At a glance
- Who it’s for
- Anyone driving to Mooloolaba who wants to know what the council’s multi-deck car park costs, how to pay and where the free four hours end
- What to do now
- Leave within four hours of entering and the exit boom gate opens on its own; stay longer and pay at a Level 1 pay station or the exit barrier
- Rates from 1 July 2026
- 0 to 4 hours free; 4 to 5 hours $5; 5 to 6 hours $10; 6 to 7 hours $15; 7 hours or more $20 (the daily maximum, counted from entry)
- The car park
- 700 car spaces, 54 motorcycle spaces and 50 bicycle spaces; open 24 hours, 7 days; height limit 2.3 metres
- Where
- Corner of Smith Street and First Avenue, Mooloolaba QLD 4557
- Last checked
- Saturday 7 November 2026, against the PARKnGO website run by Sunshine Coast Council
- Not yet confirmed
- The end date of the free four hours: the council says it stops when the Stage Two Central Meeting Place and Southern Seawall are completed, and gives no date
The first four hours at PARKnGO Mooloolaba Central are free, seven days a week including public holidays, and after that you pay between $5 and a $20 daily maximum. The car park is on the corner of Smith Street and First Avenue in Mooloolaba, holds 700 cars and is open 24 hours a day. It is run by Sunshine Coast Council, and every figure below comes from the council’s PARKnGO pages, checked on Saturday 7 November 2026. Times are Queensland time, which has no daylight saving.
How much does it cost to park at Mooloolaba Central?
Parking is free for the first four hours. From 1 July 2026 the council’s rate table applies to anyone who stays longer, and daily charges are based on a 24-hour period from the time of entry.
| Time in the car park | Charge |
|---|---|
| 0 to 4 hours | Free |
| 4 to 5 hours | $5 |
| 5 to 6 hours | $10 |
| 6 to 7 hours | $15 |
| 7 hours or more | $20 (maximum daily charge) |
The council’s own FAQ says charges “start at $5 and are capped at $20 for each 24-hour period”, counted from the time you enter to the time you leave. The charge applies to all vehicles, and the council says no discounts are offered to motorcycles at this time.
How do I pay, and when does the barrier open?
If you stay four hours or less, you do not pay anything. The camera at the exit recognises your number plate and the boom gate opens automatically, so you can drive straight to the exit.
If you stay longer, the council lists two ways to pay:
- At one of the two pay stations on Level 1 (the ground floor) near the lifts, using your vehicle’s number plate.
- At the exit barriers, using a valid credit or debit card.
After you pay, you need to leave the car park within 15 minutes. There is an intercom on each payment machine and at the exit gates, so anyone who has trouble with a pay station can speak to the Point Parking team, the operator named on the council’s pages.
Where is it, and how do I get in?
The address is the corner of Smith Street and First Avenue, Mooloolaba QLD 4557. The council lists two entrances: Smith Street, at the intersection of Smith and Muraban streets, and Brisbane Road, next to The Colombian Café. Its FAQ describes the eight-storey building as having entry and exit points from Smith Street and one entry point from Brisbane Road.
| Detail | What the council says |
|---|---|
| Spaces | 700 car spaces, 54 motorcycle spaces, 50 bicycle spaces |
| Opening hours | 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |
| Height clearance | 2.3 metres |
| Accessible spaces | 13 |
| Lifts | Two, on the western side of the building (the First Avenue side) |
| Pay stations | Level 1, near the lifts |
| Space counts | Electronic display signs at the Brisbane Road and Smith Street entry ramps show the number of available spaces |
Why is the first four hours free, and when does it end?
The four free hours are part of the Mooloolaba Business Activation Plan, which the council describes as a collaboration between the Mooloolaba business community and Sunshine Coast Council, set up to drive activation and business support during the Mooloolaba Foreshore Revitalisation Project. The council’s FAQ says that from 28 January 2025 motorists can park free if they stay four hours or less.
The council’s pages say the promotion “will conclude when the Stage Two Central Meeting Place and Southern Seawall are completed”. The pages do not give a date for that, so no end date is confirmed.
Why does the council charge at all?
The council’s FAQ gives two reasons. The first is turnover: it says parking demand in central Mooloolaba needs to be managed to keep spaces available. The second is cost. According to the council, if fees were not applied, every Sunshine Coast ratepayer would have to pay about $18 a year, every year, for the next 20 years. It also says the money raised through paid parking at the car park services the loan used to pay for building it, as well as the operation and maintenance of the site and its systems.
Can I buy a monthly or yearly pass?
Yes. The council lists three passes for Mooloolaba Central, and all are billed in advance:
| Pass | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $380 a month | 24-hour undercover parking, 7-day access, unlimited entries and exits per day |
| Weekday monthly | $290 a month | Unlimited access Monday to Friday |
| Yearly (2026-27) | $2,600 | Valid 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, unlimited access Monday to Friday; prorated if bought after 1 July |
The council says parking spaces are not reserved and availability is not guaranteed with any of these passes. To apply, the FAQ says to go to the Point Parking website, select Sunshine Coast Mooloolaba Central and leave a message confirming which type of pass you want. Individual spaces cannot be bought, because the building is a public car park.
The council also says there are no extra discounts for Mooloolaba staff or locals beyond the four free hours and the passes.
Is there parking for people with a disability?
There are 13 accessible spaces. Drivers with an authorised disability parking permit can park for free all day. The council describes the process this way:
- On exit, press the intercom button to tell Point Parking you have a disability parking permit.
- Give your number plate details and your authorised disability parking permit number.
- After the exit cameras verify them, Point Parking can let the vehicle out without payment.
The council adds that number plate information is recorded, and that vehicles may be ruled ineligible for the free parking if misuse occurs, such as when the vehicle and driver turn out not to hold a valid permit.
Are there EV chargers, bicycle racks and security?
Two electric vehicle charging stations are on Level 2. The council says access is easiest through the Brisbane Road entrance ramp, with the chargers on your left immediately after you take your entry ticket. They run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and are AC chargers that suit any electric vehicle with a Type 2 plug; if your car does not support a Type 2 plug, you need your own adaptor. Once charging is complete, vehicles must be moved to another parking space. Rooftop solar panels supply the green energy for the chargers. To report a charger that is not working, call Sunshine Coast Council on (07) 5475 7272.
Bicycle parking is free, in an area on Level 1 (the ground floor). Bicycles must not be secured to buildings, trees or outdoor furniture.
On security, the council says security patrols run during night-time hours and during daytime hours on Saturdays and Sundays, parking facility officers are available on site, and distress buttons are on each floor near the lifts. It also says the council is not responsible for the security of your vehicle or any property you bring into the car park. To report a nuisance, damage to your car or vandalism, press the intercom button on any payment machine to reach Point Parking, call the council on (07) 5475 7272, or contact the police.
Where else can I park in Mooloolaba if I don’t want to pay?
The council’s answer is that it provides some time-limited, free on-street and off-street parking throughout Mooloolaba, and it publishes downloadable A4 PDF parking maps for Caloundra, Nambour, Maleny, Maroochydore, Mooloolaba and Birtinya on the parking area maps page. Our guide to Sunshine Coast parking rules covers the signs and fines that apply on those streets.
For comparison, the council’s other PARKnGO car park, Lightning Lane in Maroochydore, has its own rates, and the PARKnGO Lightning Lane page lists them.
Sources
- PARKnGO — Mooloolaba Central (location, spaces, entry points, height, free bicycle parking; checked 7 November 2026)
- PARKnGO — Mooloolaba Central daily rates (rate table from 1 July 2026; checked 7 November 2026)
- PARKnGO — Mooloolaba Central parking pass (monthly, weekday and yearly passes)
- PARKnGO — Mooloolaba Central FAQs (payment, disability permits, security, lifts, funding, 15-minute exit rule)
- PARKnGO — Mooloolaba electric vehicles (charger location, hours, Type 2 plug)
- PARKnGO — Parking area maps
Featured image: the Esplanade shopfronts at Mooloolaba, Queensland, photographed in 2018 (photo: Kgbo / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Sunshine Coast Council or Point Parking. Rates and rules can change; check the council’s PARKnGO page before you go.