Page 247 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

SOUTH OF T OWNSVILLE  245

The Glasshouse Mountains, a Queensland landmark on the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast
restaurants. The most attractive 5Hervey Bay begin their final run to
centres are Montville and Maleny. * 41,000. ~ @ g n 227 Antarctica. Since whaling was
The drive from Maleny to Maryborough-Hervey Bay Rd, Torquay, stopped in the 1960s, numbers
Mapleton is one of the most Hervey Bay (07) 4197 4730 or 1800 have quadrupled from 300 to
scenic in the region, with 811 728. ∑ visitherveybay.info approximately 5,000.
views across to Moreton Island,
encompassing pineapple As recently as the 1970s Environs
and sugar cane fields. Hervey Bay was just a string The sugar city of central
Consisting of ten volcanic of five fishing villages. Queensland, Bundaberg is 62 km
cones, the Glasshouse Mountains However, the safe beaches (38 miles) north of Hervey Bay.
were formed 20 million years and mild climate have It is the home of Bundaberg
ago. The craggy volcanic peaks quickly turned it into a (“Bundy”) rum, the biggest-
were named by Captain Cook metropolis of over 40,000 selling spirit label in
in 1770 because they reminded people and one of the Australia. Bundaberg is an
him of the glass furnaces in fastest-growing holiday attractive town with many
his native Yorkshire. centres in Australia. 19th-century buildings.
Hervey Bay is also The city’s favourite son,
the best place for whale- Bert Hinkler (1892–1933),
4Maryborough watching. Humpback was the first man to fly solo
whales migrate more than from England to Australia
* 21,300. ~ £ @
n City Hall, Kent St, 1800 214 789. 11,000 km (7,000 miles) in 1928. His original “Ibis”
∑ visitmaryborough.info every year from the Bundaberg rum aircraft is displayed in the
Antarctic to northern Hinkler Hall of Aviation.
Situated on the banks of the Australian waters to mate and
Mary River, Maryborough has a calve. On their return, between E Hinkler Hall of Aviation
strong link with Australia’s early August and October, they rest Young St, Botanic Gardens. Tel (07)
history. Founded in 1843, the at Hervey Bay to give the calves 4130 4400. Open 9am–4pm daily.
town provided housing for time to develop a protective Closed Good Fri, 25 Apr, 25 Dec. 7
Kanakas’ labour (see p239)p239)p239 and layer of blubber before they & ∑ hinklerhallofaviation.com
was the only port apart from
Sydney where free settlers could
enter. This resulted in a thriving
town – the buildings reflecting
the wealth of its citizens.
Many of these buildings
survive, earning Maryborough
the title of “Heritage City”. A great
many of the town’s private
residences also date from the
19th century, ranging from simple
workers’ cottages to beautiful old
“Queenslanders”. These houses
are distinctive to the state, set
high off the ground to catch
the cool air currents and with
graceful verandas on all sides. Classic Queenslander-style house in Maryborough