Childers to Rockhampton drive: Distance, time & road trip stops
Childers to Rockhampton road trip: Agnes Water and Gladstone
The next major town is Gladstone, and the quickest route from Bundaberg to Gladstone veers off the Bruce Highway.
Give Bundaberg a miss, however and the drive from Childers to Gladstone takes you past Good Night Scrub National Park near Gin Gin, and angler favourite Lake Monduran.
At Miriam Vale, there’s another detail to consider. Here, the road branches off to the fabulous twin towns of Agnes Water and 1770.
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.
Things to do in Agnes Water and 1770 include scooter tours, bike rentals, amphibious vehicle tours and sunset cruises. For accommodation picks, try the pool-centred 1770 Lagoons Central Apartment Resort or the caravan-friendly NRMA Agnes Water Holiday Park.
Otherwise, plough on to Gladstone. Beach suburb Tannum Sands is the most appealing place to spend the night, but things to do in Gladstone include the Maritime Museum and industrial tours.
Gladstone is better off used as a departure point for island visits, however. You can hop over to Curtis Island. Better still – take the Heron Island ferry to Heron Island and Wilson Island on the Great Barrier Reef.
Gladstone accommodation picks include the budget-friendly Aaron Motel, the highly-rated Harbour Sails Motor Inn and the roomy Oaks Gladstone Grand Hotel.
Next up: Gladstone to Rockhampton.