One Night at Teewah

Teewah was meant to be a three night stay.

We had refilled the water tank the evening before, stocked up properly, checked the tides and prepared ourselves for a few days of beach camping. The idea was simple: drive onto the beach early, find a good spot, set up camp, try the new fishing gear and stay for a while.

In the end, Teewah became one night.

That was not because we disliked the place. Quite the opposite. The campsite we found was excellent. The morning drive along the beach was one of the best drives of the trip so far. But beach camping is exposed by design, and once the weather started to change, staying another two nights felt more stubborn than sensible.

Low Tide and the Beach Road

We had an early start from Noosa because low tide was around 7:30am. The usual advice for beach driving is to travel close to low tide, often within about two hours either side, because the sand is firmer and there is more beach to work with.

To get to Teewah Beach from Noosa, you first cross the Noosa River on the short ferry to Noosa North Shore. I think it was around $15. It is a quick crossing, but it changes the mood immediately. One moment you are still in town, and then the road starts leading towards beach access and sand driving.

Before going onto the beach we reduced the tyre pressure to around 20 psi. Later we thought we probably could have left it a bit higher because Roger is fairly heavy and the beach was in good condition. If you get stuck, you can always let out more air. But for the first proper beach drive of the trip, we preferred to be conservative.

Driving along a beach is just an awesome feeling.

We were heading north, with the ocean and the morning sun on our right. The wind was from the south, so while it was already blowing, we did not feel it too much in the same way we would later at camp. The Cooloola beach drive between Noosa North Shore and Double Island Point is roughly 50 kilometres, and it felt long enough to settle into the drive without it becoming tiring.

The sand was firm, the beach was wide enough, and Roger did the job without drama.

Zone 3

We had booked Teewah Beach camping zone 3. Camping there is only allowed if you are self-sufficient, and you need the correct permits for both vehicle access and camping. There are no neat marked sites in the way caravan parks have them. You drive along the camping zone and choose your spot.

This sounds easy until you are actually doing it.

The zone is a few kilometres long, and there is always the question of whether the next spot will be better. Our criteria were clear: ocean view, some shelter from the wind, enough space for the tarp, and a surface that did not look impossible to manage.

We found a very good spot and were happy with it almost immediately.

The downside was rubbish. We had already noticed this at some Queensland national park campsites, and Teewah was no exception. Some people leave a sad amount of waste behind. It is difficult to understand. If you can bring it in, you can bring it out. It is not complicated.

Apart from that, the campsite was great. Very sandy, obviously, but that is not a complaint when you book a beach camp.

We had breakfast with an ocean view, then finished setting up the tent and tarp. The wind was building, but the morning still felt good. Beach camps always make the whole setup a bit messier. Sand gets everywhere, ropes need more thought, and everything feels a bit more exposed. But the view makes up for a lot.

Then I unpacked the new fishing gear.

First Fishing Attempt

We had bought the gear in Noosa and watched too many how-to videos. Now it was time to start, which is also when theory becomes less useful.

The bait was right in front of us. We collected pipis from the beach and used those. We got plenty of bites almost immediately, which was exciting, but the bait disappeared very quickly. The fish were much better at stealing pipis than we were at catching fish.

My best guess is that the bait was too easy to remove from the hook, and we did not really know how to secure it properly. Another possibility is that we simply had no idea what we were doing. Both can be true.

Still, it was fun.

Fishing from the beach is enjoyable even when nothing happens. You stand there looking at the ocean the whole time, paying attention to the line, the waves and the small signs that something might be happening underneath. I can see why people get into it. It is active enough to keep you busy, but quiet enough that you are still mostly just outside, watching water.

We did not catch anything. But as a first attempt, it counted.

The Weather Turns

By the afternoon the weather changed.

A rain front started to move in, and we had a few showers. The wind picked up more. The campsite that had felt perfect in the morning started to feel more exposed. That is one of the realities of beach camping. There is not much between you and the weather.

We switched on Starlink and checked the forecast properly. It was not only a little rain. It looked like the weather would get worse, with possible thunderstorms.

At that point the decision was not too difficult. We could stay because we had booked three nights, or we could accept that the plan had changed. Being exposed on the beach for two more nights in stronger wind and possible storms did not make sense to us.

So we decided to leave the next morning.

It was a bit disappointing because we loved the spot. But it also felt like the right call. During the night it rained, and the ocean was rowdy and loud. The wind kept pushing at the tent, and the surf did not calm down.

In the morning there was an early shower, then a dry window. We used it.

Rainbow Beach and a Shower for Roger

We packed up while we could and decided to continue towards Maryborough, then work out the overnight plan later.

Someone had recommended Double Island Point, so we first drove further north along the beach. But the tide was coming in, the weather was not great, and the view did not feel worth forcing the stop. We turned around before getting there.

Instead of driving back exactly the same way, we took a different 4WD route towards Rainbow Beach. Rainbow Beach is one of the gateways to K’gari, formerly Fraser Island. K’gari is the world’s largest sand island, World Heritage-listed, and famous for long beaches, dune lakes, coloured sands and rainforest growing on sand. We had been before, and because it was busy and we did not feel the need to repeat it this time, we skipped the island and kept moving.

We stopped in Rainbow Beach for lunch at a new’ish coffee place, which was a good reset after the wet pack-up.

Roger also received a wash.

Salt exposure is one of those things you do not want to ignore. Beach driving is fun, but saltwater and cars are not friends. Ideally you clean the car as soon as practical. It felt good to wash off the sand and salt and start the next part of the day a little cleaner.

Maryborough Logistics

From Rainbow Beach we continued to Maryborough.

Steph and I often talk about the vibe a town gives us. It is not very scientific, but you do notice it. Maryborough felt quiet and didn’t give us a warm and fuzzy vibe. Not necessarily bad, but not a place where we immediately thought we wanted to stay out of town somewhere isolated.

We stopped at the visitor centre and looked at a few free camp options. After a long decision process we chose Wally’s Caravan Park in town instead.

That turned out better than expected. It was not busy, and we set up close to the camp kitchen so we could use it. The weather was good, and the place had a calm enough feeling. In the evening a few mosquitoes appeared, of course they did.

Maryborough’s most interesting stop for us was the painted toilets at the visitor centre. It is an old chapel turned into colourful public toilets, which is not a sentence you write every day. We did not do a deep historical tour of town. Sometimes the odd stop is what you remember.

The next day was Anzac Day, which means shops are closed and we had to do the shopping that evening.

That was the objectives of the day: choose the safe campsite, use the camp kitchen, avoid the worst of the weather, do the shopping before a public holiday.

Anzac Day - Hervey Bay

On Anzac Day we had planned to start with parkrun at 7am.

That did not happen.

We did not manage to pack up early enough, and there was a heavy morning shower. In the end we were glad we had not forced it. Instead we continued to Hervey Bay, had breakfast there and walked along the long pier. It is about one kilometre, which is long enough that it feels like a walk out over the water rather than just a quick look.

We stayed at a caravan park again and were welcomed by our neighbours Andy and Tracey. They were a very friendly older couple who had lived in a caravan for a long time and were looking to buy in the area.

Because we could not really set up our tarp, they offered us shelter from the rain showers / downpours under their awning.

This was the first time we said out loud that an awning would actually be convenient. Until then we had not really felt we needed one. Our tarp setup works, but it takes time and space. An awning is just there. You open it, and you have shelter. I understand the appeal more now.

The weather stayed mixed, with showers on and off.

Andy and Tracey told us a bit about their story, including time in a retirement village. The amount of rules sounded intense. Everyone watching everyone, and not in a good way. It was another small note for the future: always read the fine print before moving into any kind of retirement setup.

You can buy into retirement homes at 50 which is only five years more for me. This is a slightly uncomfortable thought.

We used a dry window to go for a run. I did a nice 10 kilometre run along the esplanade and added some strength training at the outdoor gym. After sitting, driving and packing, it felt good to move.

The caravan park had a good vibe and was much more sheltered than the beach campsite in Hervey Bay would have been. I would recommend it for a night.

The Underwhelming Market and the Piano Surprise

Our next night was booked at Burrum Shores Beachfront Campground, but before heading there we explored Hervey Bay a little more.

First stop was the Koala Market. We hoped to find regional food or produce. That was way too optimistic. There were a few stalls selling various things, but not much food and no real produce. We were done in about five minutes. The highlight were the perrots they sold.

Then we went to the local art gallery.

As soon as we walked in, we were welcomed by a piano concert. That was a very pleasant surprise. The audience was tiny: the two of us and maybe five other people. Almost all chairs were taken, which suggests they were not expecting a much bigger crowd.

The pianist played and told a few stories about Beethoven, Mozart and how classical music connected into Australia in different ways. It was actually really fun to listen to. I also took a mental note that one day I should practise piano again.

The market was not worth it, but ten minutes later we were sitting in an almost empty gallery listening to a piano concert we did not know existed.

Burrum Heads and the Tides

The drive to Burrum Heads was easy. On driving days we usually listen to audiobooks, and it continues to be a good way to entertain us on longer stretches of road.

Burrum Heads felt like a quiet small fishing town. Not much seemed to be happening, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

The campsite was nice and very close to the beach, but compared with some other places we had stayed, it did not feel fully worth the money. We were also fairly close to our neighbours. Still, people were friendly and we could use the camp kitchen, so it worked for one night.

By this point we had also realised that we needed to start drinking up some of our alcohol.

What a problem to have.

The actual reason was practical. In some remote areas further north, including parts of Cape York and Arnhem Land, alcohol restrictions can apply. In some places you are not allowed to carry alcohol at all, including in the car. We had not thought about that when packing the car, and we did not want to send open bottles of gin into storage before leaving Sydney.

So the challenge had started.

The water at Burrum Heads looked quite different from the clear water we were used to further south. It was still pretty, but less inviting for swimming. We were also getting closer to the region where box jellyfish become more of a consideration, so the appeal of casual ocean swims was getting lower.

The tides were very noticeable. Low tide was very low, and high tide came a long way back in. Because the beach and sand flats were not steep, you could walk a long way out and feel almost like you were walking in the ocean rather than along it.

The trees along the beach gave the whole place an interesting look. Quiet, a little different, and definitely north of where the trip had started.

Teewah had started with the big beach-driving idea, then weather made the decision for us. After Teewah the days became more routine: car wash, public holiday shopping, awning envy, a run, an accidental concert, and the slow realisation that the further north we went, the more we had to think about tides, weather, insects, salt and rules we had not fully considered before.