Hervey Bay Hotels

Hervey Bay is a beachside city located in south east Queensland. The town (population approximately 50,000 and growing fast) is a centre for whale watching and a gateway to Fraser Island and the southern Great Barrier Reef. It has fantastic weather and consequently draws 'sea-changers', backpackers and those who don't like living in houses. Its offshore protection provides beaches almost free from waves. The large bay is formed by Fraser Island and the coast. Hervey Bay is not so much single town, as a few seaside towns merged along the bay, Urangan, Torquay, Scarness, Pialba and Point Vernon each have their own shopping precinct, parks and playgrounds. As the main jumping-off point for Fraser Island, Hervey Bay emits an energetic, youthful vibe. It's usually packed with backpackers starting or returning from self-drive safaris or day trips in trucks that look equipped to traverse the moon. At night the bars and restaurants are filled with enthusiastic 20- and 30-somethings comparing war stories about dingo spotting and sand traps while simultaneously dipping sushi into soy sauce and proudly scratching angry red mozzie bites. Hervey Bay is more than just another entrance to Fraser Island, however. Set on an idyllic 10km stretch of golden sand, the town is populated not only by affable locals, but also by magnificent humpback whales.