Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Look Out Below!
When you land on the grass airstrip at Lady Elliot Island, you'll think you're
on the set of Hitchcock's
The Birds.
The air is thick with tens of thousands
of swirling noddy terns and bridled terns that nest in every available
branch and leave their mark on every available surface—including you—
so bring a big, cheap straw hat for “protection.”
Tips
four bunks, electric lighting, and timber floors, but share the public toilets and
showers used by day guests. All accommodations have fans. The limited facili-
ties include a boutique, a dive shop, and an education center. There is no air-
conditioning, no keys (secure storage is at front desk), no TVs, no radio, and one
public telephone. The food is basic. A low-key program of mostly free activities
is run, including glass-bottom boat rides, badminton, guided walks, and beach
volleyball, and because of the relatively low number of guests, you pretty much
get the reef to yourself.
Great Barrier Reef via Bundaberg. (P.O. Box 206, Torquay, QLD 4655).
&
1800/072 200
in Australia, or
07/5536 3644. Fax 07/5536 7285. www.ladyelliot.com.au. 40 units, 20 with bathroom (shower only). A$290
(US$189) double for tent cabins; A$330 (US$215) double for Shearwater bunk rooms; A$390 (US$254) dou-
ble for Reef units; A$450 (US$293) double for 1 bedroom or A$480 (US$312) double for 2-bedroom Island
Suites. A$75 (US$49) extra child 3-12. Minimum 3-night stay Dec 24-Jan 5. Ask about 2-, 4-, 5-, and 7-night
packages, and dive packages. Rates include breakfast and dinner. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
Cafe/bistro and
dining room; saltwater pool; children's program for children 5-12 (on Queensland school holidays only).
Inroom:Ceiling or wall fans, no phone.
7 Fraser Island: Ecoadventures & Four-Wheel-Drive Fun
1,547km (959 miles) S of Cairns; 260km (161 miles) N of Brisbane; 15km (9
1
⁄
2
miles) E of Hervey Bay
The biggest sand island in the world, this 162,000-hectare (400,140-acre)
World Heritage-listed island off the central Queensland coast attracts a mix of
ecotourists and Aussie fishermen. Fraser is a pristine vista of eucalyptus wood-
lands, dunes, clear creeks, ancient rainforest, blue lakes, ocher-colored sand
cliffs, and a stunning 121km (75-mile) long beach. For four-wheel-drive fans
though, Fraser's true beauty lies in its complete absence of paved roads. On
weekends when the fish are running, it's nothing to see 100 four-wheel-drives
lining 75-Mile Beach, which is an authorized road. Pedestrians should beware!
You'll need more than a day here to see everything and to truly appreciate how
stunning this place is. Allow at least 3 days to soak it all up, and to allow for the
slow pace dictated by the sandy trails that call themselves roads.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE
Hervey (pronounced
har
-vey) Bay is the main gateway to
the island. Take the Bruce Highway to Maryborough, then the 34km (21-mile)
road to Hervey Bay. If approaching from the north, turn off the highway at Tor-
banlea, north of Maryborough, and cut across to Hervey Bay. Allow 3 hours
from the Sunshine Coast, a good 5 hours from Brisbane.
Guests at Kingfisher Bay Resort (p. 340) can get to the resort aboard the
Kingfisher Bay Fastcat, which departs Urangan Boat Harbour at Hervey Bay
four times a day between 8:30am and 6:30pm (7pm Fri-Sat). Round-trip fare
for the 40-minute crossing is A$35 (US$23) adults and A$17 (US$11.05) kids
4 to 14. The resort runs a courtesy shuttle from Hervey Bay's airport and coach
