Caloundra to Bundaberg road trip: Distance, time & best stops
The best stops to add to a Caloundra to Bundaberg road trip itinerary include Buderim Falls, Rainbow Beach and Maryborough. By car, the distance from Caloundra to Bundaberg is 289km and driving time around 3h31m.
A Caloundra to Bundaberg road trip brings you from the southern end of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast to Australia’s rum capital.
Caloundra brings several beaches, jetski tours, waterways cruises and kayak hire. For top Caloundra accommodation choices, hunt here.
Bundaberg, meanwhile, offers Bundaberg Rum distillery tours and Lady Musgrave Island day trips. You can also choose turtle-watching at Mon Repos, beach time at Bargara strawberry-picking at Tinaberries. For Bundaberg accommodation options, look over here.
However, there are several excellent attractions between Caloundra and Bundaberg. This guide is aimed at helping travellers plan their perfect Caloundra to Bundaberg road trip itinerary.
Click through on the links for more detailed links about individual towns and attractions – and remember to stock up on your road trip essentials before setting off.
Caloundra to Bundaberg distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Caloundra to Bundaberg is 289km. This makes for a driving time of around three hours and 31 minutes.
Good road trip stops between Caloundra and Bundaberg include the Buderim Falls, Rainbow Beach and Maryborough.
Caloundra checklist: 5 fab experiences to book in advance
1. Kayak hire or paddleboard rental at Golden Beach. 2. Self-guided scavenger hunt. 3. Half day Pummicestone Passage jetski tour. 4. Waterways cruise. 5. Two hour Efoil lesson.
Where to stay in Caloundra
The best accommodation options in Caloundra are:
- For a big lagoon pool: Ramada Resort by Wyndham Golden Beach.
- For a sensational waterfront location: Watermark Caloundra.
- For a prime spot at Kings Beach: Rolling Surf Resort.
- For high quality apartments: Rumba Beach Resort.
- For a solid, affordable motel: Moffat Beach Motel.
The quickest route from Caloundra to Bundaberg leaves along the Caloundra Road, then heads north along the Bruce Highway. This passes through some of the less celebrated sections of the Sunshine Coast, rather than the better-known beach towns.
There are still some attractions close to the highway, though. You might be interested in the Aussie World theme park near Caloundra or Buderim Falls in Buderim.
Yandina brings up Asian cooking classes at Spirit House, walks on Mount Ninderry, all things ginger on tours of the Ginger Factory and picture-perfect swimming at Wappa Falls.
You can also shop at the Yandina Markets, but the Eumundi Markets are a better experience.
12 fantastic Sunshine Coast experiences to book now
- Taste coffee and ginger, do rainforest walks, and visit the best lookouts on a highlight-packed hinterland tour.
- Take a serene Noosa Everglades cruise along the mirror-like waterways – or canoe through the Everglades.
- Learn to surf at a Sunshine Coast surf school – or try paddleboarding instead.
- Combine sight-seeing and thrills on a fast boat tour.
- Go e-mountain biking on the downhill trails of Tewantin National Park.
- Kayak with dolphins as part of a beach 4WD tour.
- Explore the Sunshine Coast from above on a seaplane flight.
- Take an indigenous cultural tour – with bush tucker tasting.
- Visit the region’s best craft breweries and distilleries on a drinks tasting tour.
- Go jetskiing through the gorgeous Pumicestone Passage.
- Taste wines, cheeses and chocolates on a hinterland food tour.
- Watch migrating humpbacks on a whale-watching cruise.
Caloundra to Bundaberg drive: Eumundi to Rainbow Beach
Heading north, you might enjoy the beautifully-designed Noosa Botanic Gardens in Cooroy. Gympie, meanwhile, brings the Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum and Mary Valley Rattler steam train.
Well reviewed Gympie accommodation includes the Gympie Muster Inn and the Shady Rest Motel.
Gympie is also where you turn-off for Tin Can Bay and Rainbow Beach.
Road trip essentials that many travellers forget
Search on the web, and you’ll find ludicrously long lists of equipment to take on a road trip. Australia Travel Questions isn’t going to do that to you. But it is worth buying the following road trip items before setting off. Click through for a good range of options.
- Charging cables – yes, you’ll probably need a spare at some point.
- Car charger adaptor – in case your rental car has the old-fashioned cigarette lighter rather than a USB.
- Multi USB charger – for those hotel rooms that don’t have enough power sockets.
- Fold-up chairs – to make anywhere a picnic spot.
- A really good water bottle – go for a bigger one than usual to last the longer drives.
- Packing cubes – save space but, more importantly, avoid unpacking everything every night.
Rainbow Beach has grown considerably, and now offers much more than the barge to Fraser Island. Activities on offer include a two hour surfing lesson, kayaking with dolphins or stand-up paddleboarding.
If going to Fraser Island, there are multiple tour options. Pick between a one day Fraser Island coach tour, a two day bus trip or a three day tagalong trip. The latter allows you to drive your own 4WD vehicle behind a guide vehicle.
5 brilliant Rainbow Beach experiences you should book in advance
- Kayaking with dolphins – including a 4WD beach driving adventure.
- Beginner surfing lessons – you’ll be standing on the board by the end.
- Stand-up paddleboarding and 4WD tour combo – great value day out.
- Fraser Island day tour – visiting the island’s main highlights.
- Fraser Island three day tour – covering parts of the island most visitors miss.
Rainbow Beach accommodation favourites include backpacker joint Pippies Beach House, the swisher Plantation Resort and the Ocean Palms Resort, with its sea view balconies.
Click through for the next section: Maryborough and Hervey Bay