Whale of a time in Hervey Bay Qld August 18-24 2016

Whale of a time in Hervey Bay Qld August 18-24 2016

There really is only two reasons for going to Hervey Bay: whale watching and Fraser Island

Having been to Fraser half a dozen times or more and knowing that for the day tripper the options of places to go and see are limited basically to Kingfisher Bay, Lake McKenzie and Central Station, we chose to not go there this year.

We did however take a handful of whale watching brochures from the info store on the jetty and study them diligently over a coffee and rather nice muffin. Our conclusion was that the Whalesong 1/2 day tour including morning tea and lunch was the best value-for-money and so we subsequently made the booking.

Hervey Bay's most prominent feature is the Esplanade culminating in the 868m long wharf, which is mandatory to walk at least once a day. We found ourselves there on sunset and as the tide was just about fully out leaving exposed sand banks,  it presented a photo opportunity not to be missed.

Pier, Hervey Bay Qld

Pier, Hervey Bay Qld

The Happy Wanderer CP en-suite sites are a bit weird, in that the en-suite is a pentagonal shaped building. leaving you 5 van spots that run at weird angles to each other and to the parallel roads, one on each side. Apart from the odd feeling one gets when your environments alignment is askew, the bathrooms themselves are old, tired and bordering on being decrepit. To top it off, the pools are frigid, but at least it was a more structured place where you could lay in the sun and do a crossword for an hour or two. What with the dodgy van parking, the freezing pools and the inclement weather, we tended to spend most of every day somewhere else, like:

Whale watching

Between us we took another swag of mostly useless snaps of whale splashes and near misses. You have to be patient and wait for them to come to the boat and if you're lucky, they might put on a bit of a show. Here's a few I kept

Judy keeping a sharp eye out for whales about Whalesong, Hervey Bay Qld

And there she blows, as they say

Whales, Hervey Bay Qld

Whales, Hervey Bay Qld

Night carnival

These small places seem to like having street parades promoting something important like Reef Week, Save the Whale or Beautify the Bay. Who knows? It's odd in as much as there is never any real publicity given to the beneficiary event, so to an outsider they may as well have been supporting the 'Keep the mood blue' campaign. In this case it was even odder, there was not 1 sign about the carnival, nothing. Judy heard about it 3rd hand from some obscure source. We went up anyway and sat and ate fish and chips as the floats floated by with lots of fish type decorations and heaps of kids all dressed up and the like. They even had a lone pipe band. Entertaining enough for the 25 minutes or so it took to go past. We elected not to go and get involved in the carnival itself, which is purely the sideshow mob come to town. We've seen enough of them on the highway, thank you.


Caravan and Leisure show

We thought we'd amuse ourselves by doing the country type thing and driving the 60km to Maryborough so that we could go to the show - well, the Caravan, Home and Leisure Show at least. It was heaps bigger than we expected and we took a good old stroll around the whole lot, poking our snouts into every van, even though they are all the same. We came across a thing called a Jergens, which is South African and now available in Australia, I'm not sure if they are made here or not. They were the only ones that were to our liking inside and if you could get over the butt-ugly front of the thing you might even get serious about looking properly.

What also surprised us was that the Jayco was also almost ok inside, and they certainly are cheaper than all the others.

All aboard the Express. Caravan Show, Maryborough Qld

Random street of show vans. Caravan Show, Maryborough Qld

Look, just like the ones dad made back in 1955! Caravan Show, Maryborough Qld

Botanic Gardens

Almost every town we've been in has a Botanic Garden hidden away somewhere and Hervey Bay was no exception. It was literally two blocks away from us and is a little gem inside, featuring a large lake with fountains, bridges, duck-weed and a flight of ducks.

Botanic Gardens. Hervey Bay Qld

Botanic Gardens. Hervey Bay Qld

These ducks were paddling furiously across the surface in all directions with their beaks / bills just under the surface of the water and duck-weed. They appeared to be eating something else, perhaps wigglers or something, not the actual weed.

Botanic Gardens. Hervey Bay Qld

The garden also sports a Orchid House, which one has to pay a small fee to enter, and which contains a nice, compact collection of orchids.

Botanic Gardens. Hervey Bay Qld

Botanic Gardens. Hervey Bay Qld

Botanic Gardens. Hervey Bay Qld

That was about it for us and Hervey Bay, so until we need to see whales again, it's good bye

A Few days in Bargara Qld aka Bundaberg - August 14-17 2016

A Few days in Bargara Qld aka Bundaberg - August 14-17 2016

Bargara is a beach suburb, about 10km from Bundaberg proper, well at least the CBD and main bits. The caravan park is not fabulous - adequate but not the fabulous haven as some would have had us believe. But we didn't care particularly as we wanted to explore the area a bit.

The first thing one finds is that there is an extensive network of paths and tracks you can easily walk, to the southern end of Mon Repos beach where the Loggerhead turtles come in to lay their eggs, or all the way down past the cafe strip of Bargara proper to Kellys Beach.

When we say 'beach', it may well have been quite a large expanse of sand once, but today its small creches of probably trucked in sand, protected by lots and lots of rock walls.

I walked up and down few times for some exercise. I came across this sign denoting some of the fabulous things that one just needed to view if ones appreciation of the area was to be complete

The Places Of Interest are listed as:

1. Nielsen Park Archway
2. Nielsen Park Gate Cairn
3. Old Railway Formation
4. Zunker Memorial Pines
5. Beaufort Bomber War Memorial

Ok, I know that sounds just too exciting, but settle down and I'll take you on the tour:

1. Nielsen Park Archway

Nielsen Park Archway. Bargara Qld

In all its former glory. Bargara Qld

2. Nielsen Park Gate Cairn

Nielsen Park gate cairn. Bargara Qld

the plaque upon which reads:

This gate was presented by the Hon. Chas. F. Nielson after whom the park was named. 1923. Bargara Qld

How's that for excitement? Poor old Chas, if only he could see his wonderful gate today....

But wait, there's more:

3. Old Railway formation

Now this one is just a guess on my behalf. The sign indicates that it's just next to Chas' cairn, but to the naked and untrained eye, there was nothing to see except an empty field. It may have been referring to the raised piece of dirt upon which the road was, which seems likely because in 1920 the whole place was a swamp basically. Or then again it may be referring to this post, one of two, nestled under the trees, who knows?

A rotten old pst near the CF Nielson park gate cairn, which may or may not have indicated the presence of a railway line in the park's glorious past. Bargara Qld

Where were we? Oh yes, now for number 4.

4. Zunker Memorial Pines

Bunker Memorial Pines. Bargara Qld

Fortunately I found a plaque that explains about Zunker and the pines

This avenue of pines was presented by Mr and Mrs C Langbecker in memory of their daughter and son-in-law Mary and  Charles Zunker who lost their lives in a tragic cane fire, November 1953. Bargara Qld

The last one on the list is also sad, but here it is:

5. Beaufort Bomber war memorial

Beaufort Bomber war memorial. Bargara Qld

The cairn remembers the four man crew of a Beaufort bomber which crashed 7 miles out to sea while active service, December 24, 1943. The additional plaque on the front also remembers a 3 man crew lost in an unspecified aircraft in 1942.

This is right up near the cafes which are opposite this bit of almost useful beach

Bargara beach, Qld

We spent all of our time outside of Bargara Beach and here is a quick tour:

Baldwin Swamp. A most unpleasant sounding name, but it turns out to be the most delightful park surrounding what may have been a swamp once but which now are pleasant lagoons, including a 'fishway', which we didn't identify but which is supposed to allow fish to swim upstream to give birth to lots of little baby fishes. The parks are extensive and the place abounds with heaps of birds, mostly ducks, but including spoonbills, ibis and cormorant

Baldwin Swamp. Bundaberg Qld

Ducks, one of heaps of different ones on Baldwin Swamp. Bundaberg Qld

Bats, 1000s of em in the trees at Baldwin Swamp. Bundaberg Qld

Next stop was the Botanic Gardens, which were just as pleasant. It comprised 3 large ponds and gardens all around, although not so much on the garden side. The main attraction are the ponds replete with water fowl and a surprise: water monitors. When we saw the first pair we took 10,000 snaps, but then, around the corner was another, and another etc until the sight of a pair of turtle distracted us for a minute

Water monitor. Botanic gardens. Bundaberg Qld

Water monitor. Botanic gardens. Bundaberg Qld

Botanic gardens. Bundaberg Qld

Turtle. Botanic gardens. Bundaberg Qld 

Cormorant drying itself in the midday sun. Botanic gardens. Bundaberg Qld

Some flora in the Botanic gardens. Bundaberg Qld

The botanic gardens is also home to Mon Repos, Bert Hinkler (who? do you have to ask?) house that he built 'amongst the oak trees of Thornhill Estate in Sholing, Southampton'. It was rescued and shipped out to Bundaberg and rebuilt in1983 and was used after that as a Hinkler museum. It has been replaced by a brand new edifice next door, which is pretty good and which houses replicas of Hinklers planes and other memorabilia. Actually we were lucky, they were displaying the actual Avro Baby, which they have on loan, in which he set all those flying records, and which he landed right here in Bundaberg on the factory common in front of his mum & dad's house in 1921.

Mon Repos. Hinkler Museum. Bundaberg Qld

Avro Baby. Bert Hinkler cut-out. Hinkler museum. Bundaberg Qld

What else? Oh yes, The Barrel, home, well tourist shop, of the Bundaberg Brewed soft drinks. We went in and even did the little tour, the basis of which was that once upon a time all soft drinks were brewed, and then a big bad ogre invented cordial and aeration. Bundaberg kept brewing etc and they trade on this, except that now most of the 16 flavours they produce are cordial based. oops, just forgot to mention that. We tasted most of the 16, most of them are hideously sweet. I'll just stick to Ginger Beer, a case of 24, 250 ml cans they allowed me to buy for $10

Big Barrel. Bundaberd Qld

You can't come to Bundaberg and not visit the Bundaberg Distillery, now can you? Especially as they opened a brand new visitor centre only 4 days ago. We first came here in about 1995 with the kids, here's what it looked like then

Amy, Lauren and Kathryn. Bundaberg Distillery, 1995

Bundaberg Distillery, 1995

And now, as modern as today!

Visitors centre. Bundaberg Distillery, 2016

Museum. Bundaberg Distillery, 2016

An old stuffed advertising bear, pensioned off by Bundaberg Distillery, 2016 

The original house is still there, tucked in behind. Bundaberg Distillery, 2016

We also went to The Port and Burnett Heads, which is one and the same place, having been joined by a new road through yet another would be housing estate. The whole area in a single word: uninspiring.

Burnett Heads Qld

Would be housing estate. Burnett Heads Qld

But that's enough for today. I will mention that we also went to Sharon Gorge, yes a town called Sharon, and visited Woodgate Beach, 30km south, which has potential for a stop on another trip.

Highlight of the stay? A 2 kilo pack of strawberries direct from the farm door for $5, and they are delicious!

Agnes Water Qld August 8 -14 2016

Agnes Water Qld August 8 -14 2016

You all know that Agnes Water was named after the local dairy farmer's daughter (or so one story goes) and that it's just down the road from a place called 1770, named after a bloke called Cook who thought it'd be a good place to plug up the large hole in the bottom of his boat before he sailed back to England, so I'll not bore you with the history lesson.

So, what to do in Agnes Water, when you sitting in a caravan spot right in front of the main beach?

Our prized and coveted spot at Agnes Water Caravan Park

You could catch up on the latest goss, well, as late as the latest magazine available from the caravan park's laundry, that is

Judy catching up on all the goss that's fit to print, and maybe some that they shouldn't have.  Agnes Water Qld

or watch the local retired surfie teaching 30 at a time how to surf (thats him in the red cap out in the water). It costs just $17 and takes 3 hours and every single person gets to stand up and ride a wave. I'm told that the local kids come down and do it just for fun, even though they learnt to surf in the bathtub before they could walk.

Surf's up!  Agnes Water Qld

or take a stroll along the 5.5km of uninterrupted beach front. I never did make it to the end and back, but did manage 4km out, and 4km back. If you go before 7am, you think you're pretty much on your own - until you turn around to come back and you can see the hoards of walkers and dogs surging toward you. Four km is a bit much for most, so as you start to walk back, much of the mob turn tail in front of you as they reach their individual limits

Main Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

or if it's all too much take a coffee and cake in the park's cafe

Agnes Water Qld

Not happy with one beach, I regularly took myself off down the road, not far but away from the madding crowd nonetheless, to either Chinamans or Springs Beaches. You can drive right to Chinamans but there is a decent walk down a steep boardwalk to get to Springs. Neither are very busy and more likely than not will be deserted, especially at sunrise or coming up to dusk

Environmental vandal -mine are the only footprints on the sand of Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Sunrise @ Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

From the far end, still not a soul in sight.  Agnes Water Qld

Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

The rocky end of Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

High and dry on Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Too much excitement? Perhaps a drive down to Round Hill at 1770 and a walk around the two viewing platforms, keeping a sharp lookout for whales and / or butterflies. There are one or two whales floating past, way out on the horizon, and we saw a precious few butterflies despite the claims of there being 100s, no 1000s, of them. Or maybe that was last year...

Nice little bay out on the headland. 1770 Qld

Just scanning the horizon for whales. 1770 Qld

Not much to scan for really...  1770 Qld

Butterfly. 1770 Qld

I caught this school of Screw-eyed tinfish on the way back

Faux-fish. 1770 Qld

We found one hidden little gem down the end of Springs road, called the Paperbark Walk. It's not long at 400m for the round trip, but a really beautiful and tranquil place, right there of the side of the road, and no one goes there because no one is told about it. Probably a good thing!

Remand forest of melaleuca. Paperbark Walk. Agnes Water Qld

First some stepping stones... Paperbark Walk. Agnes Water Qld

...then some boardwalk. Paperbark Walk. Agnes Water Qld

...and a few more stepping stones through the wetlands. Paperbark Walk. Agnes Water Qld

The one thing they have up here in the tropics is lots of orchid-type flowers, and as the local Orchid Lover's & Flora Fancier's Society had gone to the trouble of filling up the Community Hall next to the CP with them, we thought we'd take a look. Judy couldn't help it and bought a few Bromeliads, even though they don't really do well in the cold. At $3  & $4 a pop you might as well risk it!

Flower Show Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Flower Show Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Flower Show Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Flower Show Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Hell, might as well risk the tea at a $1 a pop and the cakes at $2 the plate

Cake and tea for 2. Agnes Water Qld

If that's not enough to keep you from going ga-ga, you could always swim in the surf (well, ripples really), wander up to the shops, drink coffee and eat cakes or maybe go to the pub and watch the sunset while sipping on cold apple-ciders. While your there you might as well stay for dinner.

Yet another market to visit on Sunday morning, even though you've been to 100's and they are all the same, they are always interesting as well, and you just never know when you might find a bargain.

I still haven't made the 2 1/2 hour walk to Red Rock yet, and we may be brave enough one year to drive through the Deepwater National Park on the dirt and sand track to Wreck Rock, or maybe I'll join that surf school. Next year, we'll do them all, next year.