Fraser Coast

Queensland’s Fraser Coast is located amidst some of Australia’s most famed natural attractions, with visitors coming from near and far to experience the Great Barrier Reef, Fraser Island, the hinterland rainforests, and the unique local culture that has developed around them.

Visitors enjoy swimming, surfing and snorkelling at the many stunning local beaches, and also have the opportunity to dive at specified dive sights. Other local attractions and activities include bird watching, visiting historical sites such as the Maryboroughs Gun, local museums and galleries, or experiencing the range of health and wellbeing services on offer in the region.

From July to November, Hervey Bay is a particularly popular area, drawing visitors to the coast to watch the whales that make the bay their playground over the winter and spring months. Guests enjoy whale watching cruises, or visiting local lookouts where whales can be seen breaching. Other peak periods include the summer months, particularly throughout school holiday weeks.

Visitors from Brisbane and Sydney can reach the area directly via flights to Hervey Bay Airport, while other domestic and international visitors can fly into Brisbane airport and catch a connecting flight.

The Fraser Coast has a range of accommodation, with a number of coastal resorts and luxury hotels; eco-lodges, chalets and rainforest retreats in the hinterland, as well as several budget holiday parks and serviced apartments for travelling families. In total, the region is home to approximately 285 accommodation options and food services, with plenty of room for the thousands of visitors to the region each year.

In the year ending March 2017, the region had 595,000 domestic overnight visitors, with 48 percent of visitors coming for a holiday, and others visiting the region to see friends and family, or for business. It also welcomed 151,000 international overnight visitors, with almost a quarter of those travelling from the UK, and others coming from Germany, France, New Zealand, the USA and Canada amongst other countries.

The region is on track to achieve its 2020 target of doubling overnight visitor expenditure to $30 billion, with tourism growth expected to rise in the coming years.