Gympie to Rockhampton drive: Your free expert road trip guide
Gympie to Rockhampton road trip: Childers and Bundaberg
If you’re skipping Hervey Bay, however, historic town Childers is the next stop on the Bruce Highway. Attractions here include the Snakes Downunder reptile park, the Flying High Bird Park and the bizarrely niche Childers Pharmaceutical Museum.
For Childers accommodation, try posh camping at the Childers Nature Camp or the centrally-located Childers Oasis Motel.
Another good detour is Bundaberg, which again is off the Bruce Highway. On the drive from Maryborough to Bundaberg, you’ll go past Bingera National Park.
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, going to the beach at Bargara, watching turtles at Mon Repos, and rum-tasting on the Bundaberg Rum distillery tours.
Great value Bundaberg accommodation includes motels such as the Villa Mirasol Motor Inn and Bundaberg Spanish Motor Inn, plus the Bundaberg Big4 Cane Village Holiday Park.
Next up: Agnes Water and Gladstone.