Rainbow Beach is about 75km north of Noosa and 240km north of Brisbane. By car, take the Bruce Highway north and turn off at Gympie, then head east on the Rainbow Beach Road — the drive from Noosa takes about 90 minutes. There is no train service; a handful of coach connections run from Noosa and Hervey Bay. If you are heading to K'gari (Fraser Island), the barge leaves from Inskip Point, about 7km south of town along the beach road.
A 4WD is not required to reach Rainbow Beach itself, but you'll need one to drive on the beach, access Double Island Point, or cross to K'gari via the barge.