Visitors to region Information Booklet

WELCOME TO THE

Fraser Coast

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Welcome to our backyard, Queensland’s Fraser Coast. This is the home of World Heritagelisted natural gems, unique diving experiences, safe and secluded beaches, and the number one place on Australia’s east coast to watch humpback whales play.

Whether you are looking to explore Fraser Island (K’ gari), dive the Lady Elliot coral cay, take a relaxing beachside holiday with the kids or to uncover the rich military past of Maryborough the Fraser Coast has something for you.

We are excited to welcome you to our piece of paradise. The Fraser Coast is also a place of simple pleasures, offering families a wide choice of relaxing activities, without the stress of crowds often present at larger tourist centres. The tranquil waterways of the Great Sandy Strait are a haven for all kinds of aquatic adventures and the quaint coastal townships frame a wetland area of international significance.

The region offers affordable island, bay, beach and heritage experiences in an unrivalled natural environment.

Going to the beach, swimming in the safe waters of the bay in the lee of Fraser Island and eating out have stood the test of time and remain the most popular activities for visitors to the region.

How to get to the Fraser Coast Self-drive: The Fraser Coast is a comfortable three-hour drive, 260km north of Queensland’s capital city of Brisbane, along the Bruce Highway (A1), with dual carriageway as far as Gympie. Maryborough is just off the main highway, with Hervey Bay a further 30km north-east on the coast. The region is the gateway to Fraser and the main air access point for Lady Elliot Island on the Southern Barrier Reef.

Air: Qantas offers multiple 35-minute daily flights between Brisbane and Hervey Bay Airport, while Virgin Australia operates the 90-minute daily direct jet service from Sydney. Both airlines offer convenient connections from most Australian capital cities. Seair Pacific has daily 40-minute flights from Hervey Bay to Lady Elliot.

Rail: Queensland Rail operates daily services from Brisbane, Rockhampton and Cairns to the Maryborough West train station at Oakhurst. Hervey Bay tickets include coach transfers to and from the bay.

RV Friendly + great weather!

Bus: Greyhound and Premier coach lines operate several north and southbound services each day to Maryborough and Hervey Bay. Greyhound also offers daily services to the Sunshine Coast via Rainbow Beach. Along with Greyhound, private shuttle transfers operate between the Fraser Coast, Brisbane Airport (domestic and international), Brisbane CBD and Sunshine Coast Airport. For more information, phone the Hervey Bay Visitor Information Centre on 1800 811 728.

RV friendly: Free 48-hour RV camping sites are available at the Alan and June Brown Car Park near Maryborough’s CBD and behind the Hervey Bay Visitor Information Centre. Low-cost longer stay options with dump points are provided at the Doon Villa Soccer Ground near Maryborough Airport and at the Maryborough Showground. The region also boasts quality caravan parks, many with direct beach access.

Climate: The Fraser Coast is blessed with a sub-tropical climate providing spectacular sunshine all year round. We recommend travellers apply sunscreen and wear hats, sunglasses and suitable clothing when spending time outdoors. The average summer temperature is 30°C, with winter a mild 22°C.

Fraser Island, K’Gari A wilderness adventure to World Heritage-listed Fraser Island is at the very top of Fraser Coast holiday experiences, highly valued by visitors from around the globe. Here you can stand next to the colossal, furrowed trunk of an ancient tree more than 1200 years old, swim in beautiful blue-hued, freshwater lakes and walk the coloured sand dunes that have been built over 800,000 years of tidal acton.

World Heritage Listed The traditional owners, the Butchulla people, named the island K’gari which means paradise and it remains that today, with access managed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Butchulla rangers.

The largest sand island in the world, this ancient place offers incredible experiences. Sitting alongside modern resorts and attractions, carefully managed to preserve its pristine beauty, the island is home to plants that have existed for 200 million years, including the magnificent giant King Fern which reputedly has the largest fronds of any fern on earth.

Crystal-clear, freshwater streams fed by the water table and rainforest trees literally growing out of the sand are matched with an, at times, alien landscape created by huge sand blows from winds belting across the Pacific.

The clean air and smell of the ocean belie its strength, with the corroding wreck of the former World War I hospital ship, SS Maheno, blown ashore in a cyclone in 1935, a silent and constant reminder.

Even the most experienced traveller will be inspired by this place, lying just south of the Great Barrier Reef and off the coast of Hervey Bay, stretching for 123km and 22km broad at its widest part.

Birds are the most abundant form of animal life on the island with more than 350 migratory and coastal species recorded. Visitors may also spot the famous Fraser Island dingoes, humpback whales off its coast, wallabies, possums, flying foxes, soldier crabs, turtles, dolphins, manta rays and dugongs.

There are many ways to experience the island’s exceptional landscapes take a self-drive getaway, join a guided tour, go on a camping safari, book a room at a resort or explore the island on foot through part or all of the 90km Fraser Island Great Walk.

Daily barge services run to the island from Hervey Bay with a trip to the main resort taking about 50 minutes.

The journey for four-wheel-drive enthusiasts to the other central island access point at Wanggoolba Creek is about 30 minutes.

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The best whale watching When it comes to awe-inspiring interactions with humpback whales, stopping by in Fraser Coast waters between July and November each year, the best advice we can give is – don’t just take our word for it. Find out firsthand why whale watching in Hervey Bay is so special, that it was recently recognised the the world’s first Whale Heritage Site.

Whale hello there!

The difference here is that the whales pause their migration journey when they reach Fraser Coast waters. Each year thousands of these 40-tonne mammals purposefully head to our marine backyard, breaking their journey from the breeding grounds in the tropics to the feeding grounds in Antarctica, to relax, play and socialise in the sheltered waters in the lee Fraser Island’s western coast. Here the waters are warmer, shallower and predator free.

Eleven whale watching vessels operator out of Hervey Bay and Fraser Island, offering sightseers everything from a fast-three-hour excursion on the water to a half-day or a full-day stopover in Platypus Bay. And whether you prefer to travel in a big group on a vessel with multiple decks, use glass viewing platforms or join a small number of passengers on a sailing catamaran, Hervey Bay has it covered.

The earliest departures are at 7am but other vessels allow tourists a bit more of a sleep-in with the latest morning tour leaving at 11am. And for those who don’t do mornings, a wide choice of tours leave the harbour after lunch.

Hervey Bay’s status as one of the best whalewatching destinations in the world has been confirmed by the region’s selection in 2019 as the first Whale Heritage Site declared by the World Cetacean Alliance.

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Spy Hop

Fin Slap

Tail Fluk e

Breach

Reefs + World-class diving The Lady Elliot Island coral kay on the Southern Great Barrier Reef, quality artificial dive structures between Fraser Island and Hervey Bay and Australia’s latest military drive wreck, ex-HMAS Tobruk, make the Fraser Coast one of Queensland’s best and most accessible recreational dive destinations.

A divers dream!

The Lady Elliot Island coral kay on the Southern Great Barrier Reef, quality artificial dive structures between Fraser Island and Hervey Bay and Australia’s latest military drive wreck, ex-HMAS Tobruk, make the Fraser Coast one of Queensland’s best and most accessible recreational dive destinations.

Lady Elliot is a highly protected green zone and a sanctuary for more than 1200 species of marine life and known as “the home of the manta ray” with more than 1000 recorded in ts vicinity. It is one of the few islands on Australia’s east coast where you can step straight off the plane onto a coral beach.

The man-made reefs of Hervey Bay, built up over the last 50 years, are within a short 10 to 30-minute boat ride from the marina at Urangan, with the most popular Roy Rufus Artificial Reef located off the eastern side of Woody Island, with the wrecks of five ships creating amazing experiences to depths of 18m.

The Tobruk provides a great technical dive for all levels of experience and because of its former life transporting army tanks and light armoured vehicles, its passageways and internal areas are wider than other battle class military wrecks.

Beginner-level divers can access the entire port side of the vessel, including the propeller and rudder normally buried under the sea floor. The ship’s stern doors are open creating a colossal “underwater cave” enabling divers to swim the full length of the former tank deck.

Visitors to the Tobruk can expect to see two-metre long barracudas, turtles, sharks, manta rays, groupers, cod and Spanish mackerel. An octopus known by locals as “Larry” has recently taken up residence. The ship is situated midway between Burrum Heads and Fraser Island’s Rooney Point and qualified divers using their own vessel can access the private moorings of the wreck in two-hour intervals, with bookings made online at the Fraser Coast websites.

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Image supplied by Grant McCaffrey

Maryborough Heritage + Hinterland Street art, history and military memorabilia make Queensland’s heritage city of Maryborough a must-see destination, providing diverse experiences in addition to the region’s beaches and islands. Stories of loss, triumph and unbreakable spirit from its captivating colonial past right up to modern times are dispersed throughout Maryborough via its heritage buildings, striking public art, statues, memorials and museums. Street art, history and military memorabilia make Queensland’s heritage city of Maryborough a must-see destination, providing diverse experiences in addition to the region’s beaches and islands.

History and Arts!

Stories of loss, triumph and unbreakable spirit from its captivating colonial past right up to modern times are dispersed throughout Maryborough via its heritage buildings, striking public art, statues, memorials and museums. Maryborough was Queensland’s industrial powerhouse in the final decade of the 19th century, producing naval ships, heavy castings for sugar mills and railway locomotives and rolling stock.

Bronze statues of military man Duncan Chapman and Mary Poppins illustrate the contrasts of Maryborough’s turbulent and enchanting history. The Gallipoli to Armistice Memorial Queens Park, is just one symbol of the tough military and industrial roles of the city.

The Mary Poppins’ statue, standing beside the 137-year-old heritage-listed Australian Joint Stock Bank building where author and creator, Pamela Lyndon Travers, was born (named Helen Lyndon Goff) in an upstairs bedroom in 1889 is on Richmond Street, also known as Cherry Tree Lane. The bank has recently been transformed by a major renovation into the Story Bank of Maryborough and is now the keeper of the tales, yarns, myths and legends that make up the rich fabric of one of Queensland’s oldest cities.

The Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum is packed with artefacts from the Boer war to Afghanistan, including an original Victoria Cross medal group for Gallipoli. Considered a national treasure, this museum is recognised as the best collection of Australian military history outside of the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The museum focuses on the personal stories and contributions of the men and women who fought. It is open seven days a week. militarytrail.visitfrasercoast.com Maryborough’s prosperous history and quirky stories are colourfully displayed on the walls of central city buildings. The evolving trail currently has 37 installations and paintings. The trail is a flat walk over 10 city blocks covering about two kilometres. Mural trail walking maps, available from the Maryborough Visitor Information Centre. For a full list of the murals, visit visitfrasercoast.com/Destinations/ Maryborough/Mural-Trail

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TOP 10 ADVENTURES ON

the Fraser Coast

1. FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE ON THE WORLD’S LARGEST SAND ISLAND Driving a 4WD on Fraser is exciting, exhilarating, adventurous and a pleasure. The terrain varies from firm sandy tracks to soft sand blow-outs, threatening to swallow your vehicle whole.

Hardwood forests, large wooded hills, crystal clear streams, blue lakes and the hard sand of 75 Mile Beach deliver you into another world. Reasonable under vehicle clearance is necessary and it is wise to carry a snatch strap.

2. DIVE INTO THE GREAT BARRIER REEF Put on a mask and snorkel to swim with the resident manta rays on Lady Elliot Island and the other amazing marine life including turtles, sea stars, colourful coral, tropical fish, sea cucumbers and clams.

3. SWIM WITH THE WHALES (LATE JULY AND AUGUST) Be swept up in the surreal experience of being in the ocean right next to majestic humpback whales and experience Australia’s best up-close and personal whale encounter in Hervey Bay early in the season between July and September.

4. HIKE FRASER’S 90km GREAT WALK Be prepared for the epic and traverse Fraser’s Great Walk, which stretches 90km and takes 6-8 days beside perched lakes, open dune country and rainforest, or take one of the shorter options if you are stuck for time. Head to the National Parks website nprsr.qld.gov.au/fraser for more information. Shorter guided walks of the island are also available.

5. HOOK INTO SOME SPORTS FISHING Experience the thrill of catching marlin, golden trevally or a barramundi. The region’s fishing experiences are amongst the most diverse in Australia, thanks to an overlap of northern and southern species.

6. TAKE A MOONLIT HORSE RIDE Join an evening horseback ride by the light of the full moon to Susan River and enjoy piping hot soup and garlic bread beside the campfire (permits allowing) before returning to the homestead for a hearty barbecue meal in the dining room.

7. GET WET AT WETSIDE Take the young and young at heart to Hervey Bay’s WetSide Water Park, ranked No three of the top 25 water parks in the world by Tripadvisor. Climb the seven metre sky tower and take a fast slide to the adventure playground below.

8. JET SKI TO FRASER ISLAND Experience the thrill of a one-of-a-kind jet ski tour and discover the idyllic Pelican Bank in the heart of the Great Sandy Biosphere, before venturing on to the gorgeous western coast of Fraser Island.

9. DIVE EX-HMAS TOBRUK Join the sea life setting up home in this former Navy warship scuttled off Burrum Heads. Swim the length of the ship, which is lying on its starboard quarter with propellers and rudders in plain sight.

10. TAKE A SCENIC JOYFLIGHT Hop aboard a light plane at Hervey Bay airport and fly over the UNESCO designated Great Sandy Biosphere with its network of islands and creeks before landing on the beach at Fraser Island for a 4WD tour across the island’s rainforest tracks to catch the barge.

Visitor Information Centre Fraser Coast Visitor Information Centres in Hervey Bay, Maryborough and Tiaro are a great place to visit where friendly staff and volunteers will help make planning your trip to the region simple and stress-free.

All Fraser Coast visitor centres provide expert advice and bookings for tours, accommodation, activities and attractions across both the local region and Queensland.

Hervey Bay 227 Maryborough-Hervey Bay Road Hervey Bay Phone: 1800 811 728

Maryborough 388 Kent Street, Maryborough Phone: 1800 214 789

Tiaro Mayne Street, Tiaro Phone: 07 4129 2599

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