We have a big appetite for adventure, but not the budget to match! Luckily, travelling around the Capricorn Coast doesn’t need to be expensive, and we spent five amazing days exploring the region without breaking the bank. Here we will share our itinerary – and all the great places we stayed, visited and ate – on a budget!
PART ONE – YEPPOON
For the first two days of our trip we based ourselves in Yeppoon and checked in to the affordable Yeppoon Beach House. This gorgeous hostel is a stone’s throw from the beach, and a short walk into the centre of Yeppoon. We stayed in a private room, with a shared bathroom for just $85 per night. All the amenities were clean and modern, and there is a fully equipped kitchen, which can help save a few pennies!
DAY ONE
Day one was spent exploring Yeppoon. We instantly fell in love with the town, with its funky, tropical vibes. We wandered the streets in search of the famous street art Yeppoon is known for. The best place to start the hunt is at the Yeppoon Town Centre Carpark. It sounds strange but trust us – this is the prettiest car park we have ever seen! Colourful murals can also be found at the Yeppoon Lagoon, the Surf Life Saving Club and Pie Alley.
Another must-do in Yeppoon is to check out the Yeppoon Lagoon (try saying that five times!). The lagoon is a beautiful infinity pool overlooking the ocean. And guess what – it’s free! So, kick back and spend an afternoon floating around the lagoon with palm trees swaying above you. Paradise, right?
All that exploring had us hungry, and we headed to the Keppel Bay Sailing Club. Just because you’re on a budget, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy waterfront dining. The meals at the sailing club are delicious, and huge! If you’re really watching your pennies, two people could easily share a main and come away full.
DAY TWO
On day two, we hit the road! There are so many amazing things to discover along the Capricorn Coast between Yeppoon and Emu Park, and they are all free.
Our first stop was Wreck Point Lookout, which provided amazing views of the coast and surrounding islands. Keppel Bay Marina was next up, and The Waterline Restaurant at the marina was the perfect spot for breaky. A coffee and a toastie shouldn’t set you back more than $15 – bargain.
Fuelled up, we laced up our hiking shoes at the Double Head section of the Capricorn Coast National Park. This short walk takes you to two lookouts, Fan Rock and Rosslyn Bay.
Our next hike was a longer 2.3km circuit at Bluff Point. The walk involves a climb to Turtle Lookout, a great vantage point to spot turtles swimming below. You continue upwards to the peak at Ritamata Outlook, which had the most stunning 360° views of the Keppel Bay Islands. If you’ve worked up a sweat, head down to Kemp Beach for a dip. And keep your eyes out for the cute turtle mural on the amenities block at the beach.
Our final stop was the charming town of Emu Park. This laidback area is home to more colourful street art, The Centenary of ANZAC Memorial Walk, and the Singing Ship monument commemorating the explorations of Captain James Cook. The best thing? It didn’t cost us a cent to explore these sites!
PART TWO – GREAT KEPPEL ISLAND
The second part of our adventure was three nights on Great Keppel Island, staying at the Great Keppel Island Holiday Village in a glamping tent. The tent felt more like a hotel room, with a comfy bed, lights, and power. It was $120 a night, which we considered a small price to pay for a stay in paradise!
DAY THREE
Today we were island bound! The island is mainly self-catering, which suited our budget just fine. We spent $100 at the supermarket, which covered most of our meals on the island. Loaded with supplies, we headed to Keppel Bay Marina to catch the ferry with Keppel Konnections. The 40-minute journey costs $45 per person, return.
The boat pulled up right on the white sand of Fisherman’s Beach, and the crystal-clear waters lapped our feet as we disembarked. The first word that came to mind was ‘paradise’.
Shortly after arriving we headed out for our first adventure! Shelving Beach is a short 20-minute walk from the main area of the island. This little beach is a great spot for snorkelling, and we had snorkel gear available to us for free from the Holiday Village.
Although we brought most of our food with us, we had budgeted for one nice meal at the Hideaway Bistro, which is the main restaurant on the island. During happy hour from 4pm – 5pm you can grab a cocktail for $10, or a beer or wine for just $5! The cost of enjoying the sunset? Free!
DAY FOUR
Today started with a big hike to the highest point of Great Keppel Island. There are numerous hiking trails all over the island, but we opted to do the Mount Wyndham circuit. It took about 3.5 hours to complete, with countless stops to gaze at the incredible views!
After lunch we grabbed our snorkels and headed for another snorkelling spot, Monkey Point. The walk here is about 45-minutes and passes by Shelving Beach before following a trail down the hill onto Monkey Beach. The reef here is large, and there are plenty of colourful corals, giant clams, and fish life to see. We ended the day watching the sun set from Putney Beach, and toasted to another (totally free!) day in paradise.
DAY FIVE
There are 17 beaches to choose from on Great Keppel Island, and it can be a tough time deciding which ones to visit! Keppel Dive and Snorkel offer drop offs in their boat to some of the further beaches, and we decided to spend the day at Secret Cove. It was $80 for a return trip.
Secret Cove was true to its name, and we enjoyed the entire beach to ourselves for most of the day! Secret Cove is sheltered by Big Peninsula, which is a great spot for snorkelling. We found this area to have the most colourful corals, and we even found a turtle!
We were treated to the best sunset of the trip on our last night, where we watched the sky glow up over the mountains from Fisherman’s Beach. The perfect way to end a trip the tropical paradise that is the Capricorn Coast!
Sally Sees
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I’m Sally, and together with my fiancé Brayden and our gorgeous Golden Retriever Stanley, we form Sally Sees, a travel blog and Instagram focused on sustainable, budget travel. When we’re not backpacking around the globe, we are exploring our new home state of Queensland – on a budget!
