skoobykoo

Hi! We are planning a 2 week trip to Australia, and as there is so
much to see, we're currently planning:

Day 1-2: Sydney
Day 3-5: Daydream Island
Day 6: Rockhampton (husband wants the beef!)
Day 7-8: Great Keppel Island
Day 9-10: Fraser Island
Day 11-13: Sydney

We have airfare from Sydney-Daydream and from Fraser-Sydney, but so
far, haven't found any good choices for getting from
Daydream-Rockhampton and then from Rockhampton-Fraser. Are there any
airlines out there that fly direct on these routes? So far, have only
been able to find flights that take you way out of the way to Cairns
or Sydney!

We'd be willing to drive, but does anyone have any information about
how long the drives might be? I was able to find some information on
whereis.com, but I wasn't sure how reliable it was with regards to
distances/driving time. Just have to make sure we make it in time to
catch the last ferries over to the islands!

Would appreciate any of your recommendations! Thanks in advance!

ALF

If you can't find any good flights out of Hamilton Island (short ferry ride from Daydream), then you should look at flights from Proserpine, on the mainland, near Airlie Beach (also a short ferry ride from Daydream). I'm pretty sure that you can fly between Proserpine and Rockhampton on Virgin Blue.

lizF

There is no service on Virgin between Proserpine and Rockhampton - you would have to go back to Brisbane and fly up again OR you can take the train. Look up Queensland Rail for times of trains as they have a good website. Alternatively you could take a bus.
May I say that Great Keppel Island is really for the raging 18 - 25 yr olds and you may be disappointed. Rockhampton on the other hand is a forgetable, very hot, very dry and partcularly boring town with little going for it. I think that if your husband wants (beef) there would be plenty other places that would be 100% better.
The drive from say Daydream or the Whitsunday coast would be about 6 hours to Rockhampton but I really doubt you would be able to do a one way without paying a whopping big fee. It is also through some of the most boring countryside in Australia once you are past Mackay en route to Rockhampton. That area is called the Marlborough stretch and is best seen with your eyes closed.
If you can tell us why you want to go to Rockhampton/Keppel etc we may be able to steer ( :0) ) you in a better and easier direction. Getting from Rockhampton to Fraser Island is just as bad with the only choices being train or bus, except you would have to change from the train at Maryborough to get to Hervey Bay and I think that would be by bus anyway. There is nothing which gets there on a direct route from Rocky.

skoobykoo

Thanks for the information - Rockhampton/GKI were highly recommended by another couple we know who went there last year. I'm surprised to hear that it sounds like a college hangout crowd!

We're pretty locked into the Sydney and Daydream island portions of our trip, and I'd still really like to visit Fraser Island b/c it sounds so interesting, but if anyone has any other suggestions for our itinerary, I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks again!

lizF

Daydream Island is in the Whitsunday Group of islands and although it is small and has a pebble beach it is nice and you can go to many other islands even if you are on only one of them. The Whitsunday Group of islands are lovely - there are about 73 - however do try and get with a reef trip that has only a few people and not one that goes where about 500 are as that will not be the pick of the reef areas. The management at the island will be able to tell you which is best. There are light planes which go out and land in lagoons and that may be your preference. I would think that after the Whitsunday Islands you would be most disappointed in Keppel as it is not up to the same standard. Having said that Fraser Island is a different sort of island and is an interesting and different place to go. However you will probably find that the cheapest way would be to return to Brisbane on a cheap flight from Daydream and then get up to Fraser either by train, bus or plane from Brisbane - though the latter is expensive.

skoobykoo

Thanks Liz! Given your feedback and how difficult it will be to both get to and from Rockhampton, I think we may reconsider staying in the northern GBR for the middle of our vacation before heading down to Fraser Island.

Does you or anyone else have any other island recommendations (I'm sure I can convince the husband that sitting on another beautiful beach is better than fattening up on beef)? I know that Hayman/Lizard are supposed to be beautiful, but I think they're pretty solidly out of our price range...

Thanks!

lizF

Hinchinbrook is my favourite and that of Pat Woolford too who writes on this forum because she lives in the north and is aware of all the wonderful things in and around the GBR. It is further up north but is cheaper to get to because it is near a much visited destination.
Tell hubby that after Barramundi, Coral Trout and Sweetlip he will not want beef! Besides there are plenty of places that serve beef however most of the good beef is exported and we get the rest.

tropo

Skoobykoo - There are plenty of coaches which travel from Rockhampton right through to Hervey Bay (to the Transit Centre, off Boat Harbour Drive)
Alternatively, you could take the Tilt Train from Rockhampton, booking a ticket right through to Hervey Bay. The train will stop at Maryborough West Station, then the Trainlink Coach will take you & your luggage through to Hervey Bay Transit Centre, or right down to the Marina, for accommodation there, or your boat trip across to Kingfisher Bay Resort.
As for Rockhampton, try the Great Southern Hotel, Lee Kernighans pub on a Wednesday night, they have great steaks and a rodeo out the back, something you wont see in a city pub.
You probably realise that you can now fly from Hervey Bay each day direct to Sydney.

tropo

LizF - I'm not sure if you know that Great Keppel Island Resort is now owned by Accor (I believe), and is no longer a Contiki Resort. They are now advertising for families and couples.
Skoobykoo - if you interested I can give you some websites regarding "private accommodation" on Keppel, where you have your "own" beachshack, with the water only metres away. Also the boat across to Keppel will take your food & provisions without additional charge, and a 4WD vehicle will meet you & take your belongings & food to the beach house.
Something to think about, unless your into large resort hotels.

johhj_au

hey troppo

tell me about agnes water/1770/lady musgrave

tropo

John, what would you like to know about these places?
Agnes Waters & 1770 townships are close to one another. Agnes Waters is a popular place with retirees, lots of modern wave roof houses, etc, small shopping centre, a sprinkling of restaurants (not that great). Agnes Waters is the "last" beach in Qld which has a surf (popular with malibu board riders), before the barrier reef kicks in, and stops the swell.
The township of 1770, is quiet, a nice headland with walks, and is the stepping off point for cruises to Lady Musgrave Island, a coral cay on the southern Great Barrier Reef, also cruises to Fitzroy Reef. Lady Musgrave Island is about 1.5 hrs from 1770 depending on the ocean swell, and winds. The island is the part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. No accommodation on the island, except for allocated camping. Campers must take their own drinking water & food etc.and also obtain a camping permit. The cruise boat from 1770 takes the campers out to the island. The island is covered with Pisona trees, and the island is natural nesting place for gannets, shearwaters, frigate birds, etc. Turtles lay their eggs on the island. The day cruise gives you plenty of time at the island, with about 3 dives, a guided walk on the island, a seafood lunch, etc.
Just standing on the island, without many people around, really does give a feeling of being marooned on a desert island. The coral reef platform which surrounds the island, protects the coral reef & waters inside.
If you need further advice, say so, as i was on Lady Musgrave Island only a few months ago, and I can recommend a very nice apartment complex at Agnes.

pat_woolford

There's a good 4 star B&B in Agnes Waters with resident kangaroos, wallabies, etc if that's to your liking (www.agneswater.com)- I think its one of the most beautiful areas on Qld coast with surf on one side and calm waters on other - Agnes Waters, what a horrible name for a beautiful place.

Trop, tell me about those pisona trees, I heard a bitter complaint from some US visitors who stayed on Heron Island, at whatever time of year they were there (sorry I can't remember) they said there were birds sticking to the trees (apparently the trees exude some ghastly sticky sap) and just dying there, glued to the branches, as it were. Aussies with their own boat who used to live near Lady Mulgrave told me the same thing about Lady Mulgrave.

johhj_au

Planning a four day break in 1770 at end of october.
Prefer apartment style accommodation...what's your tip troppo.
Cheap flight to Brissy..drive up to 1770..how far does the freeway gothese days?
Is flinders reef or lady musgrave the best for snorkelling?

tropo

Pat, thats right the Pisona tree exudes a sticky substance, that adheres to certain small birds.
The Pisona tree is a most unusual tree, in that, it looks solid, but the branches break quiet easily.
John, the place we stayed is Edge of Beaches Apartments, its in Agnes Waters, with a very short walk to Aggies beach (over a sand dune and down onto the beach). The resort has nice swimming pools, beaut tropical gardens, and the rooms are quiet roomy.
check out their website www.edgeonbeaches1770.com.au
The best "diving" would have to be Fitzroy Reef, very pristine. However, if you can't book a trip to Fitzroy reef, you should find Lady Musgrave, will satisfy your hunger for diving on the coral. We came across numerous coral fish on Lady Musgrave, together with turtles on the bottom of the lagoon, and a few white tip reef sharks (quiet harmless to divers)

johhj_au

Thanks troppo

looks like I can get a cheap direct flight sydney-frasercoast(hervey bay)

whats the drive time hervey bay-agnes water?
would you recommend a rental car company in hervey bay?

tropo

John, the two airlines which fly from Sydney to Hervey Bay, are Virgin Blue & Jetstar (an offshoot of Qantas), and each airline flies each alternate date over the week. They each appear to land in Hervey Bay around 1-1:30pm.
The last time I checked each airline fares, Jetstar came out in front, with fares around $79 per person each way, including airport/taxes, but remember these prices do fluctuate.
There are two ways of getting to Agnes Waters, one is via the main highway, to Miriam Vale, then turn off to the coast & Agnes, the other way, is to drive into Bundaberg, and out to Bundaberg North, taking the Rosemead road (very pleasant drive), then up to Agnes Waters. I usually work on a pleasant 3 hrs drive, allowing 1hr 20 minutes to Bundaberg, then another 1.5 hrs to Agnes Waters. The quickest way out of Hervey Bay, is "not" to drive back to Maryborough, but just out of Hervey Bay on the road to Maryborough, there is a turn-off signposted Bundaberg, Howard, Torbanlea...take that road, and when at the village of Torbanlea, you will see another sign indicating the Bruce Highway & Bundaberg. This detour saves time (even the tourist coaches use it)
Sorry, I don't have any need to use rental cars, so I couldn't really recommend one above the other, but all the big names are here, Avis, Budget, Hertz, Thrifty, and a stack of 4WD rentals. Most have an office & agreed pickup/dropoff at the Airport. We are quiet proud of our "new" jet airport & extension. Check out the great coffee at the airport (an extension of Bayroma Cafe along the Esplanade in H/Bay). You will also find taxis & airport shuttle bus at the airport as well.
P.S. If you do happen to take the Bundy route to Agnes, and if you have time, drop into the historic pub at Cordalba (1 km off the road, surrounded by sugar cane plantations. I think the pub is 105 yrs old)

tropo

John, I forgot to mention that one of the airlines I spoke of, arrives in Hervey Bay around 1pm, and the other around 3pm.

johhj_au

Troppo
Have got virgin blue flight in on wed and out on monday. around 1.00 pm.$79

will take the bundy route.

can you name a decent restaurant in agnes water/1770?
when do the whales finish in hervey bay?

tropo

John - you got your airfares at a good price. The drive up through North Bundaberg and Rosedale and very pleasant, and quiet a good bitumen roadway. When I first visited Lady Musgrave Island, over 32 years ago, this roadway was a dirt track.
Sorry, can't really recommend a fantastic restaurant in Agnes/or 1770, we brought cooked prawns with us from Bundy, and a few bottles of wine. We did look for a nice restaurant, but decided to eat at our apartment.
There is a Thai Restaurant in the shopping village in the heart of Agnes, and also another restuarant that looked interesting, was one down towards the boat ramp at 1770, it had a small open bar area, and was situated on the right hand side of road, up a rise, and overlooked the inlet at 1770. From memory they cook Italian food, but dont me to that.