24 hours in Hervey Bay

I only spent one night in Hervey Bay, on Monday, April 30, because it’s best known for its whale-watching opportunities but this wasn’t the right season for them.

I checked into Next Backpackers and the staff said at the moment, I had a six-bed ensuite dorm all to myself, so could they offer me a free upgrade to a four-bed dorm? I declined and the gamble paid off. I had the best night’s sleep in ages. Although the room was not bug-free, I didn’t get any bites there.

I went for a walk around the town and along Urangan Pier which was nearly 1km long and very popular with fishermen. The sea was the flattest I had ever seen it, because it was sheltered by Fraser Island. I didn’t have a chance to see much before it began to rain heavily and get dark. On the way back to the hostel, I noticed some large bats making their way inland, and as I stood and watched, they continued to appear until the skies were totally filled with the distinctive silhouettes, all flying in the same direction. It was creepy. I also noticed that the town seems to have a connection with Devon, with streets named after Exeter, Honiton, Barnstaple and so on.

Back at the hostel, I enjoyed a couple of drinks in the bar with some other girls before we watched a film in the TV room. The wine was the cheapest I’ve come across in Australia (excluding goon as it’s not technically wine), and the barman filled the glasses right to the brim when the manager wasn’t looking.

He wasn’t the only member of staff to do me a favour. The minibus driver took me to the Greyhound bus stop via the McDonald’s drive-thru so I could get one of the 30 cent soft serve cones to which I have become a bit addicted.

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