Biggara Waters Qld 11-14 September 2019

Biggara Waters Qld 11-14 September 2019

We came here to do two things: visit my mate Reg and to do Main Beach Parkrun. Biggara Waters, or Arundel, or Labrador (it all seems to be the one place) is about 7km north of Southport, up along the Broadwater. We stayed in the Treasure Island caravan park again, but thought we'd be clever and booked ahead to get an ensuite site. There are about 8 of them, all on the back row away from the busy Brisbane Road and the childrens' playgrounds and water park. Seemed like a good idea at the time. However, when we turned into the lane behind the last row of cabins we were confronted with a sea of tents, and 4x4s and kids and bikes and helmets and stuff everywhere. We had no trouble backing in to our spot, but the noise! From 6 in the morning to 9 at night. First the kiddies crying and screaming and running mad from first light. And again after 4pm when they all come home tired and cranky from one of the big theme parkes, and later as dad entertains his mates with more and more outrageous tales of 4x4 and camping derring-do over a few beers.  We just hadn't counted on the fact that young families (all without least 6 kids each under 5, or so) have taken to tents and tents-on-wheels and um need the ensuite arrangement to keep them all corralled.

Thats us tucked away in the back row in between all the tent-trailers. 

Anyhow, we caught up with Reg at his Rare Spares establishment and we went out and had dinner at Manos at Paradise Point, which is about 6km further north up the Broadwater. And very pleasant it was too.

We paid the obligatory visit to Surfers Paradise and it is as packed as ever with all kinds of humanity seemingly oozing out of the mega-multi-storied buildings that infest the place.

Built especially I am sure for the tourists to snap for their travel blogs (oh, that's right, this is one) the eponymous sign declaring that it is indeed Surfers Paradise. Mind you, no self respecting surfy would be seen dead here....

I'm sure any of the ripped and buffed boys roaming the place could leap it in a single bound! 

The beach. Surfers Paradise Qld

A artwork. Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise Qld

I managed a semi-decent time at Main Beach Parkrun, the first one in Australia having been started about 8 1/2 years ago. It follows the path and then the track north of the Surf Clubs, past the back of the Sheraton Hotel and up as far as Sea World, and back again of course. We later went and found the most delightful cafe in the 'little shops' part of Main Beach where we had breakfast.

Main beach near the SLSC. It's a straight drop down to the water.  And this is low tide.

Later on we went on the hour-and-a-half cruise around the canals, and this time, enabled by a low tide, we went right up into the Broadwater. The skipper was saying that there was a concerted effort being made to clear the waterways of unloved and abandoned boats, 160 having been removed already. Apparently its costs $20K per boat to get them out of the water and would you believe, crushed, and taken tp the tip. It has something to do with the rule-of-thumb being 10% of the cost of your boat every year for maintenance, not to mention mooring or storage, and it just gets to be too much, is the owners just walk away.

Still standing guard over Tiki Village, made famous as the first place Judith ever went on holidays... maybe 1969...
Had to laugh though, the current Tiki Village, which replaced 'her' Tiki Village was bought a while back by a well-heeled punter who was going to knock it down and build yet another multi story thing, but council said "No". I love it when they don't get their way, the spoiled sods. Maybe this totem is keeping its safe?

We went up to the end of the spit, past Seaworld and the other attractions, to the sea access, maybe called Southport Heads or Nerang Heads. It's a typical coastal bar situation and this is where the whale watch boat got swamped by a pair of incoming 'freak' waves just the other day. Lucky  that they weren't all washed overboard and drowned.

This dolphin did seem to be having any trouble with the bar. 

The very top end of Main Beach, at least I think its all called Main Beach. The wharf in the background is a sand pumping setup, trying to get some sand back down the beach in front of the big buildings

After we returned to the van, we tried toughing it out but eventually elected to go down to the park's cafe bar and have our complimentary drink, which later turned into a rather nice evening meal we hadn't planned on as well. At least the kiddies were all tucked up and asleep by the time we returned.

Not bad for a family friendly park - except that by the end of the day we all needed one!