Australia, Road Trips, Travel

Blissful days in Ball Bay

Suzanne

Queensland Roadtrip Pt6

What a fun name, we thought.  It tickled our fancy and ignited that playfulness side of us. We came across Ball Bay while searching for an idyllic place to relax for a few days.  Luckily for us, we had found that perfect place.

It’s always a relief to have a decision made as to where we would camp.  As there was more than one enticing place to camp.  We were looking forward to having the luxury of a beachfront camping site and being positioned in a National Park.

Where is this beautiful Bay?

Ball Bay_edited

Tucked away just north of Mackay in Tropical Queensland, Ball Bay is situated in Cape Hillsborough, which is a coastal outcrop of land that thrusts itself towards the Great Barrier Reef.

A mix of rocky headlands, rich rainforests, white sandy beaches and eucalyptus forests that plunge down to the brilliant blue ocean below, Cape Hillsborough has mainly been designated a National Park.

Unlike many of Australia’s other best National Parks, Cape Hillsborough is simple to get to, with sealed roads and clear signs.’

The preserved landscape and incredible views this place showcases are almost second to none, and one of our new favourite Australian beaches is situated amongst all of this.

Here are some of the reasons why.

Sunrise on the beach_1_edited

Most mornings, we woke in time to enjoy the sun rising over the horizon.  Casting a warm glow over the beach gave us that “we are happy to be alive” feeling.  For me, it added more incentive to head on up and over the hill to check out the next bay.  This short walk where the journey happened to be more enjoyable than the destination.  There was a beached whale at the next bay, not that I lingered to look closely at it.  My curiosity doesn’t stretch to dead animals.

It was a different story for locals as many of them made their morning ritual walk to the bay to see if the dead whale was still there.  Going swimming was abruptly halted as we knew sharks were abundant due to the whale carcass.  Having spotted one or two.  We valued our limbs more so than a dip into those bright blue waters.

A beach to ourselves_1_edited

At the far end of the beach, it seemed more “wild and untouched”, and where we would more likely find a crocodile or two.  We were not looking; we were just observing from a distance.

Further down the beach the bush area was dense and crocodile friendly
Longview of the beach low tide

Our view as we headed back to camp after walking the length of the beach. There was to be an encounter with a smaller being and much cuter than any crocodile could be.  The pleasant surprise occurred when we encountered many sand bubbler crabs trying to escape our curiosity and intrusion.  To view what we saw, do check out my popular video on Instagram

It wasn’t only the sand bubbler crabs keeping us entertained.  We had regular visitors of the feathered variety, making their presence known, usually around mealtimes.  No, we didn’t feed them, and I can’t see how our food would be of any nutritional value to their diet.

The friendly kookaburra_edited

Later in the day, when it was too warm to wander down the beach, we took refuge under the canopy of the palms.  A pleasant stroll to stretch our legs.

Ball Bay is all about the sunrises.

Cape Hillsborough National Park sunset_edited

Published by Suzanne

Travel and Life Musings from New Zealand and Beyond. . . . . . .

45 thoughts on “Blissful days in Ball Bay”

  4. I’ve never heard of these places you’re taking us too. This really is a massive state. Your images are, as always, fabulous. I think my fave – and it was hard to pick – is the beach through the trees.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. We’ve been living on the Sunshine Coast for nearly 3 years & still only been as far north as Agnes Water. We are planning to drive to Cairns but probably not until I’m no longer working a day job.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  8. What a gorgeous place, Suz, in all kinds of light! I’m glad you didn’t feed the kookaburra – I hate it when (uneducated?) people do that. So sorry to read about the beached whale. So sad. Not sure how the locals expect it to “disappear”, maybe with an extreme high tide.

    The beaches sure are beautiful in Oz, but what I miss the most is its incredible wildlife! Even the crocodiles. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Liesbet I’m in agreement the wildlife are fascinating even the crocodiles. Folk need to have a healthy respect for them and remember it is us that are the visitors in their environment.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  13. Susanne, that water looks so inviting, but sharks and crocodiles – yikes!! I loved your photo and the video of the crabs, their movement mesmerizes the mind. Your photos capture the peacefulness of the bay and I can see very well why you like spending time here. So nice to meet another water person…nothing calms the soul quite like sea air, azure waters and sunshine.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks for commenting Suzanne and yes I can’t resist a peaceful beach to spend time on. Especially walking or swimming though the latter wasn’t possible for all the days.

      Like

      Reply

        1. Okay, never knew that the brownie/guides sang a song about the kookaburra. Very inquisitive bird and will snatch the food out of your hand if given half the chance.

          Good to hear from you Josy and your trip to Spain looked amazing. We enjoyed Spain very much.

          Like

          Reply
  19. Pingback: Custodians of Regional Stories – Life at No. 22

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.