For more cetacean encounters, look out for blue, fin, Bryde’s, sei and minke whales at Hervey Bay – often called the ‘Whale Watch Capital of the World’ and a subtropical spot that’s also renowned for its cosmopolitan dining, shopping and hotels. Just as diverse is the historical city of Maryborough, a confection of colonial streets and swaying palms. It’s also the birthplace of P L Travers, the brains behind the Mary Poppins books.
Get in the water at Tin Can Bay, a sleepy village onshore with lots going on offshore. You can sail, swim and fish here, not to mention spot the elusive dugong along the Great Sandy Strait and interact with wild Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins at the Barnacles Dolphin Centre. Stretch this fantastic road trip out even further with a pit-stop at the Gold Rush town of Gympie, famed for its heritage-listed buildings, abundant coffee shops and warm people, as well as breaking in laid-back market towns like Eumundi and Cooroy.