South-east Queensland (SEQ) dolphin research has historically focused on populations in Hervey Bay and Moreton Bay. While 16 coastal dolphin species are predicted to inhabit these embayments and the connecting Sunshine Coast coastal waters, how the populations connect across this region remains poorly understood. Boat-based surveys conducted from 2022-2025 provided the first comprehensive assessment of spatial connectivity and home ranges for dolphin populations in these waters. Three resident species were documented: Indo-Pacific bottlenose (Tursiops aduncus), Australian humpback (Sousa sahulensis), and common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), with occasional sightings of three additional delphinid species. Analysis revealed comparable individual home range sizes throughout the study area, with species-specific hotspots identified across the region. Results suggest significant spatial connectivity among the three resident coastal dolphin species, with Sunshine Coast waters potentially serving as a crucial corridor facilitating gene flow between embayment populations. These findings highlight the importance of waters outside protected marine parks in maintaining population connectivity, with implications for future management outside of the protected marine park waters.