We finally made it to the Queensland Coast, our home state, and were excited to see the Coral Sea once again and dip our feet into the water. I think I did a little dance when I paddled into the water at the beach at Yeppoon, just east of Rockhampton. We had been on the road for almost seven months on our travel around Australia in 185 Days and we’d basically circumnavigated the entire country.

We timed our arrival into Rockhampton to see our son who was working here temporarily for a week. It was so exciting to see him again after such a long time and we had lots to catch up on. Plus we enjoyed seeing some of the great sights of Rockhampton, the “Beef Capital” of Australia and the beachside towns of Yeppoon and Emu Park.

Day 174 to 176 – Rockhampton

One of the grand old Queenslander pubs in Rockhampton

Distance: From Emerald 270kms

Where we stayed: Gracemere Caravan Park (14kms from Rockhampton)

Cost: $32 per night powered site

Caravan Park Facilities:

• Shady and grassy sites
• Camp kitchen
• Swimming pool
• Dog friendly
• Toilets & showers

Yeppoon Beachfront

Local Attractions:

• Kershaw Botanical Gardens
• Rockhampton attractions
• Rockhampton Zoo
• Archer Park Rail Museum
• Yeppoon
• Emu Park
• Capricorn Caves
• Great Keppel Island

Hot Tip: Take a ferry over to Great Keppel Island and enjoy the beautiful beaches of white sand and snorkelling in the crystal clear waters.

Read more about the Capricorn Coast here

Day 177 to 178 – Town of 1770/Agnes Water

Bustard Bay in Town of 1770

Distance: From Rockhampton 231kms

Where we Stayed: Workmans Beach Camping Area, Agnes Water

Cost: $7 per person per night

Campground Facilities:

• Toilets
• Cold showers
• Drinking water
• Bush camp setting
• Picnic tables
• Dog friendly
• Short walk to beach

Workmans Beach, Agnes Water

Local Attractions:

• Workmans Beach and Agnes Water Beach
• 1 km walk into Agnes Water town
• Town of 1770 6kms
• Bustard Bay and Round Hill Creek
• Fishing & boating
• Access to Lady Musgrave and Lady Elliot Islands
• Bushwalking

Hot Tip: Town of 1770 is very much a boating and fisherman’s paradise. If you don’t have one, rent a tinnie for the day and drop a line in.

For more reading on this fabulous area on the Queensland Coast see Town of 1770: The Birthplace of Queensland

Day 179 to 180 – Bundaberg

Burnett River in Bundaberg

Distance: From Town of 1770 129kms

Where we Stayed: Moore Park Beach Holiday Park (18kms from Bundaberg)

Cost: $31 per night powered site

Caravan Park Facilities:

• Beachfront sites
• Coin laundry
• Swimming pool
• Dog friendly
• BBQ shelter adjacent to park
• Playground adjacent to park

Ducks on the pond in Moore Park

Local Attractions:

• Moore Park Beach
• Moore Park parklands and pond
• Bundaberg attractions
• Burnett River
• Bundaberg Rum Distillery
• Burnett Heads
• Mon Repos Turtle Centre
• Hinkler Hall of Aviation

Hot Tip: Put the tour of the Bundaberg Rum Distillery on your must see list. It’s fabulous, especially the rum tasting at the end of the tour!

Read more about the Bundaberg region here

Day 181 to 183 – Hervey Bay

Hervey Bay Jetty

Distance: From Bundaberg 110kms

Where We Stayed: The Palms Caravan Park, Hervey Bay

Cost: $35 per night powered site

Caravan Park Facilities:

• 300 metres from the Esplanade, beach front of Hervey Bay
• Lush palm trees throughout the park
• Large swimming pool
• Modern camp kitchen
• Laundry facilities
• Dog Friendly
• Free WiFi

Hervey Bay Marina

Local Attractions:

• Whale watching cruises
• Walk or cycle along the Esplanade
• Boating and fishing
• Urangan Pier
• Day trip to Fraser Island
• Reefworld Aquarium

Hot Tip: Check out all the boats and yachts at the Hervey Bay Marina, browse the shops and grab a cup of coffee whilst watching the boats.

For more information on Hervey Bay and the Fraser Coast read my post titled F is For Fraser Coast

Day 184 to 185 – Maroochydore

We arrived in Maroochydore, the home of our daughter and were fortunate to be invited to stay in her apartment with her for a few nights. So for the first time in almost seven months we slept in a proper bed in a bedroom, instead of in a house on wheels. Such luxury!

View from the Apartment on the Maroochy River

Distance: From Hervey Bay 204kms

Where We Stayed: Apartment on Maroochy Riverfront

Maroochydore Attractions:

• Maroochy River
• Boating & fishing
• Water sports
• Maroochydore Beach
• Cotton Tree beach and parklands
• Sunshine Coast attractions including Sealife Mooloolaba, Bli Bli Aquapark, Aussie World and Australia Zoo.
• Sunshine Plaza Shopping Centre and the Riverwalk

Maroochydore Beach

Hot Tip: Maroochydore is the perfect spot to base yourself on your visit to the Sunshine Coast as it is very central. You can then do day trips to Noosa in the north or Caloundra in the south. Also don’t forget to do a day trip out to Maleny and Montville in the hinterland.

For more reading on Marooochydore and the Sunshine Coast read Mooching Around Maroochydore

After we left Maroochydore it was a two hour drive to the Gold Coast and home sweet home. Our around Australia adventure was finally over and we were extremely happy to be home. We vowed that we would return to see the parts of Australia that we had missed – the Top End and Far North Queensland, another time. We had the time of our lives and this experience is something that I thoroughly recommend to anyone. But don’t leave it too late – do it before you get too old!