The Fraser Coast is a jewel of Queensland’s coastline a few hours north of Brisbane littered with quaint seaside townships offering the quintessential sleepy beachfront experience.
Despite its idyllic surroundings, the region has been lucky enough to avoid the attention of developers allowing it to maintain these quiet roots and offer the perfect getaway from the city hustle and bustle.
Burrem Heads
Located just north of Hervey Bay on the southern banks of the Burrem River, Burrem Heads is a small community that time sort of forgot.
Don’t expect to have all kinds of facilities available here – there’s a reason it’s maintained its quiet nature. However, you can expect the basics like the local grocery store, bakery, fish & chip shop and post office.
Stay at the Burrem Heads Beachfront Tourist Park where you can pull up a caravan right by the waterfront under the shade of the palm trees.
Drop a line into the water just steps away from your caravan and catch a few flatheads or whiting. The more keen anglers among us will also find Burrem Heads to launch a boat directly into the bay for a day on the water.
Woodgate Beach
On the northern side of the Burrem River sits the township of Woodgate Beach – often a holiday destination for residents of Bundaberg.
For the grey nomads, Woodgate Beach Holiday Park provides the perfect accommodation from which to venture. Drop into the Serenity Cove Cafe just by the entrance for lunch and enjoy a beautiful piece of Barramundi and chips for just eleven bucks.
The Woodgate Beach Hotel on the northern end of town offers a great spot for an afternoon drink or a juicy steak for dinner with a great outdoor garden overlooking the water.
Tin Can Bay
Further to the south, sitting on a peninsular surrounded by the Great Sandy Strait is the idyllic seaside village of Tin Can Bay. As a historic fishing town, Tin Can Bay is known for its excellent seafood catch, abundant wildlife, and once-in-a-lifetime dolphin feeding experiences.
The town has a great range of local eateries to keep your belly full including a bakery, Chinese restaurant, country/golf club, plus The Snack Shack – a must-try fish & chippery, and the Sails Bar + Bistro.
If you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Tin Can Bay is one of the very few places in Australia where you can legally feed wild dolphins by hand.
What initially started as dolphins following the local fisherman into the marina and eating their bycatch thrown overboard has evolved into an experience like no other for tourists.
Every day at 8:00 AM, a pod of humpback dolphins headed by their alpha male, Mystique, arrive in the marina for feeding overseen by dedicated volunteers from the Barnacles Dolphin Centre. Register for feeding for just a small fee from 7:00 AM and have the opportunity to treat the dolphins to breakfast in the shallows of the inlet.
It’s truly a rare experience you’ll be hard-pressed to replicate elsewhere.
These are just a few of many one-of-a-kind destinations scattered throughout the Fraser Coast that have been quietly humming along as secluded getaways for those in the know.
The lack of major road infrastructure has helped these towns maintain their sleepy vibe and we hope, for their sake, this continues. In the meantime, consider planning your next vacation to somewhere in this region that will surely not disappoint.
Check out this video to see more about the region:
Looking for an inland destination instead?
Don’t miss our guide on the idyllic town of Kenilworth and the beautiful National Parks that surround it.
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Keyword: Fraser Coast Destination Guide