Gold Coast to Hervey Bay road trip: Distance, drive time & stops
The best stops on a Gold Coast to Hervey Bay road trip itinerary include Noosa, Fraser Island, Mon Repos and Airlie Beach. The distance from the Gold Coast to Hervey Bay is 368km, with a driving time of around five hours.
Planning a Gold Coast to Hervey Bay road trip itinerary
A Gold Coast to Hervey Bay road trip takes you from south Queensland’s most popular holiday strip to one of the world’s great whale-watching havens.
The Gold Coast offers sunset cruises, parasailing, jet boat rides and amphibious vehicle tours. You can also go whale-watching during whale season.
Hervey Bay, meanwhile, offers sunset cruises, whale-watching and wildlife cruises in the Great Sandy Strait. To pick out Hervey Bay experiences that pique your interest, look here. For Hervey Bay accommodation, nosy around here.
Best day trips from the Gold Coast – 7 ways to improve your stay
The Gold Coast is a destination in its own right, but there are several excellent day trips you can do while using it as a base.
- Deluxe Tamborine Mountain winery tour – with gourmet lunch.
- Full day Springbrook National Park tour – with waterfalls and bush tucker tasting.
- Snorkelling with turtles at Cook Island.
- Evening glowworm-viewing experience – with guided stargazing.
- Lady Elliot Island day trip – with glass bottom boat & guided Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tour.
- Hopping between microbreweries – with lunch included.
- Northern Rivers fruit & distillery tour – with Tropical Fruit World and Husk Distillers.
Hervey Bay, meanwhile, is the main gateway to Fraser Island, but also offers sunset cruises, whale-watching and wildlife cruises in the Great Sandy Strait.
However, if you put together the right road trip itinerary, there are plenty of great stops along the way. Use this guide to help you plan the perfect Gold Coast to Hervey Bay drive.
Gold Coast to Hervey Bay distance and driving time
By car, the distance from the Gold Coast to Hervey Bay is 1,431km. This makes for an approximate Gold Coast to Hervey Bay driving time of 16 hours and 50.
This time and distance is measured from Surfers Paradise. From elsewhere on the Gold Coast, it will vary slightly.
7 Gold Coast experiences worth booking in advance
- See waterfalls and natural wonders – on a full day Springbrook National Park tour.
- Be awed by massive migrating humpbacks – on a great value whale-watching cruise.
- Feast as you explore the Gold Coast waterways – on a dinner cruise.
- Kayak with dolphins and snorkel with hundred of sub-tropical fish – on the same tour.
- Enjoy high speed thrills along the waterways – on a jet boat adventure.
- Glide above the beautiful hinterland – on a serene hot air balloon flight.
- Taste the best Scenic Rim wines – on an indulgent Tamborine Mountain wine tour, with lunch.
Gold Coast to Hervey Bay road trip: Theme parks and Brisbane
Leaving the Gold Coast, you’ll pass the region’s famous theme parks on the way into Brisbane.
Warner Brothers Movie World, Paradise Country, Australian Outback Spectacular and Wet N Wild Gold Coast are around Oxenford. Dreamworld and Whitewater World cluster a little further north in Coomera.
Other attractions on the way into Brisbane include the Beenleigh Historical Village and Museum, Logan River Parklands, Springwood Conservation Park and Mt Gravatt Lookout.
For things to do in Brisbane, take a look at the Museum of Brisbane, the Streets Beach, the public art trails and City Botanic Gardens.
Marvellous Brisbane accommodation choices include the hip W Brisbane, the historic Treasury and the photogenic Ovolo.
Click through for the next section: Brisbane to Glass House Mountains.