Mrs Kiwi

Hi guys,
calling all those who live in / know lots about Hervey Bay.
After our reccie we've decided that is where we want to head to next year.
But I've a few nagging questions and hope you can help;

(1) Where do you go (apart from Fraser Island) when you want a day trip or a change of scenery? Hope you don't think its a silly question - it's just that I drove from Brisbane to Hervey Bay and there weren't an awful lot of places nearby, I think. So if you fancy a day out, where do you go once you've done Fraser Island to death and seen Maryborough a few times?

(2) I've heard the flight prices to Sydney from Hervey Bay airport are "cheap" but realistically how cheap are we talking? Also, where else can you fly to from Hervey Bay? I know they are talking about flying to Melbourne soon as well as Sydney, but can you also fly to other places, say, Cairns or the Sunshine Coast?

(3) Really silly girl question and it surprises me as I'm not even a real shopping addict. Where do you go for a decent clothes shop? Do they have chain shops like Just Jeans and Jeans West in Hervey Bay? If not, where is the nearest big shopping centre?

Many thanks in advance if you can help. I absolutely loved Hervey Bay and have kind of answered the more practical housing, jobs, questions and now am just wondering about lifestyle as well.

teza

...Maybe contact Baywhale as if I remember correctly, she has lived in the area for a long time. Have a look at her thread http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=462778
Not exactly about Hervey Bay but does discuss it as well, long ago though.

BayWhale

Hi there Mrs. Kiwi, as teza says I'm in Hervey Bay so I will see if I can answer your questions.

1. You would have driven up from Brisbane through Nambour, Gympie and Maryborough on the main Highway so, I agree, not much to see. The Sunshine Coast is only about two and a half hours drive south from the Bay and there are loads of things to see and do down there. One of my favourites is the Ginger Factory (I love ginger). It's a real tourist attraction these days but the first time I went it was only a factory where you could go up on a balcony and look down on the factory floor to see all the workers sorting the ginger.

Bunderberg is a couple of hours drive north of the Bay where you can check out the rum factory.

There are lots of little seaside places up and down the coast you can go visit.

2. I'm not sure on the prices of the plane flights to Sydney but my mate went to Armidale in NSW the other day and her flight was $300 one way. The most expensive part was from Sydney to Armidale. So I think something like $99 to Sydney and I expect once the Melbourne flights come in they will be about the same. There are no direct flights to Cairns and it's not far to drive to the Sunshine Coast.

3. Shopping. I'm not sure if we have Just Jeans and Jeans West but we have at least one of them. We also have a Target and there is a Big W in Maryborough. Hervey Bay's shopping center has to be one of the worst around but it's all there if you look. I like walking around the shops but they are so spread out you have to drive from one lot of shops to the next.

My daughter lives down the Sunshine Coast and when I visit I like a day walking around Sunshine Plaza which has lots of big shops and lots of little ones too.

Glad you liked Hervey Bay, I fell in love with it over 20 years ago when it didn't even have a proper supermarket.

Cookster

Morning,
we too live in the bay, been here 5 months now.

Shopping here isnt the best, although they are in the middle of building a Big W which should improve things.
We just use it as an excuse to go to Bunderberg every month or so and have a blow out. Takes an hour and 20 mins to get up there, and its a lovely drive through the sugar cane fields, well not actually throught them you understand!!!

Hubby and son have just done the Hinterland walk down on the Sunshine coast this weekend, and we all spent a weekend down in Eumundi and Noosa a couple of weeks ago. Very easy to get to and only too 2 hours door to door. The Eumundi markets are amazing and the surrounding areas really nice, such as Montville, Kennilworth( yes we did the Ginger Factory too) and Manley.

I have recently booked a flights to Adeliade from Sunshine coast airport (a 2 hour drive) for $800 for 4 aduluts, return. Thought it very reasonable.

Regards
Angela

cresta57

Bundy is a couple of hours North, Noosa a couple South so spoiled for choice really. Inland there's places like Childers, Biggenden if you fancy a change.

Prices from Fraser Coast to Sydney start at $200. You can also fly direct to Brisbane, then on to anywhere in the world I guess.

You want to wear jeans? In this heat! Seriously Bundy has a couple of shopping centres as does Maryboro' & Gympie, if you really want to "shop till you drop" Sunshine Plazza down at Marochydore has everything you could possibly want, it's only 2 1/2 hrs South.

jules29

Hi everyone. We have just moved to Hervey bay. Bit of a change of plan as we intended settling in Townsville. Therefore after months spent researching we are now living in a place we know relatively little about. We have already had some help (thanks Angela) but this thread is great for us too.

I hope to catch up with a few of you and pick your brains lol.

Cresta oh is a qualified diver and would appreciate the low down on diving around here. He was really looking forward to living near the barrier reef and i know he is a bit disappointed even though he is happy here. any info re diving sites would def go down well. He doesn't have any kit ( except flippers and snorkel) so he would also need diving shops with equipment hire (i think).

Anyway i'll watch this thread with interest.

Cheers Jules x

cresta57

If you drive along the Esplanade towards PT Vernon at low tide you can see a patch of dark out in the bay, it's a patch or reef, it's not far out at all & is an excellent snorkel. I've just been out there today in the boat. Josh & I had a bit of a fish & swim while Deb read her book, then we called in at the Sands Bar on Fraser for a coldie before heading back home.

"The Arty" Roy Rufus Artificial Reef on the East side of Big Woody is a good dive site as are the Sponge Gardens a little further down towards the Picnic isle's.

The Dive shop in Hervey Bay closed a year or two back it was next to the "Great Australian Ice Creamery" it's a Thai take away now, very nice too

There is a bloke who does air fills up there somewhere, I've yet to track him down. Closest scuba hire is probably Bundaberg Dive Academy on Targo st Bundy I know David He's a top bloke & a fellow Pom. Other than there Wolf Rock Dive down at Rainbow Beach or Noosa Blue Waterare the next closest.

Mrs Kiwi

guys, thanks a million for your replies.

Sounds like there are loads of great places to go to for a daytrip from Hervey Bay, I like the sound of the ginger factory and the Edmundi markets - not mention the rum & the shopping in Bunderberg!!

One quick question that I am embarrassed to ask - what exactly is a "Big W"??!!
I've heard people mention "Big W" more than once - especially while in Hervey Bay on my reccie, for some reason that I am embarrassed to confess, I thought it was slang for Woolworths?????? !! Not sure why - I'm obviously not the brightest spark! X

SKIPPI79

Big W is a shop, something like target. sells all kinds of stuff, from sports goods to clothes, to kitchenware to carseat covers. Don't thinnk they do food though.
http://www.bigw.com.au/

MenAtWork

I visited Hervey Bay for the first time a on Saturday. Looks a great place.

Hers a few pics of some other visitors.

jules29

cheers for that Cresta. I'l pass it on. He may pm you for more infoif thats ok

Jules x

cresta57

No worries

s-jmelbournewannabe

I think your right there, Woolworths is part of Big W i think. It is in the UK anyhow.... right i'm off now..