Postcards from the Road - Whitsundays, QLD

Days on the Road 40 Traveled 3672 ks Campgrounds 8
Temp 20 - 28°C Water temp 24°C
Catch of fish | Silver Bream 16 | Dusky Flathead 2 | Sand Whiting 7 | Spotted Mackerel 2 |
Flounder 1 | Golden Trevally 1 | Orange Spotted Cod 1
Mud Crabs 4 | Apple Pies 1

Our journey north continued with a series of short stops along the east coast that paid worthwhile dividends. Tannum Sands delivered super-sized mud crabs into Mr G’s baited pots, and Gladstone meant another kilo of our new favourite - Endeavour prawns, cooked for $17 a kilo from the good value for your money seafood co-op. In Rockhampton, I unearthed a bright orange wok at the local Lifeline store for just $10, purchased to steam the said super-sized muddies, as my existing pot in the camp pantry was simply not big enough!

Approaching Sarina the road weaved through walls of sugar cane crowned with feather duster like flowers, ripe for harvest. Cane and the railways that carry the harvest would become a regular roadside feature well into far north Queensland. Not far past Mackay we took a brief detour off the highway to drive through Cape Hillsborough National Park, discovering a potential ‘next trip’ campground to visit. We carried on up the Hibiscus Coast, by-passing Proserpine and arriving in Airlie Beach. The following day was spent exploring nearby Cape Gloucester and Dingo Beach. Our planned lunch at the Dingo Beach Hotel failed miserably by a mere few minutes; as we went to order the coral trout we were reminded again ‘sorry love the kitchen closes at 2pm’ this happens without compromise in most regional places. We had a beer instead.

Now six weeks on the road, the following morning we boarded a ferry at Port of Airlie to spend a cheeky week ‘out of the camper’ on Hamilton Island. We pounced upon this rare and priceless opportunity to spend a week with our adult kids, in a location that turned out to be paradise. Warm sunshiny days, simple meals together, a hike to Passage Peak and a day trip to Whitehaven Beach, on Whitsunday Island, including walking up to Hill Inlet lookout, where the colours of the water and white sand intermingled are beyond words, made for lasting memories for us all. A chance encounter for me with a sea turtle whilst snorkelling in the shallows at Catseye Beach, left me more than content.

Farewelling the off-spring to return home to the wet, cold Sydney and Canberra winters, we pressed on to warmer places, our next stop Bowen the town at the top of the Whitsundays. Three nights in a quiet little campground by the sea, Bowen was a surprise package of scenic bays, beautiful boulders, coconut palms and mesmerising snorkelling only moments from the beach. The Cape Edgecumb Walking Trail was a wonderful way to explore the beauty of Horseshoe, Murrays and Rose Bay. The safe swimming, scenic paddle boarding and the beginning of the really big fish catches for the fisherman, saw Bowen land high on the list of places to come back to one day. Reeling in a whopping Golden Trevally meant camp made Ceviche at sunset, an Orange Spotted Cod pan fried in butter made for exceptional eating and an irresistible apple pie with a crumbly sugar crusted top from the local bakery was memorable.

Tannum Sands Discovery Park – we camped here, just a couple minutes away from the tidal creek where the big mud crabs are a plenty.
Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park – for beachfront camping in the serenity of the National Park.
Cape Gloucester & Dingo Beach – were stunning, hidden gems with camping nearby at Hydeaway Bay. We enjoyed a seafood lunch with magnificent views at Monte’s, or if you’re punctual lunch at Dingo Beach Hotel until 2pm sharp.
Cruise Whitsundays will take you from Port of Airlie to Hamilton Island & day trips to Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island.
Bowen
Tropical Beach Caravan Park a quiet location to base yourself to explore the many beautiful bays of Bowen and a cracking spot to sit at sunset.
Cape Edgecumb Walking Trail take plenty of drinking water and give yourself a generous amount of time, the track is in full sun and is poorly signposted.
Jochheims Cafe & Bakery for delicious pies, particularly the apple pie, which you can buy by the slice or like us buy a whole pie.