LAZY WEEKEND BURRUM HEADS, QUEENSLAND AUSTRLIA

You wake up peacefully on your own accord, with no buzzing alarm and no frantic rush to be on time. You pour yourself a fresh coffee and step outside, cradling the hot mug reverently between your two palms, as if in Morning Prayer. Without worry in the world, you tilt your head back, you close your eyes and you feel the warmth of the sun falling on your face. Slowly and mindfully, you take a deep breath. The world smells different when you’re not feeling the pressures of your schedule. The world feels more alive when your senses aren’t overwhelmed by all the worries of life. The early sun peeks up over the waves, and the thin rays glisten over the sparkling undulations of the ocean. A cool breeze blows gently, which adds to the serenity. The sunrise over the ocean is truly one of the most beautiful wonders of nature. You lose yourself in the moment and feel its bliss completely. Your shoulders relax, your mind is at ease, and all of the year’s built up tension escapes with each exhaled breath. With your mind free from over-thinking, you let out a huge sigh and say, “ahh, now this is the life.

"We took the 4 hour drive from Brisbane to Burrum Heads, an idyllic retreat for those who love the beachside charm and a laid back lifestyle. When we head north, we always stop at Retro Espresso. The retro espresso experience is a oasis on the Bruce Highway nestled in the historic town of Tiaro. Today they were holding a Hot Rod, Custom, Muscle Car Show extravaganza at the Rear of the Royal Hotel. We grabbed a coffee and walked around to check out the car before jumping back on the highway.

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Burrum Sands Holiday Units are like a secret haven away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Think Noosa of the 80's. The rooms are basic, but have everything you need and are spotlessly clean. It’s quiet and so tranquil. Customer service is second to none and there is so much on offer just at the units, let alone the short walk down the stairs to the beach. The units are right on the beach and the fishing isn’t too bad. So while your partner is reading a book, relaxing with a wine, you can grab a rod, a beer and walk down the sand to the water and have a fish. This place will take you back in time. So relax and enjoy a quiet getaway.

 

Burrum Heads is a small community with a pub, bowling club, caravan parks and a small precinct made up of Butcher, Bakery, Tackle Shop, Hair Studio, Fish and Chips Shop and Foodworks. If you make your way just south of Burrum Heads, you'll find great swimming, fishing and camping spots on the Burrum River. You can explore the Wongi Waterholes, a beautiful picnic and camping spot fringed by paperbark trees, or go fishing in local favourite Lake Lenthall.

Taking a day away from your accommodation to see what’s around the area is key to a great holiday, so on Saturday morning we ventured first to Toogoom, then onto Hervey Bay. Toogoom is only 16 minutes from Burrum Heads and is especially popular with fishermen and boaties. There are two places to eat in Toogoom, Salty Squid, which is one of those places that only locals know about, but if you stumble across this gem of a cafe, you will be pleasantly surprised and Goody on the Beach, which is a Toogoom favourite overlooking the mouth of Beelbi Creek which opens to Hervey Bay.

We opted for breakfast at Salty Squid, which was once called Moreton Street Bakery. It looked like they still make the “Moreton Street Bakery” treats, including a variety of Homemade Sausage Rolls, Pies, Quiches, Pastries, Cakes and Tarts created using only the finest in quality ingredients, Organic Flours and Homemade Butter Puff Pastry.

The Salty Squid has the most amazing breakfasts and the coffee is excellent and very reasonably priced for the quality of the food. The staff are lovely, the chef makes great food and they cook all their own pastries and cakes on the premises. It was such a pleasure to eat there because of its location, a designated dog-friendly dining area that was serene and well covered and a modern style menu.

From breakfast we headed to Hervey Bay, which is only 10.2km away and one of the biggest reasons to travel there from Toogoom is to go whale watching. Humpback whales stop in the bay during their migration for a relaxing and playful time in the bay waters. Our destination was the iconic Urangan Pier Park Community Markets, which are located adjacent to the Urangan Pier.

The Fraser Coast region offers a number of bustling pop-up markets for tourists to enjoy on holiday. The Urangan Pier Park Markets shouldn’t be ignored for first-time visitors on the Fraser Coast, run by local volunteers with a wide range of stalls offering fresh regional farmers’ produce, artisan-made souvenirs and goods, crafted artworks and jewellery, unique homewares, plants, toys, accessories, pre-loved fashion and lots more.

We always stop at the most colourful store in the markets, Art by Rebecca Jane, which was formed in 2014 based out of the Urangan Pier Markets. Today, ABRJ is stocked in over 20 retail outlets up and down the east coast. Rebecca Jane Knowles’ bright, colourful and funky artwork is painted in her unique style, blending two- and three-dimensional objects and animals into a single scene. Her paintings range from blocky and bold to busy and detailed. Rebecca is primarily known for her beachscapes and depictions of the Fraser Coast Region. Kim this time picked up a couple of vibrant shirts, which will be on display on our South Pacific Cruise in May.

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Our pup loves nothing more than tearing along the sand flats at low tide, splashing in the leftover pools and rolling in seaweed. Without fail, this results in a happy and exhausted pup. It's also an excellent opportunity for her to socialise in a neutral area. So we headed down to the Urangan Foreshore, an off-leash dog beach from Margaret Street Groyne to Churchill Street Groyne.

Lunch time was calling and we booked a table at our favourite dog-friendly restaurant, Enzo’s on the beach. You can enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails or coffee with your toes a couple of steps away from white sand and a bright blue bay. It’s not hard to see why this beach gem is popular amongst the locals. 

We came here twice on our recent trip to Hervey Bay, for lunch and dinner. The food we ordered was served promptly, well presented and tasted fine. Service was good, staff friendly, prices fine. We’ve been lucky with the weather each time we have visited. If you’re after tropical beach bar vibes, it doesn’t get better than Enzo’s. With its indoor/outdoor setup, bean bags on the sand.

Most of the holiday was spent in the covered gazebo areas at our accommodation, which had a wonderful serene atmosphere. This holiday was about turning off and slowing down, relaxing and recharging. Sometimes you just need to get away from the madness. If you’re planning a trip to the Fraser Coast around the Easter break, you can be a part of a 3 day fishing classic that takes over Burrum Heads each year.  Saturday mornings are for finding fresh produce and other goodies on the Fraser Coast. If you’re basing yourself on the Burrum Coast, make sure to check out the Howard Country Markets from 7am – noon on the first Saturday of each month or the Burrum Heads Markets from 7am – noon on the second Saturday of each month.

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 Dog Beaches Fraser Coast Area

Point Vernon (Foreshore)

Description:   Point Vernon (Foreshore) - Between Aplin Street and the Pines Park (with the exception of the southern entry to 40m north of last playground).

Times allowed:          24 Hours

Address:         Between Aplin Street and The Pines Park Point Vernon QLD 4655

Toogoom (Foreshore)

Description:   Toogoom (Foreshore) - between the pathway opposite Lorikeet Avenue to the pathway between 76 & 78 Kingfisher Parade.

Times allowed:          3pm - 8am

Address:         Between 76 & 78 Kingfisher Parade Toogoom QLD 4655

Toogoom - Craignish (Foreshore)

Toogoom (Foreshore) - from Ries Road to Petersen Road, Craignish.

Times allowed:          3pm - 8am

Address:         45 Petersen Road Craignish QLD 4655

Burrum Heads (Foreshore)

Description: Burrum Heads (Foreshore) - between Dudley Street and Bushnell Road.

Times allowed: 3pm - 8am

Address:         58 Esplanade Road Burrum heads QLD 4659

Burrum Heads (Foreshore)

Description:   Burrum Heads (Foreshore) - from Road 784 to the walkway between 78 & 82 Riverview Drive.

Times allowed:          24 Hours

Address:         80 Riverview Drive Burrum Heads QLD 4659

Burrum Heads - Serenia Beach (Foreshore)

Description:   Burrum Heads (Foreshore) - from the southern end of Burrum Street to Orchid Drive, Serenia Beach.

Times allowed:          24 Hours

Address:         Lot 4 Esplanade Road Burrum heads QLD 4659

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