Gympie accommodation from AU$139

Gympie got its start in 1867 when prospector James Nash found gold near the Mary River. At the time, poverty and unemployment were widespread in Queensland, and his discovery turned things around for the colony. For a while, the town was named ‘Nashville’ in his honour, before being renamed Gympie in 1868 after an Aboriginal word for a local tree. Gympie’s gold-diggin’ past is one of its proudest memories, and you can get a piece of the action by hiring some gold fossicking equipment from a tourist centre and searching the Mary River or Deep Creek. If you like gold but don’t want to get your hands dirty, head to the Gympie Mining and Historic Museum. With five hectares and 15 buildings (including a cafe!) to explore, you’ll learn all about the area’s gold mining history and how James Nash saved Queensland from going bankrupt.

Maybe gold isn’t your thing. Luckily it’s not the only game going on in Gympie. Mary Street, Gympie’s main street, is full of attractive heritage-listed buildings and peaceful places to enjoy a meal or some coffee... or a little boutique shopping. There are colonial-style pubs in town if you feel like drinking with the locals. If you’re taking the family and you’re keen for a picnic, Gympie has plenty of wonderful green spaces with flower gardens, band rotundas and all the other trimmings.

Venture a little further and you’ll come across Great Sandy National Park and Rainbow Beach, perfect spots for a day out. At the Great Sandy, you can walk the Cooloola Great Walk (probably not the whole thing, though – done properly it’s a five day trek) through bush and gaze at amazing ocean views. Rainbow Beach is a tiny town with a population of about 999 and an unforgettable beach with headland views you won’t want to miss. Tin Can Bay is another part of the region worth a visit, famous for its wildlife and water activities.

Don’t waste this golden opportunity! Book your Gympie accommodation with us and see how it pans out!