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The best Hervey Bay accommodation for an unforgettable coastal getaway

From slow-going holiday parks to splashy resort living, the best Hervey Bay accommodation puts travellers right at home.

Steering my campervan into a holiday park a couple of blocks back from the sea, I’m reminded how luxuriously sleepy Hervey Bay is. A Fraser Coast town right off the Coral Sea, it feels secluded as I park under the shade of a eucalypt tree — but the place is fully booked.

That’s the thing about Hervey Bay accommodation. Reprieve from the rat race is always guaranteed as the town’s signature unhurried lifestyle sets the tone. Spanning camping and caravan parks, plus self-contained apartments, my favourite stays embrace Hervey Bay’s signature slow living while keeping you close to the best things to do. Let’s break them all down.

In short

If you can only pick one Hervey Bay accommodation offering, go for Oaks Hervey Bay. It offers the most luxurious rooms in town alongside ultra-contemporary amenities and a day spa.

Hotels

1. Oaks Hervey Bay Resort and Spa

a huge outdoor pool at Oaks Hervey Bay Resort and Spa
Take a refreshing dip in one of the two heated outdoor swimming pools. (Image: Oaks Hervey Bay Resort and Spa)

The cream of the crop is Oaks Hervey Bay Resort and Spa, just metres away from the sea. Two huge heated outdoor swimming pools dotted with deck chairs (and good shading) provide further swimming options while the Mineral Earth Wellness Spa is on hand to melt overworked limbs. Inside, however, is what I love the most — multi-bedroom self-contained stays filled with all the mod cons. Choose from one-, two- or three-bedroom apartments with spacious balconies, fully-equipped kitchens, separate laundries and wi-fi. There’s also a gym, and Urangan Pier, a Hervey Bay bucket list to-do, is a short stroll away.

Price: $$$

Address: 569-571 Esplanade, Urangan

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2. Mantra Hervey Bay

a spacious suite with a balcony with marina views at Mantra Hervey Bay
Book a stay right off the vibrant marina precinct. (Image: Mantra Hervey Bay)

Live a glam poolside life at Mantra Hervey Bay in the heart of Hervey Bay’s marina precinct. There’s a heated outdoor pool plus a kid-friendly one, as well as a stack of deck chairs and good shaded areas. The rooms are more basic than those at the Oaks, but configurations climb up to three bedrooms so it’s still a great option for groups. Some of them even feature two-person spa baths, so read the fine print when you’re booking online. There’s a gym, a sauna and barbecue facilities once you’re done hanging out at the marina’s bars and eateries.

Price: $$-$$$

Address: Buccaneer Dr, Urangan

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3. Akama Resort

an apartment stay with balcony at Akama Resort, Hervey Bay
Take in idyllic views of Great Sandy Strait from your balcony. (Image: Akama Resort)

Offering modern, airy and spacious apartments, Akana Resort is another slick serviced apartment option. Situated in the bustling marina precinct, the Hervey Bay accommodation can cater to groups of eight, treating you and your loved ones to beautiful views of Great Sandy Strait, the outdoor swimming pool or manicured gardens. Each apartment features a balcony off the lounge with bifold doors, making for dreamy al fresco dinners whipped up in a full-size kitchen.

Price: $$$

Address: 625 Esplanade, Urangan

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4. Grand Mercure Allegra Hervey Bay

the pool at Grand Mercure Allegra Hervey Bay
Soak in the warm heated lagoon pool. (Image: Grand Mercure Allegra Hervey Bay)

Grand Mercure Allegra Hervey Bay is in a plum spot right on the Esplanade overlooking Shelly Beach. While a heated outdoor pool, a fitness centre and a sauna offer plenty of in-house play, the real standout at this Hervey Bay accommodation is the front-facing rooms that overlook the pool and the beach. Choose from one- or two-bedroom apartments that offer fast wi-fi, gourmet kitchens, undercover parking and contemporary interiors.

Price: $$$

Address: 468 Esplanade, Torquay

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5. Ramada by Wyndham Hervey Bay

Three self-contained apartment styles are available at the always comfortable Ramada by Wyndham Hervey Bay: studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom. The latter two feature full kitchens, laundries and balconies while the studio retains the balcony but ditches the kitchen and laundry. There’s an on-site restaurant, Smokey Joes Cafe, which stages live music in a casual pub setting, plus there’s a central swimming pool to dip into.

Price: $$$

Address: 627 Esplanade, Urangan

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6. The Bay Apartments

the bedroom at The Bay Apartments
Bed down at The Bay Apartments near the Esplanade.

Another Esplanade hot spot, The Bay Apartments offers one-, two- or three-bedroom stays with all the bells and whistles. Think a 25-metre heated swimming pool and a kids’ pool, a spa, a sauna, a gym and a barbecue area. Meanwhile, the rooms are fabulous, complete with large balconies, full kitchens and laundries. Go for the Outdoor Spa Apartment to level things up as they throw in a private outdoor hot tub.

Price: $$$

Address: 371 Esplanade, Hervey Bay

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Camping and caravan parks

7. Discovery Parks — Fraser Street, Hervey Bay

Exterior view of the Deluxe Safari Tent at Discovery Parks Hervey Bay Fraser Street
The Deluxe Safari Tents at Discovery Parks Hervey Bay offer lush waterfront views. (Image: Supplied)

If you successfully wrangled your entire tribe, Discovery Parks — Fraser Street, Hervey Bay is a dream group stay. Kind on the purse strings, the family-friendly pick is situated on eight acres of subtropical gardens, so the holiday vibes flow throughout its powered camping sites and cabins. My pick for instant memory-making is the Deluxe Safari Tent with lake views that sleeps up to four guests, but I also loved my powered concreted campsite right near the amenities block. When it’s time for fun, two swimming pools, a kids’ bouncing pillow, a tennis court and an activity room await.

Price: $-$$

Address: 20 Fraser St, Torquay

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8. Ingenia Holidays Hervey Bay

the living room and bedroom in Ingenia Holidays Hervey Bay
This Hervey Bay accommodation offers a budget-friendly stay for families.

Have dog, must travel with them? The pet-friendly Ingenia Holidays Hervey Bay is a stellar pick for fur parents thanks to several cabins and camp sites allowing four-legged pals. What might throw your plans out the window, however, is this Hervey Bay accommodation’s incredible Bel Air Retro Caravan, which sadly doesn’t allow pets. Straight out of Happy Days, the five-person van teleported from the 1950s with a pop art-decorated interior playing home to one double bed and one triple bunk. There’s even a kitchenette and shower in there, plus a private checkerboard-paved outdoor area with chairs crafted from old oil drums. Unlike anything else in Queensland, let alone Hervey Bay.

Price: $-$$

Address: 105 Truro St, Torquay

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Holiday homes and Airbnbs

9. Pantai Indah Cottage

outdoor chairs set around the bonfire at Pantai Indah Cottage, Hervey Bay
Gather around the outdoor fire pit. (Image: Pantai Indah Cottage)

Make cosy memories with up to five other people at Pantai Indah Cottage, a Hervey Bay Airbnb located in Urangan. The three-bedroom, four-bathroom stay is the stuff of group getaway dreams with its pool table, outdoor fire pit, barbecue and proximity to pretty Shelley Beach. The rooms are all comfortable with some featuring built-in wardrobes, while the kitchen features a dishwasher (a non-negotiable while on holiday with friends) and there’s also a laundry.

Price: $$

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10. Luxe by the Marina

a whitewashed bedroom at Luxe by the Marina, Hervey Bay
An Instagrammable accommodation straight out of your Pinterest feed. (Image: Luxe by the Marina)

For something special, Luxe by the Marina is a Hervey Bay accommodation pick straight out of your Pinterest scroll. Sleeping up to 10 guests across five bedrooms, the Hamptons-inspired pick has two entirely separate living rooms plus a kids’ games area and a mammoth backyard with an eight-seater dining table. All your creature comforts are included, including wall-mounted TVs, a walk-in pantry and a lock-up garage plus driveway space for five vehicles (and a boat, if you’re bringing yours). Deluxe and completely untarnished — you can tell it’s a super recent build.

Price: $$$$

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11. BreakFree Great Sandy Straits Hervey Bay

the pool and beach as seen from above, BreakFree Great Sandy Straits Hervey Bay
The waterfront resort offers direct beach access.

Heart set on beach days? BreakFree Great Sandy Straits Hervey Bay offers direct beach access so it’s worth serious consideration. Two outdoor swimming pools, two full-sized tennis courts, a barbecue area, a sauna and a games room are also calling once you’re done with sandy toed frolicking. You can also hire bikes to explore the rest of town, plus it’s within walking distance to the marina, but visitors take note: there’s no free wi-fi at this property.

Price: $$

Address: 17 Buccaneer Dr, Urangan

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Kristie Lau-Adams
Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
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What it’s really like to stay on the world’s largest sand island

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
    Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

    The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

    But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

    Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

    Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

    Exploring K’gari

    ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island
    Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

    This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

    If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

    The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

    kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island
    Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

    If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

    While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise. Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

    The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

    Unwind at sunset

    two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort
    Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

    As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

    The Sunset Bar, located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

    When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

    Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

    Indulge and disconnect

    woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa
    Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

    The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

    Getting there

    kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island
    The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.