Towns in Australia

Exploring Australia, town by town

Alexandra Headland QLD

Alexandra Headland

Postcode: 4572

Alexandra Headland, known to the locals as ‘Alex’, is a coastal community situated on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. It forms part of the area known as Maroochy (also the name of the shire it belongs to) with its neighbours Mooloolaba and Maroochydore. The town with its laid back atmosphere and inviting beaches has become a popular spot for surfers. It is well known that off its rocky headland is some of the best surf on the Queensland coast. Swimmers can also enjoy the rolling beaches as there is a patrolled swimming area provided by the surf club.

Potts Point was the original name given to the rocky headland between the estuaries of the Maroochy and Mooloolah Rivers. It was named after John Potts, William Pettigrew’s (prominent land owner and businessman) overseer. It was renamed Alexandra Headland in honour of Queen Alexandra. The area was formerly part of William Pettigrews 330 acre property. The land was purchased in 1864 at the first land sale in the Maroochy District. Over the next 30 years it was used as Pettigrew’s base for his timber business.

The headland has spectacular views to Mount Coolum and north along the sweeping beach to the Maroochy River. Alex is just over 100km from Brisbane and has a population of 7000. Although quieter than some parts of the Sunshine Coast, Alexandra Headland is popular with tourists, having a good, patrolled surf beach.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a sub-tropical climate tempered by the ocean – therefore, it is never blazingly hot and rarely freezingly cold. All major coach lines service the Sunshine Coast. There are transit centres at Caloundra, Maroochydore, Nambour and Noosa. Regular daily services operate between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.