Here We Go Again - Chapter 12 - Hervey Bay to Bundaberg

The only time on the last trip around Oz we stayed anywhere for any extended period of time was because of breakdowns. Halls Creek and 90 Mile Beach were experiences out of necessity, they meant we simply missed some things and changed plans to cram others in within the deadline we had for return. This time the “luxury” of 4 days in one place has created its own issues.

It was only 4 days but we had well and truly “settled in”. Bugging out was going to take a full repack of some things as the location had lent itself to spreading out (as much as can occur wall to wall in a caravan park). Inside the van we had kept a reasonable amount of order, but outside, there was now the addition of the new awning tie downs, the creation of the late afternoon sitting area and the fishing gear.

The fishing gear was the most “spread out”. Not requiring the immediate packing of the last trip, iot had managed to overtake the back of the Cruiser, be strewn across the back fo the van, ready for a quick dash to the adjacent beach should the birds “work” a school close enough and frozen bait still in the freezer, much to the chagrin of Robyn. It’s the first on the list. Reels need to be unhinged from rods and put away, meaning the rigs had to be dismantled, sinkers, floats etc packed in the tackle bag. The rods themselves need to go back in the receptacle at the front of the van and the bait sorted.

Meticulously done of course as they are my pride and joy, plus they had been in mortal fights with all sorts of monsters in the period we were here, although none had yet blessed a table.

With that done, attention is turned to the van. First the awning and the tie downs. The cordless drill easily removes the lock down screws (we bought an attachment specifically to set and remove them) and the mechanism simply “comes out”. 

A joy, a manual apparatus doing what it is supposed to do – make things easier. There should be more of it.

The rest of the preparation is as normal except for the chokcks on the wheels of the van. In setting up the van on the leveler the van had shifted as it came away from the ball and all but destroyed one of the chocks. I will need to remember to move away from that chock first then off the leveler, rather than the other way around. The mangled mess of yellow plastic springs back somewhat but will need replacing. Again technology, not really replacing good old fashioned stuff. In this case a wooden chock.

The van on. Forbsy needs help. His van is wedged between 2 trees, skillfully placed there under the tutelage of the manager of the park, is ready to come out. The jackknife method of insertion will work against him if we are not careful. I notice his initial attempts are going to end in disaster and yell to him to stop. We discuss the issues and plan another attempt. It is settled that we actually need to go further back onto the site to allow the Cruiser to straighten up a little then drive almost straight out. Holding our collective breaths we initiate the plan with success, except now Forbsy is strewn across 2 sites on the other side of the road with nowhere to go as a new visitor has entered and has gone to the office to check in.

Waiting is the only option. The passenger in the blocking vehicle is a lovely older woman, an ex truckie to be exact when I speak to at length while we wait for her partner to return. 

The path is clear now.

Where is our fearless leader. He and Rose have gone for morning coffee with family and are yet to return. Suddenly we are all ready to leave, there is motion form the Silver Leader site adn with the address of the next park securely in the GPS we are off. Well as far as the front gate. Getting onto the Esplanade on a Saturday morning with markets a little ways down the road becomes a challenge. Eventually someone takes pity on me and lets me in but I am far behind the leaders.

Creeping along the road adjacent to the beach I can hear Forbsy and Silver Leader chatting on the UHF radio.

We eventually get away from the carnage of Saturday morning traffic and off into the bush, heading back to the Bruce Highway . It is obviously “Drive 20kph under the Speed Limit Day” and I have missed it. Being Saturday apparently meandering in the car is a thing of the day.

On the main road speeds get up to “normal” and the traffic flowers. I am a long way behind the others but that doesnt matter, the radio keeps me in touch and the GPS has the address. I come up behind a car which is travelling a little slower than I, not a problem, until they jam on their brakes. Then they head off again with no apparent reason as to why.

I mutter profanities under my breath and give them a wideish berth, only to have them do it again a little further down the road. 

What the f%&* is going on here.

Eventually, several kilometres down the road from the initial incident they turn off, the only sane reason behind the maddness is they were “lost” looking for a specific road. It was a newer vehicle which one would have thought would have a GPS in it but obviously not.

The bush, the crops and the road. We pass a sign that says The Bamboo Shop. Robyn has purchased trees from here. She muses the trees cost $20 but the freight to get them to home was $40 and no we are not dripping in and saving $40 now, there is nowhere to keep a tree in the caravan or Cruiser. 

Just as well we were not thinking of a dog eh??

The GPS is skirting us around Bundaberg to get to our destination. It has done this cover the past couple of trips keeping us out of the built up areas and making travelling with a van so much easier.

The park manager has set us up right at the front gate, given us sites where we need not unhook, knowing we are only here for the night. I do not even have to turn, being able to drive in the front gate and straight to the selected spot ( a term I heard many years ago on a TV show talking about casting lures at Rosa Gully, a place I frequented from time to time). The back of the van and its adorning advertising are pointed at everyone entering the park for the next 12 or so hours.

Modified setup is quick and easy. Only Forbsy, who’s Cruiser is designated for use this afternoon, is unhooked. 

The set up done its now time for the reason we are stopping here. The Bundaberg Rum Distillery Tour.

Its a short drive to the distillery. On the way quizzes/discussions as to the crops we are passing ensue. In places tall stands of bamboo hide the crops growing behind. Perhaps these are mango trees, perhaps these are some other sort of exotics such as macadamias etc. We also pass plots and lots of sugar cane.

The car park places us right in front of our destination, the perfect first photo opportunity. The second is a group shot around the 10 metres tall Bundy Rum statute. Into the factory we are ushered into the museum to await the start of our tour. The museum set in old rum barrel looking rooms is a labyrinth of historical memorabilia, tablets of information and the obligatory marketing culminating in our meeting point, the cinema where on continuous loop arr National Geographic snippets about the business, the floods and fires that have occurred during its history and reflections of staff about the genre that is such a remarkable Australian icon.

Our tour starts with the obligatory safety discussion which suggests we are going to have to leave all “loose” items in the lockers provided, as  food and explosion safety measures – so no phones for pictures. It also means we need to be told about the electric fence guarding the facility for reasons which will become more evident as the tour progresses

Our guides are bubbly and excited to be “on tour”

We walk through the molasses tank and to the fermentation areas, all the while being informed by our guides. Apparently 95% of the product manufactured on this site is consumed by Austrlianas in Australia. Of the other 4%, 4% is sent to New Zealand, obviously for Australians visiting there and the other 1% to other Australian toured destinations like Bali, Fiji, various snowfields etc. It seems we keep our Bundy to ourselves even though it was won countless awards and gold medals around the world. Even winning one prestigious once twice in success – an achievement not matched by any one else. 

The way the guide speaks of the significance of the business to the town and surrounds I ask them if, like at Nestle (the long term employer of Robyn) about the numbers and the tenure of staff. It surprises me to learn that only 38 full time people are employed here. In order to get a job in, particularly the maintenance area of the business, someone has to die out, she muses. Much like the 25 year and the 40 year Clubs at Nestle there are many very long term employees here.

But 38 only, are our tour leaders on that staff. No they are not. Functions like the marketing are contracted out, and although I suspect each individual is not a contractor I suspect a spin off company may be involved.

We start to see the vast barrels of rum being stored. The guides suggest that in excess of $2billion in untaxed stock suits on the site at any given time – and you wonder why there is an electric fence guarding the facility

The information part of the tour is over, its time for the obligatory sampling. They make this easily difficult. On our tickets are vouchers for 2 drinks, the easy part. Which two drinks you might want to sample, now that’s the difficult bit. I settle for a nip of each of the 2 top shelf varieties whilst Robyn opts for liquerus.

Their ultra expensive Solero does not meet my palate as well as the Blended Reserve, but even for a non rum drinker they go down easily. Robyn is not overly phased with the banana flavored liqueur but very quickly is enamoured with the Sweet caramel variety. 

Now pleasantly plied with liquor its off to the gift shop. The liqueur is the first on Robyn’s list along with some fudge. I am hesitant about the Blended Reserve but Robyn suggests its worth a bottle for the road ahead.

We escape from the gift shop to the car park to find it strewn with Ford Mustangs. Lots of pictures of the classic vehicles are taken and a video of one revving up.

Forbsy decides the tourist trek return to the vans. We drive along the beach, past other van parks, full to overflowing and note the beaches here are mainly rocks rather than the great expanses of sand of the previous location. Robyn quipes she is feeling quite mellow after the 2 drinks. At a set of traffic lights she suggests to Forbsy the arrow on the lights is still red as he heads off, not turning right. She then quips she will go back to being mellow.

Dinner tonight will be between the vans. Silver Miguel Leader will be the chef. We have some rib eye fillet steaks rescued from the Foodworks this morning. They taste just as good as the ones we savoured the night before. 

Bed and sleep come easy. It’s been, not a long day, but we have filled a lot in. We are travelling again tomorrow but only about an hours worth to Agnes Waters. We have been granted a late check out if we want it and markets beckon. Friends of ours form Childers, some 40 kilometers back are threatening to come and visit so we may need to be up early.