Noosa to Airlie Beach road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
Attractions between Noosa and Airlie Beach: Agnes Water and Gladstone
The next swerve towards the coast comes at Miriam Vale. This is the gateway to the gorgeous twin towns of Agnes Water and 1770, which are flanked by wildlife-heavy Eurimbula National Park.
Activities in Agnes Water and 1770 include amphibious vehicle tours, scooter tours, sunset cruises and Great Barrier Reef day trips to Lady Musgrave Island.
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.
For Agnes Water and 1770 accommodation, take a look at the pool-centric 1770 Lagoons Central Apartment Resort or the child-friendly NRMA Agnes Water Holiday Park.
Further north, industrial Gladstone is not one of Queensland’s greatest hits, although beach suburb Tannum Sands is a decent spot for an overnight stay.
Things to do in Gladstone include learning about seafaring history at the Maritime Museum and catching the ferry to Curtis Island. But the main reason to drop by is taking the Heron Island ferry to Heron Island and Wilson Island on the Great Barrier Reef.
Gladstone accommodation choices include the budget-conscious Aaron Motel, the impressively-regarded Harbour Sails Motor Inn and the spacious Oaks Gladstone Grand Hotel.
Click through for the next section: Rockhampton and Yeppoon.