6 minute read
Destination K'gari: the ultimate Queensland road trip
Hit the Great Sandy Highway for a seven-day adventure before sinking your toes into the world's largest sand island
STORY & IMAGES COURTESY OF TOURISM AND EVENTS QUEENSLAND
Bursting with nature, incredible wildlife and postcard-like landscapes, Australia’s Nature Coast Drive is one for the bucket list. Boasting two UNESCO biosphere reserves, World Heritage-listed K'gari (Fraser Island), and over 47 state and national parks, reserves and forests, this beautiful corner of the world (and its 120 kilometres of sandy coastline) is waiting to be explored.
DAY 1
Discover Queensland’s capital
Known as Australia’s ‘nature capital,’ Brisbane is a chilled city with no shortage of places to enjoy a meal with a view. Get your fix of both at Joey’s atop Kangaroo Point cliffs, a 230-million-year-old rockface offering lofty views of the botanic gardens and city skyline. Be sure to soak up the surrounds on an hour-long cruise on the Brisbane River to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary where you can get to know a couple of furry locals.
Make the most of the hills and sunshine by hiking or mountain bike up to the Mt Coot-tha summit (three kilometres long under a canopy of gum trees) for panoramic views over the city, or do what the locals do and cycle to New Farm Park to pick up some homegrown produce at the weekly Jan Powers Farmers Markets before relaxing under a shady Jacaranda.
Head to Howard Smith Wharves, a river precinct packed with overwater bars, beer halls and breweries, for a pre-dinner drink. You’ll enjoy the twinkling lights of the Brisbane skyline and the iconic Story Bridge as much as your well-deserved drink.
DAY 2
Head for the Hinterland
Start in the Hinterland and discover the Glass House Mountains—an awe-inspiring collection of 11 ranges that are all linked in Indigenous mythology. With sealed and unsealed roads, explore these 20-millionyear-old volcanos by car, stopping off at lookouts to drink in the surrounding plains. For the adventurous, hit the Mount Ngungun hiking trail. Time the two-hour trek around sunrise for views of the sparkling coast.
Spend the afternoon wandering the charming stores in Maleny, the Sunshine Coast Hinterland’s foodie hub, and discover local artisan work. Try handmade chocolates from Maleny Chocolate Co, pick up a crafted gift from Giddy and Grace or take home an original oil painting from Maleny Art Direct. Nearby is Maleny’s Mountain View Café, a well-known spot for fresh scones and clotted cream that comes paired with rural views that stretch as far as the Gold Coast on a clear day (which is nearly every day in Queensland).
DAY 3
Soak up the golden stretches of the Sunshine Coast
Swap your hiking boots for flip flops, the coast is calling! Start off with a slow morning to embrace the pace of the laid back coastal lifestyle and take a stroll along the Caloundra Coastal Walk which spans 25 kilometres from Golden Beach to Mooloolaba. Meander along a section of the walk, stopping at the heritage-listed Point Cartwright lighthouse to soak up coastline views and humpback whales on their annual migration (between June and October).
DAY 4
Explore the Everglades
No visit to the Sunshine Coast is complete without cruising the magnificent lakes and syrupy slow waterways of the Noosa Everglades, one of only two everglade systems in the world.
Located just 20 minutes from the stylish seaside town of Noosa, today is all about slow travel: paddle your way through ancient landscapes, mirrored waterways and subtropical rainforest to the soundtrack of birdsong and gently lapping water.
Extend your adventure with overnight glamping at Habitat Noosa Everglades Eco Camp right next door or head back to Noosa.
DAY 5
Hit the Great Sandy Highway
Accessible only by four-wheel drive and located within the Great Sandy National Park, the Great Beach Drive is no ordinary road trip. It covers 70 kilometres of white sandy beaches, sandwiched between the azure blues of the Pacific Ocean to the right, and the green bushland to the left. Pepper the journey with pit stops such as Double Island Point, where the historic lighthouse, built in 1884, offers views to Noosa, Rainbow Beach and K'gari.
Further north, stop at Honeymoon Bay for a swim in a secluded lagoon and a gourmet picnic lunch in the shadows of the multi-coloured sands of Rainbow Beach and at the highest point, you’ll find neverending seascapes at Rainbow Ocean Palms.
DAY 6
Skip across to the world’s largest sand island
From Rainbow Beach, it’s a short 10-minute drive to Inskip Point and the barge bound for World Heritage listed K'gari. The island is blessed with rainforests, beaches and more than 100 freshwater lakes waiting to be explored by foot, four-wheel drive, Segway, boat or plane.
Take your tastebuds on a journey with a Bush Tucker Talk and Taste experience at Kingfisher Bay Resort. Sample native berries bursting with flavour and relish the native citrus of lemon myrtle as the resort’s chef and ranger explains their origins, demonstrates how to use them and presents cooked dishes for you to try.
DAY 7
Explore World Heritage-Listed wonders
Travellers flock to K'gari for the four-wheel drive adventure for good reason. If you’re keen to see what it’s all about, hit the sandy highway, travel along 75 Mile Beach and marvel at the coloured sands of The Pinnacles and the SS Maheno shipwreck, an ocean liner which operated in the Tasman Sea until 1935. Cool off with a swim in Lake McKenzie or take a dip in the fizzing foam of the Champagne Pools.
Ask a local and they’ll tell you that no tour of K’gari is complete without a birds-eye view of the island. Departing from Hervey Bay, the hour-long flight soars above the island taking in dolphins, manta rays and even whales in the waters below.
