The sheltered bays and wildlife-packed waters around the Fraser Coast make it a dream destination for bareboating; that is, skippering your own yacht or catamaran. Anchor at Kingfisher Bay for breakfast then launch a paddleboard to duck into the coves and creeks around K’gari, Australia’s largest sand island – the isle’s Ungowa Creek has two hidden shipwrecks to explore. Keep your eyes peeled for breaching humpback whales or languid sea turtles bobbing across the tops of waves. Find a vendor here – boats range in size, with some hosting up to 12 guests, and most come equipped with safety gear, fresh linen and cooking utensils. You don’t need a boat licence and you’ll get an extensive briefing on the ins and outs of your vessel before you set off. 

More than 30 years after first visiting K’gari (formerly Fraser Island), light artist Bruce Ramus has returned to launch Illumina, a new interpretive light and laser show that shines an ethereal glow across the island. During the nightly 20-minute exhibition, other-worldly shades of violet, green and sea blue swirl across the starlit sky – using the island’s lakes, rainforest and wide horizon as a backdrop and highlighting K’gari’s delicate ecosystem. Illumina can only be experienced as part of one of several package tiers at four-star eco retreat Kingfisher Bay Resort.

Like the idea of fresh fish for dinner? Hire a rod and stock up on tackle from Eastons’ Anglers Den in Hervey Bay then walk to the very end of the one-kilometre Urangan Pier, one of the bay’s most famous attractions. This tranquil spot is one of the best places to cast off and catch the region’s delicacy: fresh whiting. If luck isn’t on your side, pivot to picking up some local organic beef from Markets at The Pier, held every Wednesday and Saturday.

Be one of the first to experience K’gari’s immersive new light show. Book your flights at qantas.com

Lady Elliot Island is a tiny ocean speck that sits in a protected marine park at the Great Barrier Reef’s southern tip. This wildlife wonderland is an easy daytrip that’s a 40-minute scenic flight from Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport. Depending on the time of year, book a dive or snorkel tour to get a glimpse of manta rays or ready your snorkelling gear to meet curious turtles in shallow coral gardens straight off the beach. Back in Hervey Bay, the local dive centre runs dedicated humpback whale swim tours between July and October.

Wreck diving is one of the most exhilarating experiences a diver can add to their logbook. Ex-HMAS Tobruk was deliberately sunk in the shallow waters north of Hervey Bay in 2018 and rests on the Wide Bay seabed at varying depths (between 10 and 30 metres), making her ideal for advanced and open-water divers. Several exciting swim-throughs are possible, and you’re likely to share her rusted remains with octopus, lionfish and wobbegongs. A tour run by the Hervey Bay Dive Centre departs from The Boat Club Marina and includes two guided dives of the wreck (equipment is available for hire at an extra charge).

Fish ’n’ chips and seafood platters always taste better when you’re gazing directly at the pounding surf. The only thing likely to break up your water views at Enzo’s on the Beach in Hervey Bay are the blows of passing whales. The team have even set up beanbags and tables on the beach so you can enjoy dinner and cocktails with your toes in the sand as the sun sinks to the sound of chill DJ beats.

Spend the morning swimming whales and the afternoon watching them from the sand with a drink in hand. Plan your visit now.

K’gari is home to half the world’s “perched lakes”, a rare phenomenon where natural depressions in sand fill with rainwater. Popular Lake McKenzie is the sapphire in the crown and its cellophane-clear water makes it perfect for swimming. Lake Birrabeen is another, famous for its pale-green waters and relative lack of crowds. But if you want to head off the beaten track then the tiny, forest-shrouded Basin Lake, in the centre of the island, is your north star. It’s quite possible you’ll have it all to yourself.

Never heard of Mount Walsh National Park? Don’t worry – that’s exactly how the locals like it. This rugged bushland of gullies and peaks is one of the Fraser Coast hinterland’s hidden gems so don’t expect many other hikers on the trail. Wild swimmers should embark on the easy 1.5-kilometre track from the car park to the Waterfall Creek Rock Pools, also known as the Utopia Rock Pools. This series of deep pools are great for a cool dip and are best visited after heavy rain, when the tiny waterfalls that feed them cascade from the rocky surroundings.

K’gari’s less-travelled west side is where to find meandering, mangrove-lined creeks – Wathumba and Awinya, in particular – that are home to families of sea turtles and migratory birds and ideal for kayaking. The full-day luxury catamaran tours with Tasman Venture depart from Hervey Bay and skip the island’s busier east side altogether, giving guests more time to explore the isle’s pristine creeks. If you’re visiting during whale season (mid-July to October), you’ll have the chance to get up close to, and even swim with, humpbacks just offshore (weather permitting).

From waterfalls to perched lakes, the Fraser Coast region has even more natural gems to discover beyond the beautiful beaches. Book now.

There’s a reason chefs from all over Australia source so much of their seafood from Hervey Bay. The scallops here are some of the finest in the country, as are the sand crabs and fresh fish. One of the best places to try it all is Odyssey in Scarness. The casually elegant restaurant offers a three-course menu that changes monthly to suit the seasonal produce that owners Scott Thompson and Jason England source from local suppliers – think hanger steak from the South Burnett region served with miso and kimchi or Hervey Bay scallops slathered with coriander-and-hazelnut butter. The lengthy drinks list features local spirits from The Matilda Distilling Company and The Spirit Collective.

Many Australian country towns brim with rich history and heritage but only the Fraser Coast’s inland township of Maryborough – a 25-minute drive south of Hervey Bay – can lay claim to being the birthplace of P. L. Travers, author of the Mary Poppins book series. Visitors can explore her story, as well as those of the region’s First Nations people, the Butchulla, at The Story Bank – a space that’s dedicated to narratives. Afterwards, follow the 10-block Maryborough Mural Trail – its 39 large-scale murals feature likenesses of local characters, from former prime minister Andrew Fisher to a wild brumby.

The flats around K’gari are the only place in the world where you can fish for black marlin in shallow water – no deeper than about three metres – and anglers from all over the world travel here to try their luck. The crew from Hervey Bay Fly and Sportfishing know all the prime spots to reel in the giant sea creatures during their October-to-December season, as well as golden trevally, cobia, tuna, mackerel and more.

From cultural attractions to outdoor adventures, there’s plenty of ways to fill your days on the Fraser Coast. Find great deals on flights with Qantas.

See K'gari Like You’ve Never Seen It Before