather. The park recommends daylight visits only and warns that tracks and rock get slippery after rain.[6]
- No dogs. Domestic animals aren't permitted in the national park.[6]
The park's own walks are reached from formed entrances, so a normal car is fine. If a map app tries to send you down a dirt forestry road to save a few minutes, turn it down (see the last section).
Where do you park at Mooloolaba and Caloundra?
Sunshine Coast Council regulates parking on the coast and runs two PARKnGO multi-deck car parks: Mooloolaba Central and Lightning Lane in the Maroochydore City Centre, which has almost 300 spaces.[7]
Mooloolaba Central is on the corner of Smith Street and First Avenue, entered from Smith Street (at Muraban Street) or from Brisbane Road. It has 700 car spaces, is open 24 hours, and has a height clearance of 2.3 metres. At the time of writing (October 2026) the first four hours are free, a promotion that council says ends when the second stage of the Mooloolaba foreshore works (the Central Meeting Place and Southern Seawall) is finished, so check the rates before you rely on it.[8]
For street parking, council publishes maps of the marked, signed and time-limited bays in Caloundra, Nambour, Maleny, Maroochydore and Mooloolaba.[7] Check the map for the town you're visiting, then read the sign at the bay; a beach day can easily outlast a short street limit.
What should you check before driving up?
- Roadworks and crashes on the Bruce Highway. QLDTraffic shows current incidents, roadworks and congestion, has traffic and flood cameras and rest areas on its map, and lets you look ahead at planned roadworks and special events for the date you're travelling.[9]
- Park alerts. Queensland Parks lists closures for each park; Mount Beerwah, for example, was closed from 9 to 17 March 2026.[6]
- Heat. For summer, the park warns of days above 35°C and suggests starting walks early.[6]
- Your return time. If you're bringing the car back the same day, work back from the time in your booking and the Sunday traffic on the M1.
What can't you do on the coast in a Rentzy car?
Sources
- OpenStreetMap (OSRM routing): Directions: 238 Nudgee Road, Hendra to Mooloolaba (car) (read 23 October 2026)
- OpenStreetMap (OSRM routing): Directions: 238 Nudgee Road, Hendra to Caloundra (car) (read 23 October 2026)
- OpenStreetMap (OSRM routing): Directions: 238 Nudgee Road, Hendra to Glass House Mountains (car) (read 23 October 2026)
- Linkt (Transurban): Toll pricing (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government — Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service: Glass House Mountains National Park (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government — Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service: Visiting Glass House Mountains safely (read 23 October 2026)
- Sunshine Coast Council: Sunshine Coast regulated parking (read 23 October 2026)
- Sunshine Coast Council (PARKnGO): PARKnGO Mooloolaba Central (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government — Department of Transport and Main Roads: QLDTraffic (read 23 October 2026)
Written by the Rentzy team at Rentzy Car Rentals. Rentzy prices, fees and rules in this guide come from our published terms and update with them; rules set by others (roads, tolls, licences, transport) are from the official pages above, as read on the dates shown. Something out of date? Tell us.
