Travel just three and a half hours north of Brisbane and you reach a frenzy of family friendly options. With miles of beautiful beachfront, safe swimming beaches and a host of land-based activities, there’s no going past the Fraser Coast.
It’s famous as the whale watching capital of Australia for good reason but even off season, you’ll find plenty to keep every member of the family entertained.
First up, somewhere to stay and a great option for families is a caravan park because they usually are super kid friendly.
The largest of Hervey Bay’s beachfront options is Pialba Caravan Park. That’s right… absolute beachfront! With powered and unpowered sites and all the amenities you need, there’s not much to do but sit back and relax… unless you’re a keen angler. The gutter formations that have developed with the recent weather mean fish like whiting and brim are on the rise, as well as yabbies!
For the kids, Wetside Water Park is right next door. It offers free entry, with just a small fee for some of the bigger rides. On Saturday nights, there’s even a light show!
When it comes to sustenance, we recommend the nearby Hervey Bay RSL and Sandy Bay Restaurant within. It has all the pros of an RSL like an awesome kids club, relaxed vibe, and great prices, but the food is anything but average, putting some five-star restaurants to shame. Chris’s pick: the BBQ Lamb Ribs with Smokey BBQ Sauce. Member discounts make it even more affordable, and if you’re on holidays or just passing through you can pick up a temporary membership for just $5!
As it is the whale watching capital of the country, we just couldn’t resist mentioning the largest of the whale watching fleet, which operates outside of the Great Sandy Straits Marina. The Spirit of Hervey Bay has six levels of uncrowded viewing decks, underwater viewing windows and even a hydrophone (an underwater microphone) which is then fed through the boat’s speakers to give the full whale song experience, live! The season runs from July to October, and it really is a bucket list event you have to witness to truly understand.
Back on dry land, The Esplanade alone offers a great walking tracks, swimming, biking and fishing… needless to say you’ll need more than a day or two here. Discovery Holiday Parks Fraser Street is another option perfect for the kids. A must mention here are the ensuite sites so you simply set up at your very own bathroom and toilet. Now that’s luxury camping and caravanning!
There’s also a cool jumping pillow (hugely popular with the little ones), a couple of pools to choose from, great camp kitchen, bikes for hire and some top notch cabins too.
