[2] It is located 97 kilometres (60 mi) north of the state capital, Brisbane, and is part of the Maroochydore urban centre.

[1] Mooloolaba is bounded on the east by the Coral Sea, on the south by the Mooloolah River, on the north by Alexandra Headland and to the west by Buderim.

The esplanade facing Mooloolaba beach is a centre for tourist activity, containing the Sea Life marine park, as well as many souvenir and clothing shops, bookshops, galleries and restaurants.

Mooloolaba is serviced by coach from Brisbane, by train and connecting bus via Nambour, Woombye, Landsborough station, and by air from the Sunshine Coast Airport.

[20] The Sunshine Coast Regional Council operates a mobile library service which visits Moondarra Drive.

[22] The Greek Orthodox Parish of the Sunshine Coast meets at the Uniting Church at 6 Meta Street once a month.

Evangelist Peter Foxhall and Pastor Bill Furler pioneered an Assemblies of God church at the Mooloolaba Surf Lifesaving Club in the mid-1980s.

In August and September 2015, the town garnered media attention when a French woman recorded a video claiming to have had a one-night stand with a male resident of Mooloolaba, asking him to come forward.

It turned out to have been a promotional advert for the town, masterminded by a British social media expert - the woman was a French university student and actress.