We found our way back to the Brisbane airport. Laurel and I dropped Lynne, Thea and Dan off with the luggage while we followed the signs to the car rental return. Once we had parked the car we walked back to the terminal to find the three of them waiting for us. Wrong terminal! We had dropped them off at International and it was quite far away from the Domestic terminal. By taxi or train it was going to be an expensive ride for five people hauling luggage. What to do! By now the rain had caught up with us and it was pouring!
What is to stop us just taking the car back - we had just left it in the lot?. We had not actually turned it in yet. Laurel and I went back to get the car, just drove out of the lot and picked up the group again. We found our way to the Domestic terminal and another rental car return! We dropped off Lynne, Thea, Dan and the luggage. This time Laurel and I turned in the car. Good thing we had lots of time before our flight!
We flew over the flooding rivers and into sunshine on the Fraser Coast. We landed in the Hervey Bay airport in the late afternoon. It was still very warm outside of the small terminal. We decided against a car as we would not be in town long. We were not sure if the roads would be open later to travel further afield.
We got a taxi van large enough for the five of us and our luggage and gratefully allowed our friendly driver to take us to the Boat Harbour Resort. I was a bit apprehensive as we travelled. It was a long way from the airport and seemed to be away out of town. Fine when we thought we would be driving, not so good on foot. The view from the entrance to the property was not striking. There was no one on duty at the office. Though we had been warned the office closed early on a Sunday, it was a bit of a letdown after a day of turmoil. I did find a large bulky envelope by the office mail box addressed to me. We followed the directions and used a key to enter the 2 bedroom villa. It was very nice with a comfortable living room, dining area and kitchen. There was a large lanai and in suite laundry facilities. It would be very comfortable for the three women.
Dan and I took our key and found our suite across from the office. Our lanai looked out over the empty property next door. It was very quiet and secluded. We had a studio suite with a kitchenette, small eating area and the bed all in the same room. It was large, clean and nicely decorated. Things were looking up!
As we picked up our package at the office, a couple sitting on their lanai next door introduced themselves. They wanted to be sure we settled in all right. If we had any questions, we had only to ring the office phone to reach the manager. We chatted for a while and they gave us suggestions for dinner that evening. Their first recommendation was the Hervey Bay Boat Club in Urangan Habour. It was a great suggestion! We had a pleasant walk past the overgrown property next door, along the foreshore park and through the boat harbour to the club. The day had cooled into evening so it was comfortable to be outdoors.
It was dark by the time we reached the club. Laurel and I had tried a short cut through a questionable caravan park and found no exit. Somehow, we had become separated and she was now lost. Dan went looking for her as Lynne, Thea and I waited anxiously in the Boat Club lobby. Laurel arrived as bubbly as she always is after one of her adventures. Dan returned and we all signed in.
“The Sinbad Bistro” had a wide variety of regular menu items and a few good chefs suggestions that change daily. Good hearty pub food at reasonable prices. Wine and beer were even more reasonable! For after dinner, there was an extensive bar, live music and dancing. We arrived tired and hungry and left well fed and cheerful! It was a lovely walk home in the moonlight.
NOTE: The Harbour View Caravan Park looked fine seen later in the daylight!
Monday was a day to get things done. I talked to the manager about transportation and he mentioned while the roads were still cut and the airlines were full, the train was still running. Dan and I decided to do some research online. Our host directed us to the nearest internet café – past the empty property next door and up Boat Harbour Drive to the Colonial Village YHA. We bought a YHA Internet card at the front desk and went on line to clean up our email and research transportation in the area.
We had never stayed in a Backpackers facility. I was quite curious about it. It seemed to be a really nice place to stay. The computers were well set up for internet and Skype connections. There were large central areas for socializing, beautiful gardens, barbeque area, pool and a variety of accommodation styles. There certainly seemed to be travellers of all ages staying on the property.
There was a train to Brisbane and we could get off at Cooroy to connect to Noosa Heads by bus as well. I took down the information and we walked home to call the ticketing agent to make the arrangements. It is a lovely walk. This time we walked through the empty property. It had been someone’s home at one time. There were the remnants of a paved driveway. The trees and flowers had once been planted and tended. Now they were growing in a wild profusion of colours. The Golden Rain trees were in full bloom. The ground was covered in red and yellow flowers something like a Turk’s Head lily. The air was full of bird song and you could catch sight of their brilliant plumage among the trees. As usual, I was watching the ground for snakes – stomp, stomp, stomp! All I saw was fire ants, easily avoided.
Dan and I walked back to the Boat Club for breakfast as we had bought any groceries yet. The others opted to stay by the pool. The club was surprisingly busy. We got a light lunch at the sandwich bar and ate indoors looking out over the bay. It was cooler than out on the deck in the sunshine! We walked back through the marina and along the shore. There were a profusion of wildflowers on the dunes as well - the bright yellow of “Beach Primrose” and hot pink “Pigface”. There was a fenced path leading from the beach right to our resort.
We met up with the rest of the group and decided to take a taxi into Pialba Place Shopping Center in Hervey Bay to get groceries and explore. I found an Optus store and got a SIM card for our cell phone. Now Laurel and I could communicate if the groups were separated. I could also make my share of the travel calls so they did not all fall on her account. Lynne found a really nice cotton skirt in the mall. It was very useful travelling in this heat and went beautifully with her Uluru T-shirt. We stopped for coffee and made plans for the afternoon. We decided to take the groceries home by cab while the girls walked back to Boat Harbour along the waterfront. The walk along the Esplanade was 8 Km. In this heat, Lynne and I preferred the pool! The girls did not return until evening. Looking at their pictures, we should have done the walk! Long beaches with almost no one there. It was beautiful.
I phoned the Queensland Translink number and made reservations for the five of us to take the train to Brisbane Saturday morning. At this time the flooding had reached Brisbane. Much of the CBD was affected and local transit was not running. We wondered if the train would still be going into the city on Saturday. If it did, would the girls be able to find transportation to the airport? Thea was flying home to Canada and Laurel back to work in Melbourne. Dan, Lynne and I were getting off in Cooroy so we would not know what was happening to them. I know Lynne spent the week worrying. We had seats booked so step one was accomplished. Later in the week we found even the train was full.
Dan and I decided to walk up to the Botanic Garden in Urangan. We walked up Boat Harbour Road again to the “Great Sandy Region Botanic Gardens and Orchid Conservatory”. We were too late, the Orchid House was closed and tea was over. But we had a good walk through more of the neighbourhood. I particularly enjoyed the gingerbread style Queensland houses on their stilts and all the tropical gardens.
I joined Lynne at the pool for the remainder of the afternoon. Once the group was altogether again, we walked over to the Boat Club for another good dinner. We shared the stories of our day’s pursuits. What a life!
Tuesday morning we were to fly to Lady Elliott Island. The tariff includes the flight to the island and the accommodation. It is a small plane and you are limited to 10 Kg of luggage per person. I had arranged with the Boat Harbour Resort that we would leave some of our luggage in storage with them and pick it up on our return. Many peoples travel plans had been disrupted so there were no other guests expected at Boat Harbour this week. The manager kindly told us to just leave everything in our rooms, take the key with us and walk back in when we returned. With that in mind, it was an easy packing job after dinner and we were ready for the next adventure.
