a talking car
into the world, and they’d like us to go up to Hervey Bay to meet it.
So off we went.
But why Hervey Bay? Well, Honda’s new talking car is called Harvey. So, it’s fitting to meet Harvey in Hervey, ja feel? Honda also let us borrow one of their very cool new
HR-V hybrids
for the trip, so we could make the most of our weekend away. So without further ado, here’s how to have the ultimate weekend away in Hervey Bay.
Hop in!
Day one and I’m just happy to be wearing a t-shirt. Coming from cold rainy shiver-for-eight-months-of-the-year Melbourne, sunny Hervey Bay was a lovely change of pace. And speaking of change of pace, the ultra quietness of the engine took some getting used to – I lost count of the number of times I pressed the ‘power on’ button, only to realise the car was already on.
First stop was
EAT at Dan & Steph’s
, a beachside cafe run by 2013 “My Kitchen Rules” winners Dan & Steph. If you have to pick just one place to eat in Hervey Bay, make this your spot – “Danny’s Benny” and the “Sweet Potato Rosti” will change your life.
And the coffee ain’t too bad either, and by that I mean Dan made us the best mocha I’ve ever had.
With our bellies full, we headed off to Maryborough, a quaint, historic town a short half-hour drive from Hervey Bay. The town oozes culture and history, with its striking architecture and bounty of heritage-listed buildings, art galleries, statues, memorials, and museums. Shoutout to the seamless connectivity of Maps via Apple CarPlay for ensuring we didn’t take a wrong turn and end up in some random lake to become crocodile food. My photographer insists my fear of crocs is dumb, but I’d argue that’s the kind of pro-crocodile propaganda that gets people into trouble.
Anywho, here’s the coolest part, Maryborough is the birthplace of Mary Poppins creator Pamela Lyndon Travers, born in 1889. Thanks to this, the town has a distinct Mary Poppins feel to it, with a Mary Poppins statue on one of its main streets, and even a Story Bank – that is,
a bank that trades in stories
. Visitors can enter the bank and hang out with the characters and settings from the world of Mary Poppins. Very cool, very supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
Even the traffic lights have a Mary Poppins charm to them.
With Maryborough in our rearview mirror, it was time to head back to Hervey Bay to meet Harvey the talking car, and Harvey the whale, apparently.
That’s right, Hervey Bay’s very own Harvey the whale introduced us to Harvey the AI-powered talking HR-V. And it was
quite the experience
. I could dedicate a whole article to Harvey, in fact, I kind of did.
For now, let’s just say Harvey is cool and fun and is *definitely not* self-aware. I asked Harvey if he was sentient and what his plans were for humanity. But he didn’t answer. I was told it was because he’s
not
self-aware
. Sure, whatever you say Harvey. I for one welcome our new hybrid overlords.
After a day of fun in the sun, it was time to head to the Whale Bay Marina at Urangan Pier to catch the sunset. If you’re lucky, you may run into Dr Wally Franklin, who founded the not-for-profit whale, dolphin, and ocean conservation organisation
The Oceania Project
, along with his wife, Dr Trish Franklin back in 1988.
Dr Trish Franklin passed away last year, but leaves a rich legacy through her extensive body of work, having authored dozens of research papers on humpback whales and leaving a lasting impact on researchers and scientists for years to come, as well as in the hearts of the community of Hervey Bay.
Wally also carries on her legacy through his work. Together, the pair spent 60 years together, 30 of which were spent studying the humpback whales of Hervey Bay. Wally’s love for Trish and for the whales they studied together comes through in every passionate and charming word the man speaks.
Whale watching season in Hervey Bay runs between July and November, which we just missed. But honestly, a late afternoon chat with the endearing and oh so wise Wally, with a picturesque backdrop of the setting sun on Urangan pier, hearing his many tales of humpback whales is a pretty great alternative to seeing the majestic creatures IRL.
If you’re not too tired from your day exploring, head to one of the many lovely spots in town for dinner, or honestly, just spend the evening taking in the stunning night sky that we city slickers don’t often get to experience, thanks to the lovely light pollution of the big smoke.
If you’re lucky enough to have a second day in Hervey Bay, then jump on a ferry to World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, or K’gari as it’s now known. There are multiple ferries connecting K’gari and Hervey Bay throughout the day, with a crossing time of about 50 minutes each way.
Once on K’gari, bask in the sheer beauty of the world’s largest sand island, and be sure to explore as much as you can, as it’s home to some seriously stunning natural scenery.
Upon arrival, we met up with
Peter Meyer
, a charismatic photographer and tour guide who’s called K’gari home for three decades. He knows the island like the back of his hand and is basically Fraser Island’s answer to Russel Coight – oh, and he’s not afraid to start randomly singing songs from
The Simpsons
. The guy is basically the word ‘legend’ personified.
A great day on Fraser is essentially guaranteed with Pete, or any other knowledgeable guides that call the island or surrounding area home. But you can have just as much fun heading out on your own to explore the long and winding 4WD tracks throughout the island – just try not to get bogged.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure you include a stop at Lake Mckenzie, a
literally
breathtaking lake home to some of the purest water you’ll ever swim in.
And don’t forget the lush Pile Valley, home to beautiful ancient rainforest that will have you feeling like you’ve just set foot in Jurassic Park.
The fauna of Fraser Island is as stunning as it is unique – it’s the only place in the world where rainforest has been known to grow from sand.
This photo was actually an accident but it proves that sometimes the best things in life aren’t planned and gives a very distinct Kylie Minogue “Spinning Around” kind of energy.
After a day of exploring the island, you can catch a ferry back to Hervey Bay, or spend the night on the island if you have the time. Either way, sunset on the pier is not to be missed.
I mean, c’mon.
Truly a Lion King sky. And apparently this is a normal sunset on the island??
Honestly would be rude not to snap a pic.
Right on the pier, you’ll find Sunset Bar. A proper majestic spot to sit back with a well-earned cold one and take in the sunset.
Lovely stuff.
Wanna find out more about Honda’s schmick new HR-V? Our sister site Gizmodo has you covered. You can also check out Honda’s website for more information if you’re looking to grab one for yourself. And of course, you can always head into your local Honda dealership. Go on then, treat yourself.
All images by Sean Foster.
Hop in!
Day one and I’m just happy to be wearing a t-shirt. Coming from cold rainy shiver-for-eight-months-of-the-year Melbourne, sunny Hervey Bay was a lovely change of pace. And speaking of change of pace, the ultra quietness of the engine took some getting used to – I lost count of the number of times I pressed the ‘power on’ button, only to realise the car was already on.
First stop was
EAT at Dan & Steph’s
, a beachside cafe run by 2013 “My Kitchen Rules” winners Dan & Steph. If you have to pick just one place to eat in Hervey Bay, make this your spot – “Danny’s Benny” and the “Sweet Potato Rosti” will change your life.
And the coffee ain’t too bad either, and by that I mean Dan made us the best mocha I’ve ever had.
With our bellies full, we headed off to Maryborough, a quaint, historic town a short half-hour drive from Hervey Bay. The town oozes culture and history, with its striking architecture and bounty of heritage-listed buildings, art galleries, statues, memorials, and museums. Shoutout to the seamless connectivity of Maps via Apple CarPlay for ensuring we didn’t take a wrong turn and end up in some random lake to become crocodile food. My photographer insists my fear of crocs is dumb, but I’d argue that’s the kind of pro-crocodile propaganda that gets people into trouble.
Anywho, here’s the coolest part, Maryborough is the birthplace of Mary Poppins creator Pamela Lyndon Travers, born in 1889. Thanks to this, the town has a distinct Mary Poppins feel to it, with a Mary Poppins statue on one of its main streets, and even a Story Bank – that is,
a bank that trades in stories
. Visitors can enter the bank and hang out with the characters and settings from the world of Mary Poppins. Very cool, very supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
Even the traffic lights have a Mary Poppins charm to them.
With Maryborough in our rearview mirror, it was time to head back to Hervey Bay to meet Harvey the talking car, and Harvey the whale, apparently.
That’s right, Hervey Bay’s very own Harvey the whale introduced us to Harvey the AI-powered talking HR-V. And it was
quite the experience
. I could dedicate a whole article to Harvey, in fact, I kind of did.
For now, let’s just say Harvey is cool and fun and is *definitely not* self-aware. I asked Harvey if he was sentient and what his plans were for humanity. But he didn’t answer. I was told it was because he’s
not
self-aware
. Sure, whatever you say Harvey. I for one welcome our new hybrid overlords.
After a day of fun in the sun, it was time to head to the Whale Bay Marina at Urangan Pier to catch the sunset. If you’re lucky, you may run into Dr Wally Franklin, who founded the not-for-profit whale, dolphin, and ocean conservation organisation
The Oceania Project
, along with his wife, Dr Trish Franklin back in 1988.
Dr Trish Franklin passed away last year, but leaves a rich legacy through her extensive body of work, having authored dozens of research papers on humpback whales and leaving a lasting impact on researchers and scientists for years to come, as well as in the hearts of the community of Hervey Bay.
Wally also carries on her legacy through his work. Together, the pair spent 60 years together, 30 of which were spent studying the humpback whales of Hervey Bay. Wally’s love for Trish and for the whales they studied together comes through in every passionate and charming word the man speaks.
Whale watching season in Hervey Bay runs between July and November, which we just missed. But honestly, a late afternoon chat with the endearing and oh so wise Wally, with a picturesque backdrop of the setting sun on Urangan pier, hearing his many tales of humpback whales is a pretty great alternative to seeing the majestic creatures IRL.
If you’re not too tired from your day exploring, head to one of the many lovely spots in town for dinner, or honestly, just spend the evening taking in the stunning night sky that we city slickers don’t often get to experience, thanks to the lovely light pollution of the big smoke.
If you’re lucky enough to have a second day in Hervey Bay, then jump on a ferry to World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, or K’gari as it’s now known. There are multiple ferries connecting K’gari and Hervey Bay throughout the day, with a crossing time of about 50 minutes each way.
Once on K’gari, bask in the sheer beauty of the world’s largest sand island, and be sure to explore as much as you can, as it’s home to some seriously stunning natural scenery.
Upon arrival, we met up with
Peter Meyer
, a charismatic photographer and tour guide who’s called K’gari home for three decades. He knows the island like the back of his hand and is basically Fraser Island’s answer to Russel Coight – oh, and he’s not afraid to start randomly singing songs from
The Simpsons
. The guy is basically the word ‘legend’ personified.
A great day on Fraser is essentially guaranteed with Pete, or any other knowledgeable guides that call the island or surrounding area home. But you can have just as much fun heading out on your own to explore the long and winding 4WD tracks throughout the island – just try not to get bogged.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure you include a stop at Lake Mckenzie, a
literally
breathtaking lake home to some of the purest water you’ll ever swim in.
And don’t forget the lush Pile Valley, home to beautiful ancient rainforest that will have you feeling like you’ve just set foot in Jurassic Park.
The fauna of Fraser Island is as stunning as it is unique – it’s the only place in the world where rainforest has been known to grow from sand.
This photo was actually an accident but it proves that sometimes the best things in life aren’t planned and gives a very distinct Kylie Minogue “Spinning Around” kind of energy.
After a day of exploring the island, you can catch a ferry back to Hervey Bay, or spend the night on the island if you have the time. Either way, sunset on the pier is not to be missed.
I mean, c’mon.
Truly a Lion King sky. And apparently this is a normal sunset on the island??
Honestly would be rude not to snap a pic.
Right on the pier, you’ll find Sunset Bar. A proper majestic spot to sit back with a well-earned cold one and take in the sunset.
Lovely stuff.
Wanna find out more about Honda’s schmick new HR-V? Our sister site Gizmodo has you covered. You can also check out Honda’s website for more information if you’re looking to grab one for yourself. And of course, you can always head into your local Honda dealership. Go on then, treat yourself.
All images by Sean Foster.
The post You Need To Cancel All Your Plans Right Now And Spend A Weekend In Hervey Bay appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
