The best Hervey Bay caravan parks and camping

Hervey Bay is well-known as the mainland’s jump-off point for K'gari (formerly Fraser Island) adventures and renowned as one of the best places in Australia to witness humpback whales on their winter migration from Antarctica to warmer waters. But there’s more to this laid-back coastal town on the Fraser Coast, including its long-standing reputation as a boating and fishing haven, making it a popular destination among outdoorsy holidaymakers from near and far.

And while there are myriad accommodation options in Hervey Bay to suit all traveller types, its abundance of camping and caravan parks has made the beachside town an immensely popular destination among holidaymakers pitching a tent or towing a caravan. Looking for pet-friendly caravan parks? Hervey Bay has you and your four-legged bestie covered! 

Hervey Bay Caravan Park

A seven-acre caravan park well-known for its peaceful, attractive surroundings and friendly atmosphere, Hervey Bay Caravan Park is located in Urangan beside the Hervey Bay Botanic Gardens. The grounds and facilities are beautifully maintained and whether you brought the caravan in tow or you’re pitching a tent, you’ll find everything you need for a perfect Hervey Bay holiday. One of the many wonderful aspects of staying here is the spacious sites — both powered and unpowered sites sleep six people. BBQs and a camp kitchen are provided and there’s a large swimming pool on-site.

Pier Caravan Park Hervey Bay

With its ideal location just a few minutes’ walk from Hervey Bay’s iconic Urangan Pier, the Pier Caravan Park is, naturally, a popular destination among anglers planning on casting a line from the historic jetty which originally stretched over one kilometre out to sea. Situated a stone’s throw from cafes, restaurants, shops and the marina, not to mention the beach, this recently-opened pet-friendly Hervey Bay caravan park and campsite offers great amenities, including a BBQ area, swimming pool and games room where the kids can get their PlayStation fix. Powered and unpowered grass and slab sites are available.  

Harbour View Caravan Park

Located a stone’s throw from the Urangan Boat Harbour in the Marina Precinct and just 150 metres from the beach, Harbour View Caravan Park is one of the most affordable camping and caravan parks in Hervey Bay. A variety of powered and unpowered camp and caravan sites, including special pet-friendly sites, are available and all the amenities you’ll need, including a shop with groceries, BBQs, camp kitchen and swimming pool, are on-site. If you like a sleep-in and you’re joining a whale watching tour, staying at Harbour View Caravan Park places you just 100 metres from the marina where tour boats depart.  

Torquay Beachfront Tourist Park

Living up to its name, Torquay Beachfront Tourist Park is located right on Torquay Beach in the heart of Hervey Bay and gives guests direct beach access with shops, restaurants and pubs all within walking distance. A variety of spacious powered and unpowered camping and caravan sites are available, including powered beach front sites among shady trees, perfect for relaxing by the beach and taking in sea views. Like most Hervey Bay campsites and caravan parks, tours can be booked at reception and all the facilities you’ll need, including camp kitchens and BBQs, are located on-site. 

Scarness Beachfront Tourist Park

Looking for a place to set up camp with no roads between you and the beach? Scarness Beachfront Tourist Park offers absolute beachfront sites for those with their heart set on having uninterrupted beach views from their pitch. Powered and unpowered sites are available and the facilities, along with BBQs and a camp kitchen, include a recreation room and playground, making this caravan park on the Hervey Bay beachfront perfect for families. The park offers a courtesy bus pick-up for K'gari tours (all year round) and Whale Watch Trips (July-November).

Fraser Coast RV Park

Located 15km from historic Urangan Pier, Fraser Coast RV Park offers 75 acres of natural space for camping and caravanning set amongst an additional 40-acre nature reserve with over 4km of walking tracks where local wildlife abound. While the park caters for camping and caravanning, there are just 4 powered sites on the entire park — if you’re towing a caravan or driving an RV and need power for your stay, be sure to book ahead. Fraser Coast RV Park offers dog-friendly camping, with a designated fur baby area called ‘Dogs Corner’. 

Pialba Beachfront Tourist Park

Run by Fraser Coast Beachfront Tourist Parks, who also operate Torquay and Scarness Beachfront Tourist Parks, this popular camping and caravan park is located right on the beachfront at Pialba in Hervey Bay. Pialba Beachfront Tourist Park is the largest of the three beachfront caravan parks and offers a prime location, comfortable surrounds and spacious caravan and camping sites, with powered and unpowered sites available. Its location near the boat ramp makes it popular with holidaymakers heading out on the water.  

Whale watching in Hervey Bay

If you’re hoping to experience first-hand the breathtaking spectacle of southern humpback whales at play, Hervey Bay, with its reputation as Queensland’s home of whale watching, is the holiday destination for you. Like clockwork, these migrating leviathans of the sea time their visit in the winter from July to November, and so confident are the local whale watching tour operators that you’re going to see whales, most even offer a money-back guarantee. 

Best time to visit

For a Hervey Bay holiday that includes a whale watching tour, time your visit for July through to November to catch these majestic mammals on their migration north to the subtropical waters of the Whitsundays or south to Antarctica. Except for a few brisk winter days, Hervey Bay is mostly a “t-shirt and shorts” destination, with the summer months quite hot — not to mention wet — and delivering peak temperatures well over 30^oC in the middle of the day.

Autumn is such a popular time of year that Hervey Bay locals pay homage to the weather and celebrate the clear skies and comfortable cool days with the Hervey Bay Autumn Fair held annually. As autumn delivers the most favourable balance between warm weather and rain-free days, it tends to be the most popular time of the year to hit the beach.

Spring delivers similar weather to autumn, with warm days averaging around 26^oC, cooler evenings and little rainfall. Like autumn, spring is the best time of the year for swimming and watersports. While winter is by no means ‘cold’, it does cool down considerably at night and if you’re near the water, expect the wind to get a little chilly, so be sure to pack warm clothes. 

Getting there and away 

Located on the stunning Fraser Coast between Brisbane and Bundaberg, Hervey Bay lies about 3½ hours drive from Brisbane and around 2¼ hours from Noosa on the Sunshine Coast in the south and 1½ hours from Bundaberg from the north. If you’re driving, be sure to allow ample time to stop, relax and recharge at places of interest along the way, like the historic country towns of Childers — home to the ‘Childers Wine Trail’ — and Maryborough.

Flying from interstate or farther afield? Hervey Bay Airport is conveniently located just 10 minutes from the centre of town with flights available to most major Australian cities and regional centres, including Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. Flights from Brisbane will see you taking off and touching down inside an hour.