Fraser

Greetings,
Today’s blog is brought to you by the letters P, O and M, and by the number 78,000. This is the number of tonnes of tomatoes picked by pommy backpackers every year in the Bowen region. So remember kids, always wash your tomatoes.

As tempting as the job sounds, we do not join the army of tomato pickers. As my friend Chris would say, I would rather hit myself in the shins with a stick, so once again we pack up and hit the road, leaving behind Bowen’s beaches and peacocks. They are such a 70’s bird anyway, all skinny legs and paisley. Next stop, the rather lazily named town of 1770. If you haven’t heard of it yet you are the only one, because it is packed with people enjoying its not inconsequential charms. We arrive fairly late in the day and set up shop on the last remaining site in the caravan park. Excellent, a completely full caravan park. We are so close to our neighbours that Graz is kept awake by the snoring of the guy in the tent next to us. His snoring wasn’t that good though, and I reckon I could have taken him the following night but Graz didn’t want to stay for the showdown. You win this round sir, but one day…

Bundy! That’s what I thought too, but actually Bundaberg is not particularly exciting (nice though) and from its appearance the Bundy rum distillery could have been a fertiliser factory. I think that I was expecting some sort of Willy Wonka type place, but with utes and blokes fighting. Alas, no. We are on our way down the coast to meet Graz’s parents at Hervey Bay before heading to Fraser Island for a few days.

Fraser is quite frankly sensational. Not in a shiny, amusement park sort of way but in a subtle, calm nature-y way. Everything about it we found enjoyable, particularly the sensational lakes - if it isn’t already, a swim in Lake McKenzie should be on your list of things to do before you die. The beaches, the fishing (tailor, dart, a shovel-nose shark for Graz…what is it with her and sharks?), the dingos, it is all good. We got closer to a pod of dolphins than we had ever been, and it was from inside a car. Speaking of cars, never buy a second-hand Landcruiser Troopy from the Hervey Bay area, those things take quite a beating. The tomato pickers save up all their money, pile 11 of them into the rented troopy, and drive into the ocean.

Fraser Island is also quite popular with the whales, and on our return to Hervey Bay we join a whale-watching cruise and whale-watch. Again, sensational. The highlight of the day was probably the young whale learning to breech like his bigger family members. He got it right a few times, but even his failed attempts were pretty cool. I took a few shots (camera, not harpoon) that are going straight to the pool room.

Keeping the nature theme going, upon leaving Hervey Bay Graz and I eschew (that’s a big word isn’t it) the coast and its van parks and camp on top of a hill in a pine forest. The inland route also brings us past Steve Irwin’s zoo, which is still covered with flowers and cards and such. Quite sad really. Nearby is the excellently named town of Beerwah, so we stop for a beer at the also excellently named Beerwah Hotel, Beerwah Road, Beerwah. It is what Steve would have wanted.

later,
brad and graz

c'mon, you know you want to write to us:
bradreeson@gmail.com or grazgarrett@hotmail.com