Clockwise from top: The jetty at Kingfisher
Bay Resort. Fraser dingo. Fraser sand tracks.
Beautiful Lake Mackenzie. Hervey Bay has
kilometres of beach to explore. A massive fallen
tree on the Pile Valley walk.
Here, I get to see a dingo. Des explains
that it is an offence to feed or disturb a dingo
anywhere on K’Gari. They are naturally very
lean and hunt within well-defined territories.
This lovely female is looking for food.
Back at Kingfisher Bay, I watch the sun
set over the ocean, a rare treat for an eastern
Australian. Rays of red and gold fan out
from the sun as it settles below the horizon,
reflecting off the still water and lighting up
the remaining rainclouds.
Another sensory island experience is
the Bush Tucker Talk & Taste, led by
a Butchulla ranger and chef from Seabelle
Restaurant, where guests learn about bush
foods while sampling their surprisingly
intense flavours. The pepperberry, for
example, starts out mild, building to
a powerful peppery punch. In cooking, it
has a subtle pepper flavour, we’re told.
The next day, I meet ranger Jay for a
canoe paddle through the mangroves of
Dundonga Creek on K’Gari’s western side.
Jay says the local “cannonball” mangrove
is one of the best trees in the world for
absorbing carbon dioxide. Mangroves are
nurseries for crustaceans, sharks, fish and
rays and we spot several ray species.
In the mangroves, the peace is palpable as
we glide across clear water on the incoming
tide (tides here can reach five metres),
another reminder of the constant influence of
moving water on this paradise island.
Bayside pleasures
It’s hard to leave K’Gari behind but the
mainland has its own charm. Just three
hours’ drive (or a 50-minute flight) from
Brisbane, Hervey Bay is one of Australia’s
best whale-watching destinations.
With five sandy beaches along the 16km
foreshore, Hervey Bay is perfect for beach
walks, fishing, cycling, picnicking or eating
alfresco in restaurants and cafes. One of
these, Enzo’s on the Beach, lives up to its
name — with tables, chairs and beanbags in
the sand, it’s ideal for relaxing with views of
kilometres of beach.
I lunch on seared Hervey Bay scallops and
sip a peach iced tea as the sea breeze blows
through wide-open glass bifold doors.
Next, I’m off to a float session at Float
Therapy Hervey Bay, which was opened in
2018 by Rod Webb after his wife and daughter
both experienced health challenges. “We had
one session and knew there was something
in this,” says the sprightly but laidback
former builder. “It gives you a deep rest.”
Webb ushers me to a private room
housing one of two Apollo float tanks. “The
water contains 350 kilograms of salt per
1000 litres,” he explains. “It’s like the Dead
Sea. You could float a bowling ball in here.”
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