Vagabonding

I’m having a strange moment and it’s nothing to do with the less than fantastic oriental flavoured noodles I’ve just consumed as an alleged meal.  It’s because I don’t actually want to write about where I’ve been the past couple of days.  This isn’t anything to do with laziness or the slight hangover from last nights campsite drinking session with some of Australia’s “Grey Nomads,” but more to do with the fact that if I manage to convey how amazing the place is, everyone will want to go and they’ll spoil it.  I am, however, obliged to share these places with anyone reading this as I’m sure it says somewhere in the small print of the ambassadors terms and conditions that world nomads are legally entitled to feed me to rabid, starved ferrets if I don’t.

To be honest, for all I know, the place might be legendary.  For me though, I’d never heard of it until I was scouring the Capricorn Coast section of the Lonely Planet a few days ago.  Imagine Whitehaven beach again, the perfectly formed bay with swimming pool like water and a squeaky white beach.  Take away the crowds and add a bakery and a pub.  That’s Great Keppel Island.  Paradise!  

The only place on the island where you’ll find other people, and the bakery and pub, is at Putney beach, the ferry drop off point.  A 20 minute bushwalk from there and you can be at Leekes beach where you’ll have 3 kilometres of blissful, sandy perfection to yourself.  If you’re the type of person to get out of the right side of bed every morning and always start the day with 4 weetabix then you might consider the 3 hour trek across the island to, what I’d imagine to be, the very deserted lighthouse.  

However, if you’re like me and start your days by fighting off the remnants of the previous nights intoxication then you’ll be very happy lounging on the grassy hill outside the Wreck Bar, complete with gourmet sausage roll and a pot of four x gold.  Not only will this leave you with a permanent smile plastered across your face but it also allows for a spot of wildlife watching.  Metre-long goannas happily stroll through the outside bar area and rainbow lorikeets come looking for a piece of the tasty pastry you’re consuming.  

The best part about the island though, is that it’s not teeming with tourists.  So the next time you see a bikini clad beauty on the TV asking “where the bloody hell are ya?” don’t think of Great Keppel Island…