Hotel profile: K'gari Beach Resort

The remote K’gari Beach Resort is a hotel, pub, restaurant and bakery all in one, plus it’s home to some of the best doughnuts in the state.

Light, beach decor, just a minute’s walk to K’gari’s famous 75 Mile Beach and one of the best bakeries you’ll find in Queensland. Hands down, K’gari Beach Resort is the idyllic home base for a secluded beach getaway.

Formerly known as Eurong Beach Resort, the resort is only accessible by 4WD – like much of the island – making it a rather peaceful place to be year-round, especially during off-peak season. Enjoy stunning beach views, explore K’gari’s 4WD tracks, try your luck at fishing and spot some of the local wildlife.

Location

car driving along 75 mile beach on k'gari — 75 Mile Beach is on your doorstep. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

You’d be hard-pressed to even find somewhere to pitch a tent closer to the iconic 75 Mile Beach. Of course, beauty and serenity often come at a cost, and in this case, that cost is accessibility.

While Kingfisher Beach Resort does offer bus transfers from its ferry to K’gari Beach Resort, you really do need to have your own 4WD or join a tour to explore the full island. Having said that, this place is so serene with everything you need in one spot – that I couldn’t blame anyone for wanting to settle in and relax here, and here alone.

Style and character

Think coastal grandma chic. Rooms are simple and colour palettes match the beach, ocean and forest surrounding the property. Each room features a print of local photographer (and tour guide) Peter Meyer ‘s works to really add to the sense of place.

It’s almost like a (very) small coastal town here, with simple but inviting accommodation, a bakery, restaurant and pub all on the property.

Facilities

Pool

A large, lagoon-style swimming pool forms the centre of the resort. Perfect for cooling down after a day of exploring.

Outdoor BBQ

Make use of the public outdoor barbecue to sizzle up your catch of the day, then eat it in the provided (and shaded) pavilions.

Tennis court

If racing along the very straight 75 Mile Beach isn’t enough to cure that competitive streak, challenge your holiday-mates to a match on the tennis court.

Housekeeping

Towel changes and amenity checks are provided on the third day of every stay, while full housekeeping services (including linen changes) are provided on the seventh.

Rooms

Resort Rooms

bed in K'gari Beach Resort Resort Room — The coastal-inspired rooms have all the basics covered. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Simple but cute is the name of the K’gari Beach Resort room game. Relax into the beach holiday vibe in one of these coastal-inspired rooms.

Each room features a queen and king single bed, sleeping up to three people. You’ll also get your own deck or patio to take in the view and a full bathroom. Air-conditioned rooms can be purchased for an additional fee and are subject to availability – otherwise, you’ll need to make do with a ceiling fan.

King Rooms

K'gari Beach Resort king room — Add a TV and air con. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

For groups of two, opt for a King Room, featuring a king bed, air conditioning and heating, a big screen television, a balcony or patio, an ensuite bathroom and a microwave so you can reheat your leftovers from McKenzie’s on 75.

Food and drink

McKenzie’s on 75

Serving indoors, outdoors and even by the hotel pool, pop in for a casual buffet breakfast from 7am to 9am every morning, or head over later in the day for a lunch buffet or signature house-made pizzas. From 5:30pm, the dinner menu offers up classic pub grub with burgers, steaks and salads. And let’s not forget dessert. They also offer a kids’ menu at night.

Of course, you can always just pop in for a snack or a cold beer and cocktails.

Eurong Bakery

Who knew some of Queensland’s best doughnuts were hiding out at one of its most remote bakeries? This is where you would find me for lunch every day of my holiday. Besides the doughnuts, find a range of hot and cold pastries, muffins and freshly made sandwiches ready to be eaten at the bakery or taken away on your day’s adventure.

Open daily from 7am to 3:30pm, it’s a very cute place to spend some time. Be transported right back to your childhood days of begging your parents for lunch and/or treats at the end of a family beach day – but this time you don’t need permission. It’s open, simple decor is inviting, and its coffee and milkshakes will invite you to linger longer.

General Store

Forgot some essentials? Find everything from groceries, meat and fresh produce to resort wear, maps, ice, and fuel at the General Store. It’s open daily from 7:30am to 6:00pm.

Experiences

Island tours

aerial of people swimming in Lake Mckenzie on k'gari fraser island — Dive into the unique colours of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Join single, two- or multi-day tours guided by passionate locals and designed to immerse you in the island’s unique ecosystem and cultural stories.

Pack in all the iconic sights – picturesque Lake McKenzie, Pile Valley rainforest, Eli Creek, the historic Maheno Shipwreck, the colourful sands of The Pinnacles and 75 Mile Beach – into one day. Or take your time to visit these spots and more at a more relaxed pace. Add in hidden gems like Lake Wabby and the Champagne Pools (with overnight stays at K’gari Beach Resort included in the price).

Private 4WD tour

kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island — Go your own way with a bespoke tour. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

If you can, this is my absolute top tip for exploring K’gari when you’re not confident to hit the sandy tracks on your own (this option is for a maximum group of four people). It’s not just about being alone on the tour – although it is a bonus – it’s about the freedom to create your own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who will have plenty of stories and expertise to give context to what you’re looking at. It’s also about stopping at the icons between the waves of tourists, and only going where you really want to.

Access for guests with disabilities?

It would be difficult to get around the resort and K’gari Island with mobility issues.

Family-friendly?

kids looking over hotel room balcony at k'gari beach resort — Kids are welcome here. (Image: Courtney Atkinson)

Absolutely, although K’gari Beach Resort is more about families making their own fun in nature, rather than Kingfisher Bay Resort, which has extra entertainment on site.

Details

Transfers are available from Kingfisher Bay Resort (where the K’gari ferry docks), but for exploring the island, you’ll need a 4WD.

Address: K’gari Beach Track, K’gari Island
Website: Visit eurong.com.au
Contact:(07) 4120 1600
Cost: Rates start at $183 per night.

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

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.

K’gari Beach Resort has a bakery that’s hiding Qld’s best doughnuts