Hervey Bay vs Point Vernon: Which parkrun Would I Choose?
Hervey Bay is in the slightly unusual position of giving parkrun tourists two different events to choose from. There’s Hervey Bay parkrun at Urangan and Point Vernon Foreshore Reserve parkrun further along the coast, and if you’re only visiting for one Saturday morning, you might reasonably wonder which one to pick.
I’ve now done both of them twice. I’ve experienced Point Vernon in weather ranging from ridiculously hot to my nips are going to fall off cold, and I’ve just returned to Hervey Bay parkrun for its 590th event. So, if I were visiting Hervey Bay and could only choose one, which one would I do?
I already know my answer.
But that doesn’t mean the other one isn’t worth doing.
Point Vernon Hervey Bay
📍 Hervey Bay vs Point Vernon: Point Vernon on the left, Hervey Bay on the right
Hervey Bay vs Point Vernon At A Glance
🏃 Hervey Bay parkrun
Course: Flat 5 km out-and-back
Surface: Paved path and brick pavers, uneven in places
Ocean views: Direct waterfront views for the first section, then glimpses through the trees
Shade: Good shaded sections through the middle
Toilets: Start/finish plus toilets along the course
Parking: Car parks and street parking nearby
Atmosphere: Larger, lively and friendly
After parkrun: Saturday markets, breakfast and Urangan Pier
Stay: Pier Caravan Park, around 400–500 m from the start
My visits: 2
🏃 Point Vernon Foreshore Reserve parkrun
Course: Mostly flat out-and-back style course with a small hill
Surface: Brick pavers, uneven in places
Ocean views: Coastal setting with glimpses of the bay
Shade: Virtually none
Toilets: Toilets along the course
Parking: Car park near the start plus street parking
Atmosphere: Smaller, quieter and relaxed
After parkrun: Brew & View Cafe across the road
Stay: Not tested by me
My visits: 2
First, Neither Is A Bad Choice
Let's get this out of the way before someone decides I'm starting a Hervey Bay parkrun turf war. I’ve enjoyed both events, the volunteers have been lovely at both, and I would happily turn up to either one again. It comes down to what you want from your Saturday morning: a quieter run and coffee, or a busier waterfront event with markets and a pier to explore afterwards.
Comparing The Courses
Neither course is complicated, which I like. Hervey Bay is a straightforward 2.5 km out-and-back along the Esplanade. You head out, loop around a little garden roundabout at the turnaround and come straight back.
Point Vernon is also an out-and-back style course, although there's a little more going on. You head along the pathway, turn around, come back past the start area, continue up a small hill to another turnaround and then head back towards the finish.
📍 Point Vernon parkrun
If you’re looking for hills, you’re in the wrong part of Queensland. Neither course is remotely what I'd describe as hilly, although Hervey Bay is the flatter of the two from my experience.
And then there are the pavers.
Find. The. Even. Pavers.
When I 👉 wrote about Point Vernon after my second visit, I described it as one long game of Find. The. Even. Pavers.
Hervey Bay decided to join in.
Both courses have sections of brick pavers that have become uneven over time. At Point Vernon I spent quite a bit of time watching where I put my feet, while at Hervey Bay the uneven surface was actually mentioned during the pre-run briefing. I also caught my foot on one during the run and had to quickly correct myself.
Point Vernon Hervey Bay
📍 Left: Point Vernon | Right: Hervey Bay
I wouldn't avoid either course because of it. But if you tend to shuffle your feet when you get tired, pay attention to where you're stepping.
Neither one wins the smooth-footpath award.
Which Has The Better Ocean Views?
This one surprised me because you might assume Point Vernon Foreshore Reserve would automatically win based on the name alone. You're near the water throughout the course, but the pathway itself sits back from the shoreline in sections, with grass, trees and open ground between you and the bay. You get glimpses of the water rather than spending the entire 5 km running directly alongside it.
Hervey Bay starts differently. For roughly the first 650 metres, you're right beside the bay with beautiful open water views. After that you move into a more tree-covered section while still following the Esplanade, and the ocean starts playing peekaboo through the trees.
Point Vernon Hervey Bay
📍 Left: Point Vernon | Right: Hervey Bay
See the water. Lose the water. See it again. Lose it again.
For me, I preferred the waterfront feel at Hervey Bay. Neither is five uninterrupted kilometres of running beside the ocean, but that opening section at Hervey Bay feels much more like the coastal parkrun I want when I'm visiting somewhere by the water.
Let's Talk About Shade
This is probably the biggest course difference for me.
Point Vernon has basically none.
I've done Point Vernon in the middle of a ridiculously hot Queensland morning, and I can confirm that when the sun is belting down, there is nowhere to hide. I've also done it when it was so cold and windy that I questioned most of my life choices, so Point Vernon has kindly allowed me to experience both ends of the weather spectrum.
📍 Point Vernon parkrun
Hervey Bay has proper sections of tree cover through the middle of the course. The first and last approximately 650 metres are more exposed, but for a decent portion of the run you have trees providing some protection from the sun.
📍 Hervey Bay parkrun
On a beautiful September morning, that's nice.
In February, I'd call it a bloody advantage.
What If You're Chasing A PB?
Both courses have the potential to be quick because neither involves any serious climbing. Hervey Bay is particularly flat, although the uneven pavers mean you still need to pay attention to your footing.
The other consideration at Hervey Bay is the size of the field. There were 328 finishers when I ran event #590, and it took me around 30 seconds to cross the start line. It was another few hundred metres before things opened enough for me to comfortably work my way around people.
Hervey Bay: 328 Point Vernon: 113
📍 Left: Hervey Bay | Right: Point Vernon
That's not a criticism. Put more than 300 people onto a shared path at the same time and there's obviously going to be some congestion. If you're genuinely chasing a PB, though, don't casually wander into the back half of the starting pack and then wonder why you're stuck behind everyone.
Point Vernon was considerably smaller on my second visit, with 113 participants. If you prefer a quieter start and more room around you, that may appeal more.
The Atmosphere
I've had good experiences with the volunteers at both events, so I'm not going to manufacture a winner here. Point Vernon had a calm, friendly feel on both of my visits, while Hervey Bay felt noticeably busier and livelier.
📍 Point Vernon parkrun
Hervey Bay did have one thing I hadn't encountered before: the entire run director briefing was written in rhyme. It wasn't one random joke thrown into the usual briefing either. She had a printed script and the whole thing rhymed, including the warning about those bloody uneven pavers.
📍 Hervey Bay parkrun
Someone has put genuine effort into writing that thing, and I loved it.
I also ended up sitting and chatting with Barry after finishing Hervey Bay. He'd recently retired and moved up from Noosa, and somehow our post-parkrun conversation ended up covering his travels and hiking through Switzerland, France and Rome. Random conversations with people you've never met before are one of those little things that make parkrun what it is.
Toilets, Parking And The Practical Stuff
Both events are easy enough from a practical point of view. Point Vernon has toilets directly along the course, parking close to the start and additional street parking. Brew & View Cafe is also straight across the road, so your caffeine needs are sorted once you've finished.
Hervey Bay has toilets around the start/finish area as well as more facilities along the route. There are car parks and street parking nearby, although I didn't need either because I was staying at Pier Caravan Park and could simply walk the approximately 400–500 metres to the start.
That accommodation option is a big tick for me as a parkrun tourist. Being able to wake up, drink my coffee and walk to parkrun without getting into the car makes Saturday morning ridiculously easy.
📍 Hervey Bay parkrun
What Happens After parkrun?
Point Vernon has Brew & View Cafe directly across the road, and after my second visit Tearri and I headed there for coffee. That's convenient, easy and exactly what you want after parkrun.
Hervey Bay gave me an entire morning.
The Saturday markets were happening right beside the start and finish area, and plenty of parkrunners seemed to be heading there afterwards for breakfast. Kirra had chosen the far more sensible option of sleeping in rather than joining me for parkrun, so she met me afterwards and we grabbed breakfast together.
📍 Hervey Bay parkrun
After eating, we wandered through the markets and then headed out along Urangan Pier. My watch measured the walk to the end and back at 1.78 km, and about halfway along we found an extremely cooperative pelican who was perfectly happy to pose for photos.
📍 Hervey Bay parkrun
I'd gone out that morning to run 5 km. By the time we headed back towards the caravan park, I'd done parkrun, had breakfast at the markets, wandered the stalls, walked an historic pier and acquired several photos of a pelican.
That's my kind of parkrun tourism.
So, Which Hervey Bay parkrun Would I Choose?
If you only have one Saturday in Hervey Bay and you're asking which of the two I would choose, I'm going to Hervey Bay parkrun at Urangan.
If you prefer a smaller field, a quieter start and coffee straight across the road, Point Vernon may suit you better. For me, two visits felt enough for now.
After my second Hervey Bay visit, I was already thinking about coming back.
I'd happily book myself into Pier Caravan Park for another weekend, walk across to parkrun on Saturday morning, run along the bay, have breakfast at the markets and wander Urangan Pier afterwards. The combination of the flat course, waterfront section, shade, atmosphere and everything waiting around the finish makes it more appealing to me as an overall parkrun-tourism experience.
That's ultimately the difference.
One gave me a good parkrun.
The other made me want another weekend.
Read The Full parkrun Reviews
Want more detail before deciding which one to run? I’ve done both events twice, and you can read my full reviews here:
My full review of Hervey Bay parkrun, including the course, facilities, Saturday markets, Urangan Pier and where I stayed.
Two visits, two completely different weather experiences, and everything I’d want to know before running Point Vernon.
Come Chase Life With Me
Have you done both? Which one would you choose? Tell me in the comments.
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Chooky xx
Embracing the slow. Chasing the now.
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