Here’s a destination we had never intended, nor heard of, but what a quiet little gem this one is. North of Mackay and off the highway, a sleepy little holiday and fishing village just far enough away from a hectic weekday life. A council run beachfront parkland caters to caravaners and campers alike in a spacious and treelined campground with basic but clean facilities. Situated about 170klm south of Bowen, and 16klm east of the A1, an easy drive of a few hours. We passed the ever overly popular Airlie Beach with its full campsites and expensive restaurants, stopped briefly for a coffee, toilet break and emptied our toilet canister at Proserpine and headed south to Mt Ossa where we turn east.
Seaforth sits in the middle of Haliday Bay, though perhaps it should be called Holiday Bay as it is just that. A 2klm strip of holiday homes along two streets. The town boasts a General Store with fuel and take-away food, a Fishing Tackle shop and a Bowls Club. The campsite has toilets and showers and a dump point, but no concrete slabs, and the place is truly a delight to stay. Along the beachfront is a barrier of low coastal trees and shrubs protecting the camp which stretches several hundred metres.
That afternoon we did our usual “drive of discover”, firstly north to Port Newry, a grandiose name that evokes images of marinas, wharves and commercial enterprise… not even close. Moored in the wide inlet were about fifteen private boats and a old few trawlers in-front of a single marina arm used for launching boats from an impressive boat-ramp adjoined to a new large carpark.
Next we passed back through Seaforth to the southern end that is bordered by the other though much smaller inlet opening of Plantation Creek. It was low tide and impossible to navigate a boat throughout its length. The tides here are easily six metres if not more as evinced by to height of the few private wharves in place. Next stop was a circuitous drive to the next bay to the south, Ball Bay. Similar to Seaforth only newer, and boasts a pleasant looking Golf Course.
The next day we enjoyed a return walk from the camp south to Plantation Creek followed by a self provided coffee and breakfast at the camp. We had been recommended to stay at nearby Cape Hillsborough by Tom and Ais, so, being only a 15klm drive, we decided on another drive of discovery. What’s at Cape Hillborough? A cape to the north and a wooded headland southward called Andrews Point with an interesting climbing walking track of several kilometres. The Cape and the Point are separated by a kilometre or more of beautiful beach, at least it would have been wonderful by disregarding a howling wind from the north east.
There is only a campground at the Cape, the aptly named Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park with a General Store and Take-away food outlet. The park sits behind a screen of coastal scrub protecting it for the weather. It’s a nice place to camp and while away some time. On the only road in and out of the Cape we spotted a carpark and sign indicating a walk through various coastal eco-systems which looked interesting, and this made for a pleasant stop on the way back to Seaforth. The National Parks have provided an excellent and educational loop through coastal scrub, forrest and mangroves via a combination of wide elevated boardwalks and gravel paths. The longer mangrove section is festooned with several varieties of Butterfly, thousands of them, making for quite a surreal hour or so.
Seaforth, worth the visit especially if you just want to chill, walk, fish and play golf.
Australia. Dust, Fire, Flood & Pandemic 