We (family of 4 with 2 teenage daughters) are planning a week away from Sydney next July to give eldest daughter a break before she does her final school term / exams. We thought of somewhere relaxing and warm (or at least warmer than Sydney), and not too expensive. Given the great airfares to Hervey Bay we were wondering about flying to Hervey Bay and doing a 3 day package to Fraser Island (Kingfisher resort)follwed by 5 days in a nice apartment in Hervey Bay. Now I have just read that someone said Fraser Island can be pretty miserable there in winter. Any comments from locals or anyone who has visited in winter?

It is winter and can be coolish or lets say as about as cool as it can get for winter up there but then a lot of retirees do not head that way for nothing and as far as some bush walks etc. it is far better weather for that than in summer.

I have been on the island camping in winter months and staying at the Kingfisher Resort ought to be no problem.

July is early in the whale season and so without a reason like that you may want to consider other options, but anywhere in central Queensland will still be cool to mild without being warm but if you did not mind a bit of a drive, somewhere like http://www.gkiholidayvillage.com.au/is about 450km and six hours away to offer more of a beachy atmosphere, and you can check out some Crocs for free at the Rockhampton Botanical Gardens too along with Lee Kernagans Great Western Hotel, sometimes indoor rodeo activity (in specially built part of course!).

This recent thread: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=3 has a fair bit of info on Fraser Island, Lady Elliot and Lady Musgrave Islands and another option you may want to consider is snorkelling on GBR - many people being under impression you need to go to Cairns for that.

The Fraser/Lady Elliot package looks good if that is within the budget (maybe drop staying at Kingfisher if needing to balance) or alternately make 1770 a stop on way to Keppel Island if deciding that way - I'd suggest just a one way car hire to Rockhampton and flight back from there, but 1770 would mean getting back to Bundaberg at least to fly out.

Thanks Bushranger, you have given me some other ideas to ponder on. Hervey Bay still stounds appealing, but I am now also looking at the area around Yeppoon (flying to Rockhampton), and your suggestions of GPI, 1770 etc.

PRLCH - I live in Hervey Bay, and I periodically visit Fraser Island, and also Lady Musgrave Island.
Regarding the swimming bit, I have been swimming right through the last 12 months, even June & July, a bit bracing, probably around 19 degrees in the water. A lot of locals think this is cold, until they feel the sea temps down south in NSW. Since the start of this month, our sea temps are around 23 degrees at the moment.
Kingfisher Resort, has loads of things for children, and there are great walks & drives to be had from the resort in their 4WD vehicles. No one should ever leave Fraser Island without swimming in Lake McKenzie & walking the rainforest/creek area of Central Station. You will then understand why it is world heritage listed.
You can rent a car & drive north to the town of 1770, rent a nice apartment for 2 nights, & take the boat ride out to Lady Musgrave Island, or stay in H/Bay & fly out to Lady Elliot Island for a day trip. The day trip is expensive, however, if you compare it with the cost of car rental/accommodation at 1770/petrol/cost of boat trip out to Lady Musgrave Island, you will come to a good decision.
Both islands are worth visiting and have excellent coral reefs & sealife.

Tropo,
I can understand that July is a little "cool" (for you locals especially - would you say it is generally a wet time of the year?

PRLCH, Minimal to zero chance of rain along south to central and FNQ coast of Queensland between July to September in normal seasons though it can seem seasons aren't always as normal as what they have been.

There have been some out of season rainfall in some areas that you would not expect to get, but very minimal and could have been brought on this year having had some cooler winter weather than what had been experienced for a number of years.

Who knows whether there will be a repeat next year or whether variance will be as minimal as it has been this year, and whatever it is, your holiday will hardly be affected by very desirable winter weather that would just be that couple of degrees warmer as far up as Great Keppel Island.

Don't know about tropo, but Lake McKenzie will be that bit more bracing than any briny, especially out of the shallows. If you felt disposed to try some camping, Central Station is a great location and camping a great alternative to resort accomodation.

PRLCH, I love Fraser Island in summer and have been there many times, especially when my kids were younger, from toddlers to about the age of yours now. We lived in Sydney then too. Just happened to have a friend here who ran a resort there for 4 years, and asked her how she felt about it in winter, her answer was "bring your winter woolies". And she was fresh from England at the time.

Have spent about 10 days on Great Keppel Island in July, lovely sunny days but temp would often drop down to about 6C at night.

Anyway, that's just my take, I'm a weather wimp and now even find Far North Queensland too cool in July, especially at night.

I will not bother saying what we say about the english Pat and you must be a strange one wanting to go out for a stroll at a 3 or 4 am 6C when I'd have winter woolies on too and PRLCH we might as well wimpwarp you all the way up to at least the Whitsundays - http://www.hookislandresort.com/ and/or you could do a bare boat charter for a few days or a whole week and make sure you get to Whitehaven Beach: http://www.sunsailwhitsundays.com.au...FQ0xawod82c5yw
http://www.charteryachtsaustralia.com.au/
http://www.whitsundayescape.com/ and for more choices:
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=e...cr%3DcountryAU and
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=e...cr%3DcountryAU
There often being good prices to Proserpine (and Darwin!)
Dial yourself up registration to the airlines for email newsletters, www.bestflights.com.au used to do all sales notifications but they seem to have dropped off doing that a bit and www.webjet.com.au if you have not cottoned on to it is a site to get all prices.
Sometimes there are also great airfares to Hamilton Island airport but and if they have a reasonable accommodation package it can be a good deal but Hamilton is a bit yucksville to some in being highly developed and getting to mailand is about a $45 boat trip.

Spent 4 nights on Fraser at the Kingfisher Resort ten years ago in July. It my wife, our three boys and me. We had perfect weather, ideal for seeing the sights and bushwalking. My wife and I didn't swim except at the pool at Kingfisher. Water in the lakes was a little too cool for the oldies, but not cool enough to keep the boys out of it.

From my experience on Fraser, plus several trips out to nearby Heron Island, I think you have a good chance of experiencing clear and comfortable weather which should make for a nice trip.

Thanks so much everyone - you are a wealth of information!! We are still "looking", but are leaning towards flying to Hervey Bay (only $91 each way!!), spending 3 days / 2 nights on Fraser Island, and then driving up to 1770 for 6 nights in a nice apartment. From there we can do day trips on a whim. Drive back to Hervey Bay for return flights to Sydney. (Our alternative was to fly to Rockhampton and stay in a nice apartment in Yeppoon, but we may save that for another time).

PRLCH, A little info on 1770 for you too from one who gets there now and then - it had been heralded by some as the next Noosa but from what I have seen it is going to be a long long time before anything like that, and especially with current economic downturn for of two biggest projects that were to get going, one was supposed to have started a few years back and great on beach caravan park was emptied out and nothing yet started and another fairly big swim up to apartments type resort that had started has apparently been stopped, and with work drying up the area (main township of Agnes Water) is I suspect getting a bit on the quieter side.

But that can be good for visitors as there was already a heap of accommodation and you would not have to worry on booking ahead, even I suspect at mid year school holidays and though there are not so many places there for eating out, a pub, motel restaurant, a few others depending on what's open, some good electric BBQ spots and a great fish and chip shop keeps visitors from starving.

I'll probably be over there a couple of times in coming months and if you like I'll see if I can get a closer handle on range of available places, and there's a reasonable number of activities developing in town for backpackers, surfing lessons if girls aren't already surfers, the Lady Musgrave Island trip, and they have an amphibious trip over to Bustard Head, and a couple of national park/coastal walks.

Thanks so much Bushranger for all your help - most appreciated! I have done a quick review of accommodation in Agnes Water and 1770, and there seem to be some nice self catering places available. I have not reviewed with hubby yet, but have narowed it down to: Mantra Pavillions Mirage on 1770 (not sure hubby will be too keen as we stayed in a Mantra resort in Port Douglas this year and it was a bit "tired&quot. Also 1770 Getaway Holiday Retreat; Agnes Water Beach Club; and Edge on Beaches. I am not too worried about a lack of restaurants as we are quite happy to self cater - as long as there is a supermarket of sorts. Cooking at home is a bit of a drag as life is always so busy, but I always enjoy it on holidays - the whole family gets involved - I often have one daughter doing a salad, one taking care of dessert, and Dad doing a BBQ, which leaves me ..... well, in a management capacity!
I will keep an eye on Fodors, and if you see anything useful on your travels, keep me posted. We are looking forward to what should be a lovely break!

I have stayed at Edges on Beach, and it was very nice. Units have both upstairs & downstairs, a short drive to 1770 to catch the catamaran to Lady Musgrave. Nice swimming pool that goes around in a circle in the centre of the complex.
Not many restaurants in Agnes Waters nor 1770, but you should find something suitable.
A short stroll down the nearby sand dune & your on the surf beach.

Thanks Tropo for the feedback on Edges on Beach - it is one of two hubby really likes, and they seem to have a good deal at the moment - will see if that is vailable for next July.

Just to report in - we are back from 8 days staying Mantra Pavillions on Mirage at 1770. We went the time with grandparents (6 of us all up) and had a lovely 3 bedroom apartment. Accommodation was very nice - well equipped apartment. Weather, relative to Sydney, was nice too. Rather windy, and some days a real bite to the wind, but warm enough for shorts, and long walks on the beach.

The Mantra is sort of in the middle of the 7km (I think) beach. We actually found the beach end near Agnes Water better as the headland sheltered it from the wind. Very nice to just relax and read a book up that end. Fair few people swam and surfed, but we were not that brave!

Had one day where we went up to Turkey beach to see what was there - not much! One day we went into Bundaberg. Otherwise did very little.

Agnes Water / 1770 looks like it has been hit by the economic times. Most building of resorts seems to have been stopped. Lots for sale, and a lot of building seems to be on indefinite hold.

In summary, a relaxing week, warmer than Sydney, and a good place to do nothing. I have no desire to return there however, as there was just nothing much there. We didn't do Lady Musgrave Island for 2 reasons - we felt it was too cold, and last year we spent a week at Port Douglas and went out to the reef from there.

I would very much like to spend a week in Hervey Bay in the future. We had a look around on our way back to the airport. It was a perfect winter's day, not a breath of wind. Lots of interesting looking cafes, and a fair selection of nice looking apartments. I think I could fall in love with Hervey Bay!

The prime goal of this trip was to give our elder daughter, who is in her final, heavy-load school year, a break before the last onslaught. It definately met the criteria. Our younger daughter will be in the same position in 2 years time - maybe Hervey Bay for that trip.

Thanks everyone for their input!

Glad it went well. I would not recognise the place as it was only shacks when I was last there. I believe that many miners had houses there and perhaps the downturn has caused them to sell.