Melbourne to Hervey Bay road trip: Distance, time & best stops
Melbourne to Hervey Bay drive: Kingaroy to Goomeri
Before entering Kingaroy, you’ll come to the Kingsley Grove Estate Winery. It’s open Thursday to Monday from 11am to 4pm.
The best things to do in Kingaroy include stargazing at the Kingaroy Observatory and scoffing fresh peanuts from the semi-legendary Peanut Van.
For those interested in Queensland history, there are plenty of heritage buildings to admire, and the machinery-heavy Kingaroy Heritage Museum inside the town’s former powerhouse.
Highly-rated Kingaroy accommodation options include the Burke and Wills Motor Inn, Room Motels Kingaroy and the Kingaroy Country Motel.
Leave town on the occasionally windy Kingaroy-Barkers Creek Road, then join the Burnett Highway at Sandy Ridges. Heading north, you’ll pass Cherbourg National Park, which is set up for preservation rather than tourism.
Lake Barambah is a more attractive detour. Created by the Bjelke-Peterson Dam, this lake is a popular spot for fishing and watersports.
There are also several wineries around the lakeside town of Moffatdale. You can go tasting at Nuova Scuola Wines, Dusty Hill Vineyard and Moffatdale Ridge.
The next town is Goomeri. There’s a swimming pool here, but it’s more important as the junction with the Wide Bay Highway, which takes you towards the coast.
Melbourne to Hervey Bay road trip: Wide Bay Highway
A possible stop along the Wide Bay Highway is Kilkivan, where you can walk or cycle part of the Kilkivan to Kingaroy Rail Trail, refuel, and get some snacks at the Kilkivan General Store.
Later on, turn north along the Bauple-Woologa Road, then again up Netherby Road through the village of Gundiah. By now, you’re running parallel to the Bruce Highway, which you finally join at Tiaro.
Melbourne to Hervey Bay drive: Tiaro to Hervey Bay
Plough on up the highway, and you’ll reach historic Maryborough.
Things to do in Maryborough include learning about the town’s river port backstory at the Bond Store Museum and celebrating all things Mary Poppins at the Story Bank.
For Maryborough accommodation offering value for money, try the Mineral Sands Motel and McNevins.
It’s another 34km to Hervey Bay along the Maryborough-Hervey Bay road.
This goes past horse-riding hotspots Susan River Homestead and Wide Bay Equestrian Park.
Depending on which part of Hervey Bay you’re heading for, you might come in along the Booral Road. In which case, the Pir’ri Walking Track on the River Heads Road is a decent place for spotting koalas.
Top things to do in Hervey Bay include the Hervey Bay Botanical Gardens, Wetside Water Park and Hervey Bay Historical Village.
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.
For experiences from Hervey Bay, try a one day Fraser Island tour, a whale-watching cruise or a sunset cruise.
Good Hervey Bay accommodation options include the apartment-style Mantra Hervey Bay, the Discovery Parks holiday park and the very highly-rated Akama Resort.
More Queensland travel
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Plan your Cobar to Cunnamulla drive.
What to see on the drive from Kingaroy to Hervey Bay?
Where are the best places to stop on the Charleville to Barcaldine drive?
Is there anything worth seeing on the drive from Goondiwindi to Dalby?