Bring the bikes to Bundaberg and explore the beautiful turtle themed Coastal Trail. From Bargara’s golden beaches and a turtle themed park to the chance to spot real turtles in Mon Repos – the Coastal Trail is the perfect way to explore Bundaberg’s coastal fringe with your family.
Bargara’s Turtle Park
Start the trip off at Bargara’s one-of-a-kind turtle park. Kids will love sitting on top of a giant turtle– there’s even a slide shaped like a flipper!
On hot days pack a change of clothes and the kid’s swimmers. The park has a small but mighty water play section complete with giant turtle eggs for little ones to splash around. There are several benches for parents to rest their legs and take in the stunning ocean views while the kids explore.
Didn’t pack morning tea? Don’t worry! Across the street from Bargara’s turtle park are several delightful cafes and restaurants. And what holiday is complete without an ice cream?
The Turtle Marks the Spot
After leaving Bargara head along the sealed meandering path. The trail takes you to Holland St until you reach the start of the Mon Repos Turtle Conservation area. Park your bikes at the Mon Repos Turtle Centre and tell the kids to keep their eyes peeled for the turtle path!
They’ll find turtle symbols painted along the pathway to indicate the start of the turtle nesting area. This 4km return walk is one of best spots in the world to see wild nesting marine turtles during turtle season (November – March). While turtles are most active at night (learn more about turtle tours and how to book tickets here) we understand your little ones might not stay up past dusk. That’s why it’s great to explore the Coastal Trail during the day.
Those Aren’t Easter Eggs!
The Coastal Trail offers several opportunities to spot where turtles have been laying their eggs on the beach for thousands of years. When our Brisbane Kids writer visited in January, her family were thrilled to see turtle cages protecting these majestic creature’s eggs. They’ll hatch sometime between mid-January and March to begin their journey down to the sea.
The Sounds of the Bush
The best thing about the trail is that it encourages an appreciation and love for all native wildlife. Your kid’s will love the Bush Beats interactive displays spaced out along the trek. Not only can children read about different animals but they can hear them too! By spinning a dial, they can hear what sound a kangaroo makes in the morning or the distinctive laughter of a Kookaburra.
If you missed the first Bush Beats display (or someone was having a tantrum!) not to fear -there’s several displays along the way. There’s also multiple boardwalks to pop out on so you could walk down the beach one way and along the sealed path on the way back.
Mon Repos Turtle Centre
Before hopping on the bikes back to Bargara, make sure to refuel and refresh at the Mon Repos Turtle Centre. They have a small café, a free turtle display and an informative documentary.
If want to learn more about the incredible creatures in greater detail there’s also the Turtle Tales (ticketed) exhibition area. Kids will love the interactive displays and nature documentaries.
Directions
Starting point: 59 Esplanade, Bargara
Ending point: 141 Mon Repos Rd, Mon Repos
Note: We’ve stopped our Coastal Walk at the Mon Repos Turtle Centre but if your kids are older (or just have heaps of energy!) you could continue on another 8.2.km to Burnett Heads. You can find out more details about the entire Coastal Walk here.
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