Wonderful Waterways

A warm Gympie Region welcome is just about “how” we greet you. It’s also about warm winter days and our hot summers. At almost 5 degrees warmer than our neighbours – Noosa and Mooloolaba – the Coral Sea, Mary River and Lake Borumba are the perfect spots to cool off in!

Wonderful waterways weave their magic throughout our region offering the best ways to get really close to our dolphins, whales, dugong, turtles and even our elusive platypus!

Kayak with dolphins, surf on Queensland’s longest left hand surf break or, fish in a beautiful lake.

The Gympie Region. You’re welcome!

Coral Sea

We’re not exactly sure where the Pacific Ocean meets the Coral Sea, but it’s somewhere in the waters just off Rainbow Beach.

Maybe that’s why this magical water playground’s full of all kinds of marine life. Dolphins, dugongs, grey nurse sharks and sea turtles and, we’re also on the humpback highway with thousands of humpback whales and their calves passing by from June to October each year.

Great Sandy Strait

Between our beautiful coast and K’gari Fraser Island, is the idyllic Great Sandy Strait. With about 70kms of crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches, shallow flats and a maze of creeks it’s no wonder dolphins, dugongs and turtles love this place as much as we do.

Our sheltered waters here are perfect for boating, kayaking and fishing and, for a real nature experience, there’s nothing quite like hiring a houseboat!

THE MIGHTY MARY RIVER

The Mary River has long been acknowledged by our traditional owners, the Kabi Kabi people, as an important life source.

This is a north flowing river and home to the Australian Lungfish, the Mary River Turtle (or punk turtle as we call it) and our elusive Mary Valley Platypus, which locals will tell you are found everywhere!

Today, we use the river for kayaking and stand up paddle boarding and in Gympie City the River to Rail Trail, with 9kms of trail, is fast becoming a family favourite for walking and biking.

LAKE BORUMBA

This is a water lover’s paradise. With a nearby camping ground, we go boating, fishing, kayaking and sailing here just about all year round.

It’s a perfect spot for weekend getaways or for fishing gurus (and their apprentices) during school holidays.

Home to the Mary Valley Platypus is Yabba Creek (just off Lake Borumba) a gentle, placid kind of creek that’s perfect for swimming or kayaking. For platypus spotting, we recommend dusk or dawn!

LAKE POONA & SEARY’S CREEK

Don’t be put off by the tea coloured water at Lake Poona, just like our ugly punk turtle, this is actually a unique feature of our region. A fresh water lake, this is a great place to cool off after a lovely walk through lush rainforest.

If swimming holes are more your thing, we recommend Seary’s Creek day rest area. These swimming holes are easy to get to and, with a wheelchair friendly board walk that passes through our woodlands, they are really accessible for all abilities.

OUR SECRET SPOTS

Most of us have our own personal ‘secret’ spots but here’s two that we’ll share.

Fringed by shady rainforest trees Glastonbury Creek (Brooyar State Forest) is a perfect spot to cool off in after a day of rock climbing or hiking in the state forest or cycling the Kilkivan to Kingaroy Rail Trail

Nearer Gympie City, in Woondum National Park, is Mothar Mountain Rock Pools. This one’s perfect for families with pools, rock hopping and great water ways to play in. But bring a picnic!