Bundaberg to Yeppoon . Yeppoon 23 09.700' S 150 47.238' E

 After quite a few days in Bundy marina, we set off for 1770 with a very civilised 8.30am departure .

Here is the chart of our course for this post - what a great idea, whoever suggested that (Scott).

 

We had a SW wind of 10-12 Kts coming out of Bundy, so had a champagne sail up to the town of 1770, sailing at 8 kts in a 12 kt breeze. Consequently we arrived way too early for the low tide at 1510 hrs. Had to wait nigh on dusk to come across the bar and anchored in fading light. We have been into 1770 several times before so know the unmarked channels - great place for walks, and this time we discovered the huge vanilla slices at the marina cafe. Top notch for this area.

After 2 days at 1770, so named because Lt Cook landed there on 24th May 1770, we sailed the 10nm further up the coast to Pancake Creek. Jo made the traditional buckwheat pancakes for lunch, and we did the walk up the hill to Bustard Head lighthouse - built 1878 and one of the first on the Qld coast. We went with the Upyerkilters - Colin and Kerry.

Lt Cook in 1770 is said to have shot a large bustard bird near there - hence the name. It was most likely a bush turkey - a most unattractive bird.

Bustard Head lighthouse

Prefabricated in Bridgwater (no e), England

Small renovated cemetry attesting to centuries of lighthouse keepers and families. About 30% drowned while swimming on Pancake Ck. A creek up here is very like a large river.

Aircraft Beach - so named because day joy flights often used to land there - until an accident a few years ago - no one killed.

 

 

 

Overlooking Aircraft Beach on the walk up to Bustard Hd

 After 2 days in Pancake Ck., we then motor sailed up outside Curtis Is. near Gladstone in light following winds- a very busy port exporting coal and bauxite. At the top end of Curtis Is. is Cape Capricorn, where the Tropic of Capricorn crosses the coast. And of course there is a lighthouse on the tall cape. Not so important now with GPS navigation, but essential just 30-40 years ago for safety of all shipping.

Cape Capricorn with lighthouse and keepers accommodation.

We continued on and anchored in the small cove to the NW on Hummocky Is. A delightful spot.

Hummocky Island before sundowners on Kirra Kirra

Next day a nice sail the 25nm up to Great Keppel Is. Another favourite anchorage of ours.

Better for catamarans (isnt everything?). After a few days in the Keppels we got out of the 30Kt winds forecast and stayed in Yeppoon marina for a few nights.

Bird watching has become a favourite pastime, although capturing the birds on camera takes more patience than I have. Here is a selection of snaps.

Brahminy Kite - eats fish and small prey plus carrion.                 A beautiful deep tan colour not seen from underneath

Brahminy Kite

Eastern Great Egret - hunting fish in the marina. We have even seen them walking down the main drag in Yeppoon.

Grevillia and flowering grass trees

Osprey nest on a lighttower in the car park at Yeppoon

Red tailed black cockatoo showing off his bright red tail.

Red tailed black cockatoos feeding on a Beach Almond tree

Never swim in murcky water up here!!

And watch where you walk - outside the marina - a Black Bellied Swamp Snake. Apparently a close relative of a politician. Your choice which one!!

Mary River to Bundaberg (Burnett Heads). 24 46'16" S, 152 24'51"E Episode 2

 We also went by bike into Burnett Heads  - and explored the town at the mouth of the mighty Burnett River.

Of note was a restored lighthouse identical to the one on Big Woodie Is., and a quaint church.

Burnett Heads historic wooden lighthouse

J&J and Burnett Heads quaint Anglican church

Kids diving from the jetty

And the birds here like to perch and nest on boats - same as everywhere - bastards. 

Besides ospreys and sea eagles, there are Brahminy kites and Whistling kites, and diving terns and noddies. Hard to photograph - so no good photos. Next blog maybe.

Next stop - the inlet of 1770.

Mary River to Bundaberg (Burnett Heads). 24 46'16" S, 152 24'51"E Episode 1

 Have received feedback that some would like a map showing our route - so here for those not able to operate Google Maps is our track since leaving Mooloolaba.

After leaving the mouth of the Mary River, we called into the beach near Kingfisher Resort on Fraser Island and spent a night anchored there. Lots of history - timber industry in the early 1900's, and the commando training school during WW-II. 

Relics of the timber industry include a large rusted out boiler in the beach .

 

 

A very crusty orifice

Nice colours in rusty iron.

I'll have to be very careful here - almost doesn't require any comment.

 

Jo on the beach.

Further up the great Sandy Straits is Big Woodie Island. 2 days of strong westerly winds made this a safe anchorage, enough time to go ashore and explore the restored wooden lighthouse - erected 1880's.

With view across Hervey Bay -

 

Big Woodie lighthouse with support

Unfortunately, the weather was too windy and rough to go whale watching in Hervey Bay.

And so the winds became favourable and we sailed up Hervey Bay to the Burnett River, the town of Burnett Heads where the marina is located and the provincial town of Bundaberg about 15km away. This is a sugar town, surrounded by sugar cane as far as the eye can see, with the sugar mills right in town. Nice.

Bundy CBD anchorage. Note the sugar mill.

 

Its claim to fame is to use waste from the sugar industry (molasses) to make a type of rum - which every Queenslander loves but for others all I can say is its'an aquired taste. Horrible stuff.

Not the town hall, but the Bundaberg Post Office - let Trump try to demolish this.

 There is a very good Sunday market at the unusually named Shalom College - definitely not a catholic /jewish joint venture. Reprovisioned there for the next few legs going  north. The market has everything locally produced  - trailers full of loose mandarins, and stalls selling salami, tools, large locally caught fish and not a lace doily in sight. 

 

Jo in gaol? No, just the solidy built school buildings at Shalom.😊

 

 

Crooner at the market - good voice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No doubt at the Shalom market that its a Chinese virus

 

 

 

 

 

 

Melbourne to Mooloolaba Queensland

Mooloolaba: S 36 40'.17 E 153 07'.73 

We left Melbourne on the  6th July by road and drove into NSW before the border  was shut for Victorians. After spending 15 days in northern NSW we entered Qld, spent a few pleasant days at my sisters in Brisbane then headed to Kirra Kirra, left in the marina at Mooloolaba since last year.

All was in fine order aboard, and after several days provisioning we headed off north.

Some photos to keep your interest.

Ai Wei Wei installation in Brisbane - Boomerang.

Moonee Beach,  NSW

Police patrol, Mooloolaba. The ships coming into Brisbane have pilots aboard that are based in Mooloolaba. This sized cop craft is not for helping fishos who have run out of fuel - I suspect drug smugglers are their target!!

Ossie the Osprey taking off from Kirra Kirra's mast, where the pair of resident ospreys had taken to having their breakfast and dinner of fresh fish caught 10 metres away in the river. Fantastic birds but we objected to bits of fish littering the front deck. Trouble some days in dislodging these mighty birds by shaking the rigging - hard!! They chirped their annoyance, but did not luckily attack or make a deposit!.

Kelly and Jo, rainforest near Maleny.

I thought Archimedes  invented the screw. 

Its a wrap around vine.

Mooloolaba to Mary River Queensland S: 25 25'.63 E: 152 54'.92

When sailing north from Mooloolaba, there are 2 routes around Fraser Is (largest sand island in the world is its claim to fame - wow I hear you say). Go outside the island on the ocean side and up to Bundaberg  and Lady Musgrave Is., or inside Fraser Is. and along the sedate waters of the Great Sandy Straits - a 70nm long stretch of protected waters. Here catching the tide is critical for progress and to get over the shallow sand banks. No problem for a catamaran though.

3rd August. Left Mooloolaba and at sea at last after the weeks in NSW and getting the boat ready - an easy motor sail from Mooloolaba to the Wide Bay Bar, the entrance to the Sandy Sts. Timed it right at 4pm for the tide and crossed the sometimes dangerous bar. 

Always plenty to see along the Sandy Sts. 

Crossing the Wide Bay Bar - always an interesting part of the sail.

Inskip Pt, just inside the Wide Bay bar. Fraser island across the straits. Smoke on the horizon is burning off the sugar cane, forming its' own cloud formation.

This little lizard was lying in wait on our bush walk. Would not move, until a picked up a persuader.

Kirra Kirra at anchor, River Head, at the mouth of the Mary River.

 

The Qld butcher birds have a strong melodic call, and are numerous. 

Another bird that likes yacht masts - besides ospreys!