Mooloolaba, on the Sunshine Coast at the mouth of the Mooloolah River, is 90 km north of central Brisbane.

When the township was first surveyed it was known as Mooloolah Heads, deriving its name from the river, which was named from an Aboriginal word perhaps referring to the schnapper fish plentiful in its waters (the 'mulu') or the 'mullu', the red-bellied black snake. The change of name to Mooloolaba came about in 1920, to distinguish the budding township from the developing township of Mooloolah.

First explored by Europeans in the early 1860s, Mooloolaba was a timber-cutting depot from the late 1860s, shipping product via steamers to Brisbane sawmills. Pettigrew withdrew from Mooloolaba in the early 1890s, establishing a sawmill in Maroochydore, and in the early 1900s the former Pettigrew holdings were acquired by a surveyor, Thomas O'Connor, who subdivided and surveyed Mooloolah Heads Township (1915), initiating a fledgling seaside tourist destination.

Mooloolaba's beaches and river boating were particularly patronised by Buderim people, who had the choice of the Wharemoane boarding house or cottages along the river. Conditions for boating, fishing and surfing were of a high standard. The main drawback was access, with a boggy, sandy headland track along the coast or a complicated cane-train and river journey from an inland railway station. A surf life-saving club began in 1922.

The opening of the David Low coastal road in the early 1960s fostered local development activity. Mooloolaba Beach, backed by the river, wharves and marina, had not been dominated by high-rise until the early 2000s, prior to that the most significant skyline feature was the Point Cartwright Lighthouse (1979) on the other side of the river in Buddina (in Caloundra City).

The Outrigger International beach resort (16 levels on Mooloolaba Esplanade) marked a change in the scale of the local built environment and since then the majority of the Esplanade has been redeveloped for tourist accommodation .
There are a number of canal-type estates west of the river, mostly modest in scale, offering ether direct or limited ocean access.

A large attraction at the wharves is the Underwater World Oceanarium. It is directly opposite the Mooloolaba caravan park which has 'absolute beach frontage'.

Mooloolaba has a State primary school (1933), with secondary and TAFE facilities in neighbouring Mountain Creek.
There is a shopping strip along Brisbane Road and regional shopping in Maroochydore.

The Mooloolaba Yacht Club has moorings on the Mooloolah River.

Mooloolaba is ideal for those looking for
Affordable Beachside Homes
Affordable Beachside Units
Upmarket Beachfront Units
Affordable Waterfront Units
Upmarket Waterfront Homes

Census Date 2006
Population 7376
Area 4 Km2