Another day in Paradise it was today, with the sun shining down upon us warmly, barely a breath of a breeze and not a wisp of a cloud to be seen in the bright blue sky above us. We left the caravan at about 10:00AM, with a vague plan of meandering around the surrounding countryside. We know that there are beaches nearby, and thought that the dogs might like a bit of a swim, or at the very least, a bit of a wade.

I dragged Bec first of all though, to Gavin Street, in Bundaberg, where at number 69 our old mate Bert Hinkler spent his formative years. The house he and his family lived in burned down many years ago, only to be replaced with a commercial warehouse. I wonder if the current owners even realise the historical significance of the property?

We then drove 5 minutes out of town to a strawberry farm, where we bought a huge punnet of fresh berries to have for supper later this evening. They ought to go down a treat with our meager left over supply of gelato.

I need a bit of sweetening up.

It was then off to the beach. A 10 or 15 minute drive through fields of thick, towering sugar cane, that stretched out in every direction for as far as the eye could see, we came to the small resort like, beachside town of Bargara. The main street and foreshore have a laid back, but posh feel about them, while the esplanade has been built up with 5 and 6 story holiday apartment blocks that exude a closed in, restricted and cramped Gold Coast type atmosphere. We let the dogs out to stretch their legs, before going in search of the boutique market we had read about in brochures. Upon locating it, in an old windmill, we enthusiastically scrutinized each and every one of the 3 stalls that it hosted. 10 minutes later we were all done, but that was only because we’d spent 8 minutes talking to one of the stall holders about her upcoming trip to Canberra.

Funnily enough, as we strode through Bargara, we saw a brother to ‘The Beast’, another Dodge Ram, parked on the side of the street. I think the bloke in the driver seat thought I was going to car jack it, as I rapped excitedly on the window, smiling and waving in what I hoped was a totally non-menacing fashion. We got to talking for a bit though about the merits of these ripper trucks, before wishing him well on his travels and going on our way.

Back at ‘The Beast’, we let the dogs out again, this time to take them for a run along the small beach. The shoreline along here is strewn with large boulders preventing for the most part, access to the water. There is a small area that has been cleared however and is now devoid of the rocks, to create a small crescent shaped swimming beach area. Both Alvin and Bethany had a ball, wading avidly into the water, only to turn and rush out again each time a wave threatened to swamp them. It was like a game for them as they pranced around in the tepid waters of the Pacific Ocean.

From Bargara, we travelled further up the coast to nearby Burnett Heads, although were disappointed to find that there was no easily accessible swimming beach here. In fact, apart from a fairly busy boat ramp, there was very little in Burnett Heads at all.

Twice the fun at Mon Repos.

We therefore backtracked a little to Mon Repos Beach, which is now designated as a conservation park, providing a safe rookery for Loggerhead Turtles. We are only a matter of a couple of weeks late for the hatching season however, so were unable to take part in the nightly walking tours that are available during the season. It is a beautiful beach, however, easily the best in the area, with silky smooth, warm sand leading down to a cool, gentle swell of crystal clear blue water. Yet, despite the warmth in the sun, there was only us and another couple of people evident along the entire ribbon of sand that stretched out for several hundred meters like a golden belt between the ocean and the encroaching mangroves. Due to the conservation park nature, it is off limits to the dogs however, so the babies missed out on this one.

I think we’re being shadowed.

There is also an historical significance to the area, which I found no mention of however, in that it was at Mon Repos that Hinkler first took to the skies in a homemade glider. Given the reverence with which he seems to be treated with in town, I had expected at the very least, a plaque asserting his early achievements.

Heading back towards town, we made a quick stop at the supermarket in Bargara to collect lunch and dinner, then took a circuitous route to the highest point in the area, the 97 metre high ‘Hummock Lookout’. Regardless of its lowly apex, a fantastic view is obtained across the surrounding flat plains. The coast is easily appreciated to the east, the lands covered with the bright green sprigs of sugar cane fields, whilst the township of Bundaberg is visible in the opposite direction.

On top of the world, at 97 meters high.

We then retreated to the van for a welcome spot of relaxing. Sitting outdoors, enjoying the sunshine (and waiting for the cessation of yet another load of laundry or two), when Bec declared she was growing weary and was going to take an afternoon nap, disappearing inside. Myself, I just sat outside in my chair, with a book and a beverage, but soon drifted off into a tranquil repose as well.

Relaxing by the van.

The washing eventually got pegged out some time later, before we dined and then settled in for the evening, to enjoy a further spot of relaxation. We could hardly call it a holiday if we didn’t take time out from our hectic schedules to kick back and spend time doing absolutely nothing on occasion now could we?

Just a reminder too, that there are plenty more pics of our travels to be seen over at Flickr. Just go to the home page and click on the photo at the very bottom of the page to be taken to our photo stream.

Until next time, stay safe, have fun and don’t forget to write.