📍19 Best Things To Do In Bargara, Burnett Heads & Surrounds. (2024.)
LOOKING FOR THE BEST THINGS TO BARGARA & SURROUNDS?
To the east of the beautiful regional city of Bundaberg lies a series of stunning coastal towns and villages. Bargara is the closest to the rum capital and the largest. It’s so picturesque and established it is essentially a weekend holiday destination itself and the perfect place to base yourself for a seaside holiday.
But it’s not the only gorgeous place along this stunning section of coastline worth visiting, so here are the best things to do in Bargara, Burnett Heads, Mon Repos, Elliot Heads and more that I discovered spending 4 out 6 weeks thoroughly exploring the greater Bundaberg region, like camping on Lady Musgrave Island, getting up close with sea turtles on the beach with a guided night tour and swimming at a tidal lagoon.
👉 My top 3 picks for what to do in Bargara & Burnett Heads:
- Visit the second southernmost Island of the Great Barrier Reef, Lady Musgrave Island. (Day Tour or I highly recommend self-sufficient wilderness camping.)
- Get an up-close experience with one of the marine animal kingdoms’ most special moments with a night tour with Mon Repos Turtle Centre & Encounters.
- Go wild swimming at the Mon Repos Tidal Lagoon.
Planning Your Trip? Use My Favourite Resources!
Tours/Experiences: I recommend Viator.
Accommodation: I recommend Booking.com.
Renting Vehicles: I recommend RentalCars.com.
Best Things To Do In Bargara.
1. Walk The Foreshore.
Bargara Esplanade.
One of the best things to do in Bargara when you arrive is to walk the beautiful foreshore in front of the township. It is a lovely way to get acquainted with the area and feel the refreshing ocean breeze on your face.
A short walk to the little viewing area between the rocky beaches is a particularly lovely spot to find yourself, especially during whale watching season (typically June-October), where humpback whales frequently appear above the water’s surface, displaying all sorts of distinctively whale-y actions.
2. Go Frolicking In The Ocean.
Nielsons Beach.
At first glance, it doesn’t look like you can safely swim in the ocean at Bargara because of all the black rocks. But turn left when at the Esplanade and drive the short distance all the way to the end, where you’ll arrive at the lovely Nielsons Beach, one of the few seasonally patrolled beaches along the coast.
What makes the place even better is that the Big 4 Breeze Holiday Park is just across the road, making it the perfect place to spend a few days in Bargara.
3. Go Swimming At Bargara’s Other Main Beach.
Kelly’s Beach.
Another fantastic place to go wild swimming is at Kellys Beach on the southern side of town. This lovely seasonally-patrolled stretch of sand has more dune coverage providing a more natural experience which is fantastic for those who would prefer a more intimate trip to the beach.
4. Enjoy A Swim & A Picnic.
Archies Beach & Crawford Park.
Further south of Kelly’s Beach lies Archies Beach, a golden stretch of sand even less frequented by tourists. It’s a great place to frolic in the ocean if you’re a more capable swimmer, as there are no lifeguard services any time of year.
To the north, there is also a beautiful picnic area at Crawford Park with picturesque views overlooking Money Creek and Kelly’s Beach.
5. See What Lurks Beneath.
The Basin.
If Nielsons Beach or Kellys Beach is a little too choppy for you or the kids, or you’re more curious about what lurks beneath, one of the top things to do around Bargara to satisfy that is head to The Basin.
The Basin is an enclosed ocean-fed “bath” created by South Sea Islanders brought to Australia to work the sugarcane fields. Wanting a safe place to swim without getting washed up on the rocks, they rearranged the hazardous boulders to create the sheltered “pool.”
These days it’s a favourite beach for families to take young kids where they don’t have to worry about the waves knocking them around or the current dragging them out to sea. It’s also where they can give snorkelling a go, as numerous species of small fish call The Basin home.
6. Discover A Beautiful Creek.
Mary Kinross Park/Windemere Park.
Mary Kinross Memorial Park and Windemere Park are side-by-side parks that lie at the southern end of Bargara and are one of its best-hidden gems. The former is a fantastic place to have a picnic, lets the kids run around on the playground, ride their bikes and take the dog for a play, while the latter is more of a nature reserve.
But the best thing about the parks is the walking trail that goes through them both. Although only short, it leads to one of the most scenic places along the coastline: Riflerange Creek.
7. See The View From The Only Hill For Miles.
Hummock Lookout.
As you make your way through the Bundaberg region to Bargara, you’ll notice there’s not much happening with the landscape. It’s mostly flat, making it a rather visually unexciting place to drive around. But to get to the coastal town, one must first pass through the rum capital of Australia: Bundaberg. And in the 13km distance between the two is one gorgeous place not to miss: Hummock Lookout.
Hummock Lookouts sits on a lonely hill 6km from the former and 10km from the latter and has magnificent panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. You can see the city, the ocean, the coastal towns and the vast sugarcane fields that seemingly go on forever, making this humble lookout one of the best things to do in Bundaberg and Bargara.
Mon Repos Conservation Park.
8. Have A Magical Encounter With Endangered Sea Turtles.
Mon Repos Turtle Centre & Encounters. – $.
The beaches around Bundaberg are famously known for their turtles, especially Mon Repos, as it’s the most prolific turtle nesting site on mainland Australia and one of the best things to do around Bargara.
Every year female Green, Loggerhead and Hawkesbury Turtles haul themselves onto Mon Repos Beach to lay their ping-pong-esque eggs in the dunes behind the beaches. Then, a few months later, their adorable hatchlings emerge from their warm nests and head for the ocean.
It’s a magical wildlife event and something visitors to the Mon Repos Turtle Centre can experience up close with a guided tour. QPWS allows tourists to join them as they check the size and health of the turtles and give educational talks whilst watching the beautiful animals.
Depending on the time of year you visit, you’ll see a mother turtle nesting (October-December) or watch scores of tiny babies crawl across the sand to the sea (January-March).
Both are equally unique and unforgettable experiences. I was there in December and saw a mother lays her eggs and it made me feel like I was in a National Geographic documentary because witnessing such a momentous moment in a turtle’s life cycle was a special kind of privilege that has stayed with me long after I left the centre.
9. Walk Or Swim At The Famous Turtle Beach.
Mon Repos Beach.
When Mon Repos Beach isn’t nesting turtles between October and March, it’s just a beach year-round. But it’s still cool to know you’re in turtle territory, which automatically makes it the best beach along the coast to go for a leisurely walk or a swim.
But if you do come during turtle nesting season, you may encounter some mothers laying their eggs in the dunes or babies waddling to the beach. It’s rare to come across them during the day as they usually do their thing at night, (which is why the beach is closed when it gets dark.), so don’t go there expecting to see them.
But should luck be on your side as it was for me when a researcher came over to me sitting on the beach and asked me whether I was local and wanted to see a turtle, and there is one while the sun is still up, stay well back and always behind them, and witness one of nature’s most special wildlife moments.
10. Go Swimming In An Isolated Waterhole
Mon Repos Tidal Lagoon.
Another beautiful place to go wild swimming in Mon Repos Conservation Park is Mon Repos Tidal Lagoon. It sits adjacent to Mon Repos Beach and is a short walk from the same car park.
This peaceful tidally-fed inlet is a fantastic alternative to the beach as it’s sheltered from the ocean’s waves, making it an excellent place to take young kids. Older children and adults also love the lagoon as the furthermost side is deeper for more immersive swimming, a tidal island sits in the middle, and you can even venture across to Mon Repos Beach and tick off two stunning seaside attractions at once.
Best Things To Do At Burnett Heads.
Burnett Heads lies at the northernmost point of Bundaberg’s central coastline and is a lovely quiet place to take in some refreshing ocean air and see where Burnett River meets the ocean.
11. Visit The Second Southernmost Island On The Great Barrier Reef.
Lady Musgrave Island With The Lady Musgrave Experience. – $.
Something not many people realise about the Bundaberg region is that the ocean off the coast forms the southernmost part of the Great Barrier Reef, the most expansive and revered underwater ecosystem in the world!
Two magnificent islands are accessible to the general public. Lady Elliot Island and Lady Musgrave Island. Lady Elliot Island is a resort destination that is only reachable by private plane from the Bundaberg Regional Airport. Lady Musgrave, on the other hand, is a much smaller, wild and pristine place you can get to by luxury yacht from Burnett Heads!
The Lady Musgrave Experience offers people the chance to visit this spectacular reef and island wilderness either as a day trip or as an incredibly unique overnight experience in a purpose-built underwater pontoon! That’s right! You can sleep below sea level for an unforgettable night amongst the fish!
For all guests, it’s a beautiful 2-hour, 100km trip to reach the island aboard the luxury yacht, the Reef Empress, where you’ll get to see the stunning coral from a glass bottom boat before getting in the water for an unforgettable snorkel alongside the colourful fish, majestic sea turtles, docile reef sharks and so much more that call this spectacular reef home. You can even hire out kayaks or pay extra to go diving and possibly see giant manta rays!
12. Go Self-Sufficent Camping On A Spectacular Coral Cay!
Also Lady Musgrave Island.
If exploring the reef around the second southernmost island in the Great Barrier Reef sounds intriguing, but you’re not a tour person, there’s a fantastic alternative: Self-sufficient camping.
Lady Musgrave Island forms part of the Capricorn Cays National Park group of islands and offers rustic camping on the pristine coral cay. It’s so wild, virtually untouched and abundant with bird life on the land and sea life in the ocean that it makes you feel like you’re in a National Geographic documentary. It’s magnificent.
On land, there’s an abundance of black noddies, bridled terns, and shearwaters that call this beautiful place home, while boobies, herons and silver terns are some of the birds that others visit, too.
But it’s underwater where the most magic happens. It is the Great Barrier Reef, after all, which has the greatest diversity of marine animals in the world. You’ll be snorkelling and diving amongst friendly sea turtles, vibrantly coloured fish, friendly sharks and giant manta rays to name a few!
And if you come during turtle nesting seasons (October-December), the females will come up onto the shore to dig nests and lay their eggs in the dunes all over the island, including right in front of the campground!!!
Although it was expensive to get out to the island, it was such a tremendous experience, I rank camping there for a week as one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. And its something that people day-tripping or staying on the pontoon to it don’t get to experience as it happens at night, making camping on Lady Musgrave Island the absolute best thing to do from Burnett Heads, bar none.
Note: Reaching Lady Musgrave Island from Bundaberg/Burnett Heads, means joining the Lady Musgrave Experience with the day trippers. While they have a good reputation with day trippers and people staying at the pontoon, they are unfortunately notorious for not being so kind to the people doing a camping transfer, as I experienced in 2021, which you can read in my review. But I loved camping on the island so much that I would go back there again in a heartbeat (although preferably with another company from Gladstone or 1770 next time.)
13. See The Old & New Lighthouses.
Old Burnett Heads Lighthouse & Burnett Heads Lighthouse.
Burnett Heads is home to two lighthouses. As it’s home to the Bundaberg’s marina and is where the sizeable Burnett River drains into the sea, boats and ships need help entering the river safely when it’s dark or foggy.
The original is a classic wooden lighthouse that has since been decommissioned and is now the prominent feature of Lighthouse Park, while the current lighthouse sits at the mouth of the Burnett River and exudes a strong 70s retro vibe.
Lighthouse Park is easily accessible from Zunker Street, while the new lighthouse is an easy walk from South Head Parklands.
14. Go For A Swim In The Ocean.
Oaks Beach.
If you’re looking for somewhere to swim at Burnett Heads, head to Oaks Beach, a tiny, but picturesque patch of sand not far south of the lighthouse clear of the black rocks that are so prominent along the coast.
It’s also seasonally patrolled, making it an excellent place to take a dip in the ocean somewhere less busy. There are also a couple of picnic tables too, so you can sit down and enjoy the view while having something to eat.
15. Walk Or Cycle The Coastline.
Coral Isles Coastal Pathway. – Burnett Heads To Bargara.
If checking out all the hotspots along the coastline isn’t enough, and you want to take in more of the scenery, one of the best things to do between Bargara and Burnett Heads is to walk or cycle the Coral Isles Coastal Pathway.
The entire length of this section of trail between the two coastal towns is 9.5km and starts at the South Head Parklands, goes to the current Burnett Heads Lighthouse and concludes at Nielsons Beach, although there are numerous entry/exit points along the way if you don’t want to complete the entire track.
Be sure to look for dolphins (year-round) and humpback whales (June-October) popping out of the ocean while following this beautiful and easy seaside pathway.
👉 For a map of the Coral Isles Coastal Pathway between Burnett Heads & Bargara, click here.
What To Do In Elliot Heads.
Elliot Heads lies at the southern end of Bundaberg’s central coastline and is a beautiful seaside area perfect for a day at the beach.
16. Walk The Tidal Flats Around Dr Mays Island.
Elliot Heads.
One thing you’ll notice when you get to Elliot Heads Beach is how much sand there is. It extends so far into the mouth of the river that you’ll wonder where there even is a river. It is still there, but it’s a long way out. But it didn’t always used to be this way.
Looking out across the beach is a raised area with trees. That’s Dr May’s Island and it used to be surrounded by water, at least tidally, but changes mean it’s now permanently part of the mainland and reachable without getting wet.
While you’re not allowed on the island as it’s a protected bird habitat, you can still walk to it. Bring a pair of binoculars and see if you can spot some of the lovely avian creatures that call the place home. While it wasn’t on the island, I was fortunate enough that somebody saw me walking around with my camera and let me know a white-bellied sea eagle was resting on the branches in the bushes next to the pathway down to the beach, so you’ll never know what you’ll see. The beach is also a fantastic place to go for a swim in the ocean, so be sure to bring your togs as well.
17. Head To The Best Lookout Along The Coast.
Submarine Lookout.
One of the best things to do in Elliot Heads is head to Submarine Lookout. This gorgeous spot on the northern side of town has some of the most picturesque views of the rugged coastline’s rocky black beaches between here and Burnett Heads.
It’s also an excellent spot to see humpback whales from the mainland during the whale-watching season between June and October or watch the sunrise.
Places To See In Innes Park & Coral Cove.
Innes Park and Coral Cove are quiet coastal towns off the tourist radar. But they have a couple of incredible places that will make you add them to your itinerary.
18. Go For A Swim At The Most Beautiful Beach In The Area.
Palmers Creek.
One of the most beautiful beaches between Burnett Heads and Elliot Heads is Innes Park’s Palmer Creek because the water carves into the sand and creates small cliffs. And being surrounded by beautiful homes helps too.
The waterway is also heavily tide-dependent, so the look of it changes dramatically throughout the day. And it also connects with the ocean-facing beaches so you can get a two-for-one swimming experience at this one stunning location.
19. Discover Some Coral & Sea Creatures.
Barolin Rocks.
A little further south of Palmer Creek is Barolin Rocks, a rocky headland with numerous rock pools for young kids to explore. There’s coral, fish and all sorts of other things to discover in them. Just make sure they don’t put their hands or any other body part into the water, as deadly animals such as the blue-ringed octopus call places like this their home. And you’ll unlikely see the deadly creatures before they poison the water as they only turn blue when they feel threatened.
The Barolin Rocks is also a famous diving site, where plenty of fish and coral species are waiting to be discovered. When the seas are calm, which unfortunately isn’t all that often and was certainly never the case when I attempted to do it three times., it’s also a fantastic place to go snorkelling.
Bargara & Burnett Heads Map.
Accommodation: Where To Stay In Bargara.
- Best Budget: BIG 4 Breeze Holiday Parks.
- Best Mid-Range: Vitamin Sea Apartments.
Visiting Bargara & Surrounds: Frequently Asked Questions.
Where Is Bargara?
Bargara is an idyllic coastal town that lies 13 km northwest of the regional city of Bundaberg which takes about 20 minutes to drive.
Can You See Whales At Bargara?
Yes. During whale watching season, which takes place between June and October each year, you can see humpback whales exhibiting behaviours on the surface of the water as they make their annual migration up and down the east coast of Australia, so be sure to bring binoculars.
Is It Safe To Swim At Bargara?
Yes. Nielsons Beach and Kelly’s Beach are especially so as they are seasonally patrolled by lifeguards during the warmer months, making them the safest beaches for swimming in the ocean. Oaks Beach at Burnett Heads is another safe, seasonally patrolled beach.
Conclusion: What To Do In Bargara, Queensland.
If you’re heading to Bundaberg, include plenty of time for the coast, as there are many amazing things to do in Bargara, Burnett Heads and the surrounding coastal towns.
If you plan to visit Bargara, consider looking at these other posts.
