Great Keppel Island Holiday Village
 

I recently came across a website on the "Great Keppel Island Holiday Village" which is not connected with the Contiki Resort on the island. The site shows tents, cabins, and houses which can be rented out at a very reasonable fee ($110 per night for 2 persons). You catch the ferry service over to the island, and the owners meet you in a 4WD and transport you to their village.
The village apparently is a short walk to Fishermans Beach. It looks very laidback, which appeals to me. I live in Hervey Bay, Qld, and driving to Rockhampton is an easy drive, to get to jumping off point at Rosslyn Harbour Marina. Apparently you take your own food & drinks over on the ferry, for use in your accommodation.
Has anyone stayed in this holiday village before, would love to hear the positive & negative stories.

Hi tropo - I've stayed there for about a week, but it was ages ago. Comfortable self-contained cabin and a common bbq area - there was a basic cafe and small shop for necessities, but I do remember taking most of our own food. I remember it was in June, lovely sunny days but fairly cold at night. It was quite a walk along the beach to the resort - very young crowd and I think we only went once. Bring plenty to read, there's not much doing at night. Miles and miles of pristine sandy beaches for long walks and lots of water activities at the resort.

Pat, thanks for your reply, I was starting to think that no one has visited this place. I read on their website, that the cabins & houses now have full cooking facilities, and the rest was exactly how you described it.
We are looking for a weeks "quiet" holiday on this island, don't think we will visit the Contiki Resort area.
The holiday village I believe has motorised outrigger canoes, and also kayaks, which we are looking forward to using. After reading your reply, it sounds just like the place we want visit, quiet & laidback. Since I posted this topic, I telephoned the Keppel Marina Booking Agency, at Rosslyn Harbour, and the woman who answered told me that her & husband often go over to the Holiday Village, for a quiet island holiday, and just love it.

tropo - I'm sure you'll love it - I just remembered why we went there. My husband is a Queenslander, like you I've spent most of my life in NSW - at the time it was the only semi-habitated island on Q'ld coast he'd never been to and that's why he wanted to check it out - I'm just amazed that I've seen nothing about it on this forum - its just beautiful! Please let's know how your holiday goes.

Pat, thank you, I will certainly let you know how the holiday goes.
You might have guessed by now, that I don't like the real touristy areas or accommodation, much preferring, the "rustic" or magical places, that others don't seem to hear about. I have since learnt that their are holiday cottages on Great Keppel Island, with water views of Fishermans Beach. I like the idea of staying in one of these cabins or cottages, and beachcombing it a bit, without the glitter & razzamataz of tourist resorts. I used to stay in beach cabins along Fraser Island, with fishing mates years ago, but now Fraser Island gets a lot of tourists. The 4WD traffic on beach side of the island, can be quite dangerous if your fishing (you really have to look around, so you don't get run over) There is a policeman now on the island, and he enforces speed limits on the beach, and drink driving.
Years ago, I camped on islands in the Capricorn/Bunker Group with skindiving buddies of mine. It was so isolated, with hardly a soul around, real beachcomber stuff.
Oh well, the world is changing, and getting smaller & smaller, but there are still places out there that we can call "gems".

Hi tropo - another place I used to love in your area is Town of 1770 between Bundaberg and Gladstone. Great surfing beach on one side and still water on other. Have you been there? Again, it's a long time since I have - the dirt road in from Miriam Vale was a mongrel, but its probably sealed by now.

Yes, the private 4WD's on Fraser Island can be bit much, I used to worry about my kids, who were used to beaches but not with traffic, getting run over on the shoreline by boozed-up holiday fishermen. That was ages ago too, so it sound like the problem became worse.

Pat, when I first camped on islands like Lady Musgrave, or Fairfax Island, etc, our group used to drive into Bundaberg, buy all our food items, then drive up to the town 1770. Way back then, there were only a handful of old cottages. A owner of one cottage, used to allow us to park our cars in her backyard, and on our return we either paid money or gave her fish, for this service. Now 1770 has a lot more houses, apartments, etc, and is more upmarket. A lot different from when a fisherman from Bundaberg used to pick us up from 1770 in his boat, and take us out to the islands for a weeks stay. The fisherman would fish & stay in the area, and sometimes, if we wished, we could pull up camp & move to another island. No island camping permits back then.
Still a bit of dirt road in fromt Miriam Vale, but bitumen all the way from Bundaberg, up through Rosedale, then onto 1770.
Just digressing a bit, my father in law, recently told me about his stay on Dunk Island during WW2, when battleships etc were moored near the island. His job was with the radar station on top of the hill. He told me that there was a small tourist operation back then on the island. He had so many interesting tales to tell about Dunk Island.
Regards Leigh

does it seem strange to anyone else that a poster living in Hervey Bay, and able to tell stories about visiting the lesser known places in S Qld should be asking about Gt Keppel Island? The latter is wonderful if you like laid back places - but I smell a rat somewhere - a seed sewing rat. A tourist catching rat.
Would tropo care to elaborate?

Alice, I don't quite understand your statement, "seed sowing rat" or "tourist catching rat", can you elaborate please. I guess you are insinuating, that I am connected with this accommodation, is that right? Well if you are, then you are completely wrong.
Firstly, let me explain, a few months ago, I moved to Hervey Bay, Qld, from Sydney, NSW, where I lived for the past 18 years. I have never lived in Qld before, but travelled to this state on previous occasions. I have never visited Great Keppel Island, nor did I realise that they had houses or cabins, apart from the Contiki Resort, until I picked up a brochure from a travel agent in Hervey Bay, which showed a few photos, and a website (www.gkiholidayvillage.com.au)
To visit Great Keppel Island & stay in one of these accommodations, would require me to drive to Rockhampton, which is approx. 4 hrs away. The reason for my posting, is that I was "hopeful" that SOMEONE may have stayed in this village, or even in the other beach houses & could tell if they okay, and did they enjoy it or not. From my initial viewing of their website, it looked appealing to myself, as it appeared to be laidback compared to other places on the island.
I was pleased to hear Pat Woolford's report, wherein she said it was a quite place, which I think would appeal to me.
I always thought that this Travel Forum was for members to ask advice from others who have visited a certain location.
I am sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have any involvement, financial or otherwise, in the above accommodation. I have since also learnt of other websites dealing with other beach houses on the island, so I am presently emailing the different owners of each property, to find out more on their facilities & pricing.
My wife & I are both retired, and having recently moved to Hervey Bay, we wish to visit as many places in Qld, that we have never visited before, its that simple or would you like to read into that statement, a bit further.

Hi tropo - this probably should be directed to alice 13. You asked a perfectly innocent question and I have no idea how it could be construed into something else - anyway, mate, if you're you're ever up our way email us on [email protected] - promise we wont try to flog you any accommmodation

Pat, sorry my reply was "directed" to Alice13. I just thought her reply was a bit cutting, when I was only trying to find out about certain holiday accommodation. As you can I see, I have researched the accommodation on Great Keppel a bit further, and low & behold, there are other houses for rent, apart from the village accommodation. So I will have a variety to choose from. I appreciated your reply, which answered my question.
I have followed your replies & noticed that you hardly every push your B&B accommodation near Cairns, also I couldn't but help notice, that you give excellent advice on the Cairns region, to each and all, well done. My wife & I want to visit a lot of places in Qld down the track, and also revisit Cairns, and I would love to stay at your accommodation, and meet yourself & husband. I know I will get the best advice & update on new attractions in that region.

Pat and Mike have no reason to flog Lilybank B&B as all their happy guests including yours truly will do it for them!

A/D