Review: AquaDuck Tour on the Sunshine Coast!
If you’re planning a trip to the Sunshine Coast and searching for a unique adventure that combines fun, sightseeing, and a touch of history? Then, this amphibious experience in Mooloolaba could offer an exhilarating way to explore the beautiful beachfront and waterways. But, is the AquaDuck really worth doing and what was my experience?
In this review today, I’ll explore all the aspects of the AquaDuck tour, discussing the highlights, what to expect, and whether it truly lives up to the hype. Ultimately, helping you decide if it’s the best activity for your group and helping you book.
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My Review of the AquaDuck on the Sunshine Coast
Overall, I thought the AquaDuck Ride on the Sunshine Coast was definitely worth doing. It was reasonably priced, comfortable to ride and I love the variety of both land and water exploration. If you’re a first-timer to Mooloolaba or the Sunshine Coast, it gives you a lovely overview of the region, plus full of interesting local facts and information from the guides.
If you didn’t know, this is one of the more popular activities to do on the Sunshine Coast. We found our guide to be very friendly with the check-in process, plus entertaining on the tour, and she kept the commentary running for most of the time.
➡ Book your Tickets HERE with GYG, or HERE with Viator.
There was also engagement with the group, asking questions and wandering around to talk to the passengers.
If you’re still undecided, here is a quick Pros & Cons list for the Aquaduck Ride to help:
Otherwise, keep reading below for more on my personal thoughts, and having all of your questions answered!
How much does it cost?
The standard Aquaduck tour price is $50 for adults and $40 for a child (2-16 Years old), with options for family and seniors tickets too.
➡ Book your Tickets HERE with GYG, or HERE with Viator.
This includes a 60-minute journey around the streets of Mooloolaba and then into the Mooloolah River waterways.
Although, If you want to save a few bucks, I have seen combo tickets come up from time to time, including the Sealife Aquarium (which just happens to be where the tour leaves from).
We purchased our Aquaduck tickets online and checked in electronically when we got there. However, there are extra merchandise sales onboard for items like duck whistles, captions hats, plush toys, key rings and hats.
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What to Expect on the AquaDuck Ride!
What’s the tour like?
Honestly, there isn’t much you can see in 1 hour, but the guides local knowledge and commentary makes up for it. Between housing prices, dreamtime stories, interesting facts, jokes and seeing the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin’s “Croc One” boat, the whole experience is well worth checking out.
The tour starts out on the land portion and takes about 10 to 15 minutes to drive the street and down the Mooloolaba Esplanade. After that, the vehicle enters the water and turns into a boat. At this point you can remove your seatbelt and move around the cabin for photo’s and different views.
The commentary continues to run the entire time, and you’ll get distant views of Point Cartwright, plus drive past the Fish Markets, and the luxurious mansions of Minyama.
After a while, they will invite the kids up to drive in the captains seat. Plus, each one will get a certificate saying they did it. Since our tour wasn’t that busy, Matt & I also got asked if we wanted to drive, but we both passed this time.
Within the last 10 minutes, the amphibious vehicle will exit the Mooloolah River, you’ll put your seat belt back on and drive back to the starting point outside the Sea Life aquarium, near the Wharf.
Note: If you want to compare the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast, while there are differences to staying in each location, we thought the Duck tours were the same.
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Where does the Tour leave from?
The AquaDuck tour departs outside the front door of the Sea life Aquarium, right near the Wharf Precinct.
This is just one of the fun activities to do in Mooloolaba, but please note, there is no official office to check into, and if you’re the first tour leaving for the day, there is no signage on where to go.
When the amphibious vehicle first rocks up for the day, the guide will place a metal A-Frame display board on the ground, which will stay put for the rest of the day.
If anything, just hang out at the entrance of Sea life, and the Duck vehicle will drive up about 10 minutes before you’re supposed to leave.
If you need help getting there, please watch my video on using the Sunshine Coast public transport and use the Translink app to help plan your journey.
In the end, the 600, 611, and 615 buses all stop along River Esplanade, and you’ll have a 200-metre walk after that, to the departure point.
Is the vehicle crowded?
Overall, I think the boat carries about 30 passengers, so this will definitely depend on when you’re visiting and during busy times. But, since we visited in the middle of the week and out of school holidays, there were only about 10 to 15 people on our tour.
This was a good balance, and we were able to move around a lot when we were on the water. Plus, you’ll be able to hear all of the tour guide’s commentary without many conversations overshadowing it.
How Fast Does the Aquaduck Go?
On the road, the Aquaduck drives the legal speed limit and won’t get above 60 kilometres per hour.
On the water, it will travel at a calm, leisurely pace, allowing passengers to enjoy the sights and move around the vessel comfortably. This speed won’t exceed 6 knots per hour, which is the legal limit on the Mooloolah River.
➡ Book your Tickets HERE with GYG, or HERE with Viator.
This limit helps minimize wake and reduce disturbances to both marine life and those residing along the riverbanks.
Is there a toilet onboard?
No, the vehicle does not have a toilet, and in fact, when you’re driving on land, a seatbelt will need to be worn, and you’ll have no option to walk around.
Therefore, please ensure you visit the public toilets inside The Wharf precinct beforehand.
Also note that no food or drinks can be brought aboard, except for bottled water. Matt had to scull his coffee down that he brought at the bakery and expecting this helps keep the duck vehicle clean for future tours.
Is it accessible to everyone?
Unfortunately, there are about 5 steps on an aluminium ladder to get into the Aquaduck, so this is NOT wheelchair accessible.
Plus, it’s not positioned well enough for someone to be carried on board.
Although, if you only have some mobility issues and can slowly walk up the steps on your own, then it should be ok. But, f you have any concerns about this, then you should call them up to discuss this before booking your ticket.
Who is this tour suitable for?
I think this tour is suitable for anyone who can climb on board, but it’s definitely a big hit with the smaller children and is very family-friendly. There are no weight limits to book and you can carry an infant on your lap for free.
If it’s your first time on the Sunshine Coast and you’re staying in the Mooloolaba region, then it’s a cost-effective and fast way to tour the roads and water.
The information alone will help you learn about the region and this is not something you’ll find out by driving around on your own.
Is this a safe tour?
There was nothing about this tour that led me to believe it wasn’t a safe experience for everyone. If anything, trying to get on and off the vehicle using their step ladder was probably the most debatable, but only if you had prior issues using a ladder-type step system like this.
Life jackets are available onboard, seat belts are worn on land, and there was a staff briefing at the start of the tour to advise on all the do’s and don’ts. This includes keeping your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times and how to use the life jacket.
Fun fact: The Aquaduck concept originated on the Gold Coast in 1996, making it Australia’s first amphibious city tour and river cruise, and it has since expanded to the Sunshine Coast.
Best time to book the tour?
Honesty, the Aquaduck tour could be done at any time of year and any time of day, but it will come down to your personal preferences and availability. We completed it during the winter in July, and while the breeze was a little cool and you might need a light jacket, it was still a gorgeous warm, sunny day.
➡ Book your Tickets HERE with GYG, or HERE with Viator.
If you prefer a quieter atmosphere with less crowds, then visiting during weekdays or outside school holidays or long weekends would be ideal. Additionally, if you want to catch a beautiful sunset on the water, booking the last tour of the day may be the perfect option for you.
However, while there is a roof on the vehicle, I wouldn’t expect it to be as enjoyable in the rain. But, know that the tour will still run in mild weather changes, and plastic screens are there to help shield you from the conditions.
Therefore, I recommend checking the weather in advance and if you’re flexible with your time – try to book your spot on a mostly sunny day.
Is there Car parking?
The Wharf area and Sea Life Aquarium share a decent-sized FREE car park, but you need to be aware this only has a 4-hour limit during normal business hours.
Luckily, the Aquaduck tour is only an hour, and you won’t have any issues on either side, but if you’re hanging out around there for longer, then you might have to move your car.
On the downside, this car park does fill up quickly in the morning, with the Sea Life patrons starting at 9am and whale watching boats and tours leaving just a little earlier.
Therefore, if you’re planning for a lunchtime tour, you might have to find other street parking in the area.
If you’re staying in Mooloolaba itself, then it might only be a short walk to the departure point and you can leave your car at your hotel.
How often does it leave?
The tours start at 10am every morning and have six different services (about every 1.5 hours) until the last one at 4:15pm. Although, during busy times and school holidays, they can add another 2 services to increase the availability at 9am and 530 pm.
To be honest, the 5:30pm session could be a great time to add for a sunset viewing on the water. But this will all depend on the time of year you want to do it.
Wrap Up!
Overall, the AquaDuck tour on the Sunshine Coast is a great way to get an overview of Mooloolaba and its rich history while having a fun experience on both land and water. So, if you’re looking for something different to do during your visit, then please check it out.
I hope you found the information you were looking for today, but please see my other Sunshine Coast stories here to help with your planning and research.
