Fraser Coast Holiday Planner 2018

Fraser Coast Q U E E N S L A N D

I

A U S T R A L I A

Holiday Planner OFFICIAL VISITOR AND EVENT GUIDE 2018

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Contents

Fraser Coast map.................................................................03 Getting here................................................................................04 Welcome to our paradise............................................05 Regional highlights............................................................ 06

Big Nature Experiences Fraser Island ............................................................................. 08 Fraser Coast five-day itinerary.................................17 Whales................................................................................................ 18 Lady Elliot Island.....................................................................24

Beaches Hervey Bay................................................................................... 26

Heritage Maryborough.............................................................................32

Adventures Hinterland...................................................................................... 36 Great Sandy Strait................................................................ 38 Burrum Coast............................................................................40 Tobruk dive wreck.................................................................41

Lifestyle Family fun...................................................................................... 42 Top 10 adventures............................................................... 45 Fishing ..............................................................................................46 Caravan, camping and RVs.......................................48 Dining..................................................................................................50 Fraser Coast markets........................................................55

Events Events overview..................................................................... 56 Events calendar...................................................................... 58

Partner Directory Directory......................................................................................... 60

Š Copyright Fraser Coast Tourism & Events Ltd

The Fraser Coast Official Holiday Planner 2018 is published by Fraser Coast Tourism & Events 166 Old Maryborough Rd Hervey Bay, Queensland, 4655.

P 07 4191 2600 W visitfrasercoast.com E info@fcte.com.au Visit Fraser Coast on Facebook #visitfrasercoast on Instagram COVER PHOTO: Lake McKenzie, Fraser Island PHOTO RIGHT: Fraser Island rainforest Disclaimer: This Planner is a guide for visitors. Maps show key locations and are not to scale. While every effort has been made to check all facts, Fraser Coast Tourism & Events Ltd accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies or omissions. Advertised prices and information are subject to change. Contributions from Tourism & Events Queensland, many operators and advertisers have enhanced this publication.

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Lady Elliot Island

Seventeen Seventy

Fraser Coast

SOUTHERN PACIFIC OCEAN

Sandy Cape

Bundaberg Rooney Point

Ex-HMAS Tobruk Dive Site

Platypus Bay

Woodgate

Wathumba

Hervey Bay

Toogoom BU R RU

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B OR

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LB

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Mary River

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RD

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Boonooroo

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ait

OLD GYMP I E RD

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Poona

Tinnanbar

Hook Point Inskip Point

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Gundiah

OUGH- COOLOOLA

Bauple

TUAN STATE FOREST

BO R

MT BAUPLE NATIONAL PARK

Dilli Village

Tuan M A RY

TIARO Mary River

Lake Boomanjin

Maaroom

E H I

GAR

Utopia Rockpools

POONA NATIONAL PARK

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MUN

Teebar

Cornwells Central Station Eurong

MARYBOROUGH

Tinana Creek

Wanggoolba Creek

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MT WALSH NATIONAL PARK

Kingfisher Bay

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Happy Valley

River Heads

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Cathedral Beach

FRASER ISLAND

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MARYBOR OU

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Aldershot

Wongi Waterholes

Biggenden

BO OR AL

Dundubara

Susan River

Great

Lake Lenthall

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WONGI STATE FOREST

Big Woody Island

HERVEY BAY

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Howard Torbanlea

M HEA D

WORLD HERITAGE AREA

Moon Point

nty F ive M ile B eac

Burrum River

GREAT SANDY NATIONAL PARK

on rn Ve t in Po alba ess y Pi arn qua gan r Sc an To Ur

Seve

Childers

Orchid Beach Waddy Point

Burrum Heads B

To Rockhampton

Marloo Bay

Rainbow Beach

Munna Creek

Double Island Point

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GA

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Tin Can Bay

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Glenwood

Legend Major Highway Roads

B R U C E H I G H W AY

Fraser Coast is part of the Great Sandy Biosphere

Regional Boundary Rivers Railway

GYMPIE

National Park Visitor Information Centre Airport

To Brisbane

Ferry

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Getting here Self-drive: The Fraser Coast is a comfortable three-hour drive, 260km north of Queensland’s capital city, Brisbane, along the Bruce Highway (A1), with dual carriageway as far as Gympie. Maryborough is just off the main highway, with Hervey Bay a further 30km north-east on the coast. The region is the gateway to Fraser Island and the main air access point for Lady Elliot Island on the Great Barrier Reef.

Air: QantasLink offers multiple 35-minute daily flights between Brisbane and Hervey Bay Airport, while Virgin Australia operates the 90-minute daily direct jet service from Sydney. Both airlines offer convenient connections from most Australian capital cities.

Seair Pacific offers daily 40-minute flights between Hervey Bay and Lady Elliot Island at the start of the Great Barrier Reef.

Rail: Queensland Rail operates regular daily services from Brisbane, Rockhampton and Cairns to Maryborough West train station on the Fraser Coast. Coach transfers from Hervey Bay connect with many of the north and southbound trains.

Bus: Greyhound and Premier coach lines operate several north and southbound services each day to Maryborough and Hervey Bay. Greyhound also offers daily services to the Sunshine Coast via Rainbow Beach. Along with Greyhound, private shuttle transfers operate between the Fraser Coast, Brisbane Airport (domestic and international), Brisbane CBD and Sunshine Coast Airport. For more information, phone the Hervey Bay VIC on 1800 811 728.

RV friendly: Dump points and free 48-hour RV camping sites are available at the Alan and June Brown Car Park near Maryborough’s CBD and at the rear of the Hervey Bay Visitor Information Centre. Low-cost longer stay options with dump points are provided at the Doon Villa Soccer Grounds near Maryborough Airport and at Maryborough Showground. The

region also boasts quality caravan parks, many with direct beach access.

Climate: The Fraser Coast is blessed with a sub-tropical climate providing spectacular sunshine all year round. We recommend travellers apply sunscreen and wear hats, sunglasses and suitable clothing when spending time outdoors. The average summer temperature is 30°C, with winter a mild 22°C.

Visitor Information Centres: Hervey Bay – 227 Maryborough-Hervey Bay Rd, Urraween. Ph: 1800 811 728.

Maryborough – Maryborough City Hall, 388-396 Kent St, Maryborough. Ph: 1800 214 789.

MAKE EASY CONNECTIONS VISIT US SOON! Enjoy fast, direct travel to the Fraser Coast, gateway to World Heritage-listed Fraser Island. The Hervey Bay Airport offers daily flights to and from Sydney (Virgin) and Brisbane (Qantaslink).

Frequent chartered flights also operate to and from Lady Elliot Island. Airport facilities include a café, ATM, Visitor Information Centre and free WIFI.

Don Adams Drive, Hervey Bay QLD 4655 www.frasercoastairport.com.au

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Welcome to our Paradise The Fraser Coast stands out in a tourist-rich state where sunshine, the beach and surf are synonymous with the relaxed lifestyle of one of the best addresses on earth.

Great icons of Queensland are on our doorstep – World Heritagelisted Fraser Island and the exclusive coral cay of Lady Elliot Island at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. Hervey Bay, at the heart of the region and centrally located within the UNESCO recognised Great Sandy Biosphere, rightly claims the title as whale watching capital of Australia, if not the world.

This is the home of big nature experiences – where you can stand dwarfed by centuries-old trees with three-metre girths in the rainforests of Fraser, paddle in cool perched lakes, swim with giant humpbacks as they play along the Hervey Bay coast or in the company of hundreds of manta rays off Lady Elliot.

It is also a place of simple pleasures, offering families a wide choice of relaxing activities, without the stress of crowds often present at larger tourist centres.

The tranquil waterways of the Great Sandy Strait are a haven for all kinds of aquatic adventures and the quaint coastal townships frame a wetland area of profound international significance.

Inland, the heritage city of Maryborough, one of Queensland’s oldest provincial cities and for a time its industrial powerhouse, augments the natural attraction of the coast with its authentic Australian country charm.

The region attracts almost 1.6 million visitors annually, including 813,000 domestic day-trippers but with wide stretches of coastline, islands and a hinterland covering more than 7000 square kilometres, there is time and space to drink in the beauty here without feeling crowded or rushed.

The region offers affordable island, bay, beach and heritage experiences in an unrivalled natural environment. Going to

the beach, swimming in the safe waters of the Bay in the lee of Fraser Island and eating out have stood the test of time and remain the most popular activities for visitors to the region.

The Great Sandy Biosphere, which circles the coast, Fraser Island and the wetlands of the Sandy Strait, is one of the best fishing nurseries on the nation’s east coast and a mecca for anglers who visit year-round.

The Fraser Coast is an intrinsic part of a Queensland motoring holiday for intrastate and interstate road trippers. We are RV friendly and a comfortable three-hour drive from the State capital of Brisbane.

This proximity to the major population centres of the south-east corner of Queensland, including the Gold and Sunshine coasts, makes the Fraser Coast an essential element of a southern Queensland holiday experience.

All the eastern state capitals are also within easy reach via the non-stop, daily jet services from Australia’s largest city, Sydney, which is only 90 minutes away by air.

This is a boon for the increasing number of international travellers from the United Kingdom, Germany, Europe, the United States and New Zealand, who come here to experience the reef, the world’s largest sand island and share close-up encounters with humpback whales.

Fraser Island and the coast which has adopted its name has long been a special place. Indigenous tribes of the Butchulla lived on Fraser for at least 5000 years before the arrival of Europeans. They named it K’gari – meaning paradise.

Welcome to our paradise!

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The Fraser Coast Fraser Island

Whale Watching

Explore the transcendent World Heritage-listed Fraser Island – the largest sand island in the world. Stand next to the colossal, furrowed trunk of an ancient tree more than 1200 years old as you explore one of the most awe-inspiring islands on earth with its beautiful blue-hued, freshwater lakes and coloured sand dunes.

Discover why Hervey Bay is one of the best places in the world to enjoy incredible humpback whale encounters, including swimming with these 40-tonne giants. Make eye contact with a humpback whale and her calf as they glide in for a closer look at you and others aboard your whale watching vessel.

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Lady Elliot Island

Hervey Bay

Start your Great Barrier Reef adventure with a scenic flight from Hervey Bay to the southernmost coral cay on the reef and swim with mantra rays and turtles in an unrivalled, nature experience.

It’s one of the few places on the Queensland coast where it is possible to step off land directly onto the reef.

Experience eco-adventures and amazing aquatic action at Hervey Bay, a coastal delight with one of the most protected and stunning coastlines on the eastern seaboard. Build sandcastles and paddle at safe beaches, listen to youngsters squeal with delight at water and adventure parks, ride horses or go-karts or get close to animals at the aquarium.

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REGIONAL HIGHIGHTS

Where nature comes alive Maryborough

Hinterland

Stroll through the heritage-rich streets and uncover some of the fascinating stories and distinguished military history which shaped one of Queensland’s oldest cities; see the building where the author of Mary Poppins was born and join the locals at the regular monthly get-togethers in the grounds of the art gallery, Brolga Theatre or Queens Park.

Fish or paddle along the Mary River, walk the bush track to Utopia Rock Pools west of Maryborough, grab a bite to eat at historic country hotels, catch a glimpse of the past at museums in Howard, Brooweena and Bauple and find out more about the ancient Queensland lungfish and bottom-breathing Mary River Turtle.

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Great Sandy Strait

Burrum Coast

Get away from it all and unwind in the less-populated coastal hamlets of Maaroom, Boonooroo, Poona and Tinnanbar. Enjoy the unspoilt environment, boating in the protected turquoise waters and enjoy a spot of bird watching – the Great Sandy Biosphere has almost half of Australia’s bird species.

Fish off the beach or rock walls, motor offshore, explore the river systems or make seasonal catches of crabs and prawns at Burrum Heads, where you can also spot turtles while walking along the beach. Learn about the region’s coal mining history in Howard and take a ride in coal wagons once a month on market day.

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FRASER ISLAND

Fraser Island

You’ll never forget the wonder you feel when you let your eyes drink in the beauty of the blue hues of Fraser Island’s Lake McKenzie, or gaze for the first time at the tops of the towering ancient trees in the Valley of the Giants or experience the thrill of zooming along 75 Mile Beach – which doubles as a four-wheel-drive highway and a landing strip for light aircraft.

Fraser Island marked the 25th anniversary of its World Heritage Listing in December, 2017 and is celebrating with a range of commemorative activities in 2018.

This ancient place, the largest sand island in the world, offers incredible experiences. Sitting alongside modern resorts and attractions, carefully managed to preserve its pristine beauty, the island is home to relics from 200 million years ago, including the magnificent giant King Fern which reputedly has the largest fronds of any fern on earth.

Crystal-clear, freshwater streams fed by the water table and rainforest trees literally growing out of the sand are matched with an, at times, alien

landscape created by huge sand blows from winds belting across the Pacific.

The clean air and smell of the ocean belie its strength, with the corroding wreck of the hospital ship Maheno a silent and constant reminder.

than 350 migratory and coastal species recorded but visitors may also spot the famous Fraser Island dingoes, humpback whales off its coast, wallabies, possums, flying foxes, soldier crabs, turtles, dolphins, manta rays and dugongs.

Even the most experienced traveller will be inspired by this place, lying just south of the Great Barrier Reef and off the coast of Hervey Bay, stretching for 123km and 22km broad at its widest part.

There are many ways to experience the island’s exceptional landscapes – take a self-drive getaway, join a guided tour, go on a camping safari, book a room at a resort or explore the island on foot through part or all of the 90km Fraser Island Great Walk.

The island has been built up over 800,000 years of tidal action – the world’s largest and oldest dune building sequence. The traditional owners, the Butchulla people, named the island K’gari which means paradise.

Birds are the most abundant form of animal life seen on the island with more

Daily barge services run to the island from Hervey Bay with a trip to the main resort taking about 50 minutes while the journey for four-wheel-drive enthusiasts to Wanggoolba Creek is about 30 minutes.

Did you know?

Fraser Island was the secret training ground of Z Special Unit, the forerunner to Australia’s Special Air Service commandos, which carried out one of the most audacious raids behind enemy lines in Singapore Harbour during World War II. Remnants can still be seen near McKenzie’s Jetty on the western side of the island.

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Sandy Cape

Sandy Cape Lighthouse

To Lady Elliot Island

FRASER ISLAND

Fraser Island Travel Essentials

Rooney Point Ngkala Rocks

Fraser Island

Orange Creek

Platypus Bay

Ocean Lake

ORCHID BEACH

Waddy Point

Wathumba Creek

SOUTHERN

Champagne Pools

Towoi Creek

PACIFIC OCEAN

GREAT SANDY NATIONAL PARK

Bowal Creek

INDIAN HEAD

WORLD HERITAGE AREA

Corroboree Beach

Awinya Creek Bowarrady Creek

Great Sandy Marine Park

Wungul Sandblow

Woralie Creek

Lake Bowarrady Coongul Creek

Moon Point

Dundubara

Lake Allom Booomerang Lakes

Pelican Banks

Cathedrals on Fraser Knifeblade Sandblow

The Pinnacles Maheno Wreck

HERVEY BAY

ELI CREEK Lake Garawongera

KINGFISHER BAY

Happy Valley Yidney Rocks Kirrar Sandblow

LAKE McKENZIE RIVER HEADS Wanggoolba Creek CENTRAL STATION Ungowa

Lake Wabby Lake Birrabeen

Eurong

Lake Benaroon Lake Boomanjin

Garrys Anchorage

it tra yS and at S Gre Coolooloi Creek

Dilli Village

Dulara Midyim

Hook Point Inskip Point

Legend

Vehicle & Camping Permits: All vehicles South require an access permit and National Pacific Park campers must have a pre-purchased Ocean camping permit attached to their tent.

Camping and vehicle permits can be obtained: Online – nprsr.qld.gov.au/fraser Phone – 13 74 68 Visitor Information Centres – for full list: npsr.qld.gov.au/experiences/over-counterpermits.html Dingoes: Particular caution should be taken with the island’s dingoes. Do not feed, provoke or encourage the dingoes and stay close to children. If approached, face the dingo and retreat calmly. Heavy fines apply for interacting with dingoes.

Fraser Island Great Walk: Explore Fraser’s exceptional landscape on foot with more than 90km of walking tracks between Happy Valley and Dilli Village.

Follow the pathways of the island’s original inhabitants and see some of the hidden treasures like the Valley of the Giants.

There are many shorter walks along the way. Visit nprsr.qld.gov.au/fraser to plan your trip and check for any track closures.

Accommodation: National Park campgrounds are located at Waddy Point, Dundubara, Wathumba, Central Station, Lake Boomanjin and Lake Allom.

Beach camping is allowed where signed.

Fraser Island also offers excellent private accommodation options from holiday houses and units at Orchid Beach, Happy Valley and Eurong to the award-winning Kingfisher Bay Resort.

Access Self-drive: A four-wheel-drive vehicle is essential on Fraser Island as all roads are sand tracks. Reasonable under-vehicle clearance is necessary. 4WD hire vehicles are available from Hervey Bay, Eurong and Kingfisher Bay Resort. Off-road camper trailers are allowed on Fraser Island, however caravans are discouraged.

Air: Air charters and transfers to Fraser Island depart from Hervey Bay Airport. All air charters and transfers should be pre-booked.

Barge Routes Roads & 4WD tracks

Fraser Island Barges Convenient daily access from River Heads to both Kingfisher Bay Resort and Wanggoolba Creek.

Pre-booking recommended during peak season.

• One way and return fares • Operates 365 days/year • Vehicle and passenger ferries reservations@fraserislandbarges.com.au Freecall: 1800 227 437 | www.fraserislandferry.com.au

Barges: Barges take vehicles and passengers each day from River Heads to Kingfisher Bay and Wanggoolba Creek; and Inskip Point (Rainbow Beach) to Hook Point. Private boats can moor off the island with jetty facilities dotted around the island’s shores. Bookings are essential for barges departing from River Heads. visitfrasercoast.com

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Big nature tourist magnet thousands of years in the making Fraser Island is the region’s most iconic tourist drawcard, enticing nature lovers and adventurers from around the country and across the world.

With rainforests growing out of sand, abundant birdlife and wildlife, stunning rain-fed freshwater lakes, ancient ferns and striking sand blows, this sculptured natural masterpiece has amazing sights for all lovers of nature.

To get amongst it, visitors can go four-wheel driving, including zipping along 75 Mile Beach, hop on guided bus or four-wheeldrive tours, pick up a rod for a spot of sport fishing, step out onto more than 90km of hiking trails or jump aboard a scenic flight to get a bird’s eye view of the fascinating environment.

Accommodation options range from the basic – camping in national park campgrounds and beach campsites – to enjoying all the trappings of resorts on both the eastern and western side of the island. Tourists can also rent holiday houses surrounded by trees and the plentiful bird and animal life.

The universal value of the largest sand island on the planet was formally recognised in 1992 when UNESCO inscribed it on the World Heritage List. The 25th anniversary on December 7, 2017, has been the catalyst for a range of celebrations taking place throughout this year.

‘Out-of-this-world’ eco adventures

n Take a boat cruise to the

untouched beauty of the western side of Fraser Island where you can go bushwalking, snorkelling, kayaking and swimming. n Float down Eli Creek, a freshwater

stream pouring 4.2 million litres of water into the ocean each hour. n Relax in the frothy bubbles of

the Champagne Pools – naturally formed pools of volcanic rock. n Climb the imposing Indian Head

for breathtaking views and see what marine life you can spot in the waves below. n Take a scenic flight in a plane that

takes off and lands on the beach. n Snap amazing shots for your

photo album at Fraser Island’s most popular spots in just one day on a bus or four-wheel-drive tour or book a personalised expedition.

This massive sand mass has been evolving for thousands of years, well before Europeans arrived in the mid-1800s.

Anthropologists believe it was the traditional homeland of the Butchulla people for at least 5000 years. The first written record of the region is from explorer James Cook’s discovery voyage of Australia’s east coast in 1770.

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Originally called K’gari (pronounced ‘gurri’) by the Butchulla, it was Great Sandy Island for a short time and then renamed Fraser Island after Captain James Fraser, who beached his lifeboat on the island with his wife Eliza and the remnants of his crew in 1836, after his ship, Stirling Castle, foundered on Swains Reef more than 200km north.

Captain Fraser died in mysterious circumstances a short time later and Eliza was eventually rescued after spending time with several tribes. There is no record of when the island officially became Fraser Island, but the first mention of its association with Fraser was likely to have been in the British press, telling the ordeal of the captain and his wife.

Like Fraser’s awe-inspiring beauty today, the history of the formation of the island is just as fascinating. Fraser Island is believed to be a remnant of old sand masses formed in the past two million years as ocean currents and waves swept sand north from the continental shelf of New South Wales and southern Queensland.

Major dune building continued as sea levels fluctuated forming the world’s oldest recorded sequence of overlapping dune systems of different ages – some more than 700,000 years old.

The phenomenon of mycorrhizal fungi, which liberate nutrients in the sand, has made it possible for plants to grow on the island. Today, Fraser’s diverse natural environment boasts tall eucalypt forests, mangroves and what is believed to be the only Reticulated (leopard) Patterned Fens, or peat swamps, in the world near Moon Point.

The island is said to have the second highest concentration of freshwater lakes in Australia, after Tasmania. Fraser has half of the world’s freshwater perched lakes – Lake McKenzie covers

FRASER ISLAND 80 hectares - and they are some of the cleanest.

The Butchulla named the island K’gari after the legendary spirit princess who helped in its creation. They are said to have lived by three lores: What is good for the land comes first, do not touch or take anything that doesn’t belong to you and if you have plenty, you must share. Their heritage is still evident in archaeological sites, middens, ceremonial bora rings and stone implements.

The Butchulla’s non-exclusive rights over 164,958 hectares of land and waters on K’gari were recognised by the Federal Court of Australia in 2014.

In the early days of European settlement, Fraser Island was a major centre for timber logging and sand mining. Many of the older homes in Maryborough were built with kauri pine, taken during the 128 years the island was logged between 1863 and 1991.

Did you know?

Much of the water from the annual average rainfall of 1600mm is absorbed into an enormous dome-shaped water table below the dunes. Some of this water may be stored 30m or more below sea level and for up to 100 years before resurfacing.

Found to be resistant to marine borers and sold as pylons, Satinay trees from Fraser Island were used to build the Suez Canal and Urangan Pier as well as rebuild the London Docks after World War II. Sand mining began in 1949 and was stopped in 1976 in what was then a controversial move with environmentalists taking their case to the Australian High Court – not before an estimated 200 hectares of dunes were removed from the island.

The waters around Fraser Island have been hazardous to mariners over the years, with 23 wrecks recorded between 1856 and 1935 – the last being the Maheno which is a landmark attraction on the island’s eastern beach.

K’gari was also used for cattle and sheep grazing in the 1890s and the brumby legacy that still exists today is a hangover from the time horses were used for transport and industry.

Did you know?

The lakes on Fraser Island provide poor habitats for fish and other aquatic species because of the purity, acidity and the water’s low nutrient levels.

Some frog species, called acid frogs, have adapted to survive in this environment.

The island is now a world-class tourist attraction, coordinated by the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection and managed day-to-day by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.

Visitors are encouraged to take only photographs and leave only footprints to preserve the unique environment.

The pulling power of the island’s exceptional natural beauty has triggered double-digit growth in international holiday visitors to the region, up 11% to 151,000.

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Fraser Island

Where memories are made...

Immerse yourself in nature

Stay on the beach

Nestled amongst World Heritage-listed surrounds, Kingfisher Bay Resort is the perfect base for ecotourism adventures and fun for the whole family.

Hit the tracks and head to Eurong Beach Resort for the ultimate beachside break - it’s an unbeatable location for 4WD’ing and fishing heaven!

• • • •

• • • •

Kingfisher Bay Resort Four swimming pools Award-winning restaurants Ranger-guided activities 4WD tours depart daily

Eurong Beach Resort Air-conditioned superior rooms Bakery, general store and restaurant Lagoon-style pool - perfect for the kids Easy beach access

Discover Fraser Island

Check online for

Fraser Explorer Tours

Hot Deals

Explore the best of Fraser Island in a one or two day tour with our expert guides from the comfort of a 4WD coach.

Sit back, relax, and let us navigate the tides and sand tracks to show you the island’s iconic sights!

i kingfisherbayresortgroup.com.au ☎ 1300 FRASER (372 737)

• Discover the Maheno Shipwreck • Walk through World Heritage-listed rainforest

KBRV1302

• Swim in Lake McKenzie

FRASER ISLAND

Unforgettable Treasures: Central Station

Eli Creek

Home to a community of more than 100 people in the 1920s timber logging days, Central Station showcases its history along with several forest walks to peaceful Wanggoolba Creek and Basin Lake.

Pumping 4.2 million litres of water into the ocean every hour, Eli Creek is the largest freshwater creek along the east coast.

Lake McKenzie White sand and sparkling blue water — Lake McKenzie is one of the best-known freshwater lakes and a popular swimming spot. To see one of the world’s rare barrage lakes also consider visiting Lake Wabby.

The Cathedrals The Butchulla people believed these iconic cliffs of coloured sands were permanently stained when the gods brushed up against them.

Indian Head This distinctive rocky cliff is a natural grandstand for absorbing captivating views of crystal clear water dotted with manta rays, dolphins and other marine life.

Champagne Pools Swimmers flock to this location where waves crash over rocks lining sandy pools with a froth reminiscent of champagne bubbles.

75 Mile Beach This spectacular stretch of beach running along the eastern side of Fraser Island is officially a national highway and a unique landing strip for light aircraft.

The Maheno Shipwreck Once renowned for the fastest transatlantic crossing and formerly a World War I hospital ship, the Maheno succumbed to a cyclone, foundering on the shores on the eastern side of Fraser Island in 1935.

Tasman Venture – Remote Fraser Island Experience

Air Fraser Island

Get on board Hervey Bay’s Ultimate Fraser Island Day Tour.

Air Fraser Island is a family operated airline offering premier air services Australia wide specialising in scenic flights and daily transfers to Fraser Island from Hervey Bay and Sunshine Coast airports.

Be one of the few to see the untouched and unique west coast of stunning World Heritage-listed Fraser Island.

With Tasman Venture you have ample time to explore the hidden and remote parts of Fraser Island in a comfortable and relaxing way. You will not just see the island, but experience it while bushwalking, snorkeling, kayaking and swimming in crystal clear fresh water creeks.

Our friendly and experienced staff will provide you with expert commentary and show you a diverse range of wildlife including dolphins, dingos, turtles, sea eagles, and fish.

As an added bonus, during the Hervey Bay whale season, be on the look out for Humpback whales and experience the thrill of getting up close and personal with these majestic creatures.

Freecall: 1800 620 322 info@tasmanventure.com.au www.tasmanventure.com.au

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Our new exciting Fly / Drive Fraser Island packages include return scenic flights to and from Fraser Island including beach landing and takeoff and a 4x4 hire car.

Our new low mileage modern 4x4s are equipped with cold air conditioning, power steering, automatic transmission, reverse cameras, Bluetooth audio and other luxuries our guests would expect from a premium package.

Fly / Drive Fraser Island package from $250 per person, minimum of two. Group prices available.

Private 4x4 guided packages also available.

1300 172 706 info@airfraserisland.com.au www.airfraserisland.com.au

FRASER ISLAND

Western Fraser Island under the sand which can trap immediately the unwary and deceive even experienced drivers.

The secluded white sandy beaches, sparkling clear tranquil waters and abundant marine life of the almostuntouched, remote western coastline of Fraser Island have only recently been opened up through jetski and boat tours.

Until now, only confident boaties familiar with tidal movements in the Great Sandy Strait, experienced fourwheel-drive aficionados and self-sufficient campers have tackled travelling to the western side under their own steam.

But tourists on jetski tours now have the chance to see the sights including turtles, rays, fish, dolphins, birds, dugongs and dingoes as well as the chance to go snorkelling and explore parts of the island while passengers on boat tours get the added bonus of extra stops on the west coast and kayaking.

Only a portion of the western beach is open to four-wheel drives with the northern and southern sections blocked to vehicles by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service which manages the Great Sandy National Park.

Even in the beach areas open to drivers, QPWS advises the best beach driving times are two hours either side of low tide, to take care crossing creeks and to travel with at least one other vehicle. Ever-changing weed banks lie buried

FUN

Campers are encouraged to leave no trace, take their rubbish off the island with them and take a portable toilet as most camping areas on the western side of the island do not offer these facilities.

On top of the fishing and crabbing opportunities, it’s the isolation and beauty that attracts visitors, and in many areas, theirs will be the first footsteps on the beach in the morning. Depending on where campers set up, they may have an entire camp to themselves and not see another soul for a week.

If that is your ideal, it’s best to avoid school holiday periods for the greatest chance of a total break from civilisation.

DIY travellers will need the usual vehicle and camping permits. Mobile coverage is intermittent and visitors should not forget to pack insect repellent!

Please note Western Fraser is a remote destination and proper preparations are necessary for self-drive adventures.

For more information, search for the ‘About Fraser Island’ page on npsr.qld.gov.au.

HERVEY IN BAY

THE ULTIMATE WAY TO EXPLORE WORLD HERITAGE LISTED FRASER ISLAND AND SURROUNDS jetski hire | jetski tours | stand up paddle boards sailing catamarans | kayaks | surrey bikes cafe and restaurant

415A CHARLTON ESPLANADE, HERVEY BAY (07) 4125 5528 | aquavue.com.au @aquavuecw

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Budget Car Rental |

4th Day Free*

Rent a selected car with Budget in Queensland and receive your 4th day free of the base rate.

Head to budget.com.au and enter coupon code TPNZ078 to take up this offer.

Valid on rentals commenced between 1 February 2018 and 30 January 2019. * Free day applicable to the base rate only. Minimum rental period of 4 days applies. Valid on car groups C and above.

Cannot be combined with any other discounted rate.

Budget standard terms and conditions apply and are available at budget.com.au.

1300 362 848 www.budget.com.au

Fraser Experience Tours

1 day guided tours with guaranteed small group sizes providing personalised service from experienced guides.

Visit freshwater lakes and creeks, the famous 75 mile beach, ancient rainforests, and much more. Tours include all national park fees, transfers, meals and beverages.

2/28 Southern Cross Circuit, Hervey Bay | 07 4124 4244 info@fraserexperiencetours.com.au www.fraserexperiencetours.com.au

Fraser Magic 4WD Hire Making Fraser Island holidays ‘perfect one day, magic the next’ with 4WD hire, barge transfers and National Parks permits.

Camping and accommodation packages also available.

5 Kruger Ct, Hervey Bay | Call: 07 4125 6612 info@fraser4wdhire.com.au www.fraser4wdhire.com.au

Cool Dingo Tours |

Fraser Island Fun and Adventure for 18-35s

See all of the iconic spots of Fraser Island from the comfort of an airconditioned coach and enjoy your island adventure in style! Cool Dingo Tours are safe, all-inclusive, and fun with likeminded travellers without the fuss of camping or cooking – let us do the work while you soak up the sun by day and party in the Dingo Bar by night!

Fraser Dingo 4WD Adventures The 3 best ways to explore Fraser Island At Fraser Dingo 4WD Adventures, we specialise in creating tailor-made Fraser Island experiences with our 4WD Hire, 4WD Tagalong Tours and Fraser Eco Hikes. Choose one of our all-inclusive packages, and let us put our knowledge and passion at your service. No prior four-wheel-driving experience is required; we make sure that you are ready for an unforgettable and safe Fraser adventure! info@fraserdingo4wdhire.com.au | 07 4125 6386 www.fraserdingo4wdhire.com.au

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• • • • • •

3 day/2 night and 2 day/1 night tour options Comfortable lodge accommodation Generous buffet meals Includes return ferry transfers Resort upgrade options Pricing is all-inclusive and incredible value!

From $188 pp per day quad share Freecall 1800 372 737 reservations@cooldingotour.com www.cooldingotour.com

The Great Fraser Trail This Fraser Coast five-day itinerary covers just some of the region’s many highlights

Maryborough

DAY

The historical town of Maryborough was once home to Australia’s largest river port and the author of Mary Poppins. The streets remain relatively unchanged and boast a rich history of military connections and a colonial past, best experienced with a visit to the Bond Store Museum in the town’s Wharf St precinct.

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Delve into the region’s military past with a visit to the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum and a stroll through beautiful Queens Park on the Mary River to see the towering cenotaph crowned by a statue of Nike, the Winged Figure of Victory, and the lifelike memorial to Duncan Chapman. Spend the night in Maryborough.

Hervey Bay

DAY

Continue north from Maryborough to the seaside hub of Hervey Bay. Check in at the Fraser Coast Discovery Sphere where you will find an immersive educational experience to teach you all about the natural experiences on the Fraser Coast.

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Enjoy your day along the 16km Esplanade at one of the parks, in a café or doing some water sports in the beautifully calm waters of the Bay. Finish your day with a sunset sail on the Great Sandy Strait.

Spend the night in Hervey Bay.

DAY

Fraser Island Today, explore the world’s largest sand island, Fraser Island! There are plenty of options including vehicle hire, tag along tours or guided tours.

3

Don’t miss the key sites – Central Station, Lake McKenzie, 75 Mile Beach, Eli Creek and the Maheno shipwreck.

Stay on Fraser Island for the evening in accommodation, or camp in one of the designated camping areas.

DAY

Fraser Island / Hervey Bay Spend the morning at Kingfisher Bay Resort, enjoying fishing the pier or discovering McKenzie’s Jetty on the southern side of the resort.

4

Return to Hervey Bay for a half day whale watching tour in the whale watch capital of Australia. From July to November each year, you’ll have an incredible time on a tour with one of the local whale watching fleet observing magnificent humpback whales.

Hervey Bay Spend a relaxing morning on the Esplanade lapping up all there is to offer, including alfresco cafés, water sports and the stunning 16km path from one end of town to the other.

All year round, you can expect Queensland’s best fishing experiences, and there is an endless list of locations to get you a prize catch.

DAY

Don’t forget...

5

Not ready to leave just yet?

Extend your stay, there is still plenty more the Fraser Coast has to offer!

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Whale Watching

From late July to early November, there is no place like Hervey Bay for breathtaking, up close and personal encounters with majestic humpback whales. The stunning intimacy of a rendezvous with these gentle giants will leave you with amazing memories you won’t capture anywhere else.

Close encounters...

When it comes to awe-inspiring, highcalibre interactions with humpback whales, there’s no place like Hervey Bay. Find out for yourself why whale watching in the Bay is so special it draws visitors back day after day and year after year.

Lady Elliot Island

The difference is that humpbacks are not merely passing by when they reach Fraser Coast waters. Each year thousands of whales head purposefully to our marine backyard to relax, play and socialise.

Mothers spend time with their young calves, resting and teaching them life skills before resuming their journey south.

Because the whales are so relaxed and curious in Hervey Bay waters, they love

Twenty years of research has confirmed the Fraser Coast is the only genuine stopover along the humpback’s 5000km migration journey from the breeding grounds of the northern tropics to the feeding grounds in the Antarctica.

Hervey Bay was also the first centre in Australia to offer commercial whale watching from boats (in 1986) and as well as delighting in the up-close encounters, you’ll also benefit from the experience and knowledge of well-trained crew working on the region’s safe, high-quality whale watching fleet.

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POONA

Cornwells Central Station Eurong Lake

WHALE WATCHING

Did you know?

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On some vessels, you’ll be so close to the massive creatures you’ll catch a whiff of their krilly breath. The experience will inspire lifelong memories and even better photos.

It’s one of the longest migration journeys of any mammal in the world and up to 10,000 humpbacks use Hervey Bay as their ‘R and R’ stopover. Unlike whale watching in the open ocean, where the whales simply pass by en route north or south, studies have shown that whales stay for up to 10 days in Hervey Bay. This guarantees your whale watching experience with the Fraser Coast fleet will be like nowhere else on the planet.

Vessels offer decks with 360-degree views, underwater viewing rooms, underwater cameras and hydrophones to listen to the whales sing, which will help ensure you get the most from your whale watching expedition.

Only mature whales sing and since most of the older whales arrive in the Bay in September, that’s the best month to visit if you’re keen to hear some whale songs.

Earlier in the season, before the calves arrive, there is an opportunity – for those who choose to immerse themselves into the whales’ world – to swim with these giant cetaceans, tethered to a mermaid line or perched on special platforms in the water, allowing the whales to freely approach within arm’s reach.

Hervey Bay offers unique spine-tingling, jaw-dropping, heart-stirring encounters, so start planning your adventure now.

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Whale Watching Vessels The Hervey Bay whale fleet is the most professional and advanced in Australia, helped by its location in the Great Sandy Marine Park.

Not only was Hervey Bay the first location in the country to offer commercial whale watching by boat, in 1986, but the industry was instrumental with the State Government, conservation organisations and researchers in setting up the Hervey Bay Marine Park in 1989, partly to protect the migrating humpback whales.

The humpback population had diminished because of large-scale whaling and poor conservation practices and Fraser Coast whale watch operators were at the forefront of the recovery campaign.

This is still the case today where the industry operates under a strict set of regulations developed in partnership with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and conservationists, all aimed at ensuring the thousands of whales that come into Hervey Bay each year are protected – and that they keep coming back in greater numbers.

The Fraser Coast is identified as one of the most important destinations in Australia for migrating whales, because unlike all other areas of the coast it is a place where whales break their 5000km migration journey and rest for up to 10 days, supporting their young calves.

And this is what makes whale watching in local waters so special. Because the whales are rested, relaxed and inquisitive, more often than not they come right up to boats or swimmers in what the locals call ‘mugging’.

There are few life-changing experiences more profound than being ‘mugged’ by one of the largest mammals on earth, eyeballing you from a metre’s distance.

Of an estimated 22,000 to 25,000 humpback whales, about 30% to 40% of them stop at Hervey Bay and their numbers are growing about 10% annually. It’s on their journey, between late July and early November, that juvenile whales and proud new parents with the cutest calves on earth make Hervey Bay their temporary home.

WHALE WATCHING

Not to be missed Swim with Whales peak time – July–August

Eleven whale watching boats operated out of Hervey Bay and Fraser Island last season, offering sightseers everything from a fast threehour excursion on the water to a half-day or a full-day trip in Platypus Bay. And whether you prefer to travel in a big group on a vessel with multiple decks, use glass viewing platforms or join a small number of passengers on a sailing catamaran, Hervey Bay has it covered.

The earliest departures are at 7am but other vessels allow tourists a bit more of a sleep-in with the latest morning tour leaving at 11am. And for those who don’t do mornings, a wide choice of tours leave the harbour after lunch.

Annual events: Jul 21 – Blessing of the Whale Fleet

Whale behaviours...

Tail Fluke Diving down into the water, the humpbacks will throw their tails up and bring them down hard and fast onto the water to make a loud slap.

Fin-Slap The humpbacks love rolling around and frolicking in the water. You’ll often see them splashing about, slapping their fins on the water to create a splash.

Spy-hop They’ll poke their heads out of the water to take a good look at what you’re doing. They love watching you just as much as you love watching them.

Hervey Bay Ocean Festival: Aug 12 – Hervey Bay Seafood Festival Aug 18 – Illumination Parade and Concert Aug 19 – Paddle Out for Whales Visit frasercoastevents.com for more details.

Breach The humpbacks will show off by launching themselves out of the water and landing with a massive splash!

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WHALE WATCHING

H E R V E Y

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FREE snacks, soft drinks, Whalewatch Guide & DVD •

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CALL 1800 316 912 SAVE 10% ONLINE PacificWhale.com.au/Holiday

Kingfisher Bay Resort | Holiday with the Humpbacks on Fraser Island!

Enjoy a relaxing stay in stunning World Heritage-listed surrounds at Kingfisher Bay Resort, with whale watching tours departing daily from 1 Aug – 31 Oct. Aweinspiring, close encounters with the whales are GUARANTEED in the calm waters of Fraser Island’s western bay. Seasonal packages from $391pp/twin share include two nights’ accommodation with buffet breakfast, ½ day whale watch cruise, return ferry transfers and a bonus third night FREE to explore Fraser Island.

Freecall 1800 072 555 reservations@kingfisherbay.com www.kingfisherbay.com

Tasman Venture – Whale Watching Tours For Hervey Bay’s supreme whale watching experience, cruise aboard the Tasman Venture.

Let the humpback whales amaze you with their close encounters, spectacular breaching and their ultimate display of trust. Travelling with the Tasman Venture guarantees you a fast and comfortable journey, giving you more time with the whales.

The luxurious 20 metre catamaran is designed for the ultimate whale watching experience, offering clear viewing decks, underwater viewing windows and a unique water level viewing platform giving you the ultimate up close and personal experience. Our friendly, experienced and accredited staff will ensure you have an amazing experience that you will never forget!

Freecall: 1800 620 322 info@tasmanventure.com.au www.tasmanventure.com.au

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Hervey Bay Whale Watch Quick Cat II – Australia’s most awarded whale watch vessel Half day whale watch cruises (mid July – end Oct) – family owned and operated for over 30 years. Exclusive Whales & Fraser Superpass available in 1, 2 or 3 day options.

• Whale Watch cruise from $100 each • Whale Swim now available • Whales and Fraser in 1 day from $130 each Marina Berth A1 (below the Red Harpoon) Freecall 1800 671 977 | whales@bigpond.net.au www.herveybaywhalewatch.com.au

WHALE WATCHING

Freedom Whale Watch & Charters

Premium 3/4 Day Whale Watch Encounters • 9.30am - 3.30pm - maximum 46 passengers • Courtesy transfers from hotel accommodation • Includes delicious morning tea, tropical buffet lunch, cheese and fruit platters for the trip home. Licensed bar available.

• Plenty of time with the awesome humpbacks • Hydrophone for tuning into possible whale songs • Three levels of viewing plus water level platform for real close encounters • Expert commentary from the experienced skipper • Eco-accredited • Locally owned and operated with experienced and friendly crew Freedom is also available for private charters and mother-shipping outside whale season.

Pricing: Adults $140 | Seniors, Students & YHA $120 Child 4-14 yrs $100 | under 4 years FREE Family (2 adults 2 children) $400, extra child $50

Spirit of Hervey Bay | Luxury Whale Cruise at the Best Value for Money Feel the excitement and anticipation scanning the horizon for our first splash or blow from the mighty humpback. Loud tail and pec slaps, spectacular breaches, curious spy hops and close encounters are just some of the antics the whales display to keep us captivated. Join us for an exciting time on the water with our friendly, professional crew and of course our amazing whales.

ADDED EXTRAS • Waterline viewing platform, reach out and touch a whale • Underwater viewing windows to watch them in their underwater world • Listen to them singing through our Underwater Hydrophone • 6 viewing decks, no grappling for personal space FREE • Whale souvenir DVD • Kids activities • Wi-Fi connection • Transfers between accommodation & marina 1/2 Day Cruise – 8:30am to 1:00pm OR 1:30pm to 5:30pm Includes morning or afternoon tea FARES – From $100 Adult, $60 Child Fraser Island & Whale Watch packages available

1300 879 960 enquiries@freedomwhalewatch.com.au www.freedomwhalewatch.com.au

rn trip!** Guaranteed sightings or a free retu Luxury air conditioned departure lounge & coffee shop.

Free courtesy bus pick up within Herv ey Bay. Dedicated, Free customer Car Park.

3 Specialised Viewing Decks with an unobstructed 360° view of marine life.

Morning / Afternoon Tea served on-board. Fully licensed.

boatclubwhalewatch.com.au After your cruise why not grab a delicious meal and catch a movie in...

Information for members & guests. *One free child (under 14yrs) per paying adult. **Conditions apply.

07 4125 5131 or 1800 642 544 Book online @ www.spiritofherveybay.com

 0455 074 727 Departs: Boat Club, Hervey Bay

Multiple daily screenings of the latest releases

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Lady Elliot Island

Uncovering the mystery of Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef is within a short 40-minute scenic flight from the Fraser Coast to magical Lady Elliot Island.

Experiencing the wonders of healthy coral reefs and an abundance of turtles, dolphins, manta rays and reef sharks is as simple as stepping off the beach and into the ocean with an average visibility of about 25 metres–plus all year round.

Lady Elliot Island is a 45 hectare coral cay at the southern tip of the reef, 130km north-east of Hervey Bay. The flight over the Fraser Coast, the Great Sandy Strait and Fraser Island is a miniadventure in itself. Daily flights also operate from the Gold Coast, Redcliffe and Bundaberg.

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Lady Elliot Island is in a highly protected Green Zone and is a sanctuary for more than 1200 species of marine life. The island is known as home of the manta ray with more than 1000 manta rays recorded in the vicinity. Lady Elliot Island has also been named as one of the top five destinations in the world to scuba dive with manta rays and is among the best locations on the Great Barrier Reef to dive and snorkel. The manta rays are more active between May and August but can be seen all year round.

LADY ELLIOT ISLAND The island has the second-highest diversity of bird species on the Great Barrier Reef with up to 95 different species of seabirds, land birds and shorebirds. Perfect for twitchers!

Divers can enjoy the surrounding reef with a fascinating mix of hard and soft corals and more than 18 different dive sites, including wreck dives and a blow hole.

Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort was recognised for its dedication to the protection and preservation of the natural asset, winning gold in the Steve Irwin Award for Ecotourism at the 2017 Queensland Tourism Awards and bronze in the ecotourism category of the 2018 Australian Tourism Awards.

Getting there Hervey Bay is the busiest access point to Lady Elliot with three return flights carrying nine to 19 passengers each day.

The island is an exclusive destination, only serviced by Seair Pacific with boat access impractical.

Lady Elliot Island

Situated on the Southern

Great Barrier Reef

Lady Elliot Island

home of the Manta Ray

Turtle Nesting Season Oct - Feb Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort is situated at the Southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. The island is regarded as one of the best snorkelling and diving locations on The Great Barrier Reef and is famous for it’s unspoilt coral reef and amazing array of spectacular marine life. With exceptionally clear water year round, visitors will discover the wonders of this marine national park (Green Zone) and they might even encounter Turtles, Dolphins and our resident Manta Rays.

Turtle Hatching Season Feb - April Whale Sighting Season July - Oct Daytrips & Overnight Stays available with direct flights from Hervey Bay/ Fraser Coast, Bundaberg, Gold Coast & Brisbane (Redcliffe) to Lady Elliot Island.

www.LadyElliotIsland.com.au Phone +61 7 5536 3644

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Hervey Bay

Hervey Bay has an abundance of riches outshining many other tourist destinations in Australia. It is the stepping off point to World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, the location of some of the world’s best whale watching encounters … and it has arguably the safest, family-friendly beaches on the Queensland coast.

Add its proximity to Lady Elliot Island, the southernmost coral cay at the start of the Great Barrier Reef, world-class fishing, yearround swimming and boating and you can understand why hundreds of thousands of visitors flock here each year.

Hervey Bay has five great beaches along its 16km Esplanade foreshore … each with tracts of beautiful sand looking out to calm, protected waters sheltered by Fraser Island.

Kick off your shoes and relax. If you want to unwind, Hervey Bay has a laid-back lifestyle that welcomes barefoot walks along the beach, bicycle rides beside the ocean and eating fish and chips out of the paper wrapping with your fingers.

In the Bay, life is built around the stunning esplanade dotted with parks, playgrounds, piers, picnic areas, barbecues, alfresco cafés, restaurants and shops.

This water lover’s paradise is made for swimming, fishing, water sports and fun beach activities, no matter what the season.

Encounters with humpback whales, turtles, dolphins and dugongs are possible

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through organised tours and by chance while out sailing or cruising on the water and also from the beach. Pods of dolphins are often spotted playing off the shoreline or at the end of the Bay’s iconic Urangan Pier, where you can also see schools of fish and rays in the clear waters below.

The pier, which stretches almost a kilometre seaward, is one of Australia’s oldest and longest, celebrating its centenary in March 2017. In years gone by the pier was a major point of departure for the region’s coal and sugar, and incoming fuel and manufactured goods.

Initially stretching 1107m out to sea, the pier was partly dismantled in the 1980s when more than 200m of the structure was removed. A public outcry helped retain the 868m still remaining today and it is now a much-loved spot for tourists and locals for fishing, strolling and sightseeing.

Walk through a doorway into the past at the award-winning Hervey Bay Historical Village and Museum to see how tough and resourceful settlers needed to be to survive. Explore 21 buildings from those

early days, examine 12,000 items and take part in interactive demonstrations.

For the young and young-at-heart, making a splash at WetSide Water Park on Hervey Bay’s foreshore at Pialba is another ‘must do’ for visitors. The park has just opened two new waterslides and it also has a wave rider.

You can also test your mettle by climbing up the nets or ladder to the 7.3m-high sky towers and slipping down the slides at the new Pialba Adventure Playground.

Hervey Bay boasts a range of accommodation options – from fivestar luxury to beachfront caravan and camping sites.

The Bay’s splendid natural setting, wide range of accommodation choices and attractions combine to ensure it offers something for just about everyone.

It’s the ideal family getaway, a wonderful romantic escape and an eco-adventure mecca … after coming here, you won’t want to say goodbye.

HERVEY BAY

Life’s better at the beach Hervey Bay is blessed with beautiful beaches and usually calm waters protected in the lee of Fraser Island – perfect for family holidays and those seeking a relaxing dip in the ocean.

The beaches welcome long walks and if you’re lucky, you might spot one of the resident dugongs poking its snout out of the water periodically as it swims close to the shore, or a school of dolphins gliding through the waves.

Beyond building sandcastles, the beaches provide sandy bases for fun activities such as cricket, kite flying and throwing a frisbee.

Parks, playgrounds and barbecues line the 16km beachfront Esplanade – also known as Charlton Esplanade – from Urangan Boat Harbour in the south-east to Gatakers Bay in the north-west, so even those with no intention of getting sand in their shoes or dipping their toes in the sea can enjoy the stunning Bay vistas.

A walking and bike path traverses almost the full length of the Esplanade from Urangan to Point Vernon and attracts scores of early morning exercisers, walkers, cyclists, skateboarders and scooter riders.

The Gables

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HERVEY BAY

Urangan is defined by its 868m pier, which celebrated its centenary last year, and was originally built for the export of sugar and coal. The historic structure is popular with anglers and also walkers who can spy schools of fish, rays and dolphins in the water or watch the windsurfers and kite surfers on a breezy day. It’s close to cafés, shops, restaurants, a hotel and accommodation. There are major boat launching facilities at the boat harbour.

Shelly Beach is a favourite of swimmers for its regular depth and also a great place for a stroll to, you guessed it, admire the shells washed up on the shore.

A variety of accommodation is nearby along with a handful of cafés, restaurants, shops and bicycles for hire.

Torquay beach hosts the only patrolled swimming area in Hervey Bay with life savers on duty between September and April from 8am till 6pm during school holidays and from 9am till 5pm on the weekends outside of holidays. The timber jetty at Torquay beach is also popular for a short stroll or fishing. It has a boat ramp

mostly used by the sailing club, beachfront caravan park, shops, cafés, restaurants, water sports equipment for hire and a hotel.

Scarness Beach is popular with swimmers and it also has a jetty which attracts keen anglers. It has a timber boat ramp mostly used by outrigger crews to launch their crafts along with a beachfront caravan park, shops, cafés, restaurants and a hotel.

Pialba Beach is a quieter spot that entices anglers to throw in a line from the beach and includes dog walking areas. The foreshore hosts a beachfront caravan park, WetSide Water Park (which has two new water slides), an adventure playground, a café, a restaurant and a hotel.

Point Vernon has tidal rock pools to explore, abundant birdlife to watch, off-leash dog walking areas and the opportunity to go snorkelling off the beach at Gatakers Bay where it’s possible to see healthy reef, rock ledges and a variety of sea creatures including turtles and reef fish. There are also boat ramps at Gatakers Bay and The Gables.

Where the Beach is our front door The Beach Motel; a well-established property located on the beach front at Shelly Beach, the best beach on the Esplanade.

Embedded amongst the Fraser Coast history and a boat trip to Fraser Island lies The Beach Motel Hervey Bay. With the beach at our front door and newly opened onsite Restaurant we provide the ultimate stop for a stopover, getaway, family holiday or business trip.

Accommodation ranging from budget and standard motel rooms to studio, 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartments.

Book direct with us for the best price available.

• Affordable, clean accommodation • Motel rooms, spa suites and 1 to 4 bedroom apartments • Located on the Esplanade ONSITE • Lagoon pool with two BBQ areas RESTAURANT • New beds in most rooms • 10 channels of Foxtel • Tour desk and bike hire

NOW OPEN

475 Charlton Esplanade, Torquay Call 07 4125 1544

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HERVEY BAY

WHY STAY ANYWHERE ELSE?

★ CHOICE INTERNATIONAL HOTEL OF THE YEAR 2016 & 2017

CALL 1300 694 914

www.oceanshb.com.au

Oceans has it all:

Shelly Bay Resort |

Best beach, Best views, Best value Affordable ★★★★ self-contained 1 and 2 bedroom apartments overlooking the safe and calm swimming beach.

• Open plan lounge, dining and kitchen + laundry • Pool, half court tennis and BBQ • Lift to all floors • Tour bookings / Packages / Wi-Fi • Kayak, bicycle and SUP hire • Onsite restaurant, nearby cafes and shops • Secure undercover parking

Riviera Resort | Fully self-contained beach side apartments Positioned within 1.5 acres of beautiful tropical gardens, Riviera Resort will make your stay in Hervey Bay a memorable one.

465-466 Esplanade, Hervey Bay | 07 4125 4533 info@shellybayresort.com.au www.shellybayresort.com.au

386 The Esplanade, Hervey Bay | 07 4194 1984 rivieraresort@outlook.com www.rivieraresort.net.au

Allegra – Hervey Bay |

Hervey Bay’s Finest 5 Star Accommodation Ideally positioned at magnificent Shelly Beach, overlooking the ocean to nearby Fraser Island.

• Restaurants nearby, short walk to shops • 22m heated pool, gym, sauna and undercover carpark • Beachfront position • Luxury self-contained apartments

Ramada – Hervey Bay | Book Now! This is luxury The Ramada is ideally located on the Esplanade near Urangan Marina. It features 90 studio rooms, one bedroom suites or dual key apartments all with free Wi-Fi and movies. We are one of the only resorts in Hervey Bay that has an onsite restaurant and bar. Smokey Joes Cafe Bar & Grill is open daily for full buffet breakfast and à la carte dinner. Ring our friendly staff for some great bed and breakfast deals all year round.

468 Esplanade, Hervey Bay | 07 4194 7200 holiday@allegra-herveybay.com.au www.allegra-herveybay.com.au

627 The Esplanade, Urangan | 07 4197 0500 stay@ramadaherveybay.com.au www.ramadaherveybay.com.au

• Free Wi-Fi • Large, north facing balconies • Best heated swimming pool in Hervey Bay • Large spa and sauna • BBQ facilities • Tennis court • Children’s playground • Free parking

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Paint: PMS Process Yellow Vinyl: Avery 700 - Primrose

Black

HERVEY BAY

Stay & Save at Mantra Hervey Bay Stay 3 nights or more & save * up to

30%

To book, call (07) 4197 8200 or email herveybay.res@mantra.com.au *Terms and conditions apply. Subject to availability. Rate valid for selected room types. Valid for sale until 31 March 2018 and travel until 30 September 2018.

Best Western Ambassador Motor Lodge

The Bay Apartments

Best Western Ambassador Motor Lodge is a family friendly motel that offers a range of well-presented spacious rooms. Each room features comfortable beds, large bathrooms, free high-speed wi-fi, air conditioning, 32” TVs, Foxtel, refrigerators and tea/coffee making facilities.

Whether you stay overnight or for a few months ... the friendly staff at The Bay Apartments are waiting to help you settle in and enjoy the gorgeous apartments and resort facilities.

296 Esplanade, Pialba | Call: 07 4124 0044 E: ambassadormotorlodge@bigpond.com

371 The Esplanade, Hervey Bay | Call: 07 4194 1118 info@thebayapartments.com.au www.thebayapartments.com.au

Emeraldene Inn & Eco-Lodge

Comfort Inn Hervey Bay

Multi-award winning boutique Eco-Resort. 14 Modern self-contained suites hidden within 2 acres of quiet & tranquil gardens. Huge 12m pool and BBQ area.

Expert local advice and tour packages. Renowned for excellence in service and unbeatable value.

166 Urraween Rd, Hervey Bay | Call: 07 4124 5500 www.emeraldene.com.au

Affordable, spacious, clean and comfortable accommodation in the heart of Pialba, Hervey Bay. Walking distance to the RSL, major shopping centres and beach!

Attractive corporate rates, fast check in/express checkout, parking direct to your door and Wi-Fi access. Dining discounts with the RSL and The Clubhouse Bar & Grill.

66-68 Main St, Hervey Bay | Call: 07 4128 3666 www.comfortinnherveybay.com.au

Best Western Plus Quarterdecks Retreat

Akama Resort

Located within the marina precinct. Spacious villas set this retreat apart with privacy away from the busy tourist strip but in close proximity to shops, restaurants and adventure of the Fraser Coast. Pool, spa, sauna and BBQ. Selected villas pet friendly. Welcome!

80 Moolyyir St, Urangan | Call: 07 4197 0888 stay@quarterdecksretreat.com.au www.quarterdecksretreat.com.au

• Spacious, fully equipped and self catered • 1, 2 and 3 bedroom and Penthouse apartments • BBQ area with heated pool and spa • Close to the Marina and Restaurants • Book direct for the best deal 625 Charlton Esplanade, Hervey Bay | 07 4197 0777 book@akamaresort.com.au www.akamaresort.com.au

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Maryborough

Maryborough ‘wears on its sleeve’ the tales of its captivating colonial past mixed with an artistic exuberance. Stories of loss, triumph and unbreakable spirit are dispersed throughout the town via its heritage buildings, striking public art, statues, memorials and museums.

Bronze statues of Duncan Chapman and Mary Poppins illustrate the contrasts of Maryborough’s turbulent and enchanting colonial past.

When Wide Bay Village (later renamed Maryborough) was established in 1848 there were roughly 2500 white settlers in the State of Victoria and only 60 hectares under cultivation – it was a pioneer village for Australia in every sense of the word.

The image, in Queens Park, of Lieutenant Duncan Chapman, the first Australian ashore at Gallipoli, symbolises the tough military and industrial roles of a city built with fierce passion that often strayed into brutal, bizarre, risque and haunting realms.

A short stroll through Queens Park leads to Cherry Tree Lane and the statue of Mary Poppins perched beside the 136-year-old bank building where her creator, Pamela Lyndon Travers, was born in 1889.

Did you know?

Maryborough Customs House, built in 1900 was the second Customs House built in the busy port city. It remained operating until 1988 and is now an interpretive centre.

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MARYBOROUGH

Unforgettable tours & tales: Mary Poppins

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Maryborough’s link to the world’s most famous nanny typifies the heritage charm and creative talents that rock the cradle of modern life here.

Bubbling through the community is the spirit that rose from a bawdy river port to create a wealthy 19th Century business centre and a powerful 20th Century city of industrial ingenuity.

Crammed with intriguing tales and people who love to tell them, Maryborough is friendly, quirky and an architectural gem

of Australia’s colonial era. A story trail with animated yarns and bronze statuettes winds through city streets that are lit into night displays where an image of Mary Poppins floats over rooftops.

The statue of Maryborough’s Lieutenant Chapman is the catalyst for a developing military trail around the city and the region.

Stylised cliffs of Gallipoli will soon rise in the park near the soldier, leading to a Western Front memorial walk and a graceful Carrara marble cenotaph that includes a rare tribute to WWI nurses.

Pay your respects at the Duncan Chapman memorial in Queens Park, acknowledging the Maryborough soldier who was the first Australian ashore at the ANZAC’s Gallipoli campaign.

Mural Trail Be enchanted by the history of Maryborough represented by murals on the walls of buildings around the central business district.

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Journey back into Queensland’s colonial past with a tour of museums, military and heritage, including a sound and light show and cellar door port tasting among rum barrels left over from the 1860s at the Maryborough Bond Store.

To Doon Villa Self-Contained RV Park (1km)

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Discover where the Mary Poppins magic began on the self-guided Magical Mary Trail starting in Richmond Street, or take a private tour and have morning tea with your own Mary Poppins-inspired character.

The Mary Ann Discover the delights of steam with a ride on the Mary Ann, a working replica of Queensland’s first steam engine built in Maryborough in 1873 (every Thursday and last Sunday of the month).

Free Guided City Walks Join a free guided walking tour of the city’s rich history, leaving daily from Maryborough’s City Hall at 9am (except Sunday).

Markets Find trinkets and treasures at Maryborough’s weekly CBD markets, held each Thursday for the past 30 years.

McNevin’s Maryborough

Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum

McNevin’s Maryborough provide a quality accommodation and dining experience to suit all travellers. The motel features spacious spa suites and deluxe rooms, the fully licensed Sail’s Restaurant and the poolside Glasshouse Breakfast Cafe.

188 John St, Maryborough | Call: 07 4122 2888 maryborough@mcnevins.com.au www.mcnevins.com.au

The unusual, the quirky and eclectic are amongst 10000+ items of military and colonial memorabilia, which form displays of exceptional quality at the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum. Opening hours: Mon–Fri 9.30am to 3.30pm and Sat/Sun 9.30am to 12.30pm.

106 Wharf Street, Maryborough mbhmus@bigpond.net.au | Call: 07 4123 5900 www.maryboroughmuseum.org

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MARYBOROUGH

Art and History Guns in the park overlooking the Mary River hold stories of the naval brigades formed hastily in the 1880s to counter the Russian fleet. Nearby is a monument to the naval ships built by Walkers Foundry – the first in 1887. The yard built 31 ships for the Royal Australian Navy between 1940 and 1974.

Dotted around the city are 19 murals and installations, exposing Maryborough’s creative heart and history through its growing mural trail. The Heritage City is being transformed as a living canvas, telling the stories of its great and quirky past. The first mural, of Saint Mary MacKillop and Maryborough’s first Catholic parish priest Father Tissot, was completed in 2015. Other murals tell of the city’s role as Australia’s first regional telephone exchange in 1882, the shooting of a crocodile in the Mary River in 1903 and the graciousness of Lady Mary Fitzroy, who the city and river were named after in late 1847 by the Governor of the time.

For a full list of the murals, visit maryboroughmuralproject.org.

In nearby Wharf Street a tippler tells tales of tasting the liquor content of kegs at the old Bond Store – a place where liquor imports were impounded until the government duty was paid.

The Customs House museum faces the street where 21,000 immigrants trudged from berthed sailing ships at one of Australia’s major ports of entry between 1862 and 1890, taking their first steps on the new land they would call home. Their lives are chronicled at the Maryborough Family Heritage Centre, with help available for your own family history searches.

Past atmosphere-soaked shops and hotels is a fountain dedicated to heroic nurses who sacrificed their lives to care for dying children, saving Australia from being ravaged by the Black Death pneumonic plague.

An old shop (Brennan & Geraghty’s Store Museum) has been frozen in time and St Paul’s Anglican Church boasts a bell tower, holding nine rare bells and the equal of anything in the colony, ringing out for the love of early pioneer Maria Aldridge. And that’s another story...

Customs House Maryborough |

Soak up history The glorious colonial architecture of the Customs House and Residence honours the once significant influence of Her Majesty’s Customs Service on the city of Maryborough. Step inside and hear the stories of immigrants who came from afar and uncover the inspirational history of the families who pioneered this important Queensland settlement.

Corner Wharf and Richmond Sts, Maryborough 07 4190 5722 | Facebook.com/OurFraserCoast www.ourfrasercoast.com.au

Bond Store |

Step back in time

Walk the earthen floors of this former store for her Majesty’s Customs Service and discover a time when opium was a legal import and the rum trade flourished.

The core of the building dates back to 1864 and still retains the original floors, handmade bricks and barrel rails. It provided secure storage for goods that attracted a tax including cigars, tobacco, rum, wine, spirits and opium.

Today the Bond Store has been reinvented as a store for regional produce and houses fascinating displays and artefacts documenting Maryborough’s Portside history.

For a unique experience, book Tipples and Tales to listen to The Gauger’s intriguing stories of the Bond Store’s past as you sample regional ports, liqueurs and platters.

Wharf St, Maryborough 07 4190 5722 Facebook.com/OurFraserCoast www.ourfrasercoast.com.au

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Gatakers Artspace |

Be inspired This creative hub was once robust warehouses for the bustling port of Maryborough. The warehouses are among the oldest in Maryborough and have been sensitively restored to preserve the historic value of the buildings, while creating a contemporary exhibition space. The four galleries have new exhibits each month of local and visiting artists. Don’t miss Gatakers By Night when the courtyard is transformed with free live music, food stalls, drinks and art.

311 Kent St, Maryborough | 07 4190 5723 Facebook.com/OurFraserCoast www.ourfrasercoast.com.au

MARYBOROUGH Some highlights are: n the magnificent life-size bronze statue

of a horse and rider from the 5th Light Horse Regiment in full charge during the October 1917 Battle of Beersheba, erected in Freedom Park, Pialba by the Hervey Bay RSL Sub-Branch in 2014, paying tribute to the soldiers and the 160,000 horses that went to war. n the training ground of Z Special Unit on

Military Maryborough’s Military and Colonial Museum now houses a $15m collection packed with more than 10,000 artefacts from all wars and is second only to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra as a place to connect with the nation’s military past.

And soon the bronze statue of Lieutenant Duncan Chapman, the Maryborough local who was the first Australian ashore on 25 April 1915 at the dawn of the Gallipoli campaign, will be joined by a $3m ‘Anzac memorial walk’ in the city’s Queens Park commemorating all World War I battles.

The Gallipoli to the Armistice second stage development, incorporating an eight-metrehigh steel representation of the cliffs of Gallipoli and a Western Front memorial, will take visitors on a path dedicated to the battle of Pozieres where Chapman, by then a Major, was killed in action.

A moving ‘Dawn of the Anzacs’ sound and light tribute will be replayed automatically every evening with images projected onto the representation of the cliffs.

The work is expected to be completed by mid-year, making Maryborough the gateway to a greater regional military trail, stretching from Fraser Island to Brooweena.

Fraser Island, where the forerunner to Australia’s Special Air Service regiments trained for the daring 5000 nautical mile raid in the 21m wooden-hulled MV Krait from Sydney to Singapore harbour to destroy Japanese shipping. n the wreck of the hospital ship Maheno,

now lying in the sand on the eastern side of Fraser Island, but once a beacon of hope for soldiers wounded in the Gallipoli campaign. The Maheno, later a merchant ship, stood off Anzac Cove the day after the Gallipoli landing and treated casualties from the Battle of Hill 60.

For more information on the military trail, call in to one of the region’s Visitor Information Centres.

41222321

163 - 175 Lennox St Maryborough www.maryboroughrsl.com.au

BISTRO LUNCH MONDAY TO SUNDAY 11.30AM - 2.00PM DINNER SUNDAY TO THURSDAY 5.30PM - 8.00PM FRIDAY & SATURDAY 5.30PM - 8.30PM

TRADING HOURS SUNDAY TO TUESDAY 10.00A.M. - 10.30P.M. WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY 10.00A.M. - 11.30P.M. FRIDAY & SATURDAY 10.00A.M. - 1.00A.M.

Memberships starting from $2.00!

Brand New Conference & Function Facilities FREE, Live Entertainment every Friday & Saturday Night!

Sports Bar with FREE Snooker Tables TAB & KENO

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HinterlandAdventures Discover wonderful bushland, quaint towns, hotels from bygone eras and even the ancestral home of the Australian macadamia nut.

The Fraser Coast hinterland is the place for adventure with quirky, hidden gems well off the standard tourist routes.

The mighty Mary River defines the southern hinterland and provides many ideal spots for picnics, camping, fishing and canoeing.

The Mary River is the southernmost natural habitat of barramundi and they can be found in the ponded area above the barrage with the nearest boat ramp at Tiaro’s Petrie Park. Take a moment to breathe in the fresh, clean air and listen for the bird calls.

The river also hosts Australian bass, bream, bar, grunter, eels, spangled perch, mullet, two types of catfish – fork and eeltailed – and several rare and endangered creatures.

The unusual Mary River Turtle has a distinctively long tail and uses its backside to suck in water and extract oxygen. Sold as a tiny ‘penny turtle’ in pet shops during the 1960s and 70s, it is now one of the most endangered turtles in the world.

The unusual Queensland lungfish is also only found naturally in the Mary River and nearby Burnett River systems.

Settled in 1867, Tiaro is the perfect place to stock up on local knowledge. Tiaro township began life as an overnight stopping point for coaches transporting gold from the Gympie goldfields to the Port of Maryborough and today the Tiaro Visitor Information Centre and Craft Cottage is a mandatory stop for all those visiting the area for the first time.

Free overnight camping is allowed for selfcontained caravans and RVs at Bauple, Rossendale Park, Petrie Park and in the heart of Tiaro.

A trip to Tiaro would also not be complete without sampling old fashioned pub fare at one of its two historic hotels, built in the late 1800s.

The quaint, former rail sidings of Gundiah and Theebine are both home to grand old hotels. Stop for a picnic at historic Munna Creek, or head to Miva to find the picturesque Dickabram Bridge.

Stop in at nearby Bauple, and savour the rare experience of eating macadamia nuts near where they were first discovered by the Butchulla people an estimated 30,000 years ago. The mountain and its surrounds were a sacred place while the nuts – called bopple nuts – were used for food, trade and gifts.

Glenwood Park south of Bauple is another great picnic spot and is home to a variety of wildlife including kangaroos, wallabies and goannas.

About an hour’s drive west of Maryborough are the Waterfall Creek Rock Pools, known locally as Utopia Rock Pools, in the Mount Walsh National Park.

It’s about a 1.5km hike to the pools which are best visited after rainfall.

The small village of Bauple is nestled into the foothills of the mountain and its wonderful museum offers the opportunity to delve into the origins of the nut as well as learn about the history of the whole hinterland.

Retro Espresso Coffee Co.

Royal Hotel Tiaro

“The Best Coffee on the Bruce Highway” (July/Aug 2017 Qantas Magazine)

• • • • •

Retro Espresso Tiaro is your one stop for Premium Coffee and funky Retro Retail Gifts 36 Mayne St, Tiaro | Call: 07 4193 9304 retroespressoco@gmail.com www.retroespressocoffeeco.com

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For your chance to see macadamias being processed, book a tour at the award-winning Macadamia House (by appointment only). You can also visit other local producers – Barenuts, Bauple Bloom’s gerbera farm and Burbank Orchid Nursery (on Talegalla Drive, Talegalla Weir) but phone for appointments.

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Aircon dining – Lunch & Dinner 7 days Bottle shop Keno and Pokies Friday night raffles Friendly country hotel

38 Mayne Street, Tiaro | Call: 07 4129 2567 qpubstiaro@bigpond.com

Lady Elliot Island

Seventeen Seventy

HINTERLAND ADVENTURES

From Biggenden, tourists can visit another section of the Mount Walsh National Park which has a picturesque picnic area. There is a short bushwalk but only experienced hikers should venture further up the mountain. Visitors can also drive about 18km out of town to see the beautiful arched Chowey Bridge made of concrete in 1905, or venture less than 40km north to Paradise Dam to enjoy a barbecue, fishing or camping.

Woodgate

Hervey Bay Burrum Heads

Lungfish fossil records date back To Rockhampton 380 million years and although theChilders Queensland lungfish usually uses its gills to breathe, it can surface and breathe air, reportedly making a sound like a blast from a small bellows. The endangered Mary River turtle also has an unusual way of breathing – it takes in WONGI oxygen through its backside.

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mountain biking on country roads and old stock routes including sections of the Bicentennial National Trail.

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n Walk or drive across the historic

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Dickabram Bridge which was built in 1886 and is one of only two bridges of its kind in Australia that was traversed by car and train.

Not to be missed!

Jun 16 – Teebar Rodeo and Campdraft Sept 1 – Bauple Nut Bash Sept 2 – Tiaro Father’s Day Show & Shine Oct 18 – 21 – Munna Creek Music Festival Dec 1 – Carols in the Country Gundiah

n Explore the UNESCO-recognised Great

Sandy Biosphere, one of the region’s hidden treasures, which provides the habitat for almost half of Australia’s bird species.

Hippie Garage Tiaro |

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the wide waters of the Mary River to spot some of Australia’s rarest species including the ancient Queensland lungfish and the Mary River turtle, or use the river as a base for camping, fishing and bird watching.

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Bundaberg

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Journey west of Biggenden to take a look around Queensland’s oldest town of Gayndah, nestled in the heart of the State’s citrus country. Gayndah was settled in 1849 and many fine historic buildings line the main street. Visit the Gayndah Museum, housed in the first brick house built in the town, for a glimpse of what life in rural Queensland was like during the late 1800s.

SOUTHERN PACIFIC OCEAN

‘Release your inner hippie’

GYMPIE

To Brisbane

Hideaway Hotel

• Clothing and Homewares • Large range of incense • Garden accessories ... or chill out with a coffee in our garden.

The Hideaway Hotel was established in 1881 beside the railway line in Tiaro, Queensland.

It is an easy going country hotel with great meals, cold beer and a fun atmosphere.

27 Mayne St, Tiaro | Call: 0412 130 666 Facebook/HippieGarageTiaro hippiehighway1@gmail.com

4 Walter St, Tiaro | Call: 07 4129 2153 stationhotel_tiaro@bigpond.com www.thehideawaytiaro.com.au

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T

The Great Sandy Strait The calm, clear turquoise waters of the Great Sandy Strait and varied countryside bordering it form the basis of a world-renowned boating and eco-tourism experience.

The biosphere and the strait it encompasses covers 874,000 hectares of land and 540,000 hectares of marine park. It was designated by UNESCO in 2009 and in world terms is in the same class as the Galapagos Islands, the Central Amazon and Uluru.

The waters of the biosphere, sheltered

by Fraser Island and Hervey Bay, rival the

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Whitsundays, providing unique sailing conditions and stunning scenery. They are home to dugongs, turtles and rare Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins.

You can sail this marine sanctuary and explore the remote western side of Fraser Island, explore the many fishing and diving options or discover the quaint heritagelisted lighthouses on Woody Island.

The Roy Rufus, Simpson and Hardie artificial reefs at the northern point of the strait, sustaining a wide variety of marine life, are sheltered from ocean currents and offer exciting fishing and diving opportunities.

When heading out to explore, fish or even water-ski, a stopover at Pelican Bank (main photo this page) is a highlight,

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Great Sandy Biosphere Regional Boundary National Park

where you can swim in the shallow turquoise waters or walk along the sparkling white sands of this remote gem.

The Great Sandy Biosphere contains almost half of all Australia’s bird species and is a critical habitat for more than 7000 species of flora and fauna, some of which are rare or endangered.

The coastal communities of Tinnanbar, Maaroom, Boonooroo, Tuan and Poona are at its heart and can be accessed via the Maryborough-Cooloola Road. They offer caravan and villa accommodation and are made for relaxing and fishing – from the shore or from mangrove-lined creeks and sheltered waters.

Yachts, catamarans (pre-bookings required) or even the humble tinny can all be hired in Hervey Bay. If you continue down the coast, you’ll come across Rainbow Beach where you’ll find the world’s largest right-hand surf break, stunning sand dunes and plenty of adventure for everyone.

Lady Musgrave Experience | Departs Bundaberg Experience the Southern Great Barrier Reef from the closest accessible departure point being only a short 45 minute flight or 4 hour drive from Brisbane.

• Snorkelling with In-water Guides • Guided Island Tour • Glass Bottom Boat Tour • Scuba Diving • Gourmet catering of morning tea, buffet lunch and afternoon tea 0427 00 99 22 info@ladymusgraveexperience.com.au www.ladymusgraveexperience.com.au

Plantation Resort at Rainbow Plantation Resort, located in the heart of Rainbow Beach has luxury 1, 2 & 3 bedroom open plan apartments, all self-contained with private spa and BBQ. For something extra special try the rooftop terrace apartments with spectacular ocean views. Plantation Resort is the perfect place to relax, with a beautiful beachfront location and seasonally heated outdoor pool & spa.

1 Rainbow Beach Rd, Rainbow Beach 07 5486 9600 or 1800 556 423 stay@plantationresortatrainbow.com.au www.plantationresortatrainbow.com.au

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Burrum Coast

Stretching from Toogoom and Torbanlea to Burrum Heads and Howard, the Burrum Coast takes its name from the Burrum River, where coal was discovered in 1863.

Just a short 17km drive along the coast from Hervey Bay is the township of Toogoom which boasts incredible fishing and boating, plus a restaurant located right on the water.

It’s a terrific place for an adventure, such as riding the Toogoom Mountain Bike Trails, or just relaxing on the beach.

Anglers can take advantage of the fishing wonderland all year round or join the popular annual Burrum Heads Easter Fishing Classic. Drop in a line from the beach and off rock walls or head out in a boat to explore the ocean and river systems.

Visitors will also find great kayaking and camping spots along the river.

Venture a further 18km up the coast to discover the fishing village of Burrum Heads, where the Burrum River meets the ocean. Visitors return year after year and Lady Elliot Island some even opt to become permanent Seventeen Seventy residents. Fishing boats pepper the crystal blue water, providing a beautiful backdrop for spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Keep an eye out for the turtles and dugongs that make appearances in the area.

Legend

Further inland are the Wongi Waterholes – a beautiful picnic and camping spot fringed by paperbark trees – and Lake Lenthall which is a favoured fishing spot for locals. They’re about a 30-40 minute drive north-west of Maryborough.

The former coal mining towns of Howard and Torbanlea are about 30km north of

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Major Highway Roads Rivers Railway

Bundaberg

National Park Visitor Information Centre

Rooney Point

Ex-HMAS Tobruk Dive Site

Platypus Bay

Woodgate

Wathumba

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To Rockhampton

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Maryborough with their old fashioned pubs and a number of historical buildings, including Brooklyn House which was a home of former Prime Minister Andrew Fisher. Queensland’s first female Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin also called Howard home for a time.

The Burrum coalfields were just the second to be exploited in the State and played a major role in the early development of the Fraser Coast region. Coal was mined in the area for more than 130 years from 1866 until 1997 and at its peak, the industry employed more than 400 people.

Some 94 shafts and tunnels were dug and the Howard Power Station, which operated between 1951 and 1980 and generated electricity for the entire region, was exclusively supplied by Burrum coal.

The Burrum District Museum at Howard houses an impressive collection of memorabilia and the annual Coalfest celebrates the area’s early history. On most market days in Howard, held on the first Saturday of the month, visitors can take a ride on wagons pulled by ‘Rusty’ the restored local coal locomotive which runs along a reconstructed track and tunnel system.

Another big feature on the country calendar is the yearly Torbanlea Picnic Races which feature tug of war competitions, a wood chop and fashions in the field as well as horse racing.

BURRUM COAST

Tobruk The scuttling of the ex-HMAS Tobruk in mid-2018 to create a dive wreck and artificial reef in waters off the Fraser Coast will create a major new attraction in the region.

The 217m heavy-lift former navy ship which was involved in 26 major operations including to the Middle East, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Bouganville, East Timor and the Philippines will spend the rest of its life bringing joy to thousands and become a major contributor to the local economy.

The new dive site will honour the 35-year service history of ex-HMAS Tobruk and the men and women who served on her. It will quickly host a thriving marine ecosystem and once the ship’s structures are colonised, divers will see underwater marine life common to the region’s most vibrant reefs.

The Tobruk is expected to reach its final resting place in 27m of water midway between Burrum Heads and Fraser Island’s Rooney Point.

The dive site will cater for divers of all levels and ability. The upper rear decks of the ship are anticipated to be in water shallower than 18m, accessible to open water divers and snorkellers while the internal tank deck is likely to be in 25m, appealing to advanced and technical divers. The dive site will be accessed through approved commercial dive companies and there will be a booking system for private divers.

Ex-HMAS Tobruk will become a ‘sister wreck’ to ex-HMAS Brisbane which was sunk off the Sunshine Coast 11 years ago.

Operators expect that most of those who dive the Brisbane will be keen to drive the two hours further north to inspect the Tobruk.

Preparations include removing hazardous materials and cutting access holes to ensure divers can safely explore the nooks and crannies of this unique ex-navy ship.

History With the motto ‘faithful and strong’, ex-HMAS Tobruk was launched on 1 March 1980 and was the Royal Australian Navy’s first purpose-built amphibious heavy lift ship. She was vital to the fleet and could transport up to 18 tanks and had two helicopter decks. The vehicle deck had a roll-on, roll-off function and held 40 armoured vehicles and personnel carriers. Her cabins provided accommodation for up to 520 troops.

HMAS Tobruk was decommissioned on July 31, 2015.

You can follow the progress of the project on Facebook at ExHMAS Tobruk – from Wreck to Reef.

Bamboo Land Nursery & Parklands

Hervey Bay Dive Centre

Bamboo Land is a well-established bamboo and tropical plant nursery with 20 acres of landscaped botanic styled display gardens. The gardens are located on the beautiful freshwater Burrum River which gives them an almost oasis-like feel. The production side of Bamboo Land supplies tropical plants Australia wide – both retail and wholesale. The retail business and display gardens are open 7 days a week – admission is free.

Hervey Bay Dive Centre is the Fraser Coast’s premier dive operator providing a range of personal marine adventures. This family team take small groups out to swim with humpbacks, dive wrecks and snorkel the west coast of Fraser Island. The perfect choice if you’re looking for a unique, low passenger number experience.

87 Old Coach Road, Torbanlea | 07 4129 4470 sales@bambooland.com.au www.bambooland.com.au

0411 527 734 contact@diveherveybay.com.au www.diveherveybay.com.au

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Did you know?

Two new 8.8m high water slides, with a combined length of 140m, are now open at WetSide Water Park.

While entry to WetSide remains free, tickets for the water slides are $5 for 10 rides.

Family Fun

With the world’s largest sand island, incredible encounters with wildlife, adventure playgrounds, safe beaches and marvellous heritage – Queensland’s Fraser Coast is bound to engage, entertain and delight the whole family.

Don’t miss Fraser Island This natural wonder has been named Australia’s best family camping spot in Out and About With Kids magazine’s 2017 Best of Family Travel Awards. The list of kid-friendly activities is long but includes walking along the boardwalk at Eli Creek then hopping into the water to drift back with the current, sinking your toes into the sand at Lake McKenzie before sliding into the sparkling blue water and wandering through the rainforest growing out of sand at Central Station.

Meet the animals Feed kangaroos and wallabies, interact with dingoes, wander in the aviary and wrap Muscles, the diamond python, around

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your neck if you dare at the wildlife sanctuary on the outskirts of Maryborough. Feed the turtles at the aquarium in Hervey Bay, hop on a horse and ride through the bush at Susan River or from late July to early November, head out on a whale watching adventure aboard one of the vessels in the Hervey Bay fleet.

Get closer to nature To get out on the water, jump aboard a luxury catamaran, a glass-bottomed vessel, motorboat, jet-ski, stand-up paddle board or kayak. Alternatively, you could bait a hook and try to catch a fish from the beach, off the 868m Urangan Pier and other jetties off Hervey Bay or head offshore in a boat. From coastal villages

FAMILY FUN along the Bay and Great Sandy Strait look out for dolphins playing, turtles surfacing and dugongs grazing. Go nuts in Bauple and check out the original home of the macadamia. Explore the serene Wongi Waterholes north-west of Maryborough where you’ll find a beautiful picnic and camping spot fringed with paperbark trees and surrounded by forest. Unwind in the Hervey Bay Botanical Gardens where you’ll find a green sanctuary of 26 hectares growing out of sand.

Discover the magic of Mary Poppins On the Magic Mary Trail take a selfie with the Mary Poppins statue outside the author’s Maryborough birthplace, pose with metal cut-outs of her umbrella and carpet bag nearby, cross at the special pedestrian lights with the green and red Mary Poppins silhouettes and each Thursday, visit the Maryborough markets and ride the Mary Ann – a replica of Queensland’s first steam engine built in Maryborough in 1873. Between June 29 and July 8, join in the fun of the Mary Poppins Festival.

Quench your thirst for history Unlock Maryborough’s unique, quirky character through its wonderful old buildings and street art. Discover at your own pace, or on a guided heritage walk, the colourful past of the town when it was the industrial powerhouse of the new colony, a port of entry for 21,000 migrants from the UK and Ireland and the staging point for Gympie gold. Don’t miss the Maryborough Military and Historical Museum with its 10,000-plus artefacts forming the largest display of war memorabilia outside the national capital, and the nearby statue recognising Lieutenant Duncan Chapman, the first Australian ashore at the Gallipoli landing on April 25, 1915.

Romp around Make a splash at Hervey Bay’s WetSide Water Park on the Pialba foreshore, with two new waterslides and a board rider.

Test your courage by climbing up the nets or ladder to the 7.3m-high sky towers and slipping down the slides at the new Pialba Adventure Playground. Let your children’s imaginations run wild at Wook-Koo Park on the outskirts of Maryborough, which features a lagoon, lots of statues of pioneers and animals.

Climb through one of Australia’s oldest and largest Banyan Figs in Maryborough’s Queens Park.

Indoor activities For the occasional wet day on the Fraser Coast, there are loads of activities to keep the kids entertained including an indoor skate park, cinemas, ten-pin bowling centres, a jump park, video arcades and entertainment centres where you can play mini golf, laser tag, skirmish, drive the latest gaming console or take to the ice rink.

Fraser Coast Discovery Sphere See Nala, a life-sized whale sculpture, and learn about her many journeys to Hervey Bay waters. Pat a dingo, cuddle a kangaroo and get up close and personal with reptiles and snakes at special sessions throughout the year. Discover the wonders of Fraser Island and learn about the local Butchulla people. Become immersed in the incredible world of the humpback whale with an underwater-style exhibit and listen to them sing. After a visit to the Discovery Sphere, it’s time to experience the real thing by exploring the Fraser Coast – where nature comes alive!

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Marloo Twin Cinema – The Boat Club Enjoy a ‘Gold Class’ cinema experience in Hervey Bay. This 2 screen cinema shows the latest releases, multiple times daily. And as part of The Boat Club, it is fully licensed so you can enjoy a beverage and meal with your movie!

Boasting state-of-the-art digital cinematics, comfy and spacious seating combined with The Boat Club’s impeccable service, the Marloo Twin Cinema is the perfect place to kick-back.

Buccaneer Dr, Urangan | 07 4197 8707 www.boatclubcinema.com.au

Fraser Coast Wildlife Sanctuary Inc. A unique Australian native wildlife experience.

Hand feed kangaroos, wallabies and emus. Pat a dingo.

Handle snakes and lizards, interact with cockatoos and admire our colourful birds.

31 Mungar Rd, Maryborough West | Call: 07 4122 2080 info@frasercoastwildlifesanctuary.org.au www.frasercoastwildlifesanctuary.org.au

Timezone |

There’s fun, and then there’s Timezone FUN!

Stuck with the kids in Hervey Bay? Run out of ‘fun’ activities to do?

Why not come into Timezone?

Don’t worry about constantly refilling their cards, there are all-you-can-play deals to keep them running around indefinitely. That’s right, breathe a sigh of relief, we’ve got you covered.

Feeling competitive? Show the kids who’s boss, race them in the car of your dreams, forget for a moment you drive a mini-van with more crumbs on the floor than there are in an entire loaf of bread.

There are invaders from space waiting to be blasted, don’t keep them waiting!

Reefworld Aquarium Hervey Bay Showcasing the natural beauty of the Hervey Bay waters and the largest living coral display in Australia, Reefworld is one of the longest running tourist attractions on the Fraser Coast and encourages everyone to get up close and personal with nature.

Open 7 days a week from 9:30am to 4pm.

Beach at Dayman Park, Cnr Kent & Pulgul St, Urangan 07 4128 9828 | reefworldherveybay@gmail.com

WetSide |

Free family-friendly water park on the beach

WetSide is a fun, zero-depth water play park located on the picturesque foreshore of Hervey Bay. Free entry includes TotSide (a special area for under 5s), hundreds of fountains, a tipping bucket and small water slides. Light Show spectacular showing Friday and Saturday nights during our operational season from 7.30pm. For just $6 you can ride the FlipSide BoardRider wave machine and $5 for 10 slides on our NEW 8.8m water slides (min. height 1.2m).

Soak up some water education with hundreds of messages drip-fed to you along the seaside boardwalks.

There are plenty of areas for a family gathering with a huge fig tree providing shade on the main deck. Food and drinks are available from the fish and chip shop and café.

WetSide’s opening hours vary so check the website for more information. Private Hire options are available, contact WetSide for more information.

Cnr Main St and Esplanade, Hervey Bay 0406 451 472 | Facebook.com/WetSideWaterPark www.wetside.com.au

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Hervey Bay Central Square, 6 Central Avenue, Hervey Bay 1300TIMEZONE (1300 8463 9663) www.timezone.com.au

Fraser Coast Cultural Centre Immerse yourself in nature, art and culture Before you explore the natural wonders of the Great Sandy Biosphere, get acquainted with them at the Fraser Coast Discovery Sphere. Dive deep into the world of the humpback whale. Watch inspiring footage, play games and use interactive screens. Discover the evolution of the Fraser Coast’s natural beauty and learn the history of our indigenous culture.

A category A-rated art gallery, Hervey Bay Regional Gallery perfectly frames the creative spirit of local and visiting artists. It hosts a regular program of activities to engage adults and children in the arts.

Celebrate the opening of new exhibitions at Art After Dark with free live music, drinks, demonstrations and artisans markets.

166 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay 07 4197 4206 Facebook.com/OurFraserCoast www.ourfrasercoast.com.au

Fraser Coast’s

Top 10Adventures 1. Four-wheel drive on the world’s largest sand island Motor along Fraser Island’s 75 Mile Beach, a gazetted highway, or increase the speed with a joy flight which takes off and lands on the sand.

2. Dive into the Great Barrier Reef Don a mask and snorkel to swim with the resident manta rays on Lady Elliot Island and check out the other marine life including turtles, starfish, colourful coral, tropical fish, sea urchins and clams.

3. Swim with the whales (late July to early November) Be swept up in the surreal experience of being in the ocean right next to majestic humpback whales and experience the best upclose and personal whale encounter in Australia at Hervey Bay. 4. Hook into some sports fishing Experience the thrill of catching a black marlin, golden trevally or a barramundi. The region’s fishing experiences are amongst the most diverse in Australia and draw anglers from all over the world.

5. Skydive over Fraser Island Take in a bird’s eye view of Fraser Island as you jump into one of the most beautiful skydive locations imaginable and land on the beach! Flights leave from Hervey Bay Airport.

6. Go for a stand-up paddle Hervey Bay was made for stand-up paddle boarding with the protected beaches in the lee of Fraser Island offering the chance

to explore around a number of piers. Keep an eye out for aquatic creatures with a friendly turtle not uncommon.

7. Slide down natural waterfalls Take a drive into the hinterland about an hour west of Maryborough to discover the Waterfall Creek Rock Pools, known locally as Utopia Rock Pools, near Boompa. It’s dirt road along the final section and about a 1.5km walk to the pools where you can refresh with a swim or a slide down the waterfalls after rain.

8. Get to know the Aussie bush Abseil, kayak, canoe, ride horses and mountain bikes or have a run at the military-inspired obstacle course. Our Visitor Information Centres will point you in the right direction.

9. Take on the hiking trails of Fraser Island Be prepared for the epic and traverse Fraser’s Great Walk, which stretches 90km and takes 6-8 days through open dune country and rainforest, or take one of the shorter options.

Head to the National Parks website (nprsr.qld.gov.au/fraser) for more information.

10. Jet ski the Great Sandy Strait to western Fraser Island Experience the thrill of a one-of-a-kind jet ski tour and discover the idyllic Pelican Bank in the heart of the Great Sandy Biosphere, just off Moon Point on Fraser Island about 12km from Hervey Bay.

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Fishing

The maze of intertwining creeks and rivers, vast sand flats, inshore islands, deep reefs and gin-clear waters of the Fraser Coast deliver one of the most diverse fisheries in Australia, with an overlap of both northern and southern species.

With its sheltered waters, protected by the largest sand island in the world, it’s no wonder the Fraser Coast is one of the most renowned fishing destinations in thecountry.

Some of Australia’s most iconic sportfish species can be targeted successfully here, including blue and black marlin, sailfish, longtail tuna, golden trevally, GT, snapper, coral trout, barramundi, threadfin salmon and mangrove jack.

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The options are endless, from worldclass beach fishing on the eastern side of Fraser Island and outstanding pelagic fishing in Platypus Bay, to one of the best blue marlin fisheries in Australia and the Mary River – home to some big barra and threadfin salmon.

Don’t just take our word for how great the fishing is, grab your fishing gear and find out for yourself. A word of warning though – you’ll be hooked.

Fishing Moments Fraser Island Platypus Bay is responsible for putting Hervey Bay’s pelagic fishing scene on the map, making it the ‘go-to’ destination for all enthusiasts. With the crystal clear, bait-rich, sheltered waters of the bay, it is an international drawcard for lure and fly anglers.

The Boat Club Boat Hire

Fisho’s Tackle World – Hervey Bay |

Create your own adventure with the Boat Club Boat Hire’s exceptional value, walk-on walk-off service. From fishing to Fraser the Club’s versatile fleet and rates include something for everyone. For extra convenience check availability and book online! Don’t have a boat licence? No problem, the Club provide a comprehensive boat and jet ski licensing program.

• • • • •

3 Buccaneer Drive, Urangan, Hervey Bay 07 4197 8763 | boathire@boatclub.com.au www.boatclubboathire.com.au

59 Torquay Road, Pialba | 07 4128 1022 info@fishostackleworld.com.au www.fishostackleworld.com.au

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Open 7 Days – Find us on Facebook The Fraser Coast’s Premier Fishing Tackle Store Bait, Ice, Tackle, Lures • Fly Fishing Gear Snorkelling Gear • Apparel Rod & Reel Repairs

Local Knowledge

The Hervey Bay flats are world famous among fly fishers and sport fishers alike with a huge variety of species on offer.

These flats are greatly influenced by the adjacent creeks on the western side of Fraser Island creating a unique fishery that includes prized species such as Hervey Bay’s iconic golden trevally, longtail tuna and juvenile black marlin. The marlin can be sight fished to in less than 2m of water – one of the only places in the world where this is possible.

Not to be outdone, the eastern side of Fraser Island is described as the ‘holy grail’ of beach fishing and throughout the winter months it draws crowds of anglers for the annual run of tailor. Spectacular catches of Spanish mackerel are common during the summer months as well as the everyday staples of whiting, dart and flathead.

Great Sandy Strait Between the Fraser Coast’s mainland and Fraser Island lies the Great Sandy Strait, about 70km of crystalline waters, white sandy beaches, a network of shallow lying flats and a maze of creeks.

The wildlife and fish-rich waters in this area present anglers with a huge diversity of species from whiting and flathead, barra and threadfin salmon to prawns and mud crabs.

Hervey Bay For land-based anglers, the 868m Urangan pier is the ultimate fishing platform accessing a diverse fishery of garfish, whiting and flathead in the shallower waters of the first channel and larger predatory species such as mackerel, tuna, trevally and queenfish patrolling the deeper waters of the outer channel. These larger predators are drawn in by the huge schools of herring, hardyhead and pike that congregate around the pylons of the pier seeking protection.

The Mary River The Mary River is the largest estuary system in the region and boasts one of the most remarkable barramundi and threadfin salmon fisheries on the Australian east coast. With what feels like a never ending system to explore, there are endless areas to fish with some form of structure to be found around every corner.

Mud crabs are a year-round option in this river and each wet season spawns a significant banana prawn fishery producing exceptional-quality prawns.

The upper reaches of the Mary above the causeway not only provide a picturesque backdrop but a healthy Australian bass fishery.

Inshore islands and reefs The Fraser Coast is blessed with an excellent inshore reef fishery comprising many inshore islands, shallow natural reef flats, deeper natural and artificial reefs and ledges of coffee rock.

The Roy Rufus artificial reef at the top of Great Sandy Strait off the eastern side of Big Woody Island is one of the largest in the southern hemisphere and consists of sunken barges, boats, car bodies and pipes creating a diverse ecosystem for a variety of fish. With an endless list of species to target and places to explore in the Bay, the relatively protected waters offer fantastic bait and lure fishing year round.

Fish types The diverse range of fish which can be caught on the Fraser Coast include barramundi, threadfin salmon, bass, blue and black marlin, sailfish, bream, flathead, golden trevally, longtail tuna, reef fish, snapper, Spanish mackerel, tailor and whiting.

Hervey Bay Fly and Sportfishing Enjoy a great day on the water being professionally guided around beautiful Hervey Bay • Full/Half Day trips • All weather options • Pick up/drop off from your accommodation • Pick up from Kingfisher Bay Resort (Fraser Island) • Mother shipping at northern end of Fraser Island (minimum 3 nights) • Group bookings available 0407 627 852 fishing@herveybaysportfishing.com.au www.herveybaysportfishing.com.au

Boab Boats Hervey Bay |

See Hervey Bay your way Enjoy the best parts of boating without the stress of towing, launching/ retrieving or cleaning. Just like a rental car only on the water. We have a range of boats and jetskis to choose from, we can even supply fishing and water sports gear. Full or half day hire options available. The only hire vessel in Hervey Bay that can operate in open waters, this opens up so many more options for off shore fishing. For those without a licence we have guided sightseeing, fishing and water sport tours as well.

0418 507 750 | herveybay@boabboats.com.au www.herveybayboattours.com.au

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Caravanning + Camping

The Fraser Coast is filled with space to park an RV, pull up a caravan or pitch a tent.

Relax and put your feet up by the beach, rivers or parks, then get amongst it when you’re rested and ready to explore. The region has fantastic beaches, national parks and areas set up for short and longterm stays.

For RV travellers, short-term free and lowcost parking is available at Maryborough’s Alan and June Brown Car Park near the CBD, Doon Villa Self-Contained RV Park, the Maryborough showgrounds off the Bruce Highway and behind the Hervey Bay Visitor Information Centre.

Commercial caravan parks are dotted around the region and range from sites beside rivers and parklands to prime beachfront positions.

Fraser Coast Top Tourist Park | 4* multi award winning 100% tourist only! This boutique, peaceful, immaculately clean, tidy and securely gated caravan park has a fantastic central location close to the beach (200m), alfresco dining and entertainment. Relax and indulge yourself in our luxurious heated therapeutic mineral health spa and pool then cook up a feast in our wellequipped camp kitchen with BBQs and a pizza oven! Our rec room, on-site café, free wifi and tour booking service will ensure an incredible stay every time!

21 Denmans Camp Road, Scarness | 07 4124 6237 info@frasercoasttoptouristpark.com.au www.frasercoasttoptouristpark.com.au

Fraser Coast Beachfront Tourist Parks Four absolute beachfront locations If you’re looking for the ultimate in caravan and camping pleasure... you’ve come to the right place. Take a superb location, just 3.5 hours north of Brisbane and throw in the perfect blend of life’s little pleasures and you have an affordable holiday hideaway that’s second-to-none.

• • • • •

Close to shops, restaurants and attractions Powered/non-powered/drive thru sites Ideal for swimming, fishing, boating and watersports Fraser Island views From $26 per night

Pialba .........................................07 4128 1399 Scarness ................................07 4128 1274 Torquay ..................................07 4125 1578 Burrum Heads ..............07 4129 5138 Please note that all Parks are pet free. www.beachfronttouristparks.com.au

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Harbour View Caravan Park & Campground Located in the heart of the marina precinct the Harbour View Caravan Park is the closest caravan park to the marina and Fraser Island. The park offers great value and facilities with discounts for seniors, hired campervans and off-peak periods. Located just across the road from The Boat Club (where you can find restaurants, a cafe, a two screen cinema, a cruise boat, gaming and much more), Harbour View is the perfect base for your Fraser Coast adventure.

1 Jetty Road, Hervey Bay | 07 4128 9374 admin@caravanparkherveybay.net.au www.caravanparkherveybay.net.au

CARAVANNING & CAMPING

DISCOVERY PARKS PARKS DISCOVERY FRASER COAST COAST FRASER

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The The world’s world’s largest largest sand sand island island awaits awaits you you at at the the beautiful beautiful Hervey Bay. Bay. Discovery Discovery Parks Parks -- Hervey Hervey Bay Bay is is minutes minutes away away Hervey from the the departure departure point point to to World World Heritage-listed Heritage-listed Fraser Fraser from Island Island – – long long uninterrupted uninterrupted white white beaches, beaches, sand sand cliffs, cliffs, over over 100 freshwater lakes and ancient rainforest.

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FACILITIES FACILITIES INCLUDE: INCLUDE: POWERED POWERED & & UNPOWERED UNPOWERED SITES SITES CABINS CABINS || CAMP CAMP KITCHEN KITCHEN || BBQ BBQ AREA AREA || SWIMMING SWIMMING POOL POOL GAMES ROOM ROOM AND AND MORE...

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DISCOVERY DISCOVERY PARKS PARKS -- FRASER FRASER COAST COAST 20 20 Fraser Fraser Street, Street, Torquay, Torquay, Hervey Hervey Bay Bay 07 4124 4124 9999 9999 || frasercoast@discoveryparks.com.au frasercoast@discoveryparks.com.au 07

DISCOVERY PARKS PARKS -- HERVEY HERVEY BAY BAY DISCOVERY 295 295 Boat Boat Harbour Harbour Drive, Drive, Scarness, Scarness, Hervey Hervey Bay Bay 07 4128 4128 2762 2762 || herveybay@discoveryparks.com.au herveybay@discoveryparks.com.au 07

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Eat, Drink + Relax

Take your taste buds on a delicious journey of discovery, sampling the full spectrum of food and wine experiences on offer across the Fraser Coast.

Fresh produce, succulent seafood and tantalising tipples such as regionally-crafted lychee liqueur – there is much to relish on a relaxing escape to this food-lover’s paradise.

From the hinterland to the Great Sandy Strait, the Fraser Coast has a delightful range of fresh produce, locally made food products and exquisite dining experiences.

The famous Hervey Bay scallops are prized by seafood connoisseurs worldwide for their superior appearance, texture and taste while juicy Fraser Island prawns are a favourite across the region.

Alfresco restaurants and coffee shops are dotted along the Hervey Bay Esplanade, most with stunning views of the ocean.

SAVOUR INSPIRED OFFERINGS BY THE SEA Cnr The Esplanade & Elizabeth Street, Hervey Bay enquiries@thevinyard.com.au (07) 4125 6982

www.thevinyard.com.au

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DINING

The Hervey Bay culinary scene has reached a high level of refinement in the past decade with the city welcoming luxuriously classy dining establishments where staff enjoy sharing their passion for local produce and outstanding wines, beers and spirits.

At premium locations overlooking the ocean, diners can indulge in sumptuous meals, full of inventive flavours created by masterful local chefs.

In Maryborough, sip regionally-crafted port underneath the floors of an old Bond Store, among rum barrels dating back to the 1800s when liquor was impounded (bonded) until the government duty was paid. Discover a charming boutique café at the historic Customs House Residence by the Mary River, just down the street from the former bank building where P.L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins was born.

Picturesque Maryborough provides a backdrop of heritage and culture, delivering a memorable food experience where visitors can enjoy the old world charm of coffee shops and ice cream parlours in heritage-listed buildings.

On Fraser Island, enjoy Australian bush tucker and discover the rich history of the original inhabitants, the Butchulla people,

through the unusual ingredients. Native plants across the island have been used for centuries as food and medicine and are celebrated by local operators.

Menus across the Fraser Coast are crafted to showcase our fresh regional produce and support our local growers and fishing industry.

Dining Coast Restaurant & Bar on the Esplanade at Torquay continues to stand out through its focus on quality ingredients and showcasing local produce – especially Fraser Coast seafood. The creation of memorable meals is the secret to the success of this multi-award winning venue, which has earned an exclusive one hat rating.

Local prodigy Jason England is the new head chef at Coast. He started as an apprentice at the restaurant in 2010 and has worked overseas with Rick Stein but Nick Street-Brown, former head chef at Coast, has been a massive influence in his career.

The Vinyard boasts a fantastic view and a passion for the world’s best wines; matching them with delicious local produce is their specialty. Hervey Bay

scallops and local fish are among the heroes on The Vinyard’s seasonal menu.

At Kingfisher Bay Resort’s signature Seabelle Restaurant on Fraser Island, innovative chefs are drawing inspiration from the island’s Butchulla people and using the distinctive flavours of native ingredients to create unique taste sensations.

Rosella sauce, akudjura salt and pepperberry crocodile, tea-tree smoked kangaroo, crispy emu jerky, bush-style Fraser Coast prawns, paperbark-wrapped barramundi and meringue poached in lemon myrtle are part of the wonderfully crafted menu. Plus, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by cocktails inspired by bush tucker to refresh your tastebuds.

Fantastic food, including delectable tapas share plates, and activities galore are on offer in tandem at Aquavue Café Watersports on the beachfront at Torquay.

The real winner though, is the spectacular view across the Bay! For equally impressive views in a modern beach-side complex, head to Enzo’s on the Beach at Scarness for sophisticated café-style food while relaxing on colourful beanbags or sitting at low or high tables!

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DINING Goody’s on the Beach is located right on the water in beautiful Toogoom. If you get there at the right time, you’ll hear the waves lapping under the deck, but all day long you’ll enjoy the stunning view of the ocean.

The club scene is thriving on the Fraser Coast and happiness is assured whether you enjoy a meal overlooking the stunning marina at the Hervey Bay Boat Club, a perfectly cooked steak to follow a round of golf at The Clubhouse Hervey Bay or have a flutter and enjoy the super service provided by both the Hervey Bay and Maryborough RSL clubs.

For something a little exotic, head to the Hervey Bay Boat Club’s El Puerto Restaurant which offers an explosion of Brazilian flavours traditionally infused into a variety of smoked and grilled meats served rodizio style. But for the less adventurous, Sinbad’s Bistro and Stay Sail Café serve scrumptious Aussie favourites.

Monthly chef’s creations, steak night, schnitzel night and kid’s eat free nights are all part of the dynamic dining experience at The Clubhouse Hervey Bay. The venue offers terrific food in a relaxed atmosphere

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overlooking the picturesque golf course in Pialba.

The bustling Hervey Bay RSL offers mouth-watering meal options at its Sandy Bay Restaurant with nightly specials and plenty of tempting à la carte choices.

Poppies Lounge Café offers light meals and refreshments but if you’re chasing something a bit fancy, groups of four or more can book in for a high tea.

Now under new management, the Bayswater Bar & Grill has a new kitchen, chefs and menu but the one thing that hasn’t changed is the huge deck and expansive view of the ocean and Urangan Pier. The venue now also has a delightful buffet breakfast every morning.

A winner in the hospitality and customer service categories of the Fraser Coast Business & Tourism Awards, Maryborough RSL provides multiple dining options to suit your occasion and mood. Grab a light meal from the Gallery Café, a quick bite from the Sports Bar Menu or enjoy a premium dinner from the Bugler Bistro.

Enjoy meals on the deck or savour the flavours in air-conditioned comfort at the

Beach House Hotel which is now open for breakfast on the weekends. Watch the activity in the kitchen as pizzas glide in and out of the eye-catching pizza oven or cast your gaze outdoors to admire the view past Scarness Park to the jetty and ocean.

Bringing together all of your pub favourites plus an extensive list of modern Australian dishes, the Carriers Arms Hotel in Maryborough offers a comfortable and relaxing dining experience. Chefs use fresh local produce to produce top-quality meals.

Family-friendly bistro dining on the timber deck or indoors is on offer at Pialba’s Bay Central Tavern. A wide range of seasonal dishes to suit a variety of ages and tastes are included on the extensive menu.

A new addition to Hervey Bay’s dining scene is the Seaside Café Restaurant, next door to the Beach Motel on the Esplanade at Torquay. The menu includes vegan and gluten-free options as well as signature seafood dishes.

Wherever you go on the Fraser Coast, there are restaurants, hotels and cafés to suit all tastebuds!

DINING

EAT . DRINK . RELAX RESTAURANT & BAR 469 Esplanade Hervey Bay QLD 4655 Reservations: (07) 4125 5454 coastherveybay.com.au

The Carriers Arms Hotel Motel The Carriers Arms Hotel Motel is the biggest hotel and motel complex in Maryborough with everything you need for your stay. The complex includes 38 Ground Floor Motel Units, Bistro, Coffee Shop, TAB/KENO/POKIES, Foxtel/ SKY, Function Rooms, Courtesy Bus, Swimming Pool, Bottle Shop, Sports Bar & Lounge Bar, with Live Entertainment. Close to the town centre, golf course, kids park and walking tracks.

405 Alice Street, Maryborough | 07 4122 6670 motel@carriersarms.com.au www.carriersarms.com.au

Beach House Hotel The Only thing we overlook is Fraser Island ...

Situated on the Esplanade in Scarness, overlooking the pristine waters of Hervey Bay, Scarness Park and Pier.

The Beach House Hotel is the most exciting new hotel complex in the region.

344 Esplanade, Scarness | Call: 07 4196 9366 info@beachhousehotel.com.au www.beachhousehotel.com.au

Enzo’s on the Beach • Absolute beachfront restaurant and bar offering a unique, casual beach dining experience – open for breakfast, lunch and dinner • Enjoy stunning views and sip on a cocktail as you lounge on a bean bag with your feet in the sand 351a Esplanade, Hervey Bay | Call: 07 4124 6375 info@enzosonthebeach.com.au www.enzosonthebeach.com.au

Bayswater Bar & Grill Boasting the biggest alfresco dining area in Hervey Bay, the Bayswater Bar & Grill is one of the area’s most exciting venues, open seven days a week.

Overlooking the iconic Urangan Pier and offering breathtaking views to go with their extensive menu. The weekly events keep the fun rolling, providing a fabulous view and the perfect place to unwind.

Our extensive beverage menu embraces the pick of Australian wines, foreign and domestic beers, and delicious cocktails to suit every occasion. The Bayswater is dedicated to serving a great range of high quality modern Australian cuisine. The Fraser Coast’s finest seafood and fresh produce is paired with steaks, gourmet pizzas, burgers and so much more.

A delicious full buffet breakfast is available every day 7am – 10am, perfect with a morning walk along the beach. Lunch specials and nightly specials are also available, and are very popular with the locals.

Whether you are a local or a visitor make sure you enjoy a visit to the Bayswater – delicious menu, a great bar and with the best view in the Bay! 571 Esplanade, Urangan 07 4194 6444 | info@thebayswater.com.au www.thebayswater.com.au

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DINING

DOW N BY T H E UR A NG A N MA R I N A

Information for members and guests.

Your complete

Harbour view dining

and Entertainment package

Buccaneer Dr. Urangan • (07) 4128 9643 • boatclub.com.au

Fraser Island views & exceptional value.

Multiple daily screenings of the latest releases.

Great coffee & meals.

FOOD

HERVEY IN BAY

EXCEPTIONAL LOCAL CUISINE IN A BREATHTAKING LOCATION! BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER OPEN 7 DAYS

415A CHARLTON ESPLANADE, HERVEY BAY (07) 4125 5528 | aquavue.com.au @aquavuecw

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Authentic flavours served churrasco style.

Markets

The Fraser Coast has a suite of local craft and produce markets that reflect the diversity of the region and are a beeline for visitors throughout the year.

Quality handmade clothing, playful jewellery, colourful artwork, vintage items, select fresh organic produce and takehome tasty homemade treats are all in abundance.

And that’s just the start. There is also entertainment and characters in period costume every Thursday at the weekly Maryborough Markets. A vintage time cannon booming across the city is another of the highlights for shoppers and visitors.

Maryborough n Maryborough Markets, Adelaide and Ellena streets – every Thursday 8am–1pm n F raser Coast Wildlife Sanctuary Markets, Mungar Road, Oakhurst – third Sunday of the month 7am-noon

Hervey Bay

Regional

n Urangan Pier Park Community Markets, Pier Street, Urangan – every Wednesday and Saturday 7am–1pm

n Howard Country Markets, 56 Steley Street – first Saturday of the month 7am–noon

n Buzers Bazaar Twilight Market, 412 Charlton Esplanade, Torquay – every Friday 1–6pm

n Burrum Heads Markets, corner of Burrum Heads Road and Howard Street – second Saturday of the month 7am–11.30am

n T orquay Beachside Markets, 415 Charlton Esplanade – second and fourth Saturday of the month 7am–1pm n Nikenbah Markets, corner of NikenbahDundowran and Maryborough–Hervey Bay roads – first, third and fifth Sunday of the month 6am–noon n Koala Markets, Kruger Court, Urangan – second and fourth Sunday of the month 6am–noon n Sunday in the Park, Charlton Esplanade, Scarness – first Sunday of the month 8am–2pm n The Boat Club Arts & Craft Market, Buccaneer Drive, Urangan – third Wednesday of the month 9am–2pm

Ask a local Visitor Information Centres play a vital role in transforming a holiday from ‘good’ to ‘great’ and the centres in Hervey Bay and Maryborough have been judged among the best in the State at providing this service.

Travellers use the ‘tourist grapevine’ to sort out those centres to stop at and those to bypass, and Hervey Bay has consistently topped the former category and was recognised as one of the top three visitor centres in Australia in 2016.

VIC staff and volunteers use practised listening skills to match the best experiences with each individual’s holiday dreams.

n Tiaro Markets, corner of Mayne Street and Forgan Terrace – second Saturday of the month 7am–noon n Bauple Markets, Band Hall Road – fourth Saturday of the month 7am–noon n G lenwood Community Markets, Pepper Road – third Saturday of the month 7am–noon

For more information, visit frasercoastmarkets.com.au.

Local knowledge is a vital ingredient and Fraser Coast VIC staff regularly undertake refresher familiarisation tours so all information and advice is based on personal experiences.

Fraser Coast VIC locations Hervey Bay – 227 Maryborough-Hervey Bay Rd, Urraween.

Ph: 1800 811 728 Maryborough – Maryborough City Hall, 388-396 Kent St, Maryborough. Ph: 1800 214 789 Tiaro – Mayne St, Tiaro. Ph: 1800 214 789 Hervey Bay Airport – Don Adams Dr, Urangan. Ph: 1800 811 728

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Events

The Fraser Coast has built an events portfolio focused on family entertainment, food, beer, fishing, sport, music, community and culture.

The region has fantastic natural assets bathed in year-round sunshine and a temperate climate backed by a wonderful range of accommodation from beach to hinterland, along with great food.

your toes at the Fraser Coast Music Muster, also in October or watch the action at the National Finals Rodeo Round One in November.

SPEED: Feel the need for speed? Cruise to one of the Maryborough Speedway meets or better still hit the beach for the high octane thrills of powerboat racing as Hervey Bay hosts the final round of the Offshore Superboat Championships each October.

We are also handy to the large population centres in south-east Queensland, which has boosted our profile as a venue for state and national sporting competitions.

The growth of sports tourism is bringing thousands of people to the Fraser Coast, many sampling the region for the first time, and after seeing the great way of life we have here and the natural attractions on offer, they are voting with their feet and coming back on holiday.

FOOD: Among our signature events is the Relish Food and Wine Festival in Maryborough where you can eat your way through fine local fare then let out a notch on your belt and unwind on the banks of the Mary River. We follow this up later in the year with the Ocean and seafood festival in Hervey Bay, celebrating the return of the humpback whales and the region’s deep connection to the ocean.

MARY POPPINS: The quirky Mary Poppins Festival in late June is continuing to build its national and international profile, buoyed this year by the release in December of Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns movie – 54 years after the production company’s first Mary Poppins title premiered in 1964. The 10-day story-telling festival which culminates with A Day In The Park, trades on the fact that Mary Poppins’ author, Pamela Lyndon Travers (nee Goff) was born in Maryborough on August 9, 1899, and grew

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up in the Australian bush before attending boarding school in Sydney and going on to international fame.

FISHING: The Fraser Coast capitalises on its reputation as one of the country’s premier fishing destinations by hosting a range of fishing contests including the VMR Hervey Bay Family Fishing Competition and the Burrum Heads Easter Fishing Classic in March and April, followed by the Hervey Bay Game Fishing Tournament in November.

COUNTRY HOSPITALITY: If you want a dose of country hospitality, you can stroll through the gates of the Maryborough Show or head to the Teebar Rodeo and Campdraft in June, celebrate the region’s mining history at the Burrum Coal Fest in July, soak up the atmosphere at the Torbanlea Picnic Races in October, tap

SPORT: Doubling down on sport, the region has secured another major annual event this year with the addition of the Joeys Mini World Cup junior football tournament in the first week of October where teams from Queensland, northern New South Wales and overseas will play.

This adds to the Bay Break Multisports Festival in April, the Junior State Touch Football Carnival in July, the Hervey Bay Pier 2 Pub swim in September along with the Barge to Beach Swim and Hervey Bay 100 triathlon in November.

SAILING: And this year, Hervey Bay is privileged to host the national and world championships of A-class catamarans for a fortnight in mid-November bringing hundreds of top-notch sailors and their support crews to the region.

BEER: For those who prefer to exercise their elbows, Hervey Bay has introduced a Craft Beer and BBQ Festival in January and Maryborough hosts the colourful World’s Greatest Pub Fest in May. This is just a taste of what the region has to offer. For more information, visit frasercoastevents.com and follow us on Facebook.

EVENTS

Life is eventful on the Fraser Coast with a jam-packed calendar of festivities!

For a complete list of what’s happening, head to frasercoastevents.com.

We’ve selected just a few of the highlights.

Relish Food and Wine Festival

Hervey Bay Ocean Festival

Maryborough’s heritage streetscapes and stunning riverside parklands serve as the splendid backdrop to savour the tastes on offer at this showcase of regional wines and fine local produce.

Sip beer and wine in tasting sessions and watch cooking demonstrations from fine local chefs as part of the tantalising program. Live entertainment creates a dynamic vibe around Maryborough’s Portside area, which dates back to being a significant port of entry for early European migrants to Australia between 1862 and 1890.

Celebrating the region’s connection with the sea and the annual return of humpback whales, the festival follows the Blessing of the Fleet on July 21 at the start of the whale watching season.

Feast on prawns and other tasty morsels at the Seafood Festival while tapping your toes to the live music; secure a possie on the Esplanade to watch the colourful floats roll by at the Illumination Parade and Concert and jump into the water or watch from the shore as the Paddle Out for Whales takes place in the Bay. The festivities include events promoting conservation and celebrate Hervey Bay’s whale connection.

AUG

JUNE

11

2

MAY

6

JUNE

29

World’s Greatest Pub Fest

Mary Poppins Festival

Dress in a crazy costume and bring a fun spirit to join the crowds rambling from pub to pub in Maryborough. Friends and strangers meet and mix to chat, dance and listen to a great variety of live music during the afternoon. Drinking alcohol isn’t required to be part of the extravaganza which raises funds for charity each year.

Celebrate the art of storytelling and discover the magic and history of Maryborough during the two-week celebration that’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! P.L. Travers, creator of the beloved nanny, was born in the Heritage City and her connection is remembered with all kinds of activities and performances including nanny races, chimney sweep challenges, art bursting in the streets and grand parades to boot! The magic and wonder of this festival is infectious.

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FRASER COAST

2018 Events Highlights January + February 26 - 28 Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 10 Feb 15 - 17 Feb

March 8 - 11 Mar 25 Mar 29 Mar - 2 Apr 30 Mar - 2 Apr 30 Mar - 2 Apr 30 Mar - 2 Apr

April 2 - 3 Apr 14 - 15 Apr 20 - 22 Apr

Kingfisher Bay Resort Regatta Australia Day Celebrations Guy McLean Spectacular

By The C Concert - John Farnham and Special Guests QLD State School Triathalon Championships

VMR Hervey Bay Family Fishing Competition Queen’s Baton Relay Nth Coast Campout Conrodders Show n Shine Morris Register Meet Burrum Easter Fishing Classic A-Class Catamaran QLD Championships

EVENT Fraser Coast Dance Festival BayBreak Multisports Festival QLD Men’s Masters State Hockey Championships

May 5 - 6 May 6 May 24 - 25 May

June

2 Jun 6 - 10 Jun 9 - 10 Jun 16 Jun 22 - 23 Jun 29 Jun - 8 Jul

Bay to Bay Trailerable Yacht Race World’s Greatest Pub Fest Fraser Coast Ag Show

Relish Food and Wine Festival Maryborough Dance Eisteddfod Classic Country Music Stampede Teebar Rodeo and Campdraft Rotary’s Living Expo Mary Poppins Festival

July 7 Jul 20 - 21 Jul 20 - 21 Jul 21 Jul

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Mary Poppins Festival’s a Day in the Park Burrum Coal Fest FraserPop! Pop Culture Festival Blessing of the Fleet

frasercoastevents.com August 11 - 19 Aug 12 Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug

2018 Hervey Bay Ocean Festival Hervey Bay Seafood Festival Illumination Parade and Concert Paddle Out for Whales

5 - 11 Aug 17 - 20 Aug

Maryborough Eisteddfod Wide Bay & Fraser Coast Home Show, Caravan, Camping, 4x4 & Fishing Expo Fraser Coast Interschool Equestrian Championships

22 - 25 Aug

September

1 Sep T CALENDAR

8 Sep 9 Sep 15 - 16 Sep 22 - 23 Sep 23 - 28 Sep

Bauple Nut Bash QLD Surf Life-Saving Masters Championships Pier to Pub Swim Fraser Coast Technology Challenge Maryborough Open House & Garden Cuboree 2018

October 1 - 5 Oct 18 - 21 Oct 27 Oct 27 - 28 Oct

Joeys Mini World Cup Munna Creek Music Festival Torbanlea Picnic Races Offshore Superboat Championships

November 3 Nov 9 - 11 Nov 10 Nov 11 - 15 Nov 16 - 23 Nov 18 Nov

Hervey Bay Swap Meet and Show n Shine Hervey Bay Game Fish Classic Round 1 National Rodeo Association Finals Australian A-Class Catamaran Championships World A-Class Catamaran Championships Hog’s Breath Hervey Bay 100

December 1 Dec 1 Dec 9 Dec 15 Dec 31 Dec

Gundy Pub Super Series Bull Ride Finals Carols in the Hervey Bay Historical Village Carols in the Park Hervey Bay RSL Carols by Candlelight Family Friendly NYE Party & Fireworks

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Partner Directory Platinum Partners Hervey Bay RSL Club www.herveybayrsl.com.au

Pialba Beachfront Caravan Park www.beachfronttouristparks.com.au Pialba Motor Inn www.pialbamotorinn.com.au

Kingfisher Bay Resort & Village www.kingfisherbay.com

Discovery Parks - Hervey Bay www.discoveryholidayparks.com.au/qld/ fraser_coast/hervey_bay

Latitude 25 www.visitlatitude25.com.au

Eco Queenslander www.ecoqueenslander.com

Ramada Hervey Bay www.ramadaherveybay.com.au

Persal & Co www.persal.com.au

Emeraldene Inn & Eco Lodge www.emeraldene.com.au

Riviera Resort Hervey Bay www.rivieraresort.net.au

Eurong Beach Resort www.eurong.com.au

Scarness Beachfront Caravan Park www.beachfronttouristparks.com.au

Akama Resort www.akamaresort.com.au

Flora Alba Accommodation www.floraalba.com.au

Shelly Bay Resort www.shellybeachresort.com.au

Aqua Aqua Luxury Penthouses www.aquaaqualuxurypenthouses.com.au

Fraser Coast Beachfront www.beachfronttouristparks.com.au

Susan River Homestead Adventure Resort www.susanriver.com

Arkana Motel www.arkanamotel.com.au

Fraser Coast Top Tourist Park www.frasercoasttoptouristpark.com.au

The Bay Apartments www.thebayapartments.com.au

Arlia Sands Apartments www.arliasands.com.au

Fraser Island Holiday House - Waiuta Retreat www.waiuta-retreat.com.au

The Bayswater Hotel www.thebayswater.com.au

Accommodation

Australian Adventure Park www.australianadventurepark.com.au Beachcamp Eco Retreat on K’Gari www.beachcampfraserisland.com.au Best Western Ambassador Motor Lodge www.bestwestern.com.au/hervey-bay/ hotels/best-western-ambassador-motorlodge Best Western Plus Quarterdecks Retreat www.quarterdecksretreat.com.au BIG4 Point Vernon Holiday Park www.pvhp.com.au Blue Shades Motel Maryborough www.blueshades.com.au Harbour View Tourist Park & Campground www.caravanparkherveybay.net.au Boat Harbour Resort www.boatharbourresort.com.au Bottlebrush B n B www.bottlebrushbnb.com.au Breakfree Great Sandy Straits www.breakfree.com.au/great-sandy-straits Burrum Heads Beachfront Caravan Park www.beachfronttouristparks.com.au/ourparks/burrum-heads-caravan-park

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Discovery Parks - Fraser Coast www.discoveryholidayparks.com.au/qld/ fraser_coast/fraser_coast

Fraser Island Holiday Lodges www.fraserislandholidaylodges.com.au Fraser Island Retreat www.fraserislandretreatqld.com.au Grand Mercure Allegra Apartments www.allegra-herveybay.com.au Hervey Bay Colonial Lodge www.herveybaycoloniallodge.com.au Ingenia Holidays Hervey Bay www.ingeniaholidays.com.au/hervey-bay Kingfisher Bay Resort & Village www.kingfisherbay.com Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort www.ladyelliot.com.au Lazy Acres Caravan Park www.lazyacres.com.au Le Piaf on Treasure Bed & Breakfast www.piaftreasure.com.au Lisianna Holiday Apartments Ph: 07 4124 2950 Main Street Motel www.mainstreetmotel.com.au Mantra Hervey Bay www.mantraherveybay.com.au

Plantation Resort at Rainbow www.plantationresortatrainbow.com.au

The Beach Motel www.thebeachmotel.com.au The Grange Resort www.thegrange-herveybay.com.au Torquay Beachfront Tourist Park www.beachfronttouristpark.com.au Torquay Terrace Bed and Breakfast www.torquayterrace.com.au Urangan Motor Inn & Pier Restaurant www.uranganmotorinn.com.au Villa Cavour Bed & Breakfast www.villacavour.com.au White Crest Luxury Apartments www.whitecrest.net Windmill Caravan Park www.windmillpark.com.au Woolshed Backpackers www.woolshedbackpackers.com.au

Attractions

Alpha 31 Art Gallery & Sculpture Garden www.alpha31artgallery.com.au Art by Rebecca Jane www.artbyrebeccajane.com Bamboo Land www.bambooland.com.au

Cara Motel www.caramotel.com.au

McNevins Motel Maryborough www.mcnevins.com.au

Carriers Arms Hotel Motel www.carriersarms.com.au

Oceans Resort & Spa Hervey Bay www.oceansherveybay.com.au

Bond Store Museum www.ourfrasercoast.com.au/bond-storemuseum1

Comfort Inn Hervey Bay www.frasergateway.com.au

Palace Adventures www.palacebackpackers.com.au

Brolga Theatre www.ourfrasercoast.com.au/brolga-theatre

visitfrasercoast.com

PARTNER DIRECTORY

Fraser Coast Cultural Centre www.ourfrasercoast.com.au/CulturalCentre Customs House www.ourfrasercoast.com.au/Portside/ Customs-House

Mitchells Realty www.mitchellsrealty.com.au

Timezone Australia www.timezone.com.au

Persal & Co www.persal.com.au

WetSide Water Park www.frasercoast.qld.gov.au/wetside

QANTAS www.qantas.com

Tours

Fraser Coast Discovery Sphere www.frasercoastdiscoverysphere.com.au

Queensland Rail www.queenslandrail.com.au

1770 Larc! Tours www.1770larctours.com.au

Fraser Coast Wildlife Sanctuary www.frasercoastwildlifesanctuary.org.au

Stockland Hervey Bay www.stockland.com.au

Air Fraser Island www.airfraserisland.com.au

Gatakers Artspace www.ourfrasercoast.com.au/gatakersartspace

Torquay Progress Association www.torquay.org.au

Aussie Trax 4x4 Rentals www.fraserisland4wd.com.au

Wide Bay Crane Hire www.widebaycranehire.net.au

Blue Dolphin Marine Tours www.bluedolphintours.com.au

Hervey Bay Historical Village & Museum www.herveybaymuseum.com.au Hervey Bay Regional Gallery www.ourfrasercoast.com.au/hervey-bayregional-gallery1 Into The Wild Photography www.intothewildphotography.com.au Maryborough Military Museum www.maryboroughmuseum.org Portside Heritage Precinct www.ourfrasercoast.com.au/portsideprecinct

Dining Aquavue Cafe Watersports www.aquavue.com.au Arkarra Tea Gardens www.arkarra.com.au Bay Central Tavern www.baycentraltavern.com.au Beach House Hotel www.beachhousehotel.com.au

Reefworld Aquarium Ph: 07 4128 9828

Boonooroo Golf Course and Tavern www.boonooroo.com.au

Z-Pac Theatre www.zpactheatre.com

Café Balaena www.cafebalaena.com.au

Corporate

Coast Restaurant and Bar www.coastherveybay.com.au

AATEC Office Technology www.aatec.com.au Bell Dixon Butler Lawyers www.bdblawyers.com.au Budget Car & Truck Rental www.budget.com.au/locations/carrental/ queensland/regional/hervey-bay DR Tourism Pty Ltd www.drtourism.com.au DSA Images www.dsaimages.com.au Elfotography Hervey Bay www.elfotographyherveybay.com.au

Enzo’s on the Beach www.enzosonthebeach.com.au Hervey Bay Boat Club www.boatclub.com.au Hervey Bay RSL Club www.herveybayrsl.com.au Maryborough RSL Club www.maryboroughrsl.com.au Retro Espresso Tiaro www.retroespressocoffeeco.com Royal Hotel Ph: 07 4129 2567

Boab Boat Hire Hervey Bay www.boabboats.com.au Boat Club Boat Hire www.boatclubboathire.com.au Cool Dingo Tours www.cooldingotour.com Fraser Dingo 4WD Hire www.fraserdingo4wdhire.com.au Fraser Escape Bareboat Charters www.fraserescape.com.au Fraser Experience Tours www.fraserexperiencetours.com.au Fraser Explorer Tours www.fraserexplorertours.com.au Fraser Guided Fishing www.fraserguidedfishing.com.au Fraser Island Barges www.fraserislandferry.com.au Fraser Magic 4WD Hire www.fraser4wdhire.com.au Freedom III Whale Watch & Charters www.freedomwhalewatch.com.au Hervey Bay Dive Centre www.diveherveybay.com.au Hervey Bay Eco Marine Tours www.herveybayecomarinetours.com.au Hervey Bay Fly and Sportfishing www.herveybaysportfishing.com.au Hervey Bay Whale Watch www.herveybaywhalewatch.com.au

Fisho’s Tackle World Hervey Bay www.tackleworld.com.au

Seaside Cafe Restaurant Ph: 4194 6206

G & D Ross Bus Charters ganddrossbuscharters.com

Shelly Beach Motel www.shellybeachmotel.com.au

Handy Hire www.handyhire.com.au

The Clubhouse Hervey Bay www.theclubhouseherveybay.com.au

Pacific Whale Foundation Eco Adventures Australia www.pacificwhale.com.au

Hervey Bay Airport www.frasercoastairport.com.au

The Vinyard Wine Bar & Restaurant www.thevinyard.com.au

Spirit of Hervey Bay www.spiritofherveybay.com.au

Hervey Bay Chamber of Commerce www.herveybaychamber.asn.au

Wild Lotus Restaurant & Bar www.wildlotusrestaurant.com

Tasman Venture www.tasmanventure.com.au

Hervey Bay Rent a Car Pty Ltd www.herveybayrentacar.com.au

Family Fun

Unique Fraser Tours www.uniquefraser.com

Latitude 25 www.visitlatitude25.com.au

Marloo Twin Cinema www.boatclubcinema.com.au

Whalesong Cruises www.whalesong.com.au

Lady Musgrave Experience www.ladymusgraveexperience.com.au

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JUMP ABOARD THE TILT TRAIN FOR A TRIP TO THE FRASER COAST Skip the traffic and take the Tilt Train to your next Queensland getaway. With regular services operating between Brisbane and the Fraser Coast each week.

Enjoy hassle-free travel, while conveniently avoiding navigating the highway.

You can take a relaxing trip to the Southern Great Barrier Reef, do a spot of whale watching in Hervey Bay, explore the Heritage-listed wilderness of Fraser Island or simply stop off and visit friends and family along the way.

Sit back in reclinable Economy Seats or upgrade to the comfort of a Business Seat, before visiting the Galley for a selection of meals and refreshments with a focus on Queensland produce. While our team does the driving, you can plug into our onboard wi-fi or simply enjoy watching the world outside your window, while our friendly staff take care of everything and the stress of everyday life melts away.

Economy Seat to Hervey Bay inc RailBus Coach Connection

73

$

*

ex Brisbane Per Adult One-Way

Business Seat to Hervey Bay inc RailBus Coach Connection

101

$

*

ex Brisbane Per Adult One-Way

visit queenslandrailtravel.com.au or see your local travel agent *Conditions apply. Prices are per person based on B-Quick fare conditions, subject to availability. RailBus Coach Connections are included in the fare price where applicable. Other concession discounts are available for applicable card holders. Queensland Rail Travel reserves the right to make changes without notice, for full booking terms and conditions visit queenslandrailtravel.com.au

DISCOVER WHY LATITUDE25 COULD BE THE NEW LIFESTYLE FOR YOU. Latitude25 has commenced construction. It will feature modern new homes with big RV garages and proposed resort

SMART REASONS TO CHOOSE LATITUDE25  NO STAMP DUTY

style facilities that will include: a state of the art Clubhouse

 NO EXIT FEES

and Wellness Centre, tennis court, golf putting green, bowling

 NO DEFERRED MANAGEMENT FEES

green, swimming pool, gym, meandering walkways surrounding two amazing lakes… and so much more.

 NO REFURBISHMENT COSTS  HOMEOWNER RECEIVES 100% OF CAPITAL GAIN ON SALE PRICE

Join us for a delicious morning tea – every Wednesday from 10am, or book your private tour.

RSVP by calling Jane on 1800 025 025 or visitlatitude25.com.au

45 Spring Way, Nikenbah – Hervey Bay Images shown above are artist impressions for illustrative purposes only.

It may depict items not provided by Nikenbah Constructions Pty Ltd, such as furniture.

 NO RENTALS – ALL HOMES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ARE OWNER/OCCUPIER  YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR GOVERNMENT RENTAL ASSISTANCE  BEAUTIFULLY LANDSCAPED ENTRY GARDENS, WITHOUT YOU NEEDING TO LIFT A FINGER

A Welcoming Smile QantasLink proudly supports Fraser Coast Tourism and Events Visit qantas.com to book your next adventure to the beautiful Fraser Coast Qantas Airways Ltd ABN 16 009 661 901