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Rainbow Beach ~ Queensland
Rainbow Beach is a laid-back coastal town with stunning natural attractions, 240km north of Brisbane. It is the Southern gateway to K’Gari, formerly Fraser Island and is surrounded by national parks.
When we stayed in Rainbow Beach, we wandered around the town centre, explored the beach and coloured cliffs, and discovered the Carlo Sand Blow, Seary’s Creek and Inskip Point. You can also take a day trip to K’Gari the world’s largest sand island.
The town centre has a great selection of cafes, boutique shops, a hotel, a bakery, a supermarket, a camping and fishing store and gift shops.
At the end of the main street, there is the Surf Life Saving Club, plenty of carparks and lovely areas with shady trees, grass, playgrounds, picnic tables and BBQs. There is also a lookout with great views over the beach.
You can drive down to the carpark or walk down the rainbow stairs to access the beach, which is patrolled by the Surf Life Saving Club. Beach driving is also permitted in this area and vehicle access permits are needed for some designated tracks and beaches.
If you walk along Rainbow Beach, preferably at low tide, about two kilometres south of the Rainbow Beach Surf Life Saving Club, you will see the amazing coloured sands that tower 80 metres above the beach. As many as 72 different colours have been formed by layers of sediment in the sand becoming exposed due to coastal winds.
Carlo Sand Blow
Then we drove to the Carlo Sand Blow car park on Cooloola Drive in Rainbow Beach. We wandered along the 600-metre track through eucalypt trees and bushland and up several sections of steps to reach the viewing platform.
The Carlo Sand Blow is a sand mass covering over 15 hectares and part of the Cooloola sand mass, one of the largest accumulations of wind-blown sand found along Queensland’s coastline. We walked across the sandblow and were rewarded with breathtaking views over the ocean.
Seary's Creek
From Rainbow Beach, we drove 7.5 kilometres along Rainbow Beach Road to the Seary’s Creek Day use area. This lovely area in the Cooloola Recreation area of the Great Sandy National Park has a small carpark, toilets and picnic tables.
We wandered along the 200-metre boardwalk through the paperbark trees to Seary’s Creek. There are two areas where you can take a dip in the crystal-clear amber-coloured water. The water colour is due to the tannins from the surrounding vegetation. It is a very popular spot on a warm day.
Inskip Point
Nine kilometres north of Rainbow Beach is the Inskip Peninsula. The Inskip Peninsula is a narrow, sandy finger of land built up by wind and waves, and it forms a natural breakwater at the entrance to Tin Can Inlet and the Great Sandy Strait. At Inskip Point, you can catch the barge to K’Gari, formerly Fraser Island.
Inskip is a popular camping and fishing spot with lots of campgrounds close to the beaches and sheltered estuaries. It is best to book your campsite and pay for your camping permit in advance, as this area gets very busy in peak times.
Day Trip to K’Gari (formerly Fraser Island)
K’Gari is the world’s largest sand island and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You can take your own 4WD on the barge or discover the highlights of K’gari on a full-day tour that includes pristine lakes, beaches, and rainforests. Visit iconic spots, including Seventy-Five Mile Beach, Eli Creek, Lake McKenzie, Rainforests and the Maheno shipwreck.
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