The Hervey Bay residential area grew inland from Point Vernon and coastal Pialba. These old coastal suburbs, along with Dundowran, Scarness, Torquay and Urangan, each have their own entry. The inland suburbs, travelling in an arc from west to south, are described below:

Craignish: This rural/residential suburb, with access to Dundowran Beach, is an old place name. Queensland Archives records Craignish State primary school, No 503 (c1938-61). It has two modern golf courses, Craignish Country Club and Fraser Lakes Golf Course (1996). Its census population in 2006 was 1440.

Eli Waters: A semi-developed residential suburb, Eli Waters includes a wetland and Eli Creek. It is thought that the creek's name derived from an Aboriginal expression describing a sand crab. Eli Waters has a small shopping centre and the Xavier Catholic College (2003). Its census population in 2006 was 1913.

Urraween: This suburb, incompletely developed, has a population approaching 5000 people. Formally named in 1980, the suburb was a stopping place on the railway (1896) from Maryborough to Pialba. 'Urraween' is thought to derive from an Aboriginal expression for a place of emus. It has several schools: Hervey Bay Senior College (1964); Hervey Bay Christian Academy (1993); Yarralea State primary school (2000); and St James Lutheran College (2003). There are also a Lutheran church next to the college, the Hervey Bay Hospital (1993) and Bay Central shopping centre (1995) on the border with Pialba. Its census populations have been:

Kawungan: This residential suburb is immediately east of Urraween and south of Pialba-Scarness. It was also a stopping place on the railway (1896) from Maryborough. It is thought that the place name derives from an Aboriginal expression describing a place of magpies. Kawungan has a caravan park and a State primary school (1991). Its census populations have been:

Wondunna: This rural/residential suburb is immediately south of Torquay and west of Urangan. Formally named in 1980, 'Wondunna' was the European surname of an Aboriginal tracker from Fraser Island. 'Willie Wondunna' was one of the several trackers enlisted to hunt the Kelly gang. Wondunna has a large sports reserve with a swimming pool, a local store, the Star of the Sea Catholic College (1984) and the Fraser Coast Anglican College (1995). Its census population in 2006 was 1511.

River Heads: The northern side of the mouth of the Mary River, 20 km south-east of Pialba, was originally known as Bingham, and renamed River Heads in 1986. The site was once used for the river and coastal timber trade. There are a general store and a barge landing point for Fraser Island. Its census populations have been:

Sunshine Acres is south-east of the intersection of Maryborough-Hervey Bay Road and Booral Road, 23 km north of Maryborough. It is a rural/residential locality formally named in 1999. Most households are families with children and the median age is 37 years (2006), the same as Australia. Over 52% of employment is technicians, trade workers, machinery operators and drivers (Australia 31.5%). The median weekly income per resident was $371 in 2006 (Australia $466). Sunshine Acres' census populations have been: