River Heads Queensland
Sunset at River Heads, 2015
River Heads
Coordinates	25°24′48″S 152°54′49″E / 25.4133°S 152.9136°E / -25.4133; 152.9136 (River Heads (town centre))
Population	2,044 (SAL 2021)
Postcode(s)	4655
Area	20.7 km (8.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	13.4 km (8 mi) S of Urangan 26.5 km (16 mi) SE of Hervey Bay 42.7 km (27 mi) NE of Maryborough 301 km (187 mi) N of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Fraser Coast Region
State electorate(s)	Hervey Bay
Federal division(s)	Hinkler
Localities around River Heads: Bunya Creek Booral Great Sandy Strait Susan River River Heads Great Sandy Strait Susan River Susan River Great Sandy Strait

River Heads is a coastal town and locality in the Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of River Heads had a population of 2,044 people.

Geography

River Heads is 18 kilometres (11 mi) south of the city of Hervey Bay. The town is built on a narrow peninsula surrounded by the Great Sandy Strait (to the east), the mouth of the Mary River (to the south) and the mouth of the Susan River (a tributary of the Mary River) to the south-west.

River Heads Road enters the locality from the north (Booral) and extends south to the tip of the peninsula (being renamed Ariadne Street on the tip of the peninsula); it divides the locality with the urban area to the east and farmland to the west (mostly used as grazing on native vegetation).

History

River Heads was originally called Bingham, but was renamed on 22 November 1986. Bingham, in turn, was previously called Tyroom, an aboriginal word.

Bingham State School opened on 10 May 1915 (probably then known as Mary River Heads Provisional School). It closed on 5 September 1926.

At the 2011 census, the locality of River Heads had a population of 1,294.

In the 2016 census, the locality of River Heads had a population of 1,539 people.

In the 2021 census, the locality of River Heads had a population of 2,044 people.

Education

There are no schools in River Heads. The nearest government primary school is Sandy Strait State School in Urangan to the north. The nearest government secondary school is Urangan State High School, also in Urangan.

Transport

Vehicular ferries linking the mainland with Wanggoolba Creek and Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island depart from River Heads. The journey to Fraser Island takes 45 minutes.

There are a number of boating facilities managed by the Fraser Coast Regional Council, including: