Hervey Bay
Hervey Bay is a picturesque coastal city located in Queensland, Australia, renowned for its serene beaches and abundant marine life. The city is most famous for its whale-watching opportunities, as it is one of the best places in the world to witness humpback whales during their annual migration from July to November. The sheltered waters of the bay provide `a safe haven for these magnificent creatures, making it a prime spot for close encounters.
In addition to whale watching, Hervey Bay serves as the gateway to Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Fraser Island offers a diverse range of experiences, from exploring ancient rainforests to swimming in clear freshwater lakes and driving along the 75 Mile Beach.
Hervey Bay itself is a hub of activity, with a variety of cafes, restaurants, and shops lining the Esplanade. With its laid-back charm, stunning natural surroundings, and a wealth of outdoor activities, Hervey Bay is a perfect destination for those seeking both relaxation and adventure in one of Australia’s most beautiful coastal regions.
Location
Situated about 290 kilometres north of Brisbane, Hervey Bay is a favoured destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike. It is a little over 220km from my home on the Sunshine Coast and takes just under 3 hours for the drive. There are several places to stop along the way. Breakfast in Gympie and coffee at Tiaro are the usual haunts for us
Weather
While we are in the remaining days of winter, it has been shorts weather all week!! The weather in Hervey Bay for our four nights has been 24 degrees, partly cloudy. The nights have also been warm.
Who am I?
If you are a regular Madhatterpress visitor, you’ll be up to speed with who I am. My name is Joanne, and I am the CEO of Madhatterpress.cloud
Why Hervey Bay?
Dad and I have been here in 2021, 2022 and now in 2024. It’s somewhere that calls for a return visit. Hervey Bay has everything you need for a trip. Beaches, walks, eateries, shopping centre, cinema, a town, interesting coastal suburbs, wildlife, and more. If you want it, Hervey Bay has it. Plus of course, the idea of a whale watching trip was very appealing.
Accomodation
We picked an accomodation that we have stayed in before. 545 Esplanade, Urangan. The cabin is a two bedroom and one bathroom, along with a small lounge and kitchen. While it is not a massive cabin, what do you need when you’re away? It is set out comfortably with every essential for you, cereal, milk, condiments etc.
It is made for a family in that there is a double bed in one room and singles in the other. The beds are comfortable and fully made, ready on your arrival. Plenty of extra blankets are available should you need them.
The accomodation has a carport for your use while staying. There is a second cabin on the other side of the carport, but we did not hear any noise at all while there. Considering the closeness of the second cabin, it was incredibly quiet.
Diary of the trip
Monday 19th August
The drive up is always an easy one. While dad usually drives, I have been nicknamed the ‘Entertainments Officer.’ I am in charge of the Spotify playlist and had the music ready to go. We left home around 11am and took our time for the drive. We had already had breakfast so had no need to stop for that. (Our usual stop is a McDonalds breakfast at Gympie). We kept going until we got to the ‘Bush & Bay Café’ at Tiaro. It’s a regular stop for us as the coffee is nice!
Then a continued drive to Hervey Bay. As we came off the Bruce Highway, the familiar sights of Hervey Bay and Boat Harbour Drive came into view. Memories came back of our last visit as we drove to 545 Esplanade. Once there, we dropped off our luggage and went in search of the local bottle shop (off license for my English friends!!) Beer and wine bought; (and a sneaky afternoon drink!) it was back to the cabin to relax before dinner.
Dinner tonight was booked for The Bayswater Bar and Grill. Why you may ask? That is an easy one. No driving!!! It was walking distance from the cabin. We took advantage of the Monday deal in the pub. 2 meals and get a free bottle of wine. (Ok, if we have to!!
Tuesday 20th August
The first full day there started with egg on toast cooked by the man of the house. After starting the day out right, we followed that with getting ready to go out for a drive. The idea was to scope out potential sunrise/sunset spots for photography. (Incase you don’t know; the photographer is Barry Beckham of Beckham Digital)
We drove around the coast through Scarness, Torquay, Pialba, and Point Vernon. We needed a light lunch so took a trip to Cauldron Brewing – I had sourced this prior to the trip so it was only fair that we checked it out. A light lunch and two schooners of ‘Pink Boots’ later, I was driving back to the cabin!
We spent a relaxing evening just chilling out
Wednesday 21st August
This morning was the event that I had been waiting for. The whale watching trip. For anyone heading to Hervey Bay, go on a trip with Tasman Venture This is the third time now I’ve been with this team, and I would recommend them every time. Their whale watching trip is unique in that it does not head out into the open ocean, therefore relieving you of the swells that the open ocean sometimes gifts you. Tasman Venture runs out to Platypus Bay from their dock, following the coast of Fraser Island.
The trip that we chose was a morning one. We were at the dock a little before 8am and arrived back around 1pm (a little late due to the extra sightings we had and the fact that everyone was happy to stay out there all day!). You name it, we were lucky enough to see it. Heads up. Tails up. Pectoral fin slaps. Breeching. Tail slaps. Males. Females, and to top it all off, a mumma and baby whale. The Tasman Venture offers up more information than you can take in throughout the entirety of the trip! Their crew are incredibly knowledgable and informative and willing to share everything that they can in order to make the trip as exciting as possible.
It was not until we got back to the cabin after a quick stop at Cauldron Brewery for a burger, that we realised how strong the sun had been through the day. We were a little sunburned but that was a small price to pay for a great trip.
Thursday 22 August
We were unsure initially of what to do on Thursday so revisited old territory. We started with a trip to River Heads where we watched the ferry heading over to Fraser Island. Then we headed off towards Dundowran beach and then on toToogoom. The weather was glorious and barely a car on the road. When we got to Toogoom, we located our favourite spot. ‘Goodys on the Bay.
Dad and I have been to Goodys before. He had also been there on trips with mum. When dessert and a drink are calling, you don’t argue! One double chocolate muffin, one apple pie and 2 drinks later, we were on our way. I did grab a couple of souvenirs too!
After a drive around and a few photos taken, we stopped off for a last drink at Cauldron Brewing (yes, I know. After three visits in 3 days, we are almost regulars!) Late afternoon and evening was just about relaxing. Listening to podcasts or reading a book. Whatever took our fancy.
Friday 23 August
Today was home time. No matter how long you’ve been away, home is always a welcome sight. If I am brutally honest, I was looking forward to being in my double bed and not a single. The trip home was uneventful and before we knew it, the coffee machine was on, and we were settled.
Did it tick our boxes
Yes, it did. Everything that we wanted to do, we did. Plus, the luxury of being only three hours from home makes the travel easier.
Will we be back to Hervey Bay?
Absolutely.
Will we be back to 545 Esplanade?
Definitely.
Thank you to Barry Beckham of beckhamdigital for use of his images and audio visual.
