Top 5 Must do’s… Southern Great Barrier Reef

As the sun loses its heat, and autumn makes its mark, it’s definitely time to start planning that winter escape! Not only does the Southern Great Barrier Reef have a beautiful climate, but it is also one of Queensland’s best-kept secrets. It was a lovely feeling to be in the warm sun, sunscreen on, swimsuit at the ready and the average temperature 25C in the day (all in August) and whilst the locals thought the evenings were chilly, we happily sat and dined outdoors.

Grab a car and explore The Southern Great Barrier Reef – it’s a perfect destination for a self-drive holiday, as there is such a lot to see and do and all easily accessible, with good roads and manageable distances to cover. The region boasts an unspoiled 140km of sandy coastline, several national parks and coral cays, all awaiting your discovery.

Our trip took us from the southern tip of the reef, Bundaberg, through Gladstone and on to Australia’s beef capital, Rockhampton, on the coastal route, but there are great places to discover inland too.

1

Discover a coral cay island for a day or more. Lady Elliot Island is a short flight away from Bundaberg, with incredible views from the air; we spotted a group of 20 manta rays in the surrounding lagoon near the reef. A two minute walk from the air strip is the Eco Resort, with a wide variety of accommodation to suit all budgets and all designed to minimise the impact on the island. Glass bottom boat trip, snorkelling from the beach straight to the lagoon, or reef walking… there is so much to do. And there are other islands too such as Heron and Lady Musgrave - all easily accessible from the mainland.

2

The town of Seventeen Seventy. Its name derives from the second landing site of James Cook and the crew of the Endeavour in May 1770… and it is a beautiful spot! And a must do is the Larc 1770 Tour. Our vehicle for the day is a bright pink Larc, an amphibious craft, (Lighter Amphibious Resupply Cargo Vessels from the US army used in the second world war), took us for a ride across deserted sandy beaches and pristine estuaries on its way to the isolated Bustard Head Lighthouse located within Eurimbula National Park.

3

Capricorn Caves, near Rockhampton. This is a unique system of above ground caves in a limestone ridge. The highlight of the tour has to be the Cathedral Caves, with incredible, natural acoustics, making it a popular venue for weddings and Underground Opera. We sat listening to the music, with the lights dimmed, and discovered what cave darkness really means…not any light at all. For the more adventurous there are a series of caving options, squeezing through smaller caves or abseiling too.

4

Great Keppel Island is only a 30 minute ferry transfer from the mainland, is the ‘jewel in the crown of Keppel Bay and offers safe swimming all year round. Great Keppel Island Holiday Village and Great Keppel Island Hideaway provide accommodation on the Island. From tents and cabins, through to private beach houses on the water’s edge, staying on Great Keppel Island is always a relaxing escape. Home to 17 pristine white-sand beaches and an interior rich with native flora and fauna, there are plentiful bushwalking tracks, varying in duration and difficulty, from a leisurely stroll, to challenging hikes. Dolphins are often seen close to the main beaches during winter months.

5

Make sure you have steak for dinner. Rockhampton is renowned for being the beef capital of Australia, and dining there certainly means high quality, regional produce. As well as Australia’s best steak, with beef sourced from local herds of prime grass or grain fed cattle. The local seafood off the Capricorn Coast is also of exceptional quality, with Queensland mud crabs, prawns, shellfish and fresh barramundi as local specialties.