Posted on Jul 15, 2008 under Far North Queensland |
A pleasant 370 km journey north of Brisbane, is the city of Bundaberg. “Bundy” as it is affectionately known is a modern progressive city, on the Burnett River which empties into the sea just 17 kms away.
Bundaberg was founded in 1867, is a popular holiday and tourist spot - not only because of the climate which is described as “the most equable climate in Australia with mild winters and summers cooled by sea breezes”.
The Burnett River is popular for a variety of water sports including fishing, boating, yachting, rowing and water skiing.
The river is used for commercial fisherman, dive and charter boats - with trips to The Great Barrier Reef for diving and fishing most popular.
The city itself is a mix of the beauty of landscaped gardens and streets, old buildings side by side with modern buildings, and a dynamic economy.
Some of the city highlights are the Whaling Wall - an amazing mural featuring marine life, parklands and the Zoo.
Further out of the central city area is Bundaberg Botanic Gardens, which features the Hinkler House Memorial Museum, a Historical Museum and the Fairymead House Sugar Museum.
Some of the other places of interest in Bundaberg are the Schmeider’s Cooperage and Art Centre, and the Bundaberg Rum Distillery, and a Winery where the wines are made from locally grown tropical fruit.
Bunderberg is in the centre of a huge sugar growing area - and the fields of sugar cane stretch for kilometers around the city. In years past the cane fields were fired to destroy the dry cane leaves, and the vermin that hid midst the canefields, but there is less burning these days as the cane can be cut “green”. It is a spectacular sight to see the cane fields on fire in the early evening in the middle of the year.
There’s a lot to do as in any modern city, and a vast array of accommodation, restaurants and other facilities for locals and visitors.
At the Port of Bundaberg is the huge sugar silo’s, from where the sugar is shipped around the world.
The beaches on the coastline have their own special attractions, and Mon Repos the Turtle Rookery is a must, especially during the months of November to March.
Posted on Jul 15, 2008 under Far North Queensland |
Just 15 kms from Bundaberg, in central Queensland is the most extra ordinary Sea Turtle Rookery. The turtles have used this area (as well as other areas of north Queensland and The Great Barrier Reef) as a nesting ground for centuries, and it is recognised around the world for the research on turtles that use this area.
There is a Visitors Centre where rangers provide information and guidance to visitors interested in exploring the area and learning about these sea creatures.
There are a number of varieties of sea turtles and Loggerhead, Flatback, Green and Leatherback varieties use this area to nest.
The turtles appear from the sea on dusk - huge beasts pulling themselves slowly up the beach to find a spot in the sand dunes to patiently dig their nest (a deep hole in the sand), over which they balance and lay the eggs. The task must be a huge burden on these animals, it seems to be a slow and perhaps painful and tiring expedition. One by one the eggs drop into the hole, and when she is finished, she flips the sand over the hole until it is totally covered. Then she makes the long trip back to the sea, and never sees her offspring.
Weeks later, the tiny turtles hatch out of their eggs, dig their way out of the sand, and flip their way along the sand to the sea. Sadly many do not survive - as sea creatures including sharks can be waiting off shore, to feast on these new babies.
The turtles come ashore all along the coast here, but those that choose to nest in the rookery, are “supervised” and details collected for research. At night, guided tours are conducted by the Rangers, so that these wonderful sea creatures are treated with dignity and respect.
This surely is one of the great wonders of the world, and if you visit the area between November 1st and March 31st, make sure that you add this trip to your itinerary.
Posted on Jul 15, 2008 under Brisbane |
Bribie Island is a great holiday destination, and a great one-day trip from Brisbane. The island has been the most popular of the Moreton Bay islands. Bribie Island is just 64 kms north of Brisbane, and is the only island accessible by road bridge.
The island has a long history, being visited by Matthew Flinders. He named Skirmish Point, where he had a “skirmish” with the local aborigines, and he named Pumicetone Passage, the waterway between Bribie Island and the mainland. He had seen pumicestone there. He also named White Patch where he and to make some repairs to his ship “Norfolk”.
There also is evidence of the long gone aboriginal people who lived on the island with the remains of a fish trap at Sandstone Point. Bunkers from World War 2 still remain, and a walk along the white sandy beach north from Woorim will reveal some fun emplacements that were erected to protect the city of Brisbane for invaders from the north.
The island is relatively unspoiled with most of the island being National Park. There is considerable residential and other development on the southern tip of the island, but vast tracts of bushland still surrounds the townships of Bongaree, Bellara, and Woorim.
The Pumicestone Passage side of the island is lapped by the calm waters of the passage, and is pleasant for picnicking in the many picnic grounds, fishing, boating and swimming. There are many spots ideal for families in the safer waters, complete with the safety of the shade of many trees.
The Pacific Ocean laps the other side of the island, so there is surf, sand and sunshine.
There are hotels and camping grounds on both sides of the island, and an array of shops - and plenty of take-away food places, as well as restaurants.
The attractions include the National Parks, the Marine Park of Pumicetone Passage with around 350 species of birds, and provides sanctuary to dugongs, turtles and dolphins. Cruises operate along the Passage, so that visitors may have a chance to be up close and personal, with some of these wonderful sea creatures.
There’s plenty of things to see and do in Bribie Island, including:
- Bongaree Jetty - fishing or just watching those that do
- Bowls Clubs
- Cinema
- Recreation Centre with indoor bowls, tennis courts, etc
- Whitepatch Art Gallery
- Nature walks
- Cycling along the many cycling paths on the island
- Bushwalking
- Camping
- Fishing
- Birdwatching
There are three special areas of “talking monuments” where you can hear about the history of that area.
- Solander Esplanade, Banksia Beach - you will hear the story of the landing of Matthew Flinders
- Marine Drive, Bellara - you will hear the story of the history of the island.
- Community Arts Centre, Banksia Beach - you will hear the story of the history of the aboriginals on the island.
Do check out Bribie Island, it is beautiful, the climate is sub tropical so is great all year round, and it is unspoiled. Just the spot for a really relaxing holiday on the Queensland coast.
Take along with you insect repellent - at dusk you are likely to be visited my some great Ossie Mossies!
Posted on Jul 15, 2008 under Brisbane |
Brisbane, is Australia’s third largest city, the capital of Queensland. It is an international tourist destination on the sub tropical coast, bathed by the Pacific Ocean, but protected by the islands of Moreton Bay. Captain Cook visited Moreton Bay in 1770, and discovered the many islands.
There are some 360 plus islands in the bay - many uninhabited, and uninhabitable sand islands, but some are popular residential or tourist areas.
The larger islands are North Stradbroke Island (or Straddie as the locals call it), Moreton Island, Bribie Island, South Stradbroke Island, and in Redland Bay area, Macleay, Lamb, Russell, and Coochie Mudlo.
Moreton Island is almost all National Park, and is formed entirely of sand except for a small rocky headland.
Access around the island is by four-wheel drive vehicles, and many of the tourist groups have tours for those without their own vehicles. Vehicle permits are necessary, and can be purchased on the ferry. The closes ferry to the island departs from Scarborough, on the Redcliffe peninsular. Bookings on all car ferries are essential.
The island was the home of a whaling station, and in the whaling days the bay was almost depleted of these wonderful sea creatures.
Today, Moreton Island is known for its tourist and fishing industry - it has a wonderful beach 38 kilometres long, and the highest sandhill in the world, Mt Tempest.
On the western side of the island is the tourist resort of Tangalooma, where dolphins come into shore at night to be hand fed. There are wonderful walking tracks, and many fishing spots. Day trippers, or holiday makers without a four wheel drive, can access the island via the “Tangalooma Flier.”
North Stradbroke Island too, is only accessible by boat - vehicular and passenger ferries depart from Cleveland and Redland Bay. Straddie has a residential population at three main settlements - Dunwich, where the ferry boats pull in, Amity Point, and Point Lookout.
North and South Stradbroke Islands were one island, until a storm in 1896 forced a channel between them. The island was known by the Aborigines as “Minjerriba” (Giant in the Sun). Aborigines lived on the island for thousands of years, and there is still a small population on the island.
The Goompi Trail is a one hour guided tour, led by a local Aboriginal guide, gives one insight into the local history of the island.
Dunwich was the quarantine station for Brisbane in the 1820’s. Just near the “Little Ships Club” is the historic cemetery where the 28 victims of cholera are buried in the epidemic that raged in 1850. A visit to the cemetery to read the details on the headstones is most interesting.
Amity Point is the islands oldest settlement, a sleepy little fishing village, perched on the northwestern tip of the island.
Point Lookout, on the northeastern tip of the island, is a popular residential and tourist spot. It is from this area that each June, the migrating whales are recorded, as they head for Hervey Bay, further north.
North Stradbroke Island is known for its mining of mineral and silica sand, which is shipped to the mainland and used for making glass.
The island’s economy is based mainly on the mining, tourism, and fishing.
There are many wonderful places on the island for the tourist, including the 500 hectare Blue Lake National Park, which is a sanctuary for the island’s wildlife. There are a number of freshwater lakes, and swimming is permitted in the Blue Lake.
The island is home to some rare flora and fauna, including Australia’s largest ground orchid, the swamp orchid, and the mangroves at Myora are the home of the false water rat, a rare mammal.
South Stradbroke has some tourist resort activity, with an Eco Tourist Resort. Access to South Stradbroke Island is from Southport and Runaway Bay on the Gold Coast.
Bribie Island is the northern most island of the bay, and is approximately an hour’s drive north of Brisbane, with a one-kilometre bridge connecting the island to the mainland.
The island is now a thriving community with two main townships, Bongaree on the Pumicestone Passage side of the island, and Woorim on the surfside. Visitors to the island can benefit from the quiet waters of the Pumicestone Passage, or the surf on the eastern side of the island.
Much of the island is National Park, and because of the safe calmer waters of the passage, is popular for pleasure craft and fishing.
The parks light up in spring with the wildflowers which include fragrant boronias, bottlebrush and wattle.
Mathew Flinders landed on the island in July 1799, and reported a population of 600 Aborigines. Within a century all of these people are gone, and near the bridge on the mainland is a monument honouring the last of the island’s Aborigines, Kal-ma-Mutha who died in 1897.
One of the smaller inhabited islands is Coochiemudlo Island - in the southern waters of the Bay. There is a small population, with a resort, a convenience store, and small restaurants. It is popular for holidays and day trippers. Access is by boat, - a regular vehicular ferry services the island from Victoria Point, and a passenger service services the island both from Cleveland and Victoria Point - the latter with the shorter trip and the most frequent.
Day trippers picnic on the beaches facing Victoria Point, and swim in the quiet waters of the beach, or fish, or use a variety of watercraft.
A mini bus meets each passenger watercraft, and for a small fee takes the visitor on a round island trip complete with fascinating commentary on the island, or locals to their homes.
Other interesting places to visit on the island include the Pottery, and the Dyeworks where fabric is dyed using the local soil. The Aborigines used the red coloured soil to paint their bodies for ceremonies.