Beach number: qld1530
Includes beaches: Rainbow Beach (south)
State/Region: QLD - Rainbow Beach
Beach name: Rainbow Beach (south)
General Beach Hazard Rating: 4
Least hazardous: 1-3
Moderately hazardous: 4-6
Highly hazardous: 7-8
Extremely hazardous: 9-10
Hazard rating refers to physical beach and surf conditions ONLY and does not include potentially dangerous marine life.
Beach

Rainbow Beach is a 23 km long, curving beach located in Wide Bay between sandy Inskip Point, opposite Fraser Island, and rocky Double Island Point. The open bay faces north-east and the beaches in the bay face variously north, east and north-east as they swing around between the two points. The growing town of Rainbow Beach is located in the centre of the beaches, with the northern end of the large Cooloola National Park extending south of the southern half of the bay.

Between Eight Mile Rocks and Double Island Point 13 km to the south-east, wave height continues to decrease. The beach (1530) faces initially north-east, then north and finally north-west against the point. The rips decrease in size to the south and are soon replaced by a continuous, rip-free low tide bar. The final 2 to 3 km to the point are dominated by elongate sand waves, in the form of migrating sand spits, that periodically form off the point and move westward along the beach, often impounding a backing lagoon. They gradually merge with the beach and the sand continues up the beach toward Inskip Point. The most spectacular part of the beach is, however, the brilliantly 'rainbow' coloured, scarped sand dunes, averaging 100 m in height and up to 135 m high.

The central and northern beach is dominated by rips and is potentially hazardous. Be very careful if swimming here, particularly when waves are breaking. Watch out for the deep rip channels, as well as currents in the longshore troughs. Stay close inshore and on the attached parts of the bar. Definitely swim between the flags at Rainbow Beach. Beware of the strong tidal currents at Inskip Point and, while the southern beach is usually the safest with the lowest waves and few rips, be careful of the vehicle traffic on the beach.

There are beach breaks the length of this beach, with conditions depending on winds and swell size, as well as bar shape. The southern Double Island Point has the long spits of northward moving sand which produce long right-handers during large swell.

A very popular spot for beach fishing, with deep holes and gutters common along the beach, particularly north of the surf lifesaving club, and off Inskip Point into the deep tidal channel.

A long, attractive, natural beach framed by brilliant sand dunes along the southern half. Vehicles are permitted either side of the patrolled section and many people use this as a jumping off point to visit Fraser Island to the north and Cooloola National Park to the south.

Type: Formal parking area
Spaces: 200