Visiting Burrum Coast safely
Palm Beach Road north of the Kinkuna camping area. Four-wheel-drive is essential for accessing camping areas.
Photo credit: Ross Naumann, QPWS volunteer
Close to the Burrum Point camping area, Burrum River tidal areas are great places to explore. Both Burrum and Gregory Rivers are popular for boating and fishing.
Photo credit: Queensland Government
Several areas in the Woodgate section are wheelchair accessible. This image shows the boardwalk section of the Banksia track.
Photo credit: Ross Naumann, QPWS volunteer
From Walkers Point day-use area 250m of sealed walking track is suitable for wheelchairs and prams.
Photo credit: Ross Naumann, QPWS volunteer
Getting there and getting around
Burrum Coast National Park is spread over four sections—Kinkuna, Woodgate, Burrum River and Buxton sections. Recreation facilities are not provided in the Burrum River or Buxton sections.
Visitors need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to access camping areas. Walking track entrances are accessible by conventional vehicles.
Kinkuna section
Kinkuna section’s roads are suitable for high clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles only—some road sections are gravel, most are sand.
During wet conditions, access roads may be closed as they pass through low lying, swampy areas. Low clearance caravans and trailers are not recommended.
Travel 14km south from Bundaberg on the Goodwood Road. Turn left into Coonarr Road at the railway overpass, continue for approximately 8km and then turn right into Palm Beach Road. Follow the signs to the camping area.
Take care to read the signs and watch out for heavy sand mining trucks that frequently use Palm Beach Road. Follow the national park signs to the camping areas. Do not enter the sand mining leases as sign posted. It is recommended that you use UHF radio channel 12 to listen for oncoming heavy traffic and alert other users of your whereabouts while on Palm Beach Road.
From the south, access is possible from Childers and Woodgate by following Goodwood Road, Woodgate Road and then Woppis Road into the park.
Woodgate section
The Woodgate section, can be reached from Childers or Bundaberg.
From the south side of Childers, turn off the Bruce Highway to Goodwood and travel 36km to Woodgate Beach township.
From Bundaberg, follow Barolin Street until it becomes Goodwood Road and travel 57km to Woodgate Beach township.
From Woodgate Beach township, signs lead you to the national park.
Camping areas in Woodgate section are accessible by high clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles only. Low clearance caravans and trailers are not recommended.
Burrum River section
Access to the southern section of the park, the Burrum River section, is via the Bruce Highway—exit at Torbanlea or Howard. From these towns, travel via the Burrum Heads Road to the park (about 15km).
The park is on both sides of the Burrum Heads Road just before Burrum Heads township.
Buxton section
Access via Bruce Highway—exit at Buxton Road and travel 13km to Pioneer Road.
The roads into Buxton section are wide formed gravel roads accessible by conventional vehicles in dry weather only.
Buxton section is a popular spot for bird watchers and nature photographers. No facilities are present.
Wheelchair accessibility
Wheelchair accessible facilities are provided in three areas in the Woodgate section.
Hoppy Larks Creek day-use area has a wheelchair accessible track to a viewing platform with a picnic table and fishing platform on the banks of the Gregory River.
The boardwalk section (800m return) of the Banksia track from Acacia Street through a melaleuca (tea-tree) swamp is wheelchair-accessible.
Walkers Point day-use area is wheelchair accessible with paved areas to picnic tables and about 250m of sealed walking track.
Staying safe
Walking wisely
- Choose walks that suit the capabilities of your entire group.
- Wear a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes with good grip.
- Plan your walk to avoid walking in the middle of the day during hotter months.
- Stay together and on designated walking tracks. Always supervise children.
- Take a basic first-aid kit and mobile phone.
- Always carry drinking water.
Fire safety
Wildfires are a threat to walkers, campers and the wallum community. They can occur without warning, so be aware of and prepared for the dangers.
If a bushfire occurs while you are out walking:
- Follow the walking track away from the fire to the nearest road, beach, lake or creek for refuge.
- Large logs, a ditch or burnt ground can also provide protection.
- Avoid areas of heavy fuel, such as deep leaf litter, and stay low to the ground where the air is coolest and contains the least smoke.
In high fire danger conditions, walking tracks and other areas may be closed. It is essential for your safety to follow the instructions on signs in these conditions.
If you see a bushfire, dial Triple Zero (000) if you have mobile phone reception or alert a ranger or the police as soon as possible. Do not try to drive or walk towards the fire to see where it might be.
Help protect people, animals and plants from uncontrolled wildfires by using fuel stoves rather than camp fires.
Camp site fire safety
Open campfires for cooking purposes are only permitted in Kinkuna camping area.
Please bring and use your own fuel or gas camping stoves to help reduce the risk of wildfires caused by open fires. Even fuel or gas stoves must be used with care.
- Always be vigilant with fuel stoves, gas lights and lanterns.
- Never leave your stove or campfire unattended.
- If you choose to use a cooking fire, you must bring your own milled timber for use as firewood—it is an offence to collect firewood in the national park.
- Take extra care with campfires—keep them small and extinguish with water, not sand. Minimise impact by using a pre-existing campfire site.
- Do not dispose of non-combustible or toxic material (e.g. glass, cans, plastics) in a campfire. Penalties apply.
- Supervise children closely, especially around stoves and campfires.
Report bushfires immediately to Triple Zero (000). Early reporting may avert a devastating wildfire.
For more information, please read the QPWS Fire management.
Driving safely
Roads in the national park are gravel or sand. A 4WD vehicle is recommended at all times. Beach driving is permitted at Kinkuna and from the Woodgate Beach township along the beach to the Burrum Point area. Driving in sandy landscapes requires some care to protect both you and the fragile sand environment.
- Engage 4WD before driving on sand.
- Normal road rules apply, including speed limits and seat belts. Police patrol through the national park regularly and penalties apply for offences.
- Stay on the tracks; never drive on the dunes. Only use signed and well established tracks to exit the beach.
- Lower your speed for the conditions, and around people and wildlife (including shorebirds).
- Select low gears for soft, dry sand.
- Avoid sharp turns and sudden braking.
- Possibly choose to reduce your tyre pressure to maintain traction on very soft sand. Always stay within the manufacturer’s specifications. Remember to re-inflate your tyres to resume speed on harder sand or surfaces.
- Carry repair and recovery equipment.
In an emergency
- Call Triple Zero (000).
- Advise the location and nature of emergency.
- Stay on the phone until you are told to hang up.
The nearest hospitals are located at:
- Childers Hospital, 44 Broadhurst Street, Childers.
- Bundaberg Base Hospital, Bourbong Street, Bundaberg.
For more information, please read the guidelines on safety in parks and forests and print off the Driving on sand safety guide to take with you when you visit.
Before you visit
Essentials to bring
- Plan your trip carefully, be self-sufficient and ensure your vehicle is in good condition.
- Carry enough food, drinking water, equipment, medical and other supplies for your trip.
- Pack a first-aid kit, sunscreen, insect repellent, sturdy shoes, hat and raincoat.
- Rubbish bins are not provided. Remove excess packaging when you pack for your trip. Take all recyclables and rubbish with you when you leave. Campers should bring strong containers suitable for storing rubbish.
- Bring and use fuel or gas stoves to help reduce the risk of wildfires caused by open fires. Fires are not permitted with the exception of cooking fires in Kinkuna camping zone only. If you plan to use these you need to bring your own clean, milled firewood, as it is illegal to collect firewood from the national park.
- When camping in Kinkuna camping zone, bring your own portable toilet.
Opening hours
Burrum Coast National Park is open 24 hours a day.
Permits and fees
Camping permits are required for camping in Burrum Coast National Park. Fees apply.
- Book your campsite online.
- If you cannot book online, see camping bookings for other options.
Book well in advance for school holidays and long weekends.
Pets
Domestic animals are not permitted in the Burrum Coast National Park. This includes domestic animals restrained within vehicles.
Climate and weather
The Burrum Coast has a mild, subtropical climate. In summer, evenings can be humid. Average daily temperatures range from 20–30°C in summer and from 15–20°C in winter.
Fuel and supplies
Fuel and supplies are available at Woodgate Beach and Burrum Heads townships, and a wider range of supplies is available in Bundaberg and Childers. For more information see the tourism information links below.
- Kinkuna bush camping and access roads closed - water over roads 22 April to 14 May 2024