Pacific Coast Way road trip: Gold Coast to Fraser Coast
Start: Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast
Snapshot: Begin your journey at the southern end of the Gold Coast at Burleigh Heads – a top destination for surfers with the waters off the main beach providing ample opportunities for veteran surfers and newbies to conquer the waves of the Gold Coast World Surfing Reserve. For land dwellers there is also the opportunity to walk through thousands of years of Indigenous history that can be observed around Burleigh Headland.
Stay: The brand-new Mondrian Gold Coast spans 24 floors with sprawling views across Burleigh Beach and out to the Pacific Ocean, as well as west to the leafy Hinterland, this luxe hotel is the Los Angeles-based brand’s first foray into Australia.
Play: Discover the history of the Yugambeh people, one of the oldest living cultures in the world at the Jellurgal Cultural Centre at the base of Burleigh Mountain. Or learn to surf with one of the many Gold Coast surf schools such as Cheyne Horan Surf School at Burleigh Heads, with a program built on more than three decades of surf coaching experience from world champion surfer Cheyne Horan.
Dine: Nestled on the beachfront is one of the region’s most iconic and award-winning restaurants Rick Shores where you’re so close to the beach you can almost feel the sea spray. This staple of the Gold Coast is renowned for its popular bug rolls.
An aerial view of Burleigh Heads.
Stop 1: Brisbane
The drive time between Burleigh Heads and Brisbane is about an hour along the Pacific Coast Way. Take a turn west en route for a pit stop at Tamborine Mountain to get the legs pumping with a trek through Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk.
Snapshot: Queensland’s capital city stands out for its laid-back culture, sub-tropical climate and urban charm. With tropical island escapes on the city’s doorstep, a vibrant cultural line up from world-class musicals and art exhibitions and a raft of new and exciting new openings across hotels and dining, Brisbane is really having its time in the spotlight.
Stay: The Star Grand Brisbane is a five-star luxury hotel featuring 340 rooms and is at the centre of the new luxury hotel and lifestyle precinct perched adjacent to the Brisbane River at Queen’s Wharf, complemented by a stellar lineup of elevated dining options.
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Play: Just 75 minutes by ferry from Brisbane, Moreton Island, the third-largest sand island in the world, is an adventure playground with Tangalooma Island Resort boasting a magnificent portfolio of outdoor adventures and natural encounters such as ATV tours, sand tobogganing and snorkelling the Tangalooma Wrecks – a cluster of 15 deliberately sunken ships transformed into a colourful artificial harbour.
Dine: Tucked away in a Brisbane laneway is Gerard’s Bistro, one of the city’s most popular restaurants serving up flavour-packed Middle Eastern dishes including the fresh Barbari bread to get you started. Gerard’s Bistro is just one of the many restaurants that line James Street with Harveys, Hellenika, sAme sAme and new addition to the neighbourhood, ēmmē, serving up modern dining feasts.
The entry to Eumundi Markets.
Stop 2: Sunshine Coast
The journey from Brisbane to Sunshine Coast is about 1.5 hours. Take a right off the Pacific Coast Way and discover the charming seaside community of Bribie Island – linked to the mainland by a road bridge. Fuel up for lunch at Sandstone Point Hotel with panoramic views of Pumicestone Passage and perhaps spend the evening in one of the Overwater Villas, which sit above the Sandstone Lagoon. If you’re a fan of live music, you’re in luck because Sandstone Point Hotel regularly hosts well-known bands and artists.
Snapshot: Whether it’s the sandy turquoise beaches or rugged emerald hills of the hinterland, the Sunshine Coast is a colour palette for the senses. New family-friendly accommodation and eclectic markets and dining options paired with a hint of history sees the Sunshine Coast pack a punch with no shortage of memory-making opportunities. Read more about the Sunshine Coast in our Travel section.
Stay: Adjacent to Steve Irwin’s iconic Australia Zoo, where the neighbours happen to be kangaroos, emus, koalas, freshwater crocodiles and turtles lies the Crocodile Cabins. The cabins are the latest addition to the Crocodile Hunter Lodge where guests have access to the resort’s existing facilities, including onside restaurant, and entry to the Zoo itself.
Play: Head 40 minutes north from Australia Zoo along the Pacific Coast Way to the idyllic hinterland town of Eumundi for the Eumundi Markets, one of the largest artisan markets in Australia held every Wednesday and Saturday.
Dine: The Sunshine Coast is stamping its mark in the Queensland dining scene when it comes to Asian fusion cuisine, and it doesn’t get any better than Rice Boi at The Wharf Mooloolaba. The red lanterns and neon lights lure foodies in where mouth-watering dumplings, bao buns and curries leave no belly empty.
The Mary Valley Rattler train.
Stop 3: Fraser Coast
Travel time between the Sunshine Coast and Fraser Coast is about 2.5 hours. En route, steam train enthusiasts and history buffs can step aboard the Mary Valley Rattler at the historic Gympie Station for a rollicking railway journey through time and the Mary Valley countryside.
Snapshot: Hervey Bay on the Fraser Coast is the stopover for roughly 10,000 humpback whales on their annual journey between the Pacific and Antarctica, travelling the waters parallel to the Pacific Coast Way. Discover Maryborough’s connection to Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers and keep an eye out for the quirky Mary Poppins-themed pedestrian lights in town – or get acquainted with nature on the world’s largest sand island, K’gari (formerly Fraser Island).
Stay: Just a short 40-minute ferry ride from Hervey Bay is the World Heritage-listed K’gari where guests at family-friendly Kingfisher Bay Resort can celebrate the diverse ecosystem of the island on a range of tours and experiences including hiking, swimming and 4WD adventures. At night be entertained by Queensland’s first permanent light show, Illumina – a light and sound spectacle with the island’s natural environment as an artistic backdrop.
Play: Whale watching – get up close to these majestic marine mammals from July to November with many tour operators available including Fraser Island Boat Charters and Pacific Whale Foundation from Hervey Bay, with whale watching tours also available direct from K’gari. Hervey Bay has cemented its reputation as the whale capital of Australia, after being declared the world’s first Whale Heritage Site in 2019. Back on the mainland, walk in the early footsteps of the writer behind the world’s most famous Nanny, Mary Poppins. Author PL Travers was born in Maryborough with her story and connection to the town captured at the Story Bank museum.
Dine: Back on the mainland and located in the historic Customs House Residence of Maryborough with sweeping views of the Mary River Parklands and Wharf Street Precinct, the popular Portside Café and Restaurant prides itself on championing fresh produce.
Start planning your Queensland road trip at Queensland.com.
Illumina at Kingfisher Bay Resort on K'gari.
The Road Ahead and Tourism and Events Queensland have partnered to promote the Pacific Coast Way and its many attractions. You can read more about the highway from the Gold Coast to Cairns in the next two editions of the magazine.
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