North coast Queensland
North coast Queensland is such a vast area, covering over 1100km. Therefore landscapes change from area to area, with national parks and ranges and sugar cane fields closer to the coast.
In this post, we will cover the area between Townsville and Hervey Bay. Trying to think of a title for this post was hard as we’re covering such a large area. The post will cover a few regions including the Burkedin region, Whitsundays, Mackay, Issac, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg to Hervey Bay.
Ayr
After leaving Townsville we continued our journey south along the coast. Our big next stop was Bowen, but as we’re not on a time frame we decided to have an overnight stop in Ayr. A lovely little town on the Burkedin River. We stopped the night at Burkedin Cascasdes caravan park, conveniently located in the centre of town. The park owner is a lovely man and the park itself is 5 star, with spotless amenities and well maintained sites. Whilst here, we had a drive out to Alva. A small coastal subdivision about a 20 minute drive from Ayr. The beach has a huge sandbar and when the tides out you can walk a fair distance and apparently it’s a good spot for fishing.
Bowen
Bowen is a great little town, with a couple of caravan parks and enough in the way of shops and sightseeing, it keeps you occupied for a few days. We stayed at Wangaratta caravan park, conveniently for Chris, located next to the golf club. The park is close to the beach…. you can literally hear the waves.
There is also plenty of parkland around and Tilly loved her walks in this area. The beach is also dog friendly so you can take your four legged bestie for walk along the waters edge.
Bowen and surrounds is a great area to get out there and explore. From Horseshoe Bay, you can hike up to the Rotary lookout. It’s a rocky climb, so wouldn’t be suitable for those who aren’t great with steps and rocky crevices. However the view from the top is definitely worth it. You can see down to Horseshoe Bay and surrounds and out to the islands offshore.
At the base of the lookout there is a beautiful cafe called Meraki, we had a lovely morning tea here. The menu looked delicious and had great views down to the ocean.
We also drove up to Flagstaff Hill. There is another lookout at the top offering panoramic views across the town and ocean. Up until a couple of years ago there was a cafe at the top, however the cafe hasn’t reopened since Cyclone Debbie hit the area back in March 2017.
Just a few kilometres outside of Bowen you have one of Australia’s “big” icons. This time it was the big mango. We were hoping to be greeted by a cafe to purchase something Mango related like a smoothie or something. Unfortunately there isn’t anything like that here.
The whitsundays
Airlie Beach is the gateway to the Whitsundays. From Shute Harbour you can jump on any number of sightseeing tours and boats to head out to the islands. Depending on the time you have, one option is a 1 day cruise to multiple islands.
First stop is daydream island. The island has 2 resorts, one for day time visitors and one for overnight guests. Offering pristine beaches, reef snorkeling , taking part in the resort activities or exploring the island. You can certainly spend a day here.
Next stop is Whitehaven Beach, voted as one of the best beaches in the world and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. With its silica sand and turquoise water, it really is paradise found. When we visited, you can’t leave any trace that you were there. So anything you take onto the island with you has to be removed. There is the option to camp on the island but this has to be booked through national parks Queensland.
Last stop on our trip was the beautiful Hamilton Island. Famous for its Sulphur Crested Cockatoos, stunning beaches and island vibe. The island is mainly car free so the locals get around on golf carts. There is plenty to keep you occupied for a few days if you wish to have an extended stay. You can have breakfast with the koalas, hop on a game fishing cruise, explore the surrounding reefs either by sea kayaks or boat, scenic helicopter flights or simply just lounge around the pool.
Airlie Beach
We stayed in Airlie Beach whilst we visited the area. The campsite we chose was Island Gateway Holiday Park. This park sits under the top parks unberella. A beautiful, large park located close to town. The sites are nice and big and easy to position your van and the amenities are great. For bookings for this site, please visit https://www.islandgateway.com.au
As well as being the gateway to the Whitsundays, Airlie beach and surrounds has a lot to offer. North West of the town you have an area called Cannonvale, which sits on Pioneer bay. The area is lined with lovely tree lined coastal paths in a suburban setting. There is a great little cafe called the fat frog, located right on the waterfront, with great food and views for days.
There are a couple of lookouts just out of town also. If you head towards Shute Harbour, you’ll find the Whitsundays Lions lookout, which overlooks the harbour. Another lookout is Mount Rooper Lookout, which has views out to the islands and back to Airlie Beach.
Airlie Beach township has a good selection of shops, from grocery stores to hairdressers and plenty of clothing shops. The Main Street has a great cafe culture and night life once the sun goes down too.
Mackay and Brandybottle Reserve
After leaving Airlie we had a nights stop in Mackay and then a nights stop at Brandybottle Reserve.
Mackay is quite an industrious town. Known as Sugar town to the locals, due to it being one of Australia’s largest cane farming regions. There has been a decline on production in recent times. Fortunately for Mackay, another large source of revenue for the region is coal mining. With 34 working mines extracting more than 100 million tonnes of coal a year, it offers the single largest coal reserve in the country.
We had a night here and saw some of the local sights. Just North of Mackay is Slade Point, with an impressive lookout offering views down the coast.
After leaving Mackay we had a big drive down to Yeppoon so stopped a night at Brandybottle Reserve. It’s quite literally in the middle of nowhere off the A1. Once off the main drag, you follow the long driveway and are greeted by sweeping fairways of a golf course. We were slightly confused, but Chris was in his element. We pulled up and spoke to the owners, and it turns out that it’s a small 9 hole course which you are able to play for a small fee. Thankfully it was late in the day so Chris didn’t have opportunity. Great for walking Tilly round and they even have an on-site bar for anyone wanting a drink after their game.
The stop offers a small amount of powered sites, however no water so you would need to bring your own for drinking. There are showers and toilets on site so you don’t need to be 100% self sufficient. A great little stop over between Mackay and Yeppoon
Yeppoon
Located just 40km North East of Rockhampton, Yeppoon is a popular destination for travellers and local holiday makers alike. It’s easy to see why with golden beaches that stretch for miles and it’s relaxed coastal town feel.
We stayed just south of Yeppoon in Kinka Beach. We found a great park called Island View caravan park. The park is beautifully maintained, it has a great pool area, with camp facilities, the amenities are five star and the hosts are super friendly. Plus it’s dog friendly with a great off lead beach across the road. For more information and bookings, please visit http://www.island-view.com.au
We had a few nights in Yeppoon so managed to see a fair bit of the area. We were lucky enough to stumble across Bangalee Beach just north of the town centre. A super wide beach with firm sand, so no need to deflate your tyres. There is easy access for 4WD vehicles so you can drive north for miles and find a quiet spot.
There is also a couple of lookouts in the area. The nearest one to Yeppoon is double head. Offering two different lookouts with views out to the ocean and rugged cliffs from one, and panoramic vistas to the harbour and town from the other. It’s only a short uphill walk to the lookout but definitely worth it.
If you head South, down to Emu Park, there is another touching lookout here. You’ll be greeted by The Centenary ANZAC memorial. There is a boardwalk with panels with a timeline of events during WW1. Our top tip for this lookout is get to this lookout before sunrise, so to capture a great image. There is a glass panel with a artwork which backs out onto the ocean and as the sun rises behind the glass it creates a beautiful Image.
Gladstone
Our next stop was Tannum Sands, just south of Gladstone. We stayed at the Discovery park near the beach. A great park with nightly entertainment on most evenings. The hosts offer quiz nights, rock and roll nights and bbqs.
Tannum Sands is a beautiful spot, with a lovely foreshore walk along the beach. There is also a dog friendly beach at canoe point near the botanic reserve.
Gladstone itself was a pleasant surprise. Known for its port, the mining of various commodities in the central Queensland region, keeps the port busy. However the town itself seems to have gone through a recent upgrade. The area around James Cook Park has parkland and a water park, also with a toilet and change rooms. All overlooking the harbour inlet. If you walk up through the parkland there is also Auckland Hill lookout with a cafe at the top. Offering views across to town and out to the harbour and sea beyond. Gladstone has everything you’d need for a stop in the area for a few days with a good sized mall with all the high street shops. Great cafes and lovely surrounds.
Agnes Waters and 1770
Tucked away on a peninsula with one road in and out of the place, you could easily bypass this area. However the road is definitely worth the 60km detour from the A1.
Im not sure who was in charge of naming this area, but I’m guessing one too many drinks were had and someone thought “James Cook was here in 1770…… We name this area 1770”. It’s true that James Cook made his 2nd landing in this area in May 1770 with his crew from HM Bark Endeavour. They named the area Round Hill, after the creek it sits on, but after was surveyed in 1935, they decided on a name change.
The areas of Agnes Waters and 1770 are next to each other separated by Captain Cook Drive. Agnes Waters is the main area, with beautiful caravan park on the beach, with nearby shops, cafes and a museum.
1770 is mainly made up for dense bush land conservation reserves, with a couple of caravan parks and sub divisions as you reach the end if the peninsula. We stayed at Captain Cook holiday village, set amongst the bush land. If we’d have known, we would have stayed at the caravan park in Agnes Waters as the sites here were uneven, and hard to manoeuvre onto because of the trees.
There are some great beaches along this coastline, with fishing charters and water sports on offer.
If you fancy a self guided tour, there is a monument for Captain James Cook to visit with a boardwalk down to the area where he first landed. If you head into Joseph Banks conservation area there is a great drive, where you’ll discover great vantage points, high on rocky cliff faces. South of Agnes Waters there are more beaches and reserves to explore.
Bundaberg and Bargara
From Agnes Water you have a 135km drive to Bargara, passing through Bundaberg on the way.
Bargara is an amazing little coastal town only 15km East of Bundaberg. We stayed at Bargara Beach caravan and loved it. For bookings on this park please visit https://www.bargarabeachcaravanpark.com.au
The park is just across the road from the beach and parkland and only a 10 minute walk to the main shops and cafes. The area has such a cruizy feel, and looks like it is undergoing development with several low rise appartment blocks dotted along the front. Tilly loved her walks along the front here morning and evening.
From Bargara, you can head into Bundaberg and visit the rum distillery. There are various tours available at different prices. We opted for the self guided tour, which cost $20. If you book online with any of the tours you can save 5%, we paid $19 each, every dollar counts! The tour walks you through the early days of rum production in the region and the history of Bundaberg Rum. It also covers how rum is actually produced and how the company support the local community in the good times and the bad. At the end of the tour you will find yourself in the bar, where you are entitled to 2 shots of rum or liqueur. Definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in Bundaberg.
Elliot Head is a short 20 minute drive from Bargara. There are a couple of spots worth visiting. The area where the Elliot River meets the ocean, with views across the expansive sandbar and pacific. Then the lookout near Hirning Park, which sits elevated above the ocean with a touching war memorial.
Hervey Bay
Hervey Bay is located just 200km north of the Sunshine Coast. So a great spot for any Brisbanites wanting to get away from the state capital for a few days. It’s also the gateway to Fraser Island, a world heritage listed icon. With over 250km of beautiful sandy beaches and set amongst its very own ecosystem. It provides a geological and biological evolution, so its easy to see why UNESCO recognised Fraser Island in 1992.
There are numerous caravan parks and camps in the Wide Bay region. We opted for one of the newest ones in the area called Pier Caravan Park, located close to Urangan Pier. The park has large grassy sites with ample space between you and your neighbours. The amenities are brand new and kept immaculately clean. This is all within a short walk to cafes and shops and even the Saturday markets close to the pier. For information and bookings, please visit https://www.caravanparkherveybay.com.au
We enjoyed our walks each morning with Tilly along the front, and also the beaches. Charlton Esplanade is flanked by shops and cafes at one side and long sandy beaches on the other.
If breakfasts out are your thing you have to visit Eat at Dan and Stephs. These guys won season 4 of My Kitchen Rules and omg…. the best breakfast out we’ve ever had. I had the regular eggs benny, whilst Chris had Danny’s benny which came with Italian sausage. With views out to the beach also, it’s a definite must whilst in Hervey Bay.
Around the Wide Bay Area, there is plenty of beaches and inlets to immerse yourself in and visit. Hervey Bay is a beautiful spot to spend a few days.
In our next post we will finish off our Queensland blogs and finish off the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.
Incase you missed our previous blog on Far North Queensland, you can find it here https://www.chrisveeandtillysbiglap.com/far-north-queensland/