Day 21 to 22. July 10 and 11 2022. Burnett Heads and Bundaberg. Linda Burnett Land

We have kept the drives short and the van is feeling and sounding a lot better on the car. A bit more confidence that it is doing the right thing and I am able to handle it OK. We detour via Mon Repos, a turtle sanctuary, for a coffee and some education. The centre is great, and they have good displays, but the turtles didn’t hear about our schedule and they only start arriving in November. This is where the Victorians have it right where the penguins come in every night down at Philip Island. None of this seasonal business. Regardless, highly recommend the centre and the work they do for the Loggerhead Turtles.

Our caravan park is in Burnett Heads. This wasn’t a recommendation, it was purely chosen by name. Linda thought it only fitting to go and check out their famous lighthouse. It is a tiny town with a great old fashioned caravan park, a pub with a cracking counter meal and a crappy lighthouse. Tonight is the second time we eat out, the only other time was when our lovely hosts Lody and Andrew took us out in the Blue Mountains. No stove to set up, no juggling of pots and pans and utensils, no dishes in the camp kithcen and eating in a heated venue. The pub did have a varied menu, but predictably the special of the night was Lamb Roast. Part of the idea of going out was to have a treat, the other was to counteract the fact that due to Queensland being slightly further east and in the same time zone as Melbourne, the sun still sets at 5:15.

In a caravan park, this means dinner is early to take advantage of some of the light, and with our camper, when it is cold, there is little option but to get into it – effectively meaning we have gone to bed some nights at 7:30. So, off to the pub at 5:00 for a few drinks and a counter meal and maybe stay up a little later. All was going to plan, Linda able to have a Bundy in the Bundy region and myself a nice beer not in a can. Besides the food being excellent, so was the service, and the meal came out soon after we had ordered. We are back to the van at 7:30 and hopping in due to it being cold again.

Of course, Bundaberg would not be complete without a visit to the distillery. Linda has always had a penchant for Bundy Rum, but personally I can’t even stand the smell of it. It always takes me back to the days when I worked behind the public bar in Footscray, and after 11 a.m. opening, one regular would always have a bundy first up. Particularly if I had a few the night before, the unique smell has always churned the tummy. However, being the loving husband that I am, I am still keen to take Linda to the Rum factory and go for a tour.

Interesting fact 1. Bundy is like Vegemite. 85% of all Bundy sales are in Australia. 3% are sold to Ex-pats in New Zealand, and the other bigger slices are in Bali, Canadian Ski fields, and other Aussie tourist traps. The final slice is duty free around the world – being sold to Australians. Aussies are the only ones that drink this stuff, which either says something about the drink, or Australians. Not sure which one. Interesting fact 2. You can get Bundy Rum liqueurs at the distillery. Chocolate with Coffee and Banana with Toffee were the ones we tasted. Banana and Toffee had a milk mixer and tasted like a Barney Banana which had fermented in the bottom of the freezer after being forgotten the previous summer. It is no surprise they are not stocked anywhere else.