Australia is undisputedly an
outdoor adventurer’s paradise. It’s a magical land rife with top notch surf
beaches, world class diving sites, and Outback treks. But if you’re pledging to
pursue more offbeat adventures in the New Year, you have to venture out a
little further.
We just had a long weekend enjoying peace and quiet at
Australian Adventure Park, Burrum Heads.
Australian Adventure Park is situated on the Burrum River, 30km north
west of Hervey Bay with many adventure activities and absolute waterfront
camping. Kayaks and mountain bikes for hire. Catch and release fishing, laser
skirmish, high ropes, and obstacle course. At Burrum Heads, you can explore rivers and creeks by boat or
canoe, or take advantage of the clear, warm water for fishing. Burrum River
Cruises offers a two-hour morning tea cruise along the Burrum River. We headed off early morning with
our pup (Shari) for a three hour drive, with Kim manning the tunes and sweat
treats. We arrived just as the park was setting up for the Australia Day
festivals. We dropped by our glamping tent, unpacked and Kim and Shari were
already in the water.
Late afternoon we jumped in the
car and took a scenic drive to the tiny town of Toogoom. Toogoom is a seaside community about 15
minutes from Hervey Bay. Here you’ll find unspoiled beaches and great fishing,
as well as wildlife and bird watching. Dine at the tea gardens or at its
absolute waterfront restaurant with heavenly views and great photo
opportunities. We went and gave Shari a great run on the beach before heading
back in the car heading to the next small town of Torbanlea. Just 25 minutes from Hervey Bay, Torbanlea is
a small historic town on the road to Bundaberg. There are 11 buildings in the
Burrum Mining Museum here and they contain a staggering 4,400 items of
memorabilia which reveal this region’s past as a booming coal area. We then
decided to head to Hervey Bay. Hervey Bay is a pretty, coastal city, with a
pleasant subtropical climate. We took a stroll along the Esplanade forshore and
checked out some alfresco cafés and Boutiques shops, and a vibrant
marina. We headed back to camp for a wonderful sunset.
Next morning Kim and Shari are up
early for a swim, we then hit the showers and headed off to Bundaberg. Fresh
produce, modern history and unspoilt beaches form the basis of this drive which
winds towards Childers before ending in Bundaberg. This is a classic
country drive and although it measures under 100 kilometres long, it's best
enjoyed by taking delightful pauses along the way and imbibing the food and
wine for which this region is renowned, as you journey through cane and farm
country and breathe in fresh rural air. You'll love the beautiful scenic views.
For a journey that hits all of the sweet spots, there's four icons in Bundaberg
upon which this region was built. Starting at the Bundaberg Barrel, you will witness
the story of Bundaberg Ginger Beer, before pushing on to the distillery in
which its famous rum is brewed. Next stop is the Fairymead Sugar Museum before
you finish at the Hinkler Hall of Aviation.
We headed further to Bargara which was a 13
kilometre drive through lush sugarcane fields and is a popular seaside area
which harbours a peaceful and relaxed community ideal for family holidays away
from the hustle and bustle of the city. Bargara boasts two open surf beaches
and two still water swimming areas. The Bargara Streetscape project embraces
the coastline with an attractive public area of walkways, decks, picnic areas
and playgrounds. Cafes and eateries create an alfresco atmosphere. Kim loved
the boutiques here last visit and was surprised that a couple more moved in. A
hat, top and bag later we headed back in the town square for a few more shops
and light lunch before a slow drive back to Burrum Head for an afternoon drink,
kayak and swim session.
We came across some fellow Brisy travels and sat around
and exchanged stories while our pup was getting a lot of attention with the
kids. The weekend was great because we were the only ones at camp with a dog,
so Shari had freedom to go anywhere. Another
glorious sunset we headed back to tent for a well deserved sleep. A big thanks to the friendly owners that made our stay so enjoyable and we are already penciling
in for a week later in the year. Burrum Heads has always been our favourite
spot camping, ever!. We prefer to camp further away from Brisbane because there
is more to see and do around the Fraser Coast.
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