Scenic Drive From Bundaberg - Woodgate, Queensland. Australia
Another great drive from Bundaberg is a short drive to The Burrum Coast National Park, with its uninterrupted coastal views, beautiful hidden gems for swimming, stand-up-paddle boarding, kayaking, fishing and breathtaking walking trails, The Burrum Coast National Park is divided up by the town of Woodgate and Walkers Point. The Kinkuna section is north of Woodgate and covers over 13900 ha while the Woodgate section is much smaller with more of an opportunity for beach side camping.
Woodgate Beach offers 16km of pristine
white sand beaches, calm blue waters and that quiet, peaceful seaside town
vibe. In days gone by it's been a horse paddock, rice and pineapple plantations
and a wine production area but today Woodgate Beach is famous for its troops of
kangaroos grazing on residents front lawns and relaxed seaside atmosphere. Nature
thrill seekers with some horsepower behind them will enjoy varied Four Wheel
Drive tracks on offer which lead to secluded picnic spots and camping areas and
in the Kinkuna section you can pitch your tent for the night right on the ocean
with the stars as your ceiling. Woodgate is a fisherman's paradise with
prawning, crabs and some great hidden fishing spots, just ask some of the
locals to point you in the right direction. There is a lovely path along the
Woodgate Beachfront that is highly accessible to prams, scooters, skateboards,
bikes and everything in between. The path goes all the way along the Esplanade,
and even further in both directions. Serenity Cafe is a wonderful place you can
visit for breakfast with your family the next time you’re in Woodgate. The food
they serve is amazing, and the cafe has a wonderful atmosphere.
We
headed just to the north of Woodgate to Theodolite Creek. Theodolite Creek, a
spot understandably popular with locals and tourists alike and you can feel
totally relaxed at this creek side, shaded by woodland of swamp paperbarks,
blue gums, pink bloodwoods and weeping cabbage palms. Sheltered from prevailing
south-easterly winds, the day-use area has sweeping views of peaceful Creek.
It was
clear that we were not the only ones taking advantage of this fine and sunny
day. Parked up 4WD's, with their empty tinny trailers, were evidence that a few
keen fisherman, jet skiers, kayaks, SUP’s everywhere, everyone were already enjoying
the water. The added bonus is being able to swim with you pup.
The
morning pleasures of Theodolite Creek were enough to satisfy our needs, we
decided to see what else Woodgate Beach has more to offer, but this time in the
opposite direction. We headed south 10
kms to the tiny holiday town of Walkers Point which lies on the northern bank
of the Burrum River, a stream of considerably more significance and clout than
Theodolite Creek.
The
road back to from Walkers Point took us past a turn off onto this short track
through the scrub which leads to direct beach access. Low tide here exposes
broad sweeps of firm wet sand. Just take
not vehicle use north of the access track back towards the main township is
prohibited.
Driving
Conditions
There
are two entrances to this beach south of the Woodgate Township. The northern
entry, off Walkers Point Road, runs down on a broken, rutted wooden board track
that’s easy enough, but care is needed if towing a trailer.
The
beach is wide and flat heading south, the sand fine, muddy and although firm,
sticky in places. As the beach bends around into the wide mouth of the Isis,
the sticky spots become more common and the sand a little softer. Locals warn
not to continue too far towards the river-mouth as it is much softer and bogged
vehicles are common in the muddy sand. Around here, dead trees have washed onto
the shore block access and it’s probably wise to pay attention to their
warning.
The
southern access is softer and follows a sandy track to Burrum Point Camping
area in Burrum Coast National Park. It’s not overly hard, but taking it easy
and going in 4WD high with lower tyre pressures will help prevent track damage.
Camping
Within
Woodgate there are two caravan parks, although the NRMA Woodgate Beach is the
better and closer of the two to the beach access. The caravan park is right
across the road from the beach and has a small cafe and general store at the
front. Burrum Point campground can only be accessed by 4WDs and is a basic,
sandy and shady camp site set amongst the bush. There are drop toilets and
basic cold showers with sites suitable for camper trailers or off-road
caravans, as well as tents.
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