Visit Tannum Sands, the main surfing beach for the city of Gladstone. This beachside vacation hub gives access to some pretty cool islands and lakes as well.
Nature sets the pace in tranquil Tannum Sands. Go fishing for barramundi or follow The Turtle Way, a walking path that hugs the riverbank and coastline, if all you want is some time away in nature. Don’t miss the local Beach Arts Music (BAM) Markets, held on the first Saturday of each month.
The Millennium Esplanade connects one of the local trailer parks to the beach, so you’ll be in the water within minutes if you camp there. The water is usually warm enough to swim in year round. Go surfing in the often low waves when the tide is in. Be aware that the beach is divided by rock flats that are only visible at low tide and that the local surf life savers only patrol the beach during spring and summer.
The beachfront Tannum Sands Surf Life Saving Club, established in 1936, is a great place to go for a drink with Coral Sea views.
The coastal community of Tannum Sands is just a (vehicle) bridge away from Boyne Island. The island sits in the Boyne River and is another vacation haven, but it’s also home to a huge aluminum smelter, as you will learn at the local Smelter Visitor Centre. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, you can get a permit to camp at Lilley's Beach. Water skiing, canoeing, bush walking and fishing are also popular here and the dunes are great for bird watching.
Take a boat with you and launch it from the southern end of the Millennium Esplanade to reach nearby Wild Cattle Island National Park via Wild Cattle Creek. The island has a long sandy beach where you can escape the crowds and go camping, fishing or beach combing.
Tannum Sands and its beaches and islands are located just 12 miles (30 kilometers) southeast of Gladstone and only a small detour from the main coastal highway in Queensland.
