Drron evades the virus in Bundaberg.

[drron]

As it will be quite some time before I can do a real trip report I thought I would continue my adventures with my experiences as a FIFO worker.since the beginning of October last year I have worked in Launceston,Latrobe in Tassie and bundaberg before my last stint back in Launceston.Seeing QLD has been in the news I will start with bundaberg.not wuite 3 weeks there beginning in mid February.
This time however I was a DIDO worker-drove up with mrsdrron who stayed 3 days before driving home whilst I got a rental which at the end dropped back on the Sunshine Coast.Whilst mrsdrron was there we ate out.I get put up in Bargara so the first night was Thai-Red Chilli Thai.We had Thai BBQ chicken,pork Pad thai and beef with snow peas.
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We had a very forgettable meal at Kacy's restaurant.it used to be good with competition from the pub next door which had burnt down since our last visit.Forgot to take my camera.For the last night we went to KBR's in the Kelly Bay Resort which for some reason gets very good reviews.It was an absolute shambles.Mrsdrron had garlic prawns and I had the seafood plate for one.
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We needed the bottle of wine.
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[kookaburra75]

As it will be quite some time before I can do a real trip report I thought I would continue my adventures with my experiences as a FIFO worker.since the beginning of October last year I have worked in Launceston,Latrobe in Tassie and bundaberg before my last stint back in Launceston.Seeing QLD has been in the news I will start with bundaberg.not wuite 3 weeks there beginning in mid February.
This time however I was a DIDO worker-drove up with mrsdrron who stayed 3 days before driving home whilst I got a rental which at the end dropped back on the Sunshine Coast.Whilst mrsdrron was there we ate out.I get put up in Bargara so the first night was Thai-Red Chilli Thai.We had Thai BBQ chicken,pork Pad thai and beef with snow peas.
We had a very forgettable meal at Kacy's restaurant.it used to be good with competition from the pub next door which had burnt down since our last visit.Forgot to take my camera.For the last night we went to KBR's in the Kelly Bay Resort which for some reason gets very good reviews.It was an absolute shambles.Mrsdrron had garlic prawns and I had the seafood plate for one.

Bagarra is a very nice part of the world. We stayed there last year in July, for a week at apartments next door to the golf club. Very relaxing, and agree that Thai-Red is very good. MrsK wanted to book the apartment for all of Aug to escape the Canberra winter, with me of course staying in Canberra to mind things. Needless to say that didn't happen.

 

[drron]

After dinner we would have a wander along the Bargara foreshore.
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During WW2 Bundaberg was a centre for pilot traing.Two accidents off the coast remembered.
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When I started work nothing much was known about corona virus and how it might affect Bundaberg.There was a committe to see what preparations were needed.but no sense of urgency.Social distancing was not being practiced and Handover meetings were face to face and somewhat crowded.I was in the acute admissions ward.A job i have come to really like.Unbeknowns to me at the time this would have put me right on the front line if the virus had taken off earlier.As it was Bundaberg was scheduled to receive it's first covid positive patients the day sfter I left.They were being transferred from Brisbane.As you can see i only just evaded a virus in Bundaberg.

 

[drron]

I was here for 2 weekends and unusually for alocum I wasn't rostered on either of them.So time for some exploring.It was still pretty warm so i took things a little easily.The first Saturday it was off to the Botanical Gardens which also houses this-
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There was a special on that day so entry into the Aviation museum also got you admission to the sugat museum,the historical museum and a train ride.So decided to go to the Sugar museum first.It is housed in Fairymead house which was moved here from it's original site at the Fairymead sugar mill.
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It was built in 1890 in Indian colonial style for the owners of the Fairymead plantation,Ernest and Margaret Young.They developed an irrigation system and developed the Fowler Tramway system known to most who travel the Bruce Highway in Northern QLD from july to December.
Between the wars it was used for single plantation workers and after WW2 for refugees before the family moved back in 1960.In 1988 Bundaberg sugar donated the house to Bundaberg Council.

Now I was a little early so walked around the outside first.On one side is the Japanese Garden.
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They hold functions here.
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[drron]

Originally Fairymead house was in the shire of Gooburrum.The Shires mayors had something in common.Wouldn't go down well today.
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The original Fairymead sugar mill.It closed in 2005 after Bundaberg Sugar rebuilt the Millaquin mill in 1998 which is the newest mill in australia.
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Sugar was first produced in Brisbane by John Buhot in 1862.He had been in the Sugar industry in Barbados before coming to Australia.His story is here.Link is interesting in that it is an old history of brisbane.
In it's heyday there were 36 sugar mills in the Bundaberg district.now there are 3.Interesting photos of the early years.

John Buhot Pioneer of the Sugar Industry in Queensland

John Buhot Pioneer of the Sugar Industry in Queensland, History of the sugar production, sugar technology and sugar mills.

www.brisbanehistory.com

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Another aspect of the Fairymead plantation was that the sister of the 3 brothers that set up the plantation,Florence Young,began education for the South sea Islander workers on the plantation and then set up missions in the Islands.In 1920 a chuch for the Islanders was built on the Property and in 1995 removed to a part of bundaberg Cemetery and is still used today by the workers descendants.

 

[drron]

Time to leave as I have a train to catch.
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A peaceful though not quiet way to see the gardens especially the lagoons and bird life.
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[drron]

Through the sheds.
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[drron]

Past the Chinese garden.
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And now time for Bert Hinkler.

 

[drron]

The Hinkler Museum has been totally revamped from the last time I visited but that was many years ago.Does a pretty good job.To to Bert.
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[drron]

To the post war period.Some flying in the UK and then shipping his Avro back to Sydney.
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Flew non stop Sydney to Bundaberg landing on the Foundry Green.Then taxied to the family home and parked his plane in the back yard.
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He didn't just like speed in the air.he had this custom built.
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[drron]

The Avro and it's history.
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[drron]

The next part of the Bert hinkler story.Flying UK to Australia.
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A grand parade in Brisbane with a suitable mode of transport through the streets.
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The next adventure was the crossing of the South Atlantic solo.
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[JohnM]

Hinkler also flew into WA's Maylands aerodrome in 1928. The thing that made him epic in 1928 was that his was the first solo flight from England to Australia.

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www.dailytelegraph.com.au

Bert Hinkler - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

See pic #6 in post #3: Historic Maylands Aerodrome, Perth
I live a few hundred metres from the site of the old 'strip.

I recall my mother, who lived in Maylands, telling me about going to the 'strip to watch him come in. She would have been about 16 at the time.

His epic flight was very early in 1928. I guess he did a glory flight(s) around Australia during that year as a national hero. Great stuff.

 

[OZDUCK]

My father saw him that trip as well. I think he, my father that is, was working somewhere around Merredin cutting timber for the Kalgoorlie water pipeline pumping stations in those days.

 

[drron]

Hinkler then turned his mind to aircraft design.His plane successfully flew but coming on the market in the Great Depression was too much so it was shelved.
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[drron]

!932 and Bert got married but not to the woman he had been living with for many years.He married an American woman.He never told his family in Bundaberg.He was married in 1932 on 21/5 to Katherine Rome.but flying was in his blood and on 7/1/1933 he set out from London to fly to Australia to try and beat the record time.
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The truly sad part was that he wasn't killed in the crash but the crash site wasn't discovered for over 3 months.
But the story didn't end there.A piece of Hinkler's 1912 glider was taken on the fateful last flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger.As well the relic was recovered and now is back in Bundaberg.
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But in 1928 his celebration trip around Australia also included Northern Tasmania.His "wife"accompanied him.

Hinkler Leaving To-day - FLEW FROM SCOTTSDALE IN 18 MINUTES Entertained by City Commercial Men Deloraine and Wynyard to be Disappointed - Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954) - 11 May 1928

Forty miles is not so far after all, Yesterday morning Squadron-Leader Bert Hinkler, accompanied by Captain Frank Huxley, flew from Scottsdale to Launceston in eighteen minutes, compared with the ...

trove.nla.gov.au

And they had their picture taken at Burnie.
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Bert Hinkler & Wife being welcomed to Burnie, Tas by Warden Saml. Bird

State Library of Victoria. Library Record No. 742457. Accession No. H22756

 

[drron]

Also there are some flight simulators there.but one fellow left his 3 sons at them whilst he walked around the museum.no one else got a turn.
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But the young fellow on the Super hornet ended up in a little strife.
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[drron]

It was nearly 2pm so I was getting a bit peckish.Decided to go to a seafood market with restaurant that was very popular.fortunately arriving just after 1400 although it was still jumping I could get a seat.This is the place.

Seafood Market & Restaurant - Bundaberg - Grunskes by the River - About Us

Grunske's by the River has the freshest local seafood in Bundaberg. Dine in the restaurant overlooking the Burnett River. Enjoy a true seafood experience.

www.grunskesbytheriver.com.au

Although on the river it is not that scenic.plus the rain was being blown in.
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The food though was very good.Started with scallops and garlic butter then the barramundi.
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[drron]

Sunday was a washout.
There is though a gin distillery in Bundaberg.So I had to visit.Not open on weekends so I had to go out for lunch.Though looking at their website they are now open on weekends.

You go past the airport to get there.During WW2 it was an RAAF base mainly for training.At the entrance to the airport is the propeller of a P2 Neptune as a memorial to those who served there.
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On to the distillery.
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The barrels are for 2 things.First they do barrel aged gin-the first year was aged in rum barrels from a place down the road.The current release was aged in port barrels.But at $200 a pop I didn't partake.
I was told later this year they were releasing a vodka and a rum.Chilli vodka is now on their web page.
Tours are free.When I rocked up there was no one else there so I had a private tour.No cost and a free coughtail.For more it was $5.I also got a taste of their classic gin,the premium and navy strength gins-not sure if that is always the case.I did like their premium gin.A couple of more tropical botanicals including finger lime and kaffir lime both grown locally.

Tours & Tastings - Kalki Moon Distilling and Brewing

Come and experience a day in the life at Kalki Moon. To share our passion for craft distilled spirits we offer guided tours of our distillery followed by the opportunity to have a taste of your choice. Be guided through the different stages of our production by head distiller Rick or one of our...

kalkimoon.com

 

[drron]

I really only ate out once apart from 2 weekend lunches of a pie and one of a burger.The place I could get into was the Water Street Kitchen.It had been open for lunches for a while and was very popular with hospital staff.They had just started to open for dinner but Friday and Saturday nights only.I went there on a Saturday night.Highly recommended.Now open Wednesday to Saturday.

Water St Kitchen: Bundaberg's Premier Restaurant

We aim to elevate the very best ingredients from local producers into culinary experiences that celebrate the richness of our community, matching them with beautiful Australian wines, coughtails & fine champagne at Water St Kitchen.

www.waterstkitchen.com.au

I started with the tuna entree.Really nice.I then had a steak because I hadn't had one for a while and the waiter said their waygu was really good but they only had 1 serve left.So I had it so there wouldn't be arguments later on.A side of truffled fries with parmesan as well.
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I like the way the gravy came-to the right of the fries.As I left it was the last of the sunset.
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I did try to have a lunch at the Indulge cafe which was highly recommended but I could never get a seat.So probably is good.