Rainbow Beach, Queensland

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Rainbow Beach
Town
Rainbow Beach, Queensland.jpg
Rainbow Beach, Queensland, 2013
Australia Queensland location map.svg
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Rainbow Beach
Coordinates: 25°54′27″S153°05′20″E / 25.9075°S 153.0888°E / -25.9075; 153.0888 (Rainbow Beach (town centre))
Country Australia
State Queensland
LGA
Location
Established1969
Government
 •  State electorate
 •  Federal division
Area
 • Total
14.3 km2 (5.5 sq mi)
Elevation
[1]
14 m (46 ft)
Population
 • Total1,220 (2021 census) [2]
 • Density85.3/km2 (221.0/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+10:00 (AEST)
Postcode
4581
Mean max temp25.5 °C (77.9 °F) [1]
Mean min temp16.7 °C (62.1 °F) [1]
Annual rainfall1,454.1 mm (57.25 in) [1]
Localities around Rainbow Beach
Inskip Inskip Coral Sea
Cooloola Rainbow Beach Coral Sea
Cooloola Cooloola Cooloola

Rainbow Beach is a coastal rural town and locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. [3] [4] In the 2021 census, the locality of Rainbow Beach had a population of 1,220 people. [2]

Contents

It is a popular tourist destination, both in its own right and as a gateway to K'gari (formerly known as Fraser Island), with a vehicle ferry frequently running to the southern point of K'gari.

Geography

Rainbow Beach is bounded to the east by Wide Bay in the Coral Sea. [5]

The name of the town derives from the rainbow-coloured sand dunes fronting the beach. According to the legends of the indigenous Kabi Kabi people, the dunes were coloured when Yiningie, a spirit represented by a rainbow, plunged into the cliffs after doing battle with an evil tribesman. [6] The sand colours derive from the rich mineral content, including rutile, ilmenite, zircon, and monazite. A black dune of ilmenite sands, overgrown by dune vegetation, can be found north-west of the main town. It is currently being mined for sale to China, with complete removal expected to take two years. [7]

The Cooloola Section of the Great Sandy National Park borders the town to the south. A number of walking tracks through the national park depart from the southern outskirts of Rainbow Beach. [8] That includes the northern end-point of the Cooloola Great Walk. [9]

By road, Rainbow Beach is 75 kilometres (47 mi) from the Bruce Highway town of Gympie, and 239 kilometres (149 mi) from the Queensland state capital, Brisbane.

Climate

Rainbow Beach has a warm humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa) with hot, very wet summers and very mild, drier winters. [10] The wettest recorded day was 24 August 2007 with 529.2 mm (20.83 in) of rainfall. The town experiences 84.6 clear days and 120.7 cloudy days. Extreme temperatures ranged from 37.2 °C (99.0 °F) on 12 January 2002 and 16 December 2019 to −1.0 °C (30.2 °F) on 19 July 2007. [11]

Climate data for Rainbow Beach ( 25°54′S153°05′E / 25.90°S 153.09°E / -25.90; 153.09 ) (14 m (46 ft) AMSL) (1992-2025)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)37.2
(99.0)		37.0
(98.6)		34.9
(94.8)		32.3
(90.1)		29.3
(84.7)		27.1
(80.8)		27.3
(81.1)		30.2
(86.4)		32.4
(90.3)		35.2
(95.4)		36.0
(96.8)		37.2
(99.0)		37.2
(99.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)28.9
(84.0)		28.8
(83.8)		28.0
(82.4)		26.2
(79.2)		23.8
(74.8)		21.7
(71.1)		21.3
(70.3)		22.4
(72.3)		24.3
(75.7)		25.6
(78.1)		27.0
(80.6)		28.3
(82.9)		25.5
(77.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)22.1
(71.8)		22.2
(72.0)		20.6
(69.1)		17.5
(63.5)		14.2
(57.6)		11.6
(52.9)		10.4
(50.7)		11.1
(52.0)		14.1
(57.4)		16.8
(62.2)		18.8
(65.8)		20.8
(69.4)		16.7
(62.0)
Record low °C (°F)15.2
(59.4)		14.8
(58.6)		12.3
(54.1)		7.0
(44.6)		2.0
(35.6)		2.3
(36.1)		−1.0
(30.2)		0.4
(32.7)		2.0
(35.6)		6.7
(44.1)		9.2
(48.6)		11.4
(52.5)		−1.0
(30.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches)164.2
(6.46)		200.9
(7.91)		172.1
(6.78)		125.1
(4.93)		161.4
(6.35)		102.6
(4.04)		72.4
(2.85)		81.8
(3.22)		54.7
(2.15)		102.0
(4.02)		96.7
(3.81)		124.4
(4.90)		1,454.1
(57.25)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm)13.814.516.915.414.412.110.77.57.910.39.811.7145
Average afternoon relative humidity (%)69706867656360606464666765
Average dew point °C (°F)21.2
(70.2)		21.3
(70.3)		20.0
(68.0)		17.9
(64.2)		15.2
(59.4)		12.6
(54.7)		11.6
(52.9)		12.2
(54.0)		14.8
(58.6)		16.5
(61.7)		18.1
(64.6)		19.8
(67.6)		16.8
(62.2)
Source: Bureau of Meteorology (1992-2025) [1]

History

Propeller from the wrecked ship Cherry Venture, displayed at Rainbow Beach, 2016 Propeller from the wrecked ship Cherry Venture, saved and displayed at Rainbow Beach, 2016.jpg
Propeller from the wrecked ship Cherry Venture, displayed at Rainbow Beach, 2016
War memorial, "In memory of those who gave their lives from the Great War onwards", 2016 War memorial, Rainbow Beach, 2016.jpg
War memorial, "In memory of those who gave their lives from the Great War onwards", 2016

The town's war memorial, commemorating those who died in the World War I and subsequent conflicts, was refurbished in 1993 and is also located in Laurie Hanson Park. [12]

Rainbow Beach State School opened on 28 January 1986. [13]

The Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd opened on 15 September 1993. The church and hall were relocated from Yeronga in Brisbane and re-erected in Rainbow Beach after a 15-hour journey. The church had operated in Yeronga under the same name from 1958 to 1992. [14] [15] [16]

Rainbow Beach Library was opened in 2012. [17]

Demographics

In the 2011 census, the locality of Rainbow Beach had a population of 1,103 people. [18]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Rainbow Beach had a population of 1,249 people. [19]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Rainbow Beach had a population of 1,220 people. [2]

Economy

Although it has a permanent population of about 1,000, about 70,000 visitors go to the town each year. [20]

Community facilities

Gympie Regional Council operates Rainbow Beach Library at Rainbow Beach Community Hall, 32 Rainbow Beach Road ( 25°54′16″S153°05′25″E / 25.9045°S 153.0902°E / -25.9045; 153.0902 (Rainbow Beach Library) ). [21]

The Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd is at 17-19 Carlo Street ( 25°54′27″S153°05′13″E / 25.9075°S 153.0870°E / -25.9075; 153.0870 (Anglican Church of The Good Shepherd) ). [22]

St Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church is at the south-east end of Manooka Drive ( 25°54′38″S153°05′19″E / 25.9105°S 153.0887°E / -25.9105; 153.0887 (St Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church) ). [23]

Education

Rainbow Beach State School is a government coeducational primary (Prep–6) school at Warooga Road ( 25°54′26″S153°04′43″E / 25.9073°S 153.0787°E / -25.9073; 153.0787 (Rainbow Beach State School) ). [24] [25] In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 93 students with eight teachers (six full-time equivalent) and five non-teaching staff (four full-time equivalent). [26]

There are no secondary schools in Rainbow Beach. The nearest government school is Tin Can Bay State School (to Year 10) in neighbouring Tin Can Bay to the west. There are no nearby schools providing education to Year 12; the nearest is Gympie State High School in Gympie approx 75 kilometres (47 mi) by road to the south-west. [27] The alternatives are distance education and boarding school. [28]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rainbow Beach Climate Statistics (1992-2025)". Bureau of Meteorology . Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Rainbow Beach (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  3. ↑ "Rainbow Beach – town in Gympie Region (entry 27922)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  4. ↑ "Rainbow Beach – locality in Gympie Region (entry 47617)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  5. ↑ "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  6. ↑ Hues of a rainbow Archived 15 April 2006 at the Wayback Machine , Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 30 August 2006.
  7. ↑ Bathersby, Damian (18 February 2011). "Sand headed for China export". Noosa News. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
  8. ↑ Travel: Rainbow Beach Archived 15 April 2006 at the Wayback Machine , Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 August 2006.
  9. ↑ Skinner, Jo (29 March 2010). "$1.3m Cooloola Great Walk opens". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 17 November 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
  10. ↑ "Climate classification maps: Köppen - all classes". Bureau of Meteorology . Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  11. ↑ "Rainbow Beach Climate (1992-2025)". FarmOnline Weather. Australian Community Media . Retrieved 20 January 2026.
  12. ↑ "Rainbow Beach War Memorial". Queensland War Memorial Register. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  13. ↑ Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN   978-1-921171-26-0
  14. ↑ "Closed Churches". Anglican Church of Southern Queensland. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  15. ↑ "Church of the Good Shepherd Celebrates". Rainbow Beach Cooloola Coast Community News. October 2013. p. 18. Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  16. ↑ "Celebrating 25 years". Rainbow Beach Community News. 22 October 2018. Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  17. ↑ "Public Libraries Statistical Bulletin 2016-17" (PDF). Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. November 2017. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  18. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Rainbow Beach (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 21 October 2014. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  19. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Rainbow Beach (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  20. ↑ "Rainbow Beach Foreshore: Park Development Plan" (PDF). Gympie Regional Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  21. ↑ "Rainbow Beach Library". Public Libraries Connect. State Library of Queensland. 27 April 2017. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  22. ↑ "Anglican Church Gympie & Region - Places". Anglican Parish of Gympie. Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  23. ↑ "St Peter the Fisherman Church, Rainbow Beach". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane. Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  24. ↑ "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  25. ↑ "Rainbow Beach State School". Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  26. ↑ "ACARA School Profile 2017". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  27. ↑ "Rainbow Beach to Gympie" (Map). Google Maps . Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  28. ↑ "Layers: Locality; Schools and school catchments". Queensland Globe. Queensland Government . Retrieved 14 August 2025.
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