Community members working for nature

Economic Value

Tourism relies on natural assets

Nature provides immense value to the Gympie Region's tourism industry, acting as the primary driver for its "Australia’s Nature Coast" brand. Key assets include Rainbow Beach, the Cooloola Coast, and access to K'gari, generating over $35 million annually in visitor spending on the coast alone. Nature-based tourism is supported by forests, waterways, and wildlife.

Key Value Drivers for Tourism:

Iconic Natural Assets: The Great Sandy National Park, the UNESCO Great Sandy Biosphere Reserve, and the Cooloola Coast beaches are central to the visitor experience.

Activities: The region offers extensive opportunities for eco-tourism, including 4WDing, fishing, hiking, and water sports.

Economic Impact: The natural environment supports a "booming" visitor economy with a strong domestic drive market.

Wildlife and Environment: The region is recognized for its biodiversity, including RAMSAR-listed wetlands and diverse native species.

Cultural Significance: The landscape holds high value for the Kabi Kabi and Butchulla peoples, enriching the cultural tourism experience.

Look at how many of these signature experiences (in bold) rely on nature:

Rainbow Beach
Native wildlife – platypus, dugong, punk turtle, dolphins, dingoes
Great Beach Drive (sand highway)
Historical Gympie City
Great Cooloola Walk
Carlo Sand Blow
Surfing and water sports
Coloured sands
Heritage steam train
Great Australian Rail Trails (cycling and trail network)
Farm trails and produce markets
Closest gateway to world-famous K’gari (Fraser Island)

Visitor industry snapshot

Gympie Region's visitor economy is worth around $116.2M each year and growing. Domestic tourism attracts more than 520,000 visitors and accounts for 90 per cent of all visits here. On average, overnight visitors stay for three nights and 56 per cent of visitors are here for holiday purposes.

International markets account for 51,000 visitors. Growth in our overnight stays is outperforming the Queensland average with around 210,000 overnight stays. International visitors stay for 3.5 nights and seventy-four per cent of all international visits are for holiday purposes.

We attract 759,541 day-trippers each year.

Source: Gympie Regional Council

Last updated: 8/3/2026

Page updated

Report abuse