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Published: June 20th 2013
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Whose kidding who?
The mix of eras and lack of financial infrastructure showed a lack lustre, run down town which was in needed of some of TLC. Having planned to take the day to drive to Hervey Bay from 1770 we went in search of the rural more scenic route down the coast via the famous rum making town of Bundaberg which offered "a diverse range of attractions" according to the guide book! The roads were flanked by huge sugar cane plantations that towered two metres high and small gage railway lines criss crossed over the road as the small metal carriages loaded with sugar cane was transported to the factories in and around the district.
The actual town of Bundaberg is situated along the River Burnett where we drove into the town across a huge impressive metal bridge leading us into the wide roads that created a grid in the centre of the town. Above the gaudy signage and shop fronts the remains of the past could just be defined under the brightly coloured painted facards and gable roofs that told its age from bygone years. Empty concrete tower blocks and delapidated shopping arcades offered discount shopping and fast food takeaways, whilst monuments and Town Halls clung to their historical past in a mix of old and new buildings all in need of some tender loving
Bundaberg High Street
Views of Town Hall and Art Academy. care, under the banner of 'City with Charm' all rather ironic. We enjoyed a couple of hours walking along the wide streets photographing buildings and monuments , sadly all in need of a coat of paint and some TLC, but it wasn't difficult to imagine how grand the town once would have been with so many hotels and banks all dealing with the in flux of prospectors all looking to make their fortunes.
As we drove further south we passed through forests and sugar plantations which lined the flat landscape for as far as the eye could see, through soft fruit farms and small towns that once supported small communities but now had tired and run down properties with little sign of life. This one night stop in Hervey Bay was a means to catch the early ferry over to Fraser Island in the morning due to the tidal restrictions, but we did enjoy an evening stroll along the disused pier in the town and watched the sun set and shadows form over the sand banks as the tide exposed more of the shore.
An early start saw us crossing the waters to the west coast of the
island and a 4 wheel-drive into the centre of the island to Lake Mackenzie a large perched lake with pale white sand on its small foreshore. Following the warnings and precautions against incidents with dingoes we left all our food and drink in the car and headed for a secluded spot under some gum trees for a sunbathe and a rest. The water was so very clear and warm so we couldn't resist a quick dip to cool ourselves down. After lunch in the fenced enclosure we drove across to Lake Wobby another inland lake and trekked down the steep sand slope to the vast sand dune that swept across the brow of the island, the views from the top enabled us to see the east coast and the sea as well as the wind sculptured trees that had grown into weird and wonderful shapes.
It was no mean feat driving along the east shore as we kept a careful watch of the incoming tide, the huge boulders at Yidney Rocks seemed more exposed than ever and created a challenging drive as we zig zagged over them, not at all easy and even more so for the cars pulling
caravans and trailers!! Eli Creek was filling up fast and the wash out presented a steep drop in the sand as we drove across, not for the faint hearted! Once across the creek the pressure was off to drive so fast as the beach widened and the camp site was not too far away. We enjoyed a stop at the ship wreck HMS Maheno and managed to capture the late afternoon sun as it shone on the red and orange colours of the rusting hull. The sea poured through portholes and across the worn boughs of the broken ship creating small pools of water that swirled and gurgled as the waves brushed along its sides, always worth a stop.
With the light failing we pitched our tent and cooked our last meal in the camp kitchen and listened to the bark of the dingoes through the trees, fortunately they didn't visit the site that night, but forever watchful especially when taking a trip to the wash block!
Our last day of our road trip took us back down the east coast and a stop at Rainbow Gorge and The Pinnacles to look at the amazing coloured sand that
had formed distinct lines of strata over hundreds of years and now created amazing stripy patterns along the rock face. We had to take the inland road down to Inskip Point as we were again governed by the tide, i was very relieved to be on a road again as the beach had become very narrow and the sea seemed very close to the car! poor Kevin was exhausted as he had to concentrate so much to avoid sand banks and soft wet sand, I am would not say it was a relaxing drive and one that we did not share with fellow drivers who seemed to thrive on the challenge! Once across to Tin Can Bay we had a much needed lunch and swim at Rainbow Beach before driving back home to Brisbane.
It had been wonderful to spend time with Nikki and explore new areas that we had not seen before and it is somewhere we would be recommending to friends to visit in the future.
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