Campervan Diaries Day 4 - Bundaberg to Brisbane (361km) and on to Surfers Paradise

After our nightmare day driving yesterday we were looking forward to a fresh start. Thankfully, due to the distance we had driven over the first two days, yesterday’s delays did not set us back too much. We were only 361km from Brisbane which we calculated would take us around four hours to drive.

We started the day by giving the campervan a little wash down. One of the conditions of the contract was that we would be liable to pay a $220 cleaning charge if the camper was returned dirty. Unfortunately for us, due to the dry and dusty conditions in Queensland the campervan was filthy; dark dust was ingrained into the panels of the camper it seemed as we tried to clean it. Nonetheless, after half hour or so of hosing it down it was looking a lot better, although still not quite spotless. We did the final few checks and topped up the water tank and went on our way. Our first stop was actually the camp site reception, as we arrived after hours the lovely gentleman who ran the place said we could pay in the morning. So, instead of driving off and having a free night we returned the man’s courtesy and kindness by paying the sum of $32.

Nicola drove us out of Bundaberg (hopefully the last time we’ll see that place) and headed towards Gympie. We had planned for Nicola to drive to Gympie and then I’d take over and drive into Brisbane. The drive was smooth and trouble free, which was a relief. We were stopped at dozens (literally dozens, that’s not me exaggerating here) of road works and were relieved each time we passed through. We stopped at a layby just north of Gympie for Nicola and I to swap driving duties and I continued our drive along the Bruce Highway. The terrain all day was farmed fields (primarily sugar cane in this area) that were a lush green and crops that stood towering over cars. It was a pleasant drive and it was not until an hour and a half outside of Brisbane that the road changed from the A1 Bruce Highway to the M1 Bruce Highway and two and then three driving lanes formed. I never thought I’d be so glad to see three lanes of tarmac; turned into a proper truckie on this journey! The joy was short lived because after thirty clicks or so (30km) the road became the single lane A1 again.

The traffic started to pick up around 45 minutes to Brisbane and it was along that stretch of road that we could see towns of a fair size, before now most towns were nothing more than hamlets. We passed a few bush fires along the way and even had to quickly change lanes to avoid driving into a fire engine that was sat stationary in the right hand lane; the fire fighters were outside fighting a bush fire. The drive in to Brisbane was easy enough as we turned off onto the Gold Coast highway around 20km from Brisbane. We were running very short of petrol (again, we didn’t learn) and managed to get to a service station with the fuel tank on empty. We used the stop to give the campervan one last hose down before we set off again with Nicola (chief navigator) directing me through the traffic of outer Brisbane towards the industrial area where we had to drop off the campvervan.

Who let the dogs out?....

 

We made it to the Britz campervan depot at 13:00 on the dot, two hours early. We handed the camper back and enquired about any further relocs that were coming up – preferably Brisbane to Sydney but unfortunately there were none. We were told the campervan was fine and that we would receive the $1000 bond back, much to our relief. We also had $250 in fuel back, but owing to our sojourns to Mission Beach, Finch Hatton Gorge and Agnes Water (not to mention the huge loop detour following the crash) we had spent around $400 on fuel. Still, to see those three places was worth the $150 in fuel – the nerve testing detour on fuel fumes alone was not worth it however; the anxiety from that trip may have knocked a year off our lives.

Our total driving distance over the four days amounted to a whopping 1786 km. However, if you include the detours and day trips that figure easily tips over the 2000 km mark. So an average of 500 km per day - a future in long distance lorry driving awaits us!

We ordered a taxi and headed to Bowen Hills Station in Brisbane where we boarded a train to the Gold Coast. Before we left for Australia I though the Gold Coast was a region, it turns out that it is a city with the very famous Surfer’s Paradise area within. As we had headed down the back stairs at Bowen Hills Station we hadn’t actually bought a ticket. The train conductors were in a bit of a bother because we couldn’t actually buy tickets on the train – weird – so they said as we were tourists (well, they didn’t say that in so many words but it was implied…or at least inferred anyway) we could pay as we left Nerang Station (closest station to Gold Coast) as we left the turnstiles. Well, when we arrived at Nerang Station the turnstiles were open and unsupervised so we had two free train tickets to the Gold Coast; sweet – but don’t tell the conductors!

We hopped aboard a bus that resembled a sardine can of people and trundled slowly towards Surfer’s Paradise. The bus ride cost $10 and lasted around 30 minutes but we had some lovely view upon arrival. We arrived at the Surfer’s Paradise Transit Centre that was closed for refurbishment and called our hostel who offered a free pick up service. We were picked up by an amiable Scouser who told us he had been in Gold Coast for four months and it was his favourite place in Australia. That seemed promising, but before long he dropped in the caveat that he had only been to Byron bay, Sydney and Melbourne in 11 months. Still…his recommendation seemed genuine enough.

We checked into our hostel and were taken to a separate house further down the street where the private rooms were; it felt like living in a house share as there was one other room with two people and we had a large shared lounge and kitchen, as well as a shared bathroom and toilet. There was a bunk bed in the room (double on the bottom single on top) that made it look like a teenager’s bedroom but other than that it was pleasant enough, it even had a balcony.