Car Rental Hervey Bay Downtown

Hervey Bay is a natural bay formed between the Australian mainland and Fraser Island. This unique geographical feature has led Hervey Bay to become the best place in Australia to see humpback whales as they take shelter in the bay’s calm waters. You can see the bay by driving to one of the many beaches and watching them leap out of the water, or by taking a ferry or hiring a boat to see them right up close; there are even opportunities to swim with the whales if seeing them from shore or boat isn’t close enough. Whale-watching is one of the many fun and exciting natural activities that the area offers. With over 14 kilometres of beaches in the city surrounds, national parks within a short driving distance, and Fraser Island accessible by ferry, you won’t be short on places to drive or activities to enjoy.

Hervey Bay is full of everything you would expect from a coastal town, from boutique to high-end shopping and a range of dining options from fine dining to casual pub meals. With fresh seafood right on its doorstep, Hervey Bay has great seafood dining options. There is a wide range of accommodation for hotels to backpacker hostels. Hervey Bay is home base for many of the islands off the coast and the surrounding region, with Fraser Island and Lady Elliot Island only a short distance away. The waters of the bay are calm and great for swimming, with Fraser Island providing natural protection from strong surf and winds. Here, you can see whales, dolphins, turtles, and marine fish species all within the same space. Hervey Bay is home to the largest artificial reef in the southern hemisphere and offers a great diving location for experienced or novice divers.

See All of the Bay Area in Your Car Hire

You don’t have to get in the water to see marine species; check out Reefworld in Hervey Bay. The aquarium is located right on the foreshore. An all-natural aquarium, using only natural sand, seawater and sunlight, you can see a wide range of tropical reef fish, turtles, sharks, sea slugs and more. Everyone is welcome to participate in the feeding and the touch tank experience. 

Right by the Reefworld Aquarium, you will find the Hervey Bay Botanic Gardens, with 26 hectares of gardens that display a wide range of different biomes, from rainforest, wetlands, bushlands and conventional gardens. The garden is filled with lovely walking trails to take in the scenery and an orchid house on sight that adds to the floral experience. The gardens are free admission open every day from 6.30 AM to 8.30 PM, and the orchid house is open from 9 AM to 2.30 PM. Both the aquarium and garden are just a 5-minute drive from the city centre in your rental car.

In Hervey Bay, you will also find museums, a water park, the Hervey Bay Regional Gallery, community markets, parks, biking trails, and walking trails.