Gold Coast to Bundaberg road trip: Distance, drive time & stops

Gold Coast to Bundaberg drive: Maryborough to Bundaberg

Maryborough is where you turn off for Hervey Bay and Fraser Island. Click through for the separate guides if planning to detour that way.

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.

Otherwise, decent options for a road trip stop on the final leg from Maryborough to Bundaberg include historic town Childers. Attractions here include the Snakes Downunder reptile park.

The quickest route to Bundaberg branches off the Bruce Highway just before Childers, however. You’ll go past Bingera National Park along Goodwood Road instead.

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.

Things to do in Bundaberg once you get there include strawberry-picking at Tinaberries, watching turtles at Mon Repos, going to the beach at Bargara and rum-tasting on the Bundaberg Rum distillery tours.

You can also take Lady Musgrave Island day trips, go for ginger beer brewery tastings and enjoy farm experiences at Splitter Farm.

For value-for-money Bundaberg accommodation, options include the Villa Mirasol Motor Inn, Bundaberg Spanish Motor Inn and Bundaberg Big4 Cane Village Holiday Park.