Explore Australia

Botanic Gardens: peaceful vistas and orchid conservatory; Elizabeth St. Historical Village & Museum: recalls pioneer days in 20 historic buildings, including Acutt Cottage, old church and sugar machinery; open Fri–Sun; Zephyr St. Sea Shell Museum: shell creations and displays, including 100 million-year-old shell; Esplanade. Neptune's Reefworld: natural aquarium with Great Barrier Reef's coral and sea life plus performing seals; Pulgul St. M & K Model Railways: award-winning miniature village and model trains. Ride the replica diesel train; open Tues–Fri; Old Maryborough Rd. Thrillseekers Amusement Park: rides include the Bungee Rocket; Hervey Bay Rd. Dayman Park: memorial commemorates landing of Matthew Flinders in 1799 and the Z-Force commandos who trained there on the Krait in WWII. Regional Gallery: includes rotating exhibitions of local artists plus touring exhibitions from state and national galleries; open Mon–Sat; Old Maryborough Road. Scenic walkway: cycle or walk 15 km along the waterfront. Whale-watching tours: half- and full-day tours to see the migratory whales off the coast, departing from Boat Harbour; contact visitor centre for details.

Fraser Island World Heritage–listed Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world. It is an ecological wonder with lakes and forests existing purely on sand. Protected within Great Sandy National Park, the island is an oasis of beaches, beautifully coloured sand cliffs, more than 40 freshwater lakes and spectacular rainforests. Idyllic Lake McKenzie is definitely one of the most beautiful of these freshwater lakes – its shallow water is dazzling aquamarine and ringed by white sandy beaches backed by paperbark trees.The island is also home to a variety of wildlife, including migratory birds and rare animals such as the ground parrot and Illidge's ant-blue butterfly. Offshore, see the turtles, dugong and dolphins soak-up the warm waters and, between Aug and Nov, look out for migrating humpback whales. There are a variety of walks around the island, as well as swimming spots and scenic drives. The island's surf coast, on the east, takes in the beautiful Seventy Five Mile Beach; the Cathedrals, 15-metre sheer cliffs composed of different-coloured sands; the wreck of the Maheno, a trans-Tasman luxury liner; and Eli Creek, a freshwater creek filtered through the dunes, where visitors can float beneath the pandanus trees. Care should be taken around the island's dingo population. Stay with children, walk in groups, never feed or coax the dingoes and keep all food and rubbish in vehicles or campground lockers. They are thought to be the purest strain of dingoes in eastern Australia. By the time these native dogs arrived on the mainland – they came with Asian seafarers around 5000 years ago – Fraser Island was already disconnected from the continent, and the dingoes swam across Great Sandy Strait. Unlike most mainland dingoes, they have not been hybridised by contact with domestic dogs. Vehicle and camping permits from Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service, 13 1304; 23 km E.

Great Sandy Strait: the Mary and Susan rivers to the south of Hervey Bay run into this strait where visitors can see spectacular migratory birds, including the comb-crested jacana. Look out for dugongs, the world’s only plant-eating marine mammals, and fish at the mouth of the Mary River, around River Heads. Hire a houseboat to travel down the strait; contact visitor centre for details. Toogoom: quiet seaside resort town. Feed the pelicans on the boardwalk; 15 km W. Burrum Heads: pleasant holiday resort at the mouth of the Burrum River with excellent beaches and fishing. Visit at Easter for the Amateur Fishing Classic; 20 km NW. Burrum Coast National Park: 34 km NW; see Bundaberg. Brooklyn House: historic Queenslander pioneer house; Howard; 36 km W.  Scenic flights: over Hervey Bay and Fraser Island in a Tiger Moth or other small plane; contact visitor centre for details.

Hervey Bay 4 km

Hervey Bay and Fraser Island are inseparably linked to each other and to fishing. Variety and quality of species is a true measure of a fishing destination and here you can catch longtails (northern bluefin tuna),... Find out more

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Lake Lenthall 37 km

Anyone who has read about the barramundi boom in Queensland’s impoundments will know about lakes like Awoonga, Faust and Callide. But there are many, less- known waters that also offer excellent fishing, and one of... Find out more

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Fraser Island 50 km

The world’s biggest sand island, Fraser Island is 123 km long and has become Australia’s most famous beach-fishing venue, albeit one that also offers rock- and offshore fishing. The list of inshore species... Find out more

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Lake Monduran 115 km

Lake Monduran is near Gin Gin, a four-hour drive north of Brisbane on the Bruce Highway. Although it appears narrow, it has a surface area of 53 sq km and a holding capacity of 585 900 ML of water, which is about 1.6... Find out more

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Bjelke Petersen Dam 145 km

Lake Barambah is a 22 sq km water about 15 km south-east of Murgon. It is regarded as one of the state’s best waters for big bass, but also has yellowbelly, silver perch and saratoga. It is relatively shallow for a... Find out more

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Mooloolaba 157 km

It’s 6am on the Mooloolaba waterfront behind Kawana Waters Hotel. The temperature is mild enough to be wearing shorts and a shirt. All is quiet amid the moored boats except for the eager anglers sitting around the... Find out more

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Lake Boondooma 170 km

Situated on the Boyne River to the west of Bjelke Petersen Dam, this lake is about 15 km from Proston. Since its construction in 1983, a variety of species have been stocked here. Australian bass, silver perch and... Find out more

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Wuruma Dam 191 km

Situated 35 km north of Eidsvold, this 18 sq km little-known water contains Australian bass, barramundi, saratoga, silver perch, yellowbelly and sleepy cod. A Stocked Impoundment Permit is required. There is a large... Find out more

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Cania Dam 204 km

Located close to Monto, Cania Dam holds yellowbelly, silver perch and Australian bass to 3 kg. Cania’s big drawcard though is the saratoga. Initially stocked with only 200 individuals, the saratoga have bred to a... Find out more

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Lake Awoonga 209 km

The jewel in the crown of the Bass to Barra Trail, Lake Awoonga is Queensland’s premier barramundi impoundment. Clean waters, the result of a largely undisturbed watershed, contain barramundi, mangrove jack,... Find out more

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Hiking on Fraser Island 40 km

Fraser Island, with its 1653 square kilometres encompassing 200-metre-high sand dunes, 80 beautiful lakes and pockets of rainforest, is a delight for those prepared to put on a pack. Hikers can camp beside some of the... Find out more

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Cycling the Sunshine Coast and hinterland 163 km

Join a half-day or longer guided bike tour with Bicycle Tours of Queensland, particularly the popular Sunshine Coast ride or Maleny to Glass House Mountains. A back-up bus is included if it all gets too much.... Find out more

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Mount Coot-tha Forest 242 km

The largest natural area in Brisbane, this 1500 hectares of open eucalypt forest holds more than 18 kilometres of walking tracks, 12 kilometres of mountain-biking tracks and a further 31 kilometres of multi-use tracks.... Find out more

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Westlander 242 km

Take the overnight train ride from Brisbane to Charleville or Quilpie, travelling over the Great Dividing Range and through some of Queensland’s rich farming areas.... Find out more

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Cycling and mountain-biking around Brisbane 242 km

Brisbane has a growing network of great cycling trails and some excellent rides for tourists – a five-to-20-kilometre ride along the shores of the Brisbane River comes highly recommended. There is also a great ride... Find out more

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Rock climbing around Brisbane 243 km

Brisbane’s Kangaroo Point is perhaps the friendliest city rock-climbing spot in the country, with views over the Brisbane River, a range of climbs for absolute beginners and upwards, and established anchor points... Find out more

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Noosa Springs Resort 127 km

Laid out across 50 hectares of bushland on the shore of beautiful Lake Weyba, Noosa Springs takes you on a gently rolling journey between rainforest pockets, along the edges of lakes and through bloodwood forest,... Find out more

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Hyatt Regency Coolum Resort 142 km

Resort courses are sometimes labelled, perhaps unfairly, as all being similar to one another: wide fairways, big undulating greens, large bunker schemes, the obligatory drinks cart. Some might even say a round of golf... Find out more

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Twin Waters Golf Club 150 km

By the end of the 1980s, Queensland’s Sunshine Coast had a handful of good member clubs. In the ’90s, as the region became home to Australia’s fastest growing population, more golf courses and more... Find out more

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Pelican Waters Golf Club 173 km

It took 54 years for his dream to be realised, but when Pelican Waters Golf Club finally opened for play in 2000, not even the visionary behind the original idea could have imagined it would turn out as good as it... Find out more

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Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club 195 km

Challenging the best players without alienating casual and beginner golfers is the fine line every course designer treads in coming up with a new creation. One designer who does it better than most is Ross Watson. His... Find out more

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North Lakes Resort Golf Club 214 km

Good course designers have tricks up their sleeves when it comes to spurring golfers to rise to the challenge. They can visually intimidate you with large schemes of bunkers or water hazards encroaching on the best... Find out more

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Royal Queensland Golf Club 239 km

Of all the golf courses in this book, Royal Queensland has undergone the most dramatic changes in recent years. Originally opened in 1920, on reclaimed mangrove swampland on the north bank of the Brisbane River, ... Find out more

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Bayswater Bistro & Bar

Located at Peppers Pier Resort, the Bayswater Bistro concentrates on seafood. Specialties of the house include salt and Sichuan pepper squid with lime aioli, and grilled Hervey Bay scallops with coconut, kaffir lime and... Find out more

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Enzo’s on the Beach

This is the kind of seaside cafe you can often only dream of finding in these days of big resorts claiming much of the waterfront. At Scarness, the quiet end of the bay, Enzo’s feels almost European with its... Find out more

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Gatakers Landing Restaurant

The emphasis here is on the sea and its produce, although meat eaters are also well served. Signature dishes include salt-and-pepper squid served with avocado and coriander salsa. Or for the best of everything, try a... Find out more

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Kingfisher Bay Resort Cruises

Take a moonlight cruise to Kingfisher Bay Resort and stay for dinner at the Maheno Restaurant. Or book a Day Away Cruise that includes morning or afternoon tea, a ranger guided walk and lunch at the Sand Bar. Moonlight... Find out more

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Mondo Organics, West End 244 km

Australia’s first organic restaurant when it opened in 2000, Mondo Organics serves a range of organic meats, including beef, chicken, duck and lamb, and the fish is chosen for the sustainability of the catch. The... Find out more

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Sunshine Coast Brewery 153 km

Queensland’s longest-running microbrewery has been operating from an industrial estate on the outskirts of Maroochydore since 1998. It was established by Jim Robinson and Queensland craft-beer pioneer Graham Howard... Find out more

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Castlemaine Perkins (Fourex) Brewery 242 km

The pages of Australian brewing history are littered with take-overs and acquisitions, and while Castlemaine Perkins sounds like a merger, it was, in reality, yet another buy-out. As the name suggests, the Castlemaine... Find out more

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Bush camping 10 km

With no facilities, this bush campground is on the south-east side of the island, about 5 minutes south of the gas shed. You’ll need to bring your own water, gas/fuel stove and rubbish bags. Note that mobile phone... Find out more

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Lake McKenzie camping area 25 km

This is a basic clearing with no facilities situated along the Fraser Island Great Walk track. The maximum stay is 2 nights and groups should be no bigger than 8. It is a little more than 6 km north of Central Station.... Find out more

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Ungowa camping area 25 km

Expect plenty of open, shady spots for tents and defined camper trailer sites at Ungowa, 12 km south-west of Central Station on the south-west coast. Access is 4WD or boat. Bring insct repellent as mosquitoes and... Find out more

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Valley of the Giants camping area 28 km

This walkers’ camp a little over 16 km north of Lake Wabby has a toilet and water (treat it before drinking). A 2-night maximum stay applies.... Find out more

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Central Station camping area 28 km

Much less congested than your typical Central Station, this one is set in a rainforest and can only be reached by four-wheel drive. It is located 10 km west of Eurong, 16.6 km north of Lake Boomanjin and just 300 m from... Find out more

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Central Station camping area (walk-in camping) 28 km

This fenced family campground in a rainforest setting has 44 tent sites, 16 camper trailer sites and a group area for 20–40 people. Accessible by 4WD only, it is 13 km east of the Wanggoolba Creek barge landing... Find out more

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Fraser Island Great Walk (walk-in camping) 28 km

The 90 km Fraser Island Great Walk from Hook Point to Lake Garawongera takes 6–8 days to complete. Walkers’ camps and beach camping are available at numerous locations. There are no facilities at most... Find out more

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Lake Garawongera camping area 29 km

This site is 13 km north of Valley of the Giants and about 6.5 km west of Happy Valley. Treat or boil water before drinking and use gas/fuel stoves only (no open fires are permitted). A maximum 2-night stay applies. ... Find out more

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Burrum Point camping area 29 km

Whether you prefer swimming at the beach or boating on a river, you’re blessed with the choice of both at Burrum Coast National Park. The sandy camping area is just a short walk from the beach at Burrum Point, and... Find out more

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Lake Benaroon camping area 32 km

This site is along the Fraser Island Great Walk track. There is a maximum stay of 2 nights and groups should be no more than 8. It is 7.2 km north of Lake Boomanjin. Water from the lake is drinkable but you need to boil... Find out more

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Fraser Lodge Holiday Park

Explore Hervey Bay, go whale-watching or relax and enjoy the pool, barbecues, and the ducks in the lake or have a game of tennis at this great park. Set in a quiet street, it is just a short walk to the beach and close... Find out more

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Happy Wanderer Village Caravan Park 1 km

With more ensuite sites than anything else, this is a large quality park with plenty of shade and excellent facilities to make your Hervey Bay holiday something to remember. It is not far to the waters edge and the boat... Find out more

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Harbour View Caravan Park 3 km

Hervey Bay is a major tourist destination and this owner-operated waterfront park is close to the large marina complex where the whale-watching cruises depart during the season. This is a good park with basic facilities,... Find out more

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Burrum River Caravan Park 30 km

In a quiet location on the banks of the Burrum River, on the south side of Howard, and less than 1 km from the Bruce Highway this is an ideal park for a quiet rest away from the traffic and the beach bustle. There are... Find out more

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Wallace Caravan Park 33 km

This is a good quality park close to the city centre and on the banks of the Mary River. Access is easy from the southern approaches – just across the bridge. It is good value here and there is space for larger... Find out more

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Woodgate Beach Tourist Park 37 km

In the centre of a small beachfront community and just across the road from a wonderful beach, this is a convenient and popular park with a relaxing coffee shop. Bookings are required in peak periods and a minimum-length... Find out more

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Glenlodge Caravan Village 67 km

This owner-operated park is 6 km south of the town centre and easily accessible, ideal for an overnight stay or as a base for a few days exploring the region. It has very good amenities. Bookings are required in peak... Find out more

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Bargara Beach Caravan Park 68 km

This large, quality beachside tourist park is in a popular holiday destination. Snorkelling, diving and fishing are popular in the surrounding waters. Bargara is a small coastal community not far from Bundaberg. The Mon... Find out more

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Tin Can Bay Tourist Park 71 km

In a quiet area of Tin Can Bay, this is a good quality park with facilities to suit the discerning tourist. Good value here. Bookings are required in peak periods and a minimum-length stay applies at Christmas and... Find out more

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Breakfree Great Sandy 
Straits

Prices for this resort right on the water’s edge start low for studio rooms with limited kitchen facilities, and increase considerably for three-bedroom penthouse apartments. All options have balconies and you can... Find out more

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Emeraldene Inn & Eco-Lodge

This tranquil family-owned-and-operated eco-resort has 14 motel-style rooms set in a hectare of bushland and landscaped gardens. It is in the peaceful Pialba region of Hervey Bay, and its tour desk will provide... Find out more

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Peppers Pier Resort

Thanks to its location off the Charlton Esplanade opposite Urangan Pier, this Peppers resort has excellent water views of the bay and Fraser Island from its six levels of accommodation. There are 129 units, ranging from... Find out more

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Emeraldene Inn and Eco-Lodge, Hervey Bay 6 km

The 14 hotel-style rooms here, including two disabled rooms, have solar hot water and an envirocycle treatment system so that all sewage and greywater is treated and reused on site. The lodge has a solid environmental... Find out more

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Kingfisher Bay Resort, Fraser Island 20 km

With 1000 beds, and a choice of pools, restaurants and bars, this is the largest accommodation place mentioned in this book, but it has a longstanding reputation as being a positive role model for large ecotourism... Find out more

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Glass House Mountains Eco-Lodge 181 km

The simple, down-market rooms here include the use of old train carriages for a communal kitchen and group area. An old church has also been recycled, and all greywater and blackwater is used on site to irrigate the... Find out more

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Wilson Island 241 km

Only six couples are allowed at a time on this tiny 2-hectare coral cay, staying in minimal-impact luxury tents with wooden floors. All power is provided by solar power and batteries, and the eco-accredited resort uses... Find out more

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Brisbane Marriott Hotel 241 km

By no means the greenest accommodation in this book, the Marriott still deserves inclusion as one of the better options in large hotels. It gained the Green Globe Benchmarked Bronze status and is AAA-rated for its water-... Find out more

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Wongi Camp Area 37 km

T/O 36 km N of Tiaro (L) or 42 km S of Childers (R) Large secluded campground located 10 kilometres west of the highway in a native bush setting in Wongi State Forest. Good facilities and shade. NOTE: Unsealed... Find out more

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Petrie Rest Area 56 km

T/O 1 km N of Tiaro (L) or 81 km S of Childers (R) Small secluded area 1 kilometre west of the highway in a pleasant setting on the riverbank. Good shade and facilities. GPS: S25 42.905 E152 34.533... Find out more

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Tiaro Camp Area 57 km

Middle of town Small area just east of the highway via Inman Street. Limited shade. Toilets at adjacent town park. GPS: S25 43.722 E152 35.059... Find out more

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Apple Tree Creek Rest Area 65 km

6 km N of Childers (L) or 51 km S of Gin Gin (R) Large area just off the highway on the south side of the village. Good shade and facilities. GPS: S25 13.141 E152 14.292... Find out more

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Wallum Rest Area 70 km

26 km N of Childers (L) or 28 km SW of Bundaberg (R) Large area just off the road to Bundaberg. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S25 03.584 E152 13.869... Find out more

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Sharon Rest Area 78 km

35 km E of Gin Gin (R) or 16 km W of Bundaberg (L) Small area just off the road to Bundaberg. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S24 53.001 E152 14.582... Find out more

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Gunalda Rest Area 83 km

29 km N of Gympie (R) or 32 km S of Tiaro (L) Large area just off the highway. Good facilities. Limited shade. GPS: S25 59.184 E152 34.259... Find out more

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Chatsworth Rest Area 98 km

6 km N of Gympie (L) or 55 km S of Tiaro (R) Large grassed area just off the highway. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S26 09.01 E152 37.47  ... Find out more

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Gin Gin Rest Area 100 km

2 km N of Gin Gin (R) or 97 km S of Miriam Vale (L) Large area just off the highway. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S24 58.456 E151 56.760... Find out more

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Six Mile Creek Rest Area 106 km

162 km N of Brisbane (L) or 6 km S of Gympie (R) Large grassed area just off the highway. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S26 13.901 E152 41.849... Find out more

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Granite Creek Rest Area 143 km

63 km N of Gin Gin (R) or 36 km S of Miriam Vale (L) Large area just off the highway around some large trees. Good shade and facilities. GPS: S24 36.923 E151 40.098... Find out more

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