Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Four-Wheel-Drive Fundamentals
Driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle is great fun and not hard for a begin-
ner to learn, but if you've never driven one before, get a good briefing
from your rental company before you head out. Fraser's loose sand tracks
can be tricky, and getting bogged is common. The beach can be danger-
ous for the novice—if you travel too high up on the beach, you can get
trapped in soft sand; if you travel too low, a surprise wave can bog your
vehicle in treacherously soft sand under the water (and rust your car).
Car-rental companies don't like that, and they can smell salt on an axle a
mile away! Stick to the firmest tracks, know the tides, and don't be afraid
to ask for advice. You'll have to drive a lot slower on a four-wheel-drive
trail than you would on a conventional road; take that into account when
you plan your day. For example, it takes a full day to get to Indian Head
and back, and then only when the tide is favorable. Look out for light
planes landing on the beach (which is a runway as well as a road).
Tips
terminal to the harbor. You can park free in the open at the Fastcat terminal;
Parking Great Sandy Straits (
&
07/4128 9999
) has secure, uncovered car park-
ing on the left as you enter the Urangan Boat Harbour parking lot. Drive to the
terminal first to unload your luggage at the Kingfisher Bay reception desk, then
return to the parking lot and walk back (only 100m/328 ft.).
Fraser Coast
Secure Vehicle Storage,
at 629 The Esplanade (
&
07/4125 2783
), a 5-minute
walk from the terminal, has covered parking for A$7.70 to A$9.90 (US$5-
US$6.45) per 24 hours.
Both
Greyhound Pioneer
and
McCafferty's
coaches stop several times a day
in Hervey Bay on their Brisbane-Cairns-Brisbane routes. The 6-hour trip from
Brisbane costs A$43 (US$28). From Cairns, the fare is A$177 (US$115) for a
23-hour trip.
The nearest train station is in
Maryborough West,
34km (20 miles) from
Hervey Bay. Passengers on the high-speed
Tilt Train
(Sun-Fri) can book a con-
necting bus service to Pialba via
Queensland Rail
(
&
13 22 32
in Queensland,
or 07/3235 1122). The fare from Brisbane for the 3
1
⁄
2
-hour Tilt Train trip is
A$52 (US$34) economy class and A$78 (US$51) business class, plus nominal
bus connection fare. Fares are A$175 (US$113) in a seat and A$334 (US$217)
in a first-class sleeper from Cairns (trip time: just under 27 hr.). Train passengers
from the north must take a courtesy shuttle to Maryborough Central, then take
the next available local bus to Pialba.
GETTING THERE & AROUND BY FOUR-WHEEL-DRIVE
Four-
wheel-drives are the only permissible mode of vehicle transportation on the
island. Many four-wheel-drive-rental outfits are based in Hervey Bay. You must
be 21 or over to rent a 4WD. You'll pay about A$100 and A$195 (US$65-
US$126) a day, plus around A$20 to A$35 (US$13-US$23) per day to reduce
the deductible, which is usually A$4,000 (US$2,600), plus a bond (typically
A$500/US$325). You must also buy a government Vehicle Access Permit, which
costs A$30 (US$20) from your rental-car company, Urangan Boat Harbour, or
the River Heads boat ramp; or A$40 (US$26) from a Queensland Parks and
Wildlife Service office on the island. Both
Bay 4WD Centre
(
&
07/4128
2981;
www.bay4wd.com.au) and
Ausbay 4WD Rentals
(
&
07/4124 6177
)
