The Best Southern Great Barrier Reef + Coastal Queensland Road Trip Itinerary
You guys asked for our Southern Great Barrier Reef and coastal Queensland road trip itinerary, so here it is!
We’ve visited every state and territory in Australia, seen some of the most spectacular landscapes and breathtaking nature that Australia has to offer. And yet, there’s something just so magical about our home state of Queensland.
It just hits different.
We’ve already shared our Tropical North Queensland Itinerary. But on this trip, we visited an area of Queensland which is much less visited than the typical Queensland hotspots. But in our opinion, it is just as worthy of a spot on your Australia bucket list.
We even feel like this area of Queensland and the Southern Barrier Reef is so much more beautiful because it’s so untouched and remote in some areas.
Day 1 - Gold Coast to Bundaberg
We kicked off our trip with a 5.5 hour drive from Gold Coast to Bundaberg. If you prefer, you can fly into either Bundaberg or Rockhampton to start your trip.
If you’re looking for a driving break halfway, I highly recommend Moffat Beach which has loads of cute spots for breakfast.
We also found the cutest rustic/industrial style coffee shop called Insane Caffeine in Childers which is about an hour from our final destination of the day - Bundaberg.
Bundaberg is a great base to explore this area of Queensland. We actually used it as our base for 4 nights of this itinerary while we weren’t in Yeppoon or staying on any of the islands.
If you have time to spend in Bundaberg, Tinaberries is a cute family-run fruit farm just outside the town where you can pick your own fruit (make sure you try their fruit ice cream too!).
We spent our first night of the trip at the Big4 Breeze Holiday Park - Bargara so we could stay close to the Bundaberg airport for our early flight the following day. Here, the airport is only 25 minutes away. The holiday park is also super affordable and located right on the coast, so it’s a great option if you want to visit this area and you’re on a budget.
Day 2- Lady Elliot Island
Our day started early, with our morning flight to Lady Elliot Island. All I can say is WOW. The views from the plane were unreal. We couldn’t take pictures fast enough as we flew over the turquoise blue waters and coral bay island of Lady Elliot. We even saw beautiful manta rays from the plane. The arrival flight is seriously part of the whole island paradise experience!
There are two flights daily from Hervey Bay, Brisbane and Gold Coast airports as well as Bundaberg. Our flight took around 30 minutes.
Because the island is a closed destination, there is only one air carrier - Seair Pacific. All flights are booked in partnership with the Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, which is the only place you can stay on the island. In other words, you’ll need to make sure you book your stay and your flights together.
We were given the loveliest welcome when we arrived at the resort and learned all about the Eco Resort. We also learned that Lady Elliot Island is the only coral cay island on the Great Barrier Reef that also has an airstrip. It literally runs the full length of the island, so this really is a unique experience!
Lady Elliot is all about the water activities, being close to nature on the reef and enjoying it in a responsible and eco-friendly way. The island is within the protected Green Zone of the Southern Great Barrier Reef and is home to over 1,000 marine species which is why access to the resort is so regulated.
We started with a glass-bottom boat tour which we were able to go snorkelling from too. The team at the island provides all the gear for you. Snorkelling locations around the island are dependent on the tide times, and the resort will be able to give you the daily tides plus any information you need to plan your day of activities.
Our afternoon snorkelling in the lagoon was probably the most surreal experience I’ve had during all our travels in Australia. We spotted a black manta ray about 100m from the beach, and it stayed near us for such a long time while we snorkelled alongside it.
We also saw countless turtles, tiger sharks, hammerhead sharks, and eagle rays and all of this literally within our first few hours on the island. It honestly wasn’t scary at all being so close to these animals. Just staying calm and moving slowly in the water means you can enjoy seeing so so much wildlife up close. To be so close to these beautiful creatures, I couldn’t stop smiling!
The island isn’t just wildlife either - although it really is hard to beat that part of it!
We spent the sunset on our first evening at the Historic Lighthouse located on the southwest side of the island, the same beach we spent most of the day snorkelling from. If you’re looking for a place to really disconnect, this is it. I just felt totally at peace on this beautiful island.
We stayed overnight in one of their Eco Glamping Tents, which was super cute. They have other accommodation options too for bigger groups, or if you’d prefer not to stay in the glamping tents. There’s also garden units, eco-cabins, beachfront units and single rooms available. You can see all the accommodation options on their website.
Day 3 - Lady Elliot Island
You’ll want to wake up early when you’re staying on Lady Elliot Island because there’s so much to see and do out on the water.
After a buffet breakfast at the beachside restaurant, we spent the morning reef walking and snorkelling, followed by another boat tour out on the reef.
When you visit Lady Elliot Island, you’ll book a package. All their overnight stays include your accommodation, return flights, full buffet breakfast and dinner, snorkelling equipment, one glass bottom boat and snorkel tour per person per stay as well as other add on tours and activities. Prices vary depending on your accommodation choice.
If you’re short on time, you can also visit Lady Elliot Island on a day tour which is $465 per person.
After the most magical stay, we took the afternoon flight back to Bundaberg airport to continue on with our coastal Queensland road trip itinerary. We were already planning a return trip to Lady Eliot before we even departed on our flight though.
Day 4 - Bundaberg to Gladstone with Stops
We stayed overnight at the Bargara Big4 Holiday Park again, which was a great base to visit a few nearby stops.
If you’re a rum or gin fan, make sure to visit Kalki Moon Distilling & Brewing. We did one of their tasting tours to learn more about the distilling process and, of course, to try some of their products.
Then we got back on the road again to drive to our next destination - Gladstone.
On the way, we stopped at Eurimbula National Park, which is a must-see national park on the coast.
While you’re in the area, check out the town of Seventeen Seventy, also called 1770. This tiny coastal town is surrounded by some epic coastal routes to explore, and I stumbled on a beautiful secluded beach while we were there.
Take a drive out on the peninsula here for epic views of the coast - especially if you’ve got a drone!
Also in this area is a really unique forest called the Paperbark Forest Boardwalk with stepping stones through the paperbark trees. I felt like a kid again hopping from stepping stone to stepping stone with the sounds of an enchanted forest (or the frogs that thrive in the forest) and the paperbark trees surrounding me. The trail is short, only 400 metres long, but the stepping stones, boardwalks, and other elements make it a fun break from the road trip.
We stopped overnight at Gladstone before the rest of our drive to Yeppoon the following day. If you’re in Gladstone, there’s a great waterfront brewery called Auckland House to check out!
Day 5 - Yeppoon
A couple of hours north of Gladstone is Byfield National Park which is a stunning conservation forest right on the coast. I honestly can’t believe we hadn’t been to this beautiful part of Queensland before!
The Park has epic beaches, swimming creeks, off-road trails, huge sand dunes and unreal coastal views.
Honestly, I didn’t expect this area to be so epic, but it absolutely exceeded my expectations. It’s yet another part of south Queensland which is so untouched and raw, I cannot recommend visiting enough.
We had such a fun day planning our routes and driving off-road!
Nine Mile Beach was the standout stop of the day but you absolutely need a 4WD to get here. The track is just sand, and it was definitely an adventure trying to get there! But it was so worth it to have this huge beach almost completely to ourselves.
If you don’t have a 4WD, head up to Stockyard Point where there’s an amazing view from the cliffs of Nine Mile Beach that you can access without a 4WD.
We spent this night and the following two nights at the Surfside Motel in Yeppoon. It’s an awesome location for exploring Byfield National Park and more of the surroundings. The motel itself is super cute. It’s on the beachfront and it’s a beachy style, refurbished motel.
Day 6 - Byfield National Park
We started the day with coffee, of course. Lure Living is a great spot in Yeppoon with amazing coffee and it’s right on the beachfront.
On our second day in the area, we wanted to go back and visit a couple more spots in Byfield because we loved it so much.
Most of Byfield National Park does need a 4WD vehicle, so definitely check your routes before you set out.
Another spot we loved was Upper Stoney Creek which is such a stunning swimming hole. It was pretty cold but really refreshing, with beautiful blue water and rope swings and swimming spots all along the creek. There’s also a campsite here if you want to stay in the area longer.
If you do have more time, drive inland to Blackdown Tablelands National Park for more hiking, swimming holes, waterfalls and camping. It’s an awesome option if you’d like to spend longer in this more untouched natural area of Queensland.
After a huge day out exploring, we treated ourselves to the most beautiful drinks I’ve ever seen at The Bungalow in Yeppoon. I treated myself to a drink that was delicious and served beautifully in a dome shrouded in smoke. Definitely recommend it if you’re looking for evening drinks in Yeppoon!
There’s so much to see and do in Yeppoon, we could honestly have stayed longer, and we both felt super at home here. Definitely don’t miss this area on your Southern Great Barrier Reef trip!
Day 7 - Great Keppel Island
The next day we took the morning Keppel Konnections boat service to Great Keppel Island. Departures are just outside of Yeppoon town and there’s morning and afternoon boats so you can make the most of a full day trip to the island. The boat costs $46 per person for the return trip.
It honestly amazes me how each time we go somewhere like this, it feels like we discover another hidden paradise in Queensland.
The water around Keppel Island is so incredibly blue! We went out with Keppel Dive who took us to some of the most stunning beaches which we had all to ourselves. The sand is so white and the turquoise water is so vibrant it looks almost luminescent!
The Keppel Dive team is amazing. They offer scuba diving, snorkelling, kayak tours, beach drop-offs and gear hire too.
If you’re looking for beaches to have all to yourself and a tropical island paradise, you have to visit Great Keppel Island!
Day 8 - Mount Larcom and Driving South
We were so sad to be leaving this beautiful part of Queensland that had surprised us so much, but we checked out and started the drive south back towards Bargara.
Around 1.5 hours south of Yeppoon, you can stop and hike Mount Larcom. It’s a fairly strenuous hike and takes around 3-4 hours depending on ability. It’s only 7km and fairly steep in certain areas, however it is well worth doing as the views are pretty awesome from the top.
Bargara is another 2.5 hours south from here. Back at Bargara for the night, we stopped at Bargara Brewing Company for dinner and drinks as we’d missed it during our first stay. If you’re a craft beer fan, it’s a must on your trip!
Also if you’re looking for good coffee, The Windmill Cafe in Bargara is the place to be!
Day 9 - Lady Musgrave Experience
Our Southern Great Barrier Reef road trip through Queensland had one more can’t-miss experience. Our day trip to Lady Musgrave island started early with the 6.50 am boat from Bundaberg Port Marina. There are spots here to leave your car for the day too.
There are daily departures to Lady Musgrave, but the catamaran journey takes around 2 hours so you do need to start your day early. It costs $228 per person for the day trip and whole Lady Musgrave Experience.
Lady Musgrave Island is known as the only navigable lagoon on the whole Great Barrier Reef, so we were extremely excited to see the incredible marine wildlife on the lagoon.
Going on the Lady Musgrave Experience also means that you can get straight in the water and start snorkelling or diving on the reef as soon as you arrive.
If you’d prefer not to get in the water, they do also have glass-bottom boat tours in the lagoon so you can see and experience the wildlife.
Yet again, we were blown away by the colour of the water and the amount of marine life here. I’ve never seen so many turtles in one place before! We spotted turtles before we even got in the water! I honestly felt emotional at the pure beauty of this place and in awe that I get to live in this amazing country.
Part of the Lady Musgrave Experience is also exploring the amazing untouched nature on the island. There are plenty of walks to do and even a campsite if you wish to stay overnight and catch the boat back the following day.
The great thing about visiting this part of Queensland is how amazing the weather is all year round. We were here in the middle of winter and it was still 22-26 degrees. Perfect to explore and enjoy the beaches, swimming and outdoor activities.
Day 10 - Driving Home
Our drive back to Gold Coast from Bargara was another 5.5 hours. Again, you can fly to Bundaberg or Rockhampton if you are too far to drive or if you prefer to fly instead.
It honestly amazes me how much there is to see in Queensland that’s so close to home and yet never visited before. I already can’t wait to get back and explore more of this part of Queensland and to see more of the Southern Great Barrier Reef.
I hope this Southern Queensland itinerary and guide to the Southern Great Barrier Reef has inspired you to visit this raw and underrated area of the state.
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