← Sunshine Coast Marathon·3 nights

K'gari: Three Nights on the World's Largest Sand Island

North to Hervey Bay and across by ferry to K'gari, with a guided 4WD day to Lake McKenzie and whale-watching cruises at the height of the August season.

Duration3 nights
TransitAbout 3 hr by car to River Heads, then a 50 min passenger ferry to Kingfisher Bay
DepartsAlexandra Headland

After the Sunshine Coast Marathon: K'gari

The Route: Alexandra Headland → River Heads → Kingfisher Bay, K'gari → River Heads → Hervey Bay Airport Logistics: Hire car north up the Bruce Highway, passenger ferry across the Great Sandy Strait, three nights on the island, then a flight home from Hervey Bay or the drive back south. Marathon Month: August Duration: 3 nights

Alexandra Headland ──(about 3 hrs by car, Bruce Highway)──> River Heads ──(50 mins ferry)──> Kingfisher Bay, K'gari
                                                                  ▲                                  │
                                                                  └────────(50 mins ferry)───────────┘
                                                                  │
                                          Hervey Bay Airport (HVB) ◄──(short transfer)

The Sunshine Coast Marathon finishes at Alexandra Headland, and K'gari, formerly Fraser Island, lies to the north across the Great Sandy Strait from Hervey Bay. It is the world's largest sand island and part of a World Heritage area. Three nights give time to recover first and explore second, which matters on an island where most sights are reached by four-wheel drive over sand.

August on the Fraser Coast: winter, mild by day and cool at night, and the middle of the Hervey Bay whale season. Humpbacks rest in the sheltered water of the bay on their migration, and whale-watching cruises from Kingfisher Bay run from July to October. August is squarely inside that window.

Drive north up the Bruce Highway towards Maryborough and Hervey Bay, then on to River Heads, south of Hervey Bay, where Kingfisher Bay Resort's mainland reception sits in the River Heads Shopping Village at 54 Ariadne Street. From Brisbane the drive is about three and a half hours; from Alexandra Headland allow around three. Travel across as a walk-on passenger: most hire cars are not permitted on sand, and the resort's tours do the driving on the island. Check parking arrangements at River Heads when booking. The passenger ferry to Kingfisher Bay takes about 50 minutes. Walk-on fares are about A$50 (£27) one way or A$85 (£45) return for adults, with departures from River Heads at 09:00, 13:00 and 15:45 and returns from the island at 08:00, 10:15, 14:30 and 17:00. Check the current timetable before booking the drive, and allow for the Monday traffic out of the Sunshine Coast.

Nights One to Three: Kingfisher Bay

Kingfisher Bay Resort sits on the island's western shore, facing the mainland across the strait. Rooms start at about A$229 (£122) a night.

The first day on the island is for recovery. The Wallum Boardwalk runs from the resort through the coastal heath, and the resort's rangers lead free walks and talks on the island's history and wildlife. Ask the rangers which routes are shortest and flattest; unhurried is what legs two days after a marathon need. The jetty in front of the resort, where the Sunset Bar sits on the pier, is the place to be at the end of the day.

The second day is for the island itself. The Beauty Spots 4WD tour, from about A$278 (£148), spends a full day on the sand tracks through rainforest, along 75 Mile Beach on the eastern side, and to Lake McKenzie, a freshwater lake of white silica sand and clear water. It involves a lot of sitting in a four-wheel-drive bus over rough tracks and some short walks at each stop. Take it on the second full day rather than the first.

The third day is for the whales. The Kingfisher Bay whale-watching cruise runs as a half-day trip from about A$155 (£82). It is seated, and the sheltered water of the bay is usually calmer than the open ocean.

Where to stay: Kingfisher Bay Resort offers hotel rooms with balconies for up to four people, and villas with kitchens and living areas for up to six, which suit groups or anyone who wants to cook. Either works as a base for all three nights; there is no need to move.

Where to eat: Sand & Wood, in the resort centre, serves a breakfast buffet and pub-style meals, and Dune serves Asian-fusion dishes in the evening. The Sunset Bar on the pier is for a drink as the sun goes down over the strait.

Getting Home

Hervey Bay Airport (HVB) has direct flights to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, and Kingfisher Bay runs airport transfers of about A$15 (£8) each way to meet the ferries. Flying out from Hervey Bay means a one-way car hire, or leaving the car on the Sunshine Coast and taking a transfer north. If driving back instead, allow around three hours to the Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) and about three and a half to Brisbane Airport (BNE).