Tin Can Bay

September 18th
After settling in at Tin Can Bay, we took in a bit of local exploring, there are several kilometres of a good walking trail, below the street from the park. One can choose the path along the Environment Walkway to Toolara, along the coast amid trees and mangrove shoreline. With the tide out, there are miles of mudflats, anchored boats lying on their side. A prettier picture when the tide is in, a myriad of birdlife; parrots, lorikeets, White Ibis and a variety of honey eaters, minor birds and the harassed ravens. At one point we had a raptor of some kind swoop down and flew away with a fish carcass. Appropriately, this walk is known as the Bird-walk. The other direction and the path is to follow the wooded shoreline of Snapper Creek to the marina and fishing wharfs. Not far from the marina is the Public Boat Ramp. Next to the ramp is the cafe that is famous for Dolphin Feeding.

Dolphins:
For many years, successive generations of Estuarine Dolphins’ have been coming up to the little beach to interact and get a feed of small fish. At around 7-7:30am, 2 or three dolphins swim up to the beach awaiting their 8am feeding time. We were lucky enough to get there when two of the regulars turned up. For $5 children were able to walk into the water and have a dolphin carefully and gently take fish from their hand. These are wild animals, from the same pod; it was wonderful to see them in their own environment. As soon as the last bucket had been emptied, they turned away and set off with the tide out to the Sandy Straits proper. (See photo in our albums).

Another feature of the estuarine waters is that the tidal flats are home to a variety of marine life. Most spectacular is seeing the hoards of Soldier Crabs. These little crabs, 1-2 centimetres in size, move along the mud in unison. They look like something along the lines of the Orks in Lord of the Rings. With blue shell-backs, an area of around a square metre moving en-mass, one can imagine a Stephen Spielberg Epic filmed in miniature.

The Mary River flows into the sea, through Maryborough, birthplace of P L Travers, creator of Mary Poppins, the famous nanny, . At Maryborough, we were in time to see a school spectacular, the annual Technology Events, head-lined by a 24 hour Pedal-Prix, over 100 school teams with a variety of human powered vehicles, (HPV), they were all very serious about it and some of them were really moving in their machines around the street circuit. Behind the scenes, in “Pit-Lane Tents”, teams rested, machines repaired and even massages for the young rider/drivers. So good to see teenagers from many kilometres away, doing something so physical. A special mention must be made about the hundreds of hours that teachers, parents and community members had to have put in to organise and run the event.

The Mary River Valley drive provides a scenic route to several small towns and is also the route of the Mary Valley Rattler, a wonderfully restored and maintained steam engine. The train runs from Gympie, through Kandanga to Imbil. We caught up with the train at Imbil and Vicki was chuffed to be allowed up onto the foot-plate to see the controls and feel the heat of the boiler.

Hervey Bay Whale Cruise
On Friday 16th, we travelled to Hervey Bay to take an afternoon Whale Watch Cruise. We booked on the twin-hull Tasman Venture, the same operator that we used back in 2006. The weather was good, clear and only light winds, we had a great time. Being Friday PM cruise, we were fortunate that there were only 12 adults on a boat designed to carry 90. This made it much more comfortable to be able to run around the deck to view the whales. We got to see several small pods of whales and it was, as if scripted, the last pod of four that put on a good show for us. We saw rolls, mugging, pectoral flips and tail waves. Best of all, we got to see “breaching” where the animal leaps clear out of the water. Just awesome! Visualise up to 40 tonne of marine animal putting on a spectacular show. The day was rounded off by a magnificent sunset over the bay as we returned along the north shore of Fraser Island, The cruise is a highly recommended experience.

Tin Can Bay is a very pleasant and relaxed little town, growing like so many but it should remain quieter than the busier Rainbow Beach or Hervey Bay. We would come here again. Not sure yet as to when we will be heading back south, it is school holidays time in NSW and QLD so many towns along the coast are very busy. Decisions-decisions!!!!!

Meanwhile, take a look at some of the magnificent pictures that Vicki took, (hundreds taken, few were selected!), yes, all her own work and no Photoshop editing: https://picasaweb.google.com/108879761974384702036/WhaleWatchingHerveyBayQLD?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCIvh9oKJ5a2crQE&feat=directlinkauthkey=Gv1sRgCIvh9oKJ5a2crQE&feat=directlink

Click on the link below to view some photos in the album.

https://picasaweb.google.com/108879761974384702036/GowintaFarmToTinCanBay?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCOCv56vUxZGOXA&feat=directlink

Durack Gardens, Brisbane to Tin Can Bay

August 2011
Brisbane is a busy city, not sure if by world standards but it has to be up there. The four weeks at Durack Gardens went quickly, weather swung from glorious early spring like back to winter rains on a daily basis. We picked a nice day to revisit the Botanic Gardens at Mount Coot-tha, took a picnic lunch and spent a couple of hours wandering through the displays and around the numerous walk-ways. The park map was just about useless to directionally challenged folk like us and the meandering paths didn’t seem to match up at all. A good day however, the Botanic Gardens are a lovely spot.
Tamborine Mountain is a popular Gold Coast Hinterland destination, right in the mountains, B&B’s, touristy quaint shops and cafe’s make for a lovely day’s outing. There we visited the Tree-Top Walk, Cheese Factory and found an “Olde English Lolly” shop. We liked the cheeses on offer and bought a few samples but didn’t try the local ale from the brewery next door. Quite a popular spot this as you can try their products before you buy. The route back via Logan gives magnificent views of the Gold Coast.

August 22nd
Packed up and moved from Durack Gardens, via the motorways, travelled northwards to the Glass House Mountains region and Beerwah. We had read about a seasonal caravan park at a real working farm, Gowinta Farms. The farm produces strawberries, April to October, Pineapples and Lychees. The farm is in a lovely area, apparently the volcanic soils of the region being ideal for this type of farming. Two of the Glass House Mountains, first named by Captain Cook, in the background add to the scenery.
The majority of the people in the park were the seasonal workforce picking and packing the fruit. Many of the pickers were young folk from Europe on work visas, back-packing and living in tents and from the back of their vehicles. They seemed a happy bunch, even when up to their armpits in mud from the several rainy days. Mind you, some European mothers would have a fit if they saw how their off-springs were living. Have a look at the photos of Gowinta Farm in our albums.

There are several tourist drives around the district from Beerwah; small towns such as Maleny and Montville are prettily nestled in the valleys up in the mountains of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, . These are very popular with the locals and tourists alike. Several lakes, waterfalls and scenic lookouts are features of these drives, wineries, a couple of dairies and our favourite, the Maleny Cheese Factory.

From Beerwah, the Sunshine Coast is not far away, we had two day trips to Caloundra, Maroochydore and to Mooloolaba. The latter is well known for the Underwater World, a most impressive aquarium complex on the harbour. It was a lovely day for the drive there, the visit to the aquarium and a walk along the breakwater, a bit of sea-air.
In the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, there are several tropical fruit and nut farms; a visit here without calling into the Buderim Ginger Factory would be a waste. The factory is at Yandina, a tourist complex with shops, a tour of the factory to see ginger being processed and a shop to buy their products. We had orders for family so spent quite a bit in there. Across the road, very handy is the NutWorks Factory, where Macadamia Nuts are processed, our favourite, (and most expensive!).

Down to Maroochydore and a visit to the huge Sunshine Plaza shopping complex. We had to replace a couple of lens filters for Vicki’s camera and a specialist camera supplier was needed. The complex centre is built around the river estuary and boardwalks, bridges and two levels makes for an interesting shopping experience. It would take a month of Sundays to get to know your way around there.

At Gowinta, we were fortunate to have the company of Bill and Joy, our caravanning friends who were travelling back from Townsville. They are good company and we were happy to catch up with their latest news. This year they are travelling with Molly the dog, Vicki loved having the dog to walk and fuss about. We love to pet other people’s dogs!
At the farm, we were allowed to select fresh pineapples from the “seconds” bins, fresh juice couldn’t be better, however, it wasn’t until just before we left that we found out about “seconds” of strawberries. Never mind, next time!

September 7th
Pack up day and time to move on, again to the north, via Gympie to Tin Can Bay, a small holiday town on the estuaries of the waters between the mainland and Fraser Island, the largest sand-island in the world they say, famous for being right on the migration trail of the great Southern Right Whales. People come from all over the world to visit Fraser and to go on whale watch cruises.
Tin Can Bay is a quieter spot around the region, the park that we are in is lovely and clean, well paved and organised. I think of it as being likened to a retirement village.

Rainbow Beach, around the estuary is famous for the spectacular sand cliffs. Rainbow Beach is named after the multi-coloured sands in the cliffs, last time we were here we collected 14 different coloured samples of the sands. Most of the coast between Noosa and Fraser Island is composed of State and National Parks of some significance.
From Inskip Point, near Rainbow Beach, is a vehicle ferry that takes campers in their four wheel drive vehicles, campervans and tents to enjoy the driving and scenery of the long flat western shores of the island. Just to get on the ferry requires 4x4 to cross the deep soft sand of the beach.

Less experienced travellers go from Hervey Bay to hire their 4x4 on the Island; they come from all over the world to experience this most exceptional place. They hope to see some of the last of the pure-bred Australian Dingo, isolated from mainland strains; again, quite unique. They bite!
Locals often shake their heads to see people from the big cities of Asia and Europe, land at Fraser, pick up their rental Landcruiser and then take to the soft sandy tracks around the island. Looks good on the adverts but one can get into all sorts of trouble. At Rainbow Beach, there is a rogues Gallery of photos of the disasters that befall even the best of drivers.
Enjoy the photos in the albums, until next month, keep safe and well

Click on the link below to view the latest photos.
https://picasaweb.google.com/108879761974384702036/DurackGardensToTinCanBay?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCOHU7uj8soTjYg&feat=directlink