Rainbow Beach

A seaside town in the Cooloola section of Great Sandy National Park, where colored sand cliffs meet the Carlo Sand Blow. Four-wheel-drive trips along the beach reach Double Island Point lighthouse, and it is the gateway to Fraser Island (K'gari).

Rainbow Beach is a seaside town in the Gympie region of Queensland, Australia. It lies about 240 km north of Brisbane and 70 km north of Noosa, on the edge of the Cooloola section of Great Sandy National Park. Across the Great Sandy Strait to the north is K'gari (Fraser Island). The town takes its name from the sand cliffs along the beach, which rise up to 100 meters. Their red, yellow, ochre and white layers are formed by mineral oxidation. In Aboriginal legend, the cliffs were created when a rainbow spirit fell to earth.

The main activities fall into three groups. The first is around the town: climb the Carlo Sand Blow to watch the sunset, surf the main beach, or go paragliding for a view of the cliffs. The second is a drive south along the beach, about 40 km by four-wheel drive to Double Island Point, where you can visit the lighthouse and the lagoon. The route passes the colored sand cliffs and Freshwater Lake. Dolphins and turtles are often seen offshore, and humpback whales can be spotted from June to October. The third is north to Inskip Point, where you can take a barge to K'gari. Or head west to Tin Can Bay to feed wild dolphins at dawn. Inland forests also hold clear, tea-colored lakes and creeks, including Lake Poona and Sheilas Creek.

The climate is subtropical. April to November is dry and comfortable, with calmer seas. December to March is hot and wet, with occasional tropical cyclones. Driving on the beach requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Buy a national park vehicle pass online in advance, and always check the tide tables. Do not drive on the beach section within two hours before or after high tide. If you do not have a four-wheel drive, join a Double Island Point four-wheel-drive tour or hire a vehicle.

Getting there: It takes about 3 hours to drive from Brisbane. Long-distance buses also serve the town. The nearest airports are Sunshine Coast and Hervey Bay.

Plan to stay 2 to 3 days: one day for Double Island Point, one for the dunes and beach activities, and half a day for Tin Can Bay or Inskip Point.

Note that the sand cliffs can collapse, so do not stand at their base. Do not feed wild dingoes.

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