Day 4

Tiaro to Bundaberg – 126km
Bundaberg East Cabin Tourist Park – $39, ensuite/powered
Kalki Moon Gin Distillery – free (including 2 gin/liqueur samples pp)
Bundaberg Rum Distillery Tour – $30 pp (including 1 rum and 1 liqueur sample)

If you ask me, last nights free camp site wasn’t that bad. If you ask Matt it was the worst nights sleep he has ever had. The road was noisy and we were on a bit of a hill, but I’ve slept in worst places!

We set off to Bundaberg first thing and arrived at our first stop, the Kalki Moon Gin Distillery, a little before midday. Unfortunately they weren’t able to give us a tour but they were able to give us 2 free samples each. We tried a couple of different gins and liqueurs and their Premium Gin was my favourite (and of course was also the most expensive).

After gin, we headed over to our campsite. We decided to splash out on an ‘en suite’ site for a whole $7 extra but was definitely worth it for not having to trudge across a camp to get to the toilet at 3am! (It’s the little things!)

We chose this particular camp because it was a 10 minute walk from the rum and I think we had it in our heads that we were going to be wobbling home. I obviously didn’t really consider the fact that I don’t actually like rum that much when making this decision. But hey, when in Bundaberg!

For those who don’t know, Bundaberg Rum is a hugely popular drink in Australia. In fact, their rum has actually been voted best rum in the world on a couple of occasions. Who knew?! I hadn’t heard of it until I came here and that’s mainly because they barely export.

The tour was actually really interesting. Bundaberg Rum was founded in 1888. At the time, the area was well known for its sugar industry. A by product of sugar production is molasses. Molasses is the main ingredient needed to produce rum so it made sense to build a distillery here.

We finished of the tour with a rum and a liqueur sample each and were back by 5pm, tucked up in bed by 8pm. Wild and crazy party animals.

Day 5

Bundaberg to Agnes Water/1770 – 126km
1770 YHA Beachside Hostel – $48

I feel there are slight misconceptions made when it comes to travelling that every day is fun and full of adventure. This absolutely isn’t true.

We woke up fairly early and headed of to the car wreckers. We have been searching for some bull bars to put onto the front of Hank for a few weeks. After the East Coast, we will be travelling through the outback to Darwin and you are much more likely to hit a kangaroo on those roads. Bull bars offer a bit of protection to your vehicle which may otherwise be a total write off. (Kangas are heavy!)

To our surprise, sitting there in the wreckers yard in Bundaberg was a 2002 Pajero NM, the exact same model as Hank with unscathed bull bars. We got super excited and the wreckers offered to sell them to us for $150.

Luckily, we had a little sense about us and decided to call around and ask what the fitting costs would be from local mechanics. All sense of excitement faded immediately and we knocked that expensive nail on the head very quickly.

After we were done having our dreams dashed we went to Bunnings (basically a big B&Q but they have a bbq outside selling sausage ‘sangas’) for some ear plugs for our hostel stay this evening and then stopped at Subway for lunch before driving on to Agnes Water.

We have stayed in just once hostel before this evening in our entire trip of Australia so far and it wasn’t a great experience but sometimes, needs must. It was forecast rain for this weekend and we didn’t really fancy camping in the rain, plus a hostel was the same price as the camp ground so it was a bit of a no brainer.

Before travelling, I had this idealised impression of a hostel that it would be a super sociable place (and I am sure in some places they are). When we arrived the majority of people were sitting alone, playing on their phones. And those that were talking, didn’t seem very receptive to inviting new people to their groups.

We did manage to get talking to a pair of Americans, who taught us how to play Uno. Yep, I’ve never played Uno before today, I haven’t lived, I know. We also had a couple of games of pool, chatted a little, then headed to bed.

See, not every travelling day is a fun day.

Day 6

Agnes Water/1770
1770 YHA Beachside Hostel – $48

Rain was forecast all day so we were a little stumped on what to do in a place where 95% of activities are outdoors. It was dry when we woke up, albeit very cloudy, so we decided a hike was the best option. We planned a route from our hostel to the headlands of 1770 and set off.

The town Seventeen Seventy is known as the second landing place of James Cook and his crew in Australia on 24th May, 1770 – get it? It was originally named Round Hill, however was renamed in 1936 to recognise the historical importance of the town.

We are staying in nearby Agnes Water and decided to walk up the beach towards 1770. You can see straight up the coastline and I’m sure on a clear day, it would be absolutely beautiful.

Once we had reached the end of the beach, we took a train which lead to the the Joseph Banks Conservation Park. During the Autumn and Winter months the park is home to thousands of migrating butterflies, most famously, the Blue Tiger Butterfly. It was a beautiful sight and this paired with the ocean views from the look outs made the walk so worth it. We walked back a long the 1770 Foreshore and then a long the main road back to the hostel.

Typically it didnt really rain at all, just a little shower at the half way point but 26000 steps later and my little feet are exhausted!

We stopped by the bottle shop (off license) and got a box of goon. If you don’t know what goon is you are both lucky and missing out at the same time. Goon is basically stupidly cheap boxed wine and it is generally awful but when it’s the equivalent of 5.5 bottles for $15 (or £8.30) you can’t justify buying anything else.

Its burger night in the hostel. Matt opted for the kangaroo, I’m sticking to beef. Pray we don’t get food poisoning!