Today we are heading to Dingo Beach for a look - it is about 42 kms north of us , and the next habituated area north of Airlie Beach . The rain had dropped to drizzle & occasional rain , but as we drive further north the rain eased , then stopped . The cloud was hanging over the ridge lines on the way up and the sugarcane gave way to cattle country , and got drier and drier . Grass coverage was getting lighter and looked more like we should be out west , rather than 15klms from the coast .
Arriving at Dingo Beach , we past the hotel & general store and were at the beach after going around the next corner . The tide was out again , and the boat ramp was rather long , there was a netted swimming area and not a lot else - there were 4 people getting out of a tinnie , and one guy was suiting up to go spear fishing , whilst his other half was fishing , other than them , there was only us.
Dingo Beach
Driving up to the northern end of the beach road , we found a track to a parking area , with a gravel road going up the hill - so off we went , not too fast , but unfortunately too slow and lost traction & slid into the gutter on the side - no drama - locked the front hubs , put into 4wd low range , 2nd gear and drive straight up the hill - Lyn was happy I was driving . The track followed the power line up the hill , then forked to the right and closed in to two wheel tracks and not a lot of manoeuvring room . We kept going , hopefully there would be a clearing , so we could get some nice photos , no such luck , we kept going and started going down and getting rougher , so we found a spot to do a 15 point turn and drove back out .
Next on the agenda was around the northern headland to Hideaway Bay - to get there , you go back into Dingo Beach and head back a few kms toward Proserpine , then turn off and go into Hideaway Bay . It had a caravan park , a lot more houses than Dingo Beach , but no shops that we could see .
Hideaway Bay Beach
We continued on to Cape Gloucester - it was about 5 klms of dirt road , before you reach two resorts, and some houses that are in a gated / private road . The views at the end of the road were over to Bowen - on the other side of an expansive bay - probably 25 klms as the crow flies - and the bay is a protected area for Dugong breeding - we didn't see any though . We got some great views of Gloucester Island - an island bigger than Hamilton Island , and much taller - Mt Bertha is 560m above sea level . We got to see both sides and the southern end . Montes resort is a resort and restaurant that you can visit and eat at - for a price - and is perched on the edge of the beach with a private boat ramp for the use of guests only . There is a covered deck that you can sit on and eat your meals with views of the beach & ocean to die for / or pay for !!!!
We had decided that fish & chips would be good for lunch , but not for $60 for both of us , so we headed back to Hideaway Bay and went for a wander along the beach . The water is crystal clear , and you can see the coral reefs out off the beach , the water is a turquoise blue colour that really has to be seen to be believed .
Cape Gloucester
Cape Gloucester beach looking at Gloucester Island
Looking across the bay toward Bowen
Gloucester Island
There is a great picnic table at the northern end of the beach with an awesome view .
After chatting to a Victorian couple for 20 mins , we headed back toward Proserpine - me not listening to Lyn , who said we could go back to Dingo Beach to the hotel - selective hearing or just not hearing ??? - anyway , we ended back at Airlie Beach for lunch at 1:55 pm . The drive took us back into the rain , but as we arrived back at Airlie the rain stopped .
All we wanted was some plain old ordinary fish & chips - after checking at the sailing club , hotel , several other restaurants & bars , we came across the best spot and got a piece of Barramundi and some coconut prawns and chips - just what we wanted and was really , really nice !!!!
Airlie was a lot quieter today , so we wandered around for a while before heading back for cheese & bickies - a good day , especially considering the weather .
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