The tragic death of Summerhill's Katelyn Taylor, 19, was discovered when her body was found on a Sunshine Coast beach early on Sunday.

The former St Patrick's College student and Hudsons Cafe barista had recently moved to Queensland to take up her studies.

Queensland Police believe Ms Taylor entered the water at Marcoola beach sometime between 3am and 5am on Sunday. 

The drowning has left friends shocked and saddened, with a tribute site appearing on Facebook shortly after the news spread.

Ms Taylor was described on Facebook as having an extremely bright future with loads of potential. 

In a moving tribute supplied to The Examiner, Chloe Baker described her best friend. 

``You were one of a kind with a heart of gold. You were a big influence to everyone around you because you worked so hard to always follow your dreams, and I know for a fact that you would have been an incredible teacher,'' she said.

``You were supposed to be starting this new and exciting chapter in your life that you had waited for months in anticipation for, and although your life may have seemed short, you squeezed so much into it, there was never a dull moment with you, that gorgeous smile would light up an entire room.'' On the morning of the incident the surf was being described as extremely choppy with a swell of 2.5 metres.

The lack of light at the time would have also made it difficult to see. 

Police said a member of the public saw Ms Taylor's body on the beach about 5am and called emergency services. 

They are not treating the death as suspicious. 

Some Queensland papers were reporting a link between Ms Taylor and a man involved in a car crash in the area about 3am.

However, Queensland Police's media unit said they were treating the incidents as unrelated.

A report will now be prepared for the coroner.