The Fraser Coast centres on two towns — the relaxed seaside city of Hervey Bay and the heritage river city of Maryborough — with K'gari just offshore. Public transport covers the towns well; reaching the island and the national parks takes a ferry or a 4WD.
Each section below covers a way to get around, with links to the official operators and timetables, followed by our own transfers and charters.
50¢The 50¢ flat fare
Local buses on the Fraser Coast are part of Queensland's TransLink network, where a single journey is a flat 50¢ regardless of distance.
On the region's urban buses you pay the 50¢ fare in cash to the driver — there's no card reader on board, so carry coins. The same flat fare applies to the TransLink On Demand service in Hervey Bay.
Wide Bay Transit has run the region's buses since 1960, with urban routes around Hervey Bay and Maryborough and the 705 intercity route linking the two cities. Buses are part of the 50¢ TransLink fare, paid in cash to the driver. A TransLink On Demand service also covers parts of Point Vernon, Pialba and Hervey Bay.
Services are reduced on Sundays and public holidays, so check the timetable before you travel.
There's no rail line into Hervey Bay itself — the nearest long-distance station is Maryborough West, served by Queensland Rail's Tilt Train and the Spirit of Queensland on the Brisbane–Rockhampton–Cairns corridor. A RailBus connection links Maryborough West across to Hervey Bay to meet Tilt Train services.
Book long-distance rail through Queensland Rail Travel.
The Fraser Coast's signature crossing is the barge to K'gari. SeaLink vehicle and passenger ferries depart River Heads, about 20 minutes south of Hervey Bay, for Kingfisher Bay on the island — a roughly 45 to 50 minute trip that should be booked ahead. From the southern end, a frequent 4WD barge crosses from Inskip Point near Rainbow Beach to Hook Point.
Walk-on passengers can join a tour at Kingfisher Bay; taking a vehicle requires a 4WD and a national park permit.
Hervey Bay Airport (HVB), about 9 kilometres from the centre near Pialba, is the region's air gateway, with direct flights from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. It serves the wider Fraser Coast including Maryborough.
Door-to-door transfers are the easy way from the airport to your accommodation, especially with luggage or a group.
The Bruce Highway passes through Maryborough, with Hervey Bay about 30–35 minutes away on the Maryborough–Hervey Bay Road. Brisbane to Hervey Bay is roughly 3.5 hours' drive. Down south, Rainbow Beach and the Inskip Point barge are about 2 hours from Hervey Bay via Maryborough. Car hire is available in Hervey Bay and at the airport.
On K'gari itself, every road is sand — 75 Mile Beach is a gazetted highway with normal road rules, driven to the tides. A high-clearance 4WD and a Queensland Parks vehicle access permit are mandatory, beach driving is best within two hours either side of low tide, and creek crossings and soft sand catch out first-timers every week. If that sounds like hard work, guided 4WD tours from Hervey Bay and River Heads do it all for you.
K'gari driving essentials
- 4WD only — engage high-range 4WD before you leave the barge, and lower tyre pressures for sand.
- Vehicle access permits are required and checked; book before you cross.
- Plan around low tide and never drive the beach at night — washouts, creeks and wildlife.
Taxis operate in both Hervey Bay and Maryborough, found at ranks or booked on demand, with metered fares and higher night and public-holiday tariffs. Rideshare availability in the region has grown but can be patchy outside the busier areas and times — check the app before you rely on it.
For airport runs and group travel, a pre-booked transfer is the most reliable option.