Bundaberg to Mackay road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
Bundaberg to Mackay road trip: Agnes Water and Gladstone
The best detour is further along, just after Taunton. The twin towns of Agnes Water and 1770 are fast gaining attention as holiday spots.
Things to do in Agnes Water and 1770 include amphibious vehicle tours, scooter tours, bike rentals and sunset cruises. For accommodation picks, try the caravan-friendly NRMA Agnes Water Holiday Park or the pool-focused 1770 Lagoons Central Apartment Resort.
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.
Even more chilled-out Turkey Beach is also a possibility.
Otherwise, you join the Bruce Highway at Miriam Vale and plough on to Gladstone. Things to do in Gladstone include industrial tours and the Maritime Museum, but it’s best used as a gateway to a few islands. Curtis Island is nearest, but it’s much more appealing to take the Heron Island ferry to Heron Island and Wilson Island on the Great Barrier Reef.
Gladstone accommodation choices include the budget-friendly Aaron Motel, the highly-rated Harbour Sails Motor Inn and the roomy Oaks Gladstone Grand Hotel. But beach suburb Tannum Sands is a more charming spot to stay in.
Next section: Rockhampton and Yeppoon.