i've been thinking about the ultimate qld road trip. dreamt of doing one for a long time now. starting from hervey bay and heading north. am looking for unique spots, locations with clear blue water and places not to be missed. needs some local input though.

moon point bank
burrum heads
woodgate
elliott heads
bargara
agnes waters
fitzroy reef
heron island
1770
mackay???
shoal point
hamilton island
townsville???
mission beach
green island
lizard island

any other thoughts.....?????

slot in bowen then alva(via ayr) between hamilton and townsville, not sure you will get clear blue water though.
If you make it to townsville you could take the car ferry to magnetic island and try the various bays over there.
I think there may have been some sailing at taylors beach ingham when i lived up north.

Keep dreaming gesty and it may happen, when your kids leave home thats the only way i could do a trip like that

cheers lungs,

i had a look at magnetic island but doesn't seem to work in a SE wind, is either dead onshore or dead offshore. have been up that way a couple of times in the past. spent a week at cape upstart and sailed the whitsundays on a cat but other than that i know nothing of the area really.

fitzroy reef i doubt i'd sail..... nice to dream though.

dingo beach and hideeaway bay looks awesome. probably no good in a SE wind.
any tips for mackay?

was planning on taking the kids.
new list.

moon point bank
burrum heads
woodgate
elliott heads
bargara
agnes waters
fitzroy reef
heron island
1770
mackay???
shoal point
hamilton island
bowen
alva
townsville???
green island
mission beach
lizard island

fitzroy reef is crossoff in a SE wind.

Blacks Beach Mackay is great, even has a small reef break on a big blow, there are other spots off Mackay also, strong SE in Autumn Winter.

Off shore gust surfing Arlie Beach, 'funnel bay' no prizes for guessing why its called that!

Long Island Whitsundays, back beach SE , front in NE

'Blowin' Bowen always works, Queens Beach.

sth Mission Beach to Dunk Island

Think you have also missed the Capricorn Coast with Yepoon and Keppel Island,


Just a few that I have sailed to add to the list, and if your really keen the great Barrier reef in Winter! ...not to forget Lady Musgrave Island...actually the list is quite long, just hard spots to get to.

thanks michael,

sorry to read about your leg. that sux. hope all is well!

i've added a couple of your tips. forgot about long island. i moored for a couple of days in the main bay. very nice spot.

problem with most of the islands is that the resorts are on the leeward side for protection.

i wanted to add yepoon but the waters brown.... still will sail there but left it off the ultimate list. i am really searching for either classic conditions or clear tropical waters.

new list
moon point bank hervey bay
burrum heads
woodgate
elliott heads
bargara
agnes waters
fitzroy reef
heron island
lady elliot
lady musgrave island
1770
east point mackay
blacks beach mackay
shoal point
long island
hamilton island
queens beach bowen
alva
green island
mission beach
lizard island

looking for more...

Thanks, The leg is a mess, but I'm lucky I caught it when I did, scary stuff for small cut!

If live throug this ordeal will catch up at Burrum and give you the heads up on some of those Nth Qld spots, the Whitsundays especially Long Island is my speciality! and this pic here...enough blue water for you...and no its not Whitehaven, and yes its sailable!

Thanks, The leg is a mess, but I'm lucky I caught it when I did, scary stuff for small cut!

If I live through this ordeal will catch up at Burrum and give you the heads up on some of those Nth Qld spots, the Whitsundays especially Long Island is my speciality! and this pic here...enough blue water for you...and no its not Whitehaven, and yes its sailable!

geez, that leg doesn't sound good at all. sincerely hope it returns to normal.

another great spot, bustard head. is it accessible by car or do you need a boat or 4wd?

whitehaven is glorius. i'd like to sail there....

ok, i've found some more

keppel sands
tannum sands

that gets me into the capricorn region.

any more ideas for gladstone.?

maybe clairview. i htink it has a train station also.

gladstone harbour

if your after clear blue water gesty you'll have to remove alva, definitely not clear in se (maybe at low tide in the lagoons if the sand bars are not to shallow)
townsvile is the same colour as moreton bay

years ago some of the locals went to png, can't rember where they sailed but they had both flat water and waves on a reef.

yeah, i think the list is so long i need to be harsh. once the list is complete i'll cull a few spots.

bowen is opn the list for sure. here's sean sailing there. do you reckon that's north head island in the background? might pm sean later see if he has anymore photos.

bugger image won't work

Be a great trip. One question: What to do with the wife and kids?

hey tristan, i was thinking send them out first to check for sharks/crocks/stingers....

looking at photos of bowen. WOW!!! what a beautifull place. maybe i just go there and stay for a few weeks.

Hi Justin
that is a trip we would be keen to do especially with boards and sups. What time of year would be best? Maybe a 2 month trip? What about next year sometime? I'll put in now for leave.

Hi Kerry,

i'd be kee nto do it with you for sure. i started toying with the idea years ago and when the first burrum event happended i tried to get it going but it kind of died.

i was thinking after burrum then through the easter holidays. i reckon minimum would be 5 weeks but i haven't worked out the mileage yet. my gut feel is the islands in the whitsundays would be cheapest if a bareboat was hired. you would need 7 days for that.

in total there is roughly 6 days worth of driving. 3 up and 3 back.

15 locations with 2 days per location. you're looking at 35 days which would be doable but tight. the list might shorten a little yet also. plan would be to do half on the way up and the other half on the way back.

april gets good winds still and it's getting outside the cyclone season so the chance of good weather is higher plus there is a drop off in the rainfall.

gear would be sups, freestyle board and beginners board. sails - 6.4, 5.8, 5.3

i can't commit to it yet unfortunately. still planning it out and it will depend on work to a larger extent.

other issue is expense. it would cost a lot. some of the places need airfares and the bareboat would be $4500 grand min.

edit**

i just checked and getting local ferries and staying in hotels on the whitsunday isalnds would be much cheaper than a bareboat by the look of it.

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Gestalt said...

hey tristan, i was thinking send them out first to check for sharks/crocks/stingers....

LOL! Sorry mate I didnt read the start of the post closely where you said they would be going as well. Sounds like a good trip and you have the gear to do it!

no worries mate.

so has anyone got any info on the islands on the list?

things like tides, currents, sailing conditions????? any help is good help.

inspiration material

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Gestalt said...

thanks michael,


i wanted to add yepoon but the waters brown.... still will sail there but left it off the ultimate list. i am really searching for either classic conditions or clear tropical waters.

Yes incredibly brown going by these photos of the kids surfing up at Farnborough Beach last week.

hey sausage that's awesome. farnborough is now on the list.

i thought yeppoon had brown water not sure why but thought i was told it's a fairly shallow bay.... glad that's not the case.

it's interesting that agnes waters talk up them being the most northern surf beach. guess that's not entirely true.

have you had any experience with the islands? great keppel?
i found these photos of farnborough.

has anyone been to brampton island?

it looks on maps to be the pick of the islands. there is a channel that could funnel the southeasters just off the resort.

long island seems to be the other place that gets good SE winds.

any thoughts or experiences?

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Gestalt said...

has anyone been to brampton island?

it looks on maps to be the pick of the islands. there is a channel that could funnel the southeasters just off the resort.

long island seems to be the other place that gets good SE winds.

any thoughts or experiences?

I've been to Brampton a few times back in the late 90's and it was good then, have no idea what it is like now. You're right that channel funnels the breeze and it was pretty much 20kts+ fairly consistently; we went in September both times I think which is when the winter trades work? Big tidal range though which makes it interesting.

thanks chris,

i read online the resort has been closed for a year undergoing a refurb and is said to be opening early this year.

looks like a good spot. the currents worry me a little around all of the islands. i was hoping tide opposite wind might work.

good call on magnetic island lungs, has public transport, roads, the full setup and the conditions look very good.

i found this kite site which is very well setup and covers a lot. i'm kee nto have a crack at florence bay

http://www.tevenei.com/kite/magnetic_kite_map.htm

some images from that site.

does anyone have any experience with heron island, lady elliot island or lady musgrave island.

i guess i'm hoping to find out if they are worth windsurfing at and how much water ends up over the reefs? are booties needed?

anyone have any trip stories to tell?

i understand with lady musgrave it's camping only and has a window of access, pity cause the SE looks to be cross shore there.

edit**

list of contenders so far.

hervey bay
moon point bank hervey bay
burrum heads

bundaberg
woodgate
elliott heads
bargara - kellys beach
bargara - neilsens beach
moore park beach

seventeen seventy
agnes waters
1770
lady elliot
lady musgrave island
fitzroy reef

gladstone
heron island
tannum sands

rockhampton
keppel sands

yeppoon
great keppel island
farnborough

Mackay
blacks beach
east point
brampton island

whitsundays
long island
hamilton island
whitehaven beach
daydream island

bowen
kings beach
queens beach

townsville
magnetic island

mission beach

Cairns
green island
palm cove
lizard island

I think Kurrimine Beach would have to go on the list. Well worth a look.
I sailed there last July & August and while not windy everyday, we had some good sails there.

HI Justin youv missed out on a good spot near mackay is Eimeo beach spend some good times there on SE and also harbour beach same win dir Eimeo is good cause if ther is noewind you can spend the time looking out to sea have a few beers if you get real drunk just need to roll down the hill quiet a setting or you can eat heaps of mangoes,, also good sail areas south of yeppon to many to name but good places also Kepple Islan which i think was mentioned you could also do a road trip to the south end up in Tassi where iam now some great spots here although the winds a bit lacking at present here too all the east coast carlton hobart speedsailing doran rd up at stanley the lagoon west coast Pieman river for some waves Marawah where i and son Ben went for the Smack fest a few years ago good 3to 4mtrs on a port tack anyway some ideas see you at Burrum Cheers Pete in Tasssi

cheers pete,

will check it out, i knew you'd have some comments. i figure you're the one person who has done the most road trips in qld.

will pick your brain further at burrum,

cheers jeffro,

will check it out also. how's the water there? any bad currents etc?

Justin forget Palm Cove and go straight to Green Island up here, and not in summer.

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Gestalt said...



cheers jeffro,

will check it out also. how's the water there? any bad currents etc?

The water in Kurrimine is good (not crystal clear) and no problems with current that I know of. Low tides can be a problem on big tides but that is not often & only for a couple of hours.

Herby & Lyn (not sure if you know them) go there for a few months every winter. A few others from Cairns go there too on the weekends when the forecast is good. They may be able to comment further.

cheers jeffro and firie,

i spoke with pete n today, he's sailed all of the spots on the list bar about 3 locations. i asked him what spot would he tick as a must visit location above all others?

green island

also pointed out strong currents around Magnetic island and NE side of Hamilton.