The best stops on a Brisbane to Bowen road trip
Attractions between Brisbane and Bowen: Fraser Island and Bundaberg
At Maryborough, most travellers will head towards the coast for Hervey Bay and the River Heads ferry to Fraser Island. Click through for Australia Travel Questions’ more detailed destination guides.
However, experiences in Hervey Bay include a one day Fraser Island tour, a whale-watching cruise and a sunset cruise.
Book these 8 Hervey Bay experiences now
- 1. Great Sandy Strait wildlife cruise – with a great chance of spotting dingos or dugongs.
- 2. All-inclusive Fraser Island day tour – with pick-up at your accommodation.
- 3. Fraser Island two day tour – see much more.
- 4. Fun cruise – get close to dolphins and turtles while lounging in the boom netting.
- 5. Sunset cruise.
- 6. Dolphin sailing adventure.
- 7. Whale-watching – this is arguably the best place in Australia to spot humpback whales.
- 8. Fraser Island west coast cruise – with lunch & kayaking.
Good Hervey Bay accommodation possibilities include the apartments at Mantra Hervey Bay, the Discovery Parks holiday park and the impressively-rated Akama Resort.
The next likely detour is Bundaberg, where you can go rum-tasting on the Bundaberg Rum distillery tours. You can also choose strawberry-picking at Tinaberries, turtle-spotting at Mon Repos and beach relaxation at Bargara.
Excellent value Bundaberg accommodation includes the Villa Mirasol Motor Inn, Bundaberg Spanish Motor Inn and Bundaberg Big4 Cane Village Holiday Park.
6 Bundaberg experiences to make the most of your free time
- (Highly recommended ✅) Tour – with tastings – at the Bundaberg rum distillery.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Day trip to Lady Musgrave Island on the Great Barrier Reef.
- Fly out to Lady Elliot Island for a day on the reef.
- See migrating humpbacks – on a four hour whale watching cruise with lunch.
- Brewery tasting tour – including the famous Bundaberg ginger beer.
- Farm life experience at Splitters Farm.
Childers, Gin Gin and 1770
Stick with the Bruce Highway, though, and you’ll come to heritage town Childers. It’s home to the Snakes Downunder reptile park. Further along, you can visit the Good Night Scrub National Park from Gin Gin, and go fishing at Lake Monduran.
The next really worthwhile detour comes at Miriam Vale. Up-and-coming twin towns Agnes Water and 1770 are flanked by the wildlife-packed Eurimbula National Park.
What to book in 1770/ Agnes Water before you arrive
- See the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef – on a Lady Musgrave Island day tour.
- Hire a scooter – and pootle around the back lanes looking for kangaroos.
- Kick back with sparkling wine on a sunset cruise.
- (Highly recommended ✅) Travel on land and water, and try sandboarding – on a quirky full day amphibious vehicle tour.
- Or take a shorter wildlife-spotting coastline tour, with lunch.
- Get the best deals on your accommodation.
Experiences in Agnes Water and 1770 include amphibious vehicle tours, scooter tours, fishing charters, sunset cruises and bike rentals.
For Agnes Water and 1770 accommodation, try the pool-centric 1770 Lagoons Central Apartment Resort or the kid-friendly NRMA Agnes Water Holiday Park.
Click through to the next section: 1770 to Yeppoon.