Blogs from Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia, Oceania - page 8

HERVEY BAY & FRAZER ISLAND We arrive at Hervey Bay Greyhound stop frazzled. The air con was up full blast and when we made a food stop the temperature on the roof read 44 degrees. Hot, hot, hot! We jump in the waiting mini bus for the Palace backpackers, where we will be staying. En route we fill in the check in card and are told the bottle shop run goes at 6pm (we need to go if we want Goon for the Fraser Island trip) and if we want ‘all you can eat pizza’ that night sign up and pay by 6.30pm. We get put in a top floor 4 bed dorm with a crappy old fan which is luckily at our end (well those are the bunks we chose!). We have a balcony though ... read more

16 January 2010 - 18 January 2010 TRANSPORT: Airlie Beach to Hervey Bay by bus (13hr 25m)--A$178 (we booked a Cairns - Melbourne hop on hop off pass for A$393) ACCOMMODATION: Woolshed Backpackers Double, fan, shared bathroom--A$50 Nice, small and friendly place, not far from town. Toilets are a bit of a trek from the cheapo double rooms. TOUR: Fraser Island one-day safari with Fraser Explorer--A$159 Recommended Extra's: A$70 for a short plane ride around Fraser Island! Recommended!! Leaving Airlie Beach at 8:30pm the previous night, we were in for a long one with a 13 hour plus bus journey. It went by with no drama's (we're not in Indonesia now!) but sleep wasn't easy. We arrived into Hervey Bay at 9:25am and set off to our hostel for a short nap. Hervey Bay isn't big ... read more

G'Day, Well, I have finally arrived in Australia, first stop Sydney last Thursday, just in time to escape the big freeze!! I had a brilliant flight with almost no jetlag. OMG Sydney is a beautiful city, although not so nice when it was freezing, wet and too windy to do the Bridge climb on Friday. I eventually completed my first challenge on a warmer day when I climbed the Harbour Bridge, unfortunately Marg was not allowed to accompany me on my first epic journey! The views from the 'summit' were awsome - (their speak not mine). I was really well looked after by Martine's family and especially her dad Bob, who became my unofficial and unpaid guide! Went by train to the Blue Mountains and got some walking in and encountered my first Aussie wildlife - ... read more

It was another very early morning as we woke up and packed our gear ready to take the morning Greyhound bus into Hervey Bay. Once we were packed we took the free shuttle bus from our hostel and boarded the Greyhound was we were there. It took us a few hours before we reached Harvey Bay where our YHA hostel shuttle was waiting for us. Since there were a few buses coming in we had to wait for them to arrive so we headed to the supermarket to pick a few things up before eventually we were on our way. We arrived at the hostel and were greeted with cold drinks and small cakes, it was a first for any hostel I have ever stayed with and it made a big impression on us. After checking ... read more

How awful to see on TV the terrible pictures coming from the Samoan earthquake and tsunami. We feel so much for those who have lost loved ones. We have had two restful days at pretty Burrum Heads. We always enjoy our little stays here. We've stayed when all the campers are the retirees who have been coming for years to spend the winter months here, gradually 'working' their way to the front riverside sites. They all know each other and share recipes, patterns and fishing spots. Last year and this, we've arrived when it's school holidays and the grey nomads are replaced by young families. This is the time we really love being here. There isn't all that much to do and nothing laid on in the way of entertainment. Instead, all the children become friends ... read more