When the holidays are a distant memory, or just a future thought or plan, it’s those highly valued long weekends that give us the most relief from our everyday lives. A few days away can do wonders to escape our routines, daily chores & leave our worries at home while we head somewhere to get away and relax.
The perfect 3 or 4 day long weekend escape is only a few hours drive north of Brisbane at beautiful Hervey Bay, also the gateway to K’gari (Fraser Island). Once a sleepy seaside village for retirees, Hervey Bay is well and truly experiencing an awakening as visitors from all over are discovering it’s natural seaside beauty, friendliness and so many things to do.
So What Does Hervey Bay Exactly Have Going For it?
- 16kms of tree lined Esplanade overlooking clean sandy beaches and calm aqua sea, perfect for families, water sports or relaxing. There’s piers, decks, picnic tables, seats and BBQ’s for all to enjoy, and easy street parking.
- A delicious range of beachside bars, cafes, restaurants, pubs, ice creameries, patisseries, takeaways & clubs serving up all styles of cuisine. Look for daily specials, the latest entertainment and some of the best views in the Bay.
- With over 40 different types of accommodation available including resorts, hotels, motels, apartments, villas, cabins etc, and over 15 caravan parks throughout Hervey Bay, your overnight needs are well served. Many are located on the Esplanade or in walking distance to the beach.
- There’s a heap of free things to do for families such as the Wetside Water Park, great local shopping, cinemas and entertainment to keep everyone interested when not exploring. There’s also lots of pedestrian paths across the Bay perfect for walking, cycling, skating and scooters. It’s also one of the best places to learn to fish or catch dinner with a variety of piers and jetties along the Bay.
- Being located in a temperate zone, the weather is generally pleasant with no distinct seasons meaning it’s always comfortable.
- Being only a few hours drive north of Brisbane, or a 40-min flight, means Hervey Bay is easily accessible for a long weekend. In fact you could even take the 90min direct flight from Sydney.
There are so many fun tours and things to experience in Hervey Bay including a couple of world renown must do’s!
- K’gari (Fraser Island) is World Heritage-listed and the world’s largest sand island. Well known for it’s incredible range of nature and iconic sites such as Lake McKenzie, 75-Mile Beach, Central Station rainforests and giant trees, freshwater creeks, Champagne Pools and so much more. You can choose to self-4WD or take a guided tour of various duration. All tours and 4WD hire vehicles leave and return from Hervey Bay. There’s also supported hiking tours & cruises to the remote west coast.
- Whale Watching in Australia’s Whale Watching Capital! In 2019, Hervey Bay was declared the world’s first Whale Heritage Site because of the unique situation where thousands of Humpback Whales stay in the calm warm waters of the Bay during their migration south to rest, play and feed their new calves. It provides the best Whale watching experience with over 50,000 people enjoying this each year between mid July & October.
- Lady Elliot Island is the most southern coral cay island on the Great Barrier Reef and is only a 40-minute scenic flight from Hervey Bay. Take a day trip to snorkel or dive on the reef (also home of the Manta Ray) and enjoy the island’s eco resort amenities all day. Because of the island’s location, the water can be more visible and the reef more diverse and vibrant than other better known locations.
- Hervey Bay is definitely one of the best locations to take a cruise out in the Bay through the Great Sandy Strait and along the remote west coast K’gari (Fraser Island). Our favourite tours we recomend are:
- Remote Fraser Island Full Day Experience – cruise through the Bay and explore the remote north-west coast of Fraser and climb sand dunes, kayak the fresh water creeks, swim & snorkel and have fun with water sports. Very unique.
- Take a guided Jet Ski Tour around the Bay or further to see remote islands and Fraser. Lots of fun.
- The Turtle Discovery Tour is a beautiful cultural cruise to the nearby sandy islands and coral reefs. You will learn about the local indigenous Butchulla people and how they experience nature.
- There’s plenty more tours and cruises including inshore fishing trips, beach & bbq island cruises, sunset cruises & helicopter scenic flights.
Have we now convinced you to circle the next long weekend in your diary and make a plan to experience Hervey Bay?! With so much going for it, so many amazing experiences and things to do (without the crowds!) and some big icons to see, you will have so much fun and come home feeling transformed and rejuvenated.
Images courtesy of TEQ.
