Peaks, Coast & Dark Sky
Sunshine Coast Photography Workshop. Four days across the region's strongest landscapes: volcanic peaks at the Glass House Mountains, exposed coastline, rainforest waterfalls at Kondalilla, Noosa sunsets and a dark-sky Milky Way session at Borumba Dam. One workshop, four environments, one repeatable workflow. Small group, maximum 4.
Want to see the kind of images this trip produces? Take a look through the gallery.
Four environments. One repeatable workflow.
Most local workshops give you one look. This one moves through four completely different landscape scenarios in four days, and gives you the workflow to handle all of them. Volcanic peaks, exposed coastline, rainforest waterfalls and dark-sky astro, each with its own field technique and a daily Lightroom + Photoshop block to lock it in.
Volcanic Peaks
The signature session. A pre-dawn sunrise over Tibrogargan, Coonowrin and Beerwah from Mt Ngungun, working telephoto compression, light direction and foreground. On the right morning, fog fills the valley below the peaks. Uniquely SEQ, and hard to copy.
Coastal Headlands
Clean seascape technique: long exposure, wave timing, filters, safe rock work and foreground control. Point Cartwright and Arkwright for sunrise structure, Noosa National Park for sunset silhouettes and coastal colour.
Rainforest + Waterfalls
The premier waterfall on the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Shutter-speed decisions, highlight control, polariser use, cutting through forest clutter and taming heavy green. A completely different discipline to the coast, in the same trip.
Dark-Sky Astro
A dedicated Milky Way session at Borumba Dam, with darker skies than the coast and water for foreground. October catches the tail of core season, so the window is short and low in the west. We plan tight around moon phase and shoot it low over the dam.
What you'll shoot
- Glass House Mountains: Mt Ngungun sunrise, peak compression, foreground layering, fog when it comes
- Sunshine Coast headlands: Cartwright / Arkwright / Coolum seascapes, long exposure, wave motion, rock platforms
- Noosa National Park: sunset structure, silhouettes and coastal colour
- Kondalilla Falls: waterfall technique, forest texture, polariser and highlight control
- Borumba Dam: dedicated dark-sky session — on a clear night, sunset into twilight then straight into the Milky Way
What you'll come home with
- A repeatable seascape workflow for any coast, exposure, timing, shutter choices
- Confidence shooting peaks and compression, not just wide coastal scenes
- Rainforest and waterfall technique: texture, light management, motion control
- A reliable night focus and Milky Way setup routine that transfers anywhere
- A daily Lightroom / Photoshop workflow you can run at home from memory
- Planning by conditions: tide, swell, wind, cloud and moon phase
What's included
- 4 sunrise + 3 sunset guided field sessions across peaks, coast and hinterland
- Up to 3 astro windows to capture Borumba Dam at its best, including one clear night shooting sunset straight into the Milky Way (conditions permitting)
- 4× 3-hour editing sessions, Lightroom / Photoshop, 9:00am–12:00pm daily
- Checklists, cheat sheets and pre-workshop gear advice
- Post-workshop email support
- Access to NiSi filter discounts (I'm an authorised reseller)
- Permits and permissions handled — QPWS and Seqwater covered
- $20M public liability insurance
Not included
- Accommodation (self-booked — Coolum or central Sunshine Coast is a good base; arrive Wednesday night for the pre-dawn Thursday start)
- Meals and personal expenses
- Transport (self-drive with clear meeting points; convoy for hinterland and night)
- Adobe Creative Cloud subscription
Who this is for
- Keen beginners through to advanced photographers refining their workflow
- Anyone who wants range — peaks, coast, rainforest and dark sky — not a single look
- Photographers who want a repeatable system, not just better snapshots
Pricing
- AU$2,950 per photographer
- AU$500 deposit secures your place
- Balance due 30 days before the start date (full payment if booking within 30 days)
- Payment plans available on request
- Maximum 4 photographers — small group
Logistics
- Self-drive — clear meet points provided after booking
- Glass House, Kondalilla and Borumba sessions require your own vehicle (convoy arranged)
- For the Borumba night session, you'll get a driving plan, timing notes and a safety brief
- 48–24 hours before each session: conditions update (tide / swell / wind / cloud / moon) and current Plan A / Plan B
- Questions before you commit? Email and I'll tell you plainly if it's a good fit
Four days, built around the light
Example itinerary, subject to change. Locations and timing are conditions-led — we go where the light, swell, cloud and moon take us, and the plan flexes day to day to put you on the best possible session.
Ngungun sunrise + editing + Noosa sunset + astro*
Pre-dawn Mt Ngungun sunrise — the signature peak-and-fog session (weekday access, quieter than the weekend). Editing 9:00am–12:00pm: workflow foundations and a first pass on the morning's files. Sunset at Noosa National Park for structure and silhouettes. Astro window that evening if skies are clear.
Kondalilla Falls (first light) + editing + coastal sunset + astro*
Kondalilla Falls in soft morning light — the rainforest and waterfall is at its best early. Editing 9:00am–12:00pm: colour, motion and local adjustments. Sunset on the coast (Point Cartwright / Arkwright / Coolum, tide and swell dependent). Astro window that evening if skies are clear.
Coastal sunrise + editing + Borumba: sunset into the Milky Way*
Sunrise on the coast (conditions-dependent). Editing 9:00am–12:00pm. Afternoon rest and conditions planning. On a clear night we head inland to Borumba Dam to shoot sunset into twilight, then straight into the Milky Way as the core becomes visible from around 7:11pm — set up and shooting, not driving.
Final coastal sunrise + editing + critique + wrap (ends 1pm)
Final "apply everything" sunrise on the coast. Editing and workshop review 9:00am–12:00pm: finish your best files from the week, personal critique and a tailored next-steps plan. Wrap at 1:00pm.
Locations and access
Sessions are chosen on conditions, light and what delivers the best results on the day. All activity stays within approved public-use areas — formed tracks, constructed lookouts and maintained surfaces — and we always choose the safer, workable angle.
Glass House Mountains
- Mt Ngungun summit track — sunrise (weekday session)
- Glass House Mountains Lookout and day-use areas
- Telephoto compression, peak alignment, foreground layering
- Formed tracks and established viewing areas only
QPWS-permitted commercial sessions. Ngungun runs on weekdays only, outside peak periods, no wet-weather access.
Sunshine Coast + Noosa headlands
- Point Cartwright (lighthouse headland)
- Point Arkwright (elevated rock platforms)
- Coolum headland options
- Noosa National Park — Tea Tree Bay, Boiling Pot, Hell's Gates (sunset)
- Sheltered bays when the open coast is messy
Chosen each session around tide, swell and wind. Final call is conditions-led.
Kondalilla Falls
- Kondalilla Falls Circuit and Falls Lookout
- Waterfall shutter control, forest texture, polariser work
- Formed tracks and constructed lookouts only
- No swimming, creek entry or off-track waterfall access
QPWS-permitted. Often at its best in soft, overcast or wet light.
Borumba Dam — Dark-Sky Astro
- On a clear night: sunset into twilight, then the Milky Way from ~7:11pm
- Darker skies than the coast, with water for foreground
- Self-drive with a clear meet plan, timing notes and safety brief
- October: tail of core season, low in the west, short window
*Astro is always conditions dependent. If cloud or haze blocks the sky, we work the full night workflow on downloadable Milky Way RAW data from a clear night — the learning transfers regardless.
Gear you'll need
- Camera with manual controls (any brand)
- Sturdy tripod — non-negotiable for long exposure and astro
- Wide-angle lens (14–24mm ideal for astro and seascapes)
- A short telephoto (70–200mm) helps for peak compression
- Polariser useful for Kondalilla; other filters helpful, not required
- Spare batteries, lens cloth and a headtorch for night sessions
- Closed shoes with grip, warm layers and water
- Laptop with Lightroom Classic strongly recommended for editing sessions
Fitness and access
Expect early starts and walks of roughly 1–6km on uneven ground, including the Ngungun summit track, headland sections and the Kondalilla circuit (some steps) in low light. Moderate fitness and comfort on that terrain is all you need. We plan around tide and swell and always choose the safe, workable angle.
Not a fit if: you want guaranteed astro regardless of cloud, can't manage uneven ground and steps, or are uncomfortable near coastal edges.
What past participants say
Real feedback from recent workshops.
"I recently completed Dylan's landscape and astrophotography masterclass on the Sunshine Coast and absolutely loved every minute of it. The small class size made such a difference. His patience and genuine passion for helping others improve is what really stood out. I walked away feeling far more confident using my camera, especially in low-light and night conditions."
"I've done quite a few workshops with Dylan now, and I keep coming back for good reason. The planning that goes into finding the right locations at the right time for the best light is exceptional — nothing is left to chance. And the Milky Way sessions? Absolutely fantastic. Dylan sets the bar high and consistently clears it."
"Before the workshop, my approach was simple — just take the shot. Now it's all about planning, preparation, and waiting for the light. Understanding light as the most fundamental element of composition was the real revelation, along with the discipline of arriving early to set up properly. The total experience will exceed expectations."
FAQs
Direct answers before you book.
What's the price and how do I book?
What makes this different to a standard coastal workshop?
Where's the Milky Way session, and is it guaranteed?
Do I need to know manual mode?
How fit do I need to be?
Is accommodation or transport included?
Do I need a tripod and filters?
Are the permits in place?
What if the weather is bad?
Is the workshop insured?
Peaks, Coast & Dark Sky. October 2026.
Volcanic peaks, coastline, Kondalilla rainforest, Noosa sunsets and a dark-sky Milky Way session at Borumba Dam. AU$500 secures your seat.
*Astro sessions are weather and conditions dependent. If skies don't cooperate, the full workflow is still taught using downloadable Milky Way RAW data captured on a clear night.
