Seven days from Noosa up to the Keppels, chasing turtles, silica sand and rusting shipwrecks. A self-drive trip with one 4WD island and one ferry island.
Day 1
Description: Ease in at Noosa. Start with the coastal walk through Noosa National Park while the light's still soft, keeping an eye up the gum trees for koalas, then drop down to Tea Tree Bay for a swim on the squeaky sand. Refuel beachfront at Bistro C. Spend the afternoon lazily, then drive up to Laguna Lookout for the view over the river system as the day cools. Dinner is the long-standing Sails on the beachfront, timed for sunset.
Noosa National Park
Tea Tree Bay Beach
Bistro C — breakfast
Laguna Lookout
Sails Restaurant Noosa — dinner
Elysium Noosa Resort - MGallery Collection — hotel
Day 2
Description: North to K'gari. Drive up to River Heads, drop your tyre pressure once you're across, and spend the day on the world's largest sand island. Make for Lake McKenzie first while the water's still and the sand blinding, then run the beach highway (tide permitting) to the rusting hull of the S.S. Maheno for the late afternoon glow. Settle in at Kingfisher Bay on the sheltered west coast and take the guided night walk for nocturnal wildlife.
RiverHeads Ferry Terminal — transit
Lake Mckenzie (Boorangoora)
S.S. Maheno
Kingfisher Bay Resort Fraser Island — hotel
Day 3
Description: A wildlife-from-above morning. Head up to Indian Head and scramble the headland early, before the wind picks up, to look down on sharks, rays and turtles cruising the clear water below. Cool off in the Champagne Pools just north (the only safe saltwater swim on the island). Back to the resort for a sunset over the Great Sandy Strait from the jetty bar.
Indian Head
Champagne Pools
Kingfisher Bay Resort Fraser Island — hotel
Day 4
Description: Off the island and down to Bundaberg's coast, basing at Bargara. The day is low-key on purpose, because the main event is after dark. Walk the changing sands of Mon Repos by day, have an early beachfront dinner at Kacy's, then join the ranger-led turtle encounter at the Mon Repos Turtle Centre in the evening (in season, November to March). Bring patience and no flash.
Mon Repos Conservation Park
Kacy’s Restaurant — dinner
Mon Repos Turtle Centre
Kellys Beach Resort — hotel
Day 5
Description: Up to Agnes Water and the headland town of 1770. Breakfast in the rainforest garden at the Getaway cafe, then walk the Red Rock trail from Springs Beach in the morning light, watching for the wallabies around Rocky Point. Spend the middle of the day on Agnes Water's surf beach. Late afternoon, head to 1770's north-facing headland for one of the only over-the-water sunsets on the east coast.
Getaway Garden Cafe — breakfast
Springs Beach
Red Rock Beach
Agnes Water Main Beach — lunch
Workman's Beach
Seventeen Seventy
1770 Getaway Villas — hotel
Day 6
Description: A full day option for the adventurous: the all-day amphibious LARC tour out to Bustard Head Lighthouse, crossing creeks and running up the beach, with billy tea and a tour of Queensland's first coastal lighthouse. If you'd rather a slower day, swap it for a second beach day at Agnes. Either way, ease into the evening back at the villas.
1770 LARC! Tours
Bustard Head Lighthouse
1770 Getaway Villas — hotel
Day 7
Description: South to the Keppels. Grab a coffee at Chapter in Yeppoon, then catch the ferry from Keppel Bay Marina across to Great Keppel Island. Land at Fisherman Beach, then walk the headland to Shelving Beach for a shore snorkel over the reef. End at Putney Beach for happy hour and the island sunset, with dinner at the Hideaway. Stay on the island, or ferry back to Salt in Yeppoon.
Chapter — breakfast
Keppel Bay Marina — transit
Fisherman Beach
Shelving Beach
Putney Beach
Great Keppel Island Hideaway — dinner, hotel
