Hervey Bay, the Happening Way.

Hervey Bay: All Happening Here, Folks

We had a reason to go to Brisbane; Zan booked those ballet front-row tickets almost a year ago and it would have been financially damaging. Yes, the ballet was good but where to go next was our first real  OPTIONAL exercise. We didn't have to go there but Hervey Bay beckoned.   The drive up here  was scenic enough, and we found Fraser Lodge, Torquay, with ease.

Elly May & Jethro in residence at the Lagoon-side Fraser Ladge site 21

On checking out the local entertainment, we discovered and visited the Hervey Bay Bowling Club for a roll-up, a pro-shop spree and a booking for the Mixed Pairs.  Thursday saw the sun out enough to have Zan almost say she was warm and it provoked the club to roll out their sunshade covers over the whole lot. Wow! Only a gentle breeze made things variable and we won both games.  No prizes for us, because someone else flayed their opponents alive (just a figure of speech, given the age and condition of most of the bowlers).  

Ready for a roll-up in New Shoes (Pink trim)

Friday -we are careful to always do more than just  One Thing A Day - we not only strolled the jetty but also  visited the Botanical Gardens et Orchid House. Both were very impressive, one being so long as to be beautiful but unattainable, and the other being beautiful and deliciously enjoyable.

Note that the end of the jetty is NOT in sight.

The rest of the botanical garden was remarkably enjoyable but not for the botanical aspect, but the animal life we found there. One large turtle presented itself, confirming Zan's head-sighting at Sommerville Park; the beautiful bird-song we heard at the CP without sighting the singer was repeated in the gardens and the Butcher-bird virtuoso was identified and recorded.

The Koala  Market provided us with our first fresh fruit and our first experience of seeing a pineapple be-heading.  The sunset that night really topped off a beaut stay.

The Orchids included this Pitcher-plant, right.

We headed off towards Cania Gorge because our neighbours recommended it as a National Park and not to be missed.  Along the way we went through Gayndah, signposted as 'Queensland's Oldest Town' and featuring at least two pubs. One was the Criterion, complete with Cupola. Apparently, flooding is the most spectacular local event but, as is so often the case, we were both too late for the last one and the next one is booked out. The photos were impressive because the river is about three hundred yards across and about thirty metres below main-street-level.

The Pub with the impressive top-end.

Gorgeous orchids, ain't they?

Cania Gorge, dear Readers, is worth allowing you a pause to prepare for some genuine Tourism Commentary. Attempted video follows!