We’re back from a short trip to the Coral Coast. We stayed at Innes Park, 5 minutes south of Bargara beach.
This area is where the Great Barrier Reef begins.
It was rainy and very windy for the first couple of days. We had bad reception so there was no internet. The television aerial was on its last legs and actually fell off the house on our final night – we could only get a couple of channels now and then, and none on the last day.
The salt air had done some damage to the house (corroded windows etc.,).
Michael was not impressed (‘these people need to renovate’ he said 😉 ).
By the end of the holiday he said that it wasn’t such a bad thing to have no tv or internet (nb., easy for him to say as he had his Sony Android game playing tablet with him!).
They do say ‘disconnect to reconnect’.
Here is the house we stayed in:
Here is the view from the house:
The shoreline in this area is unique in that it is lined by black basalt rocks, formed by volcanic activity a million years ago.
Apparently the rocks continue underwater and are completely covered by corals in some parts. This means you can go snorkelling or diving right from the shoreline (if you are that way inclined).
The kids had a great time searching the shore and rock pools for coral, shells and little critters.
There is still some sand to be found:
We discovered what must be the prettiest toilet block in Queensland and were particularly impressed that a Gouldian Finch had been included in the mural 🙂 The mural was on every side of the block (I would show you all the pictures but am running out of room).
We visited Bargara for the shops and restaurants (5 minutes drive from where we were staying at Innes Park).
We were allowed to let our dogs Jazz and Sheba stay with us – yayayayay.
Jazz loves the water!
Sheba is less enthusiastic but loves to play tennis on the sand.
These rocks are a bit difficult to negotiate 😉
Got the ball!
This playing on the beach can wear a dog out!
I think this will be the holiday the kids will remember for years to come 🙂
Gabe Feathers McGee 
Looks great, Gabrielle. And, if the kids remember the holiday for years to come, job done!
haha – thanks Martin – it’s a bit like that – I think of things in relation to how the kids will remember them(eg., if I am too tired to make a decent meal – the kids will remember that Mum was a bit slack in the kitchen department).
Love the last pic – Jazz looks like a cartoon dog!
(sent from a dull dark damp England!)
Thanks Rog – she acts like a cartoon dog too 😉 – she’s 5 now but still acts like a big puppy and is totally obsessed with playing ball – she’ll keep going even when she is exhausted.
Looks amazing. *dreams*
hahaha – but you are in a beautiful place yourself (one I wouldn’t mind visiting)
this looks so damn beautiful Gabe
and as snow falls here now it looks tempting like eden..
Thanks Dhyan – you will have to visit Australia some day 🙂
O I could do without tv and net and phone in exchange for that shoreline…
ahhhhh am soooo green with envy now…
Gabrielle–can I stow away in your trunk next time??? pleazzzzzzzzz?
certainly 47whitebuffalo – haha
What a lovely place and photos…..I may have to plan a trip down that way.:-)
Come on down slpmartin 🙂 One of the good things is the temperature is good most times of year – very mild in winter (and usually fine) – summer is more unpredictable cause you never know if you are going to get a cyclone or something.
Great pics of a great place, great kids and funny dogs. You are indeed blessed. 🙂
Thanks Stafford – I was a bit stressed for half the trip, but that is just me and travel – when the weather cleared and we went swimming I felt much better 🙂
Phil and I have just spent the last ten minutes drooling over these fabulous photos: your dogs are amazing, and the photographs show them off so beautifully! Glad you had such a good time!
Thanks Kate – it was a good time of day to take photos and the dogs are always good subjects 🙂
This brings back such wonderful childhood memories for me Gabe… I learned to ride a surf ski at Bargara, and the fishing was always good! Looks as gorgeous as I remember it.
A surf ski would be fun Graham 🙂 I’m a bit of a chicken in the ocean and not the best swimmer – wish I was more courageous (and a better swimmer).
How gorgeous! The area and your dogs 🙂
Thanks Tilly 🙂 The labradoodles are big sooky lalas but gorgeous.
Great photos, Gabe! Jazz looks like a giant toy dog – he’s so comical 🙂 What a perfect spot to stay – the water looks soooo inviting.
The water temperature was perfect (we swam in the estuary) so even I went for a swim 😉 Jazz is a comical beasty – he is a she by the way – haha. She is very friendly and if a stranger approaches she will go up to them, step on their feet and lean on their legs while waiting for a good scratch to the ears and head 🙂
I Love that last photo of Jazz. Talk about being jolly! What a gorgeous place to go on holiday. You must feel so relaxed now!
You’d think 😉 I am feeling relaxed now the kids have started school – haha – and they just started half an hour ago. Jazz is a jolly dog Selma (a good description) with a lolling pink tongue.
What an incredibly beautiful place!
It is Aletha (it’s not all spiders, sharks and crocodiles 😉 )
Lovely fellas!
thanks Sony 🙂
Gabrielle , your holiday looks fabulous. Fresh air, beautiful beach, gouldian finch mural – life does not get much better than that. It makes me wish my children were young & carefree again instead of teenagers. Their idea of a dream holiday I suspect would not include their parents & rock pools.
hahaha – oh dear! I suspect you are right – the temporary absence of parents is what teenagers dream of 🙂 so they can party on!