Rainbow Beach, Queensland — interactive Google street map, satellite and terrain views, Street View, live local weather conditions and 7-day forecasts, real-time local and world news, and an editorial description of Rainbow Beach, in the Gympie Regional local government area.
| Locality | Rainbow Beach |
| State | Queensland (QLD) |
| Local Government Area | Gympie Regional |
| Country | Australia |
| Timezone | Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) - no daylight saving |
| Remoteness | Inner Regional Australia |
| Latitude | -25.90565 |
| Longitude | 153.07439 |
| Population | 1,556 |
| Density | 109.2 /km² |
| Area | 14.2 km² |
| Elevation | 22 m |
| Postcode | 4581 |
| Area Code | 07 |
| Distance to Brisbane | 174 km north |
Rainbow Beach is a locality in the Gympie Regional local government area of Queensland, Australia. It has a population of approximately 1,556. The locality covers an area of 14.2 km², giving a population density of about 109.2 people per km². It sits at an elevation of around 22 m above sea level. It lies approximately 174 km north of Brisbane. Rainbow Beach is located at 25.9057°S, 153.0744°E. It observes Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) - no daylight saving. Postcode: 4581. The Australian Bureau of Statistics classifies the area as Inner Regional Australia.
Rainbow Beach stretches along Queensland’s coast, a vibrant slash of ochre sand meeting the endless blue of the Pacific. It lies 51.6 km north-east of Gympie, QLD (from Gympie, QLD: bearing 53°T), and is situated 11.4 km north-east of Cooloola Cove. This is a place where the land breathes with a raw, untamed energy, the dunes a rippling sea of golden grains that whisper secrets with every gust of wind. The air itself carries the sharp tang of salt and the fainter, sweeter perfume of coastal scrub, a constant reminder of the ocean's proximity. Here, the vastness of the Great Sandy Strait lies to one side, a labyrinth of mangrove-fringed waterways and shallow channels, while the relentless surf of the Coral Sea crashes onto the shore on the other. The light at dawn paints the sky in hues of rose and apricot, bleeding into the pale gold of the sand, a daily spectacle that feels both ancient and utterly new.
The history of Rainbow Beach is inextricably linked to its dramatic landscape and the resourceful spirit of those who have called it home. Originally known as Carlo, the town's name was changed in the 1960s, a nod to the spectacular coloured sands that paint the nearby cliffs, a geological marvel shaped by millennia of mineral deposits. For generations, the local economy has been sustained by the bounty of the sea, with fishing fleets heading out from the sheltered waters of the strait, and a hardy tourism industry that draws travellers seeking the wild beauty of the region. It's a place where the pace of life is dictated by the tides and the sun, a far cry from the clamour of larger centres, fostering a strong sense of camaraderie amongst its residents and a welcoming spirit for those who venture to its shores.
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This page provides an interactive Google map of Rainbow Beach, Queensland with street, satellite and terrain views and integrated Street View imagery. Live weather conditions with current observations and a 7-day forecast are powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while an editorially written description provides background on Rainbow Beach, in the Gympie Regional local government area.
Detailed location data for Rainbow Beach includes the postcode (4581), telephone area code (07), and local government area (Gympie Regional), with an ABS remoteness classification of Inner Regional Australia. These are among the most commonly searched location details for any Australian city, town or locality.
Location data is drawn from Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020) and enriched with GeoNames and Australian Bureau of Statistics data, matched by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Rainbow Beach is identified even where the name is shared across multiple localities.
| Page generated | June 2026 |
| Location data | Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020); enriched with GeoNames and ABS 2021 Census data, matched by coordinate proximity |
| Description | Editorial description generated with AI assistance from verified Geoscape, ABS and GeoNames location data. |