Mullers Lagoon and Bowen Foreshore

Thursday 4 July 2019 – 266 514

The wind picked up significantly overnight, so we decided to try Murray Bay for snorkelling this morning as it is well protected.  This was quite different to Rose and Horseshoe Bays – rockier, less coral, but still interesting.  Both Hayden and I are improving as snorkellers.

After hot showers to warm up, we headed out to investigate the jetty.  Walking out was tough as the wind was so strong.  There were several kite surfers out enjoying the wind.  On the foreshore was an exhibit regarding the filming of “Australia” in which Bowen foreshore was transformed into Darwin of the 1940’s.

Next up was Muller’s Lagoon, a large man-made lake in the centre of Bowen which is home to thousands of birds.  We saw pelicans, darters, little pied cormorant, little black cormorant, plumed whistling duck, dusky moorhen, purple swamphen, black-winged stilt, whistling kite and black kite; as well as others.

After lunch we went to the Bowen Aerodrome to see the Coral Sea Museum.  This is small but has been lovingly done.  There is a model of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington which sank in the Coral Sea; dioramas of the Bowen Catalina Flying Boat Base and also of the sites where Catalinas had crashed near Bowen.

We then had a short walk around Grays Bay, however it was cold and rainy so we headed back to the van to read our books.

Horseshoe Bay Snorkelling and Cape Edgecumbe Walking Trail

Tuesday 2 July 2019 – 266 446

Rose Bay this morning was too deep and too rough for snorkelling, so instead we drove to Horseshoe Bay.  The snorkelling here was beautiful with a variety of coral types.  It was very cold.  I was frozen by the time I got out, but it was worth it.  The coral was only a short swim from the beach and quite sheltered.
https://www.queensland.com/en-au/attraction/horseshoe-bay-bowen

This afternoon we did the Cape Edgecumbe Walking Trail.  This starts at Horseshoe Bay and quickly climbs to a lookout, from which we could see as far north as the jetty for Abbott Point Coal Terminal.  Next was a side track to the site of a WW2 radar station, again with amazing views.  It was almost low tide when we got to Murray Bay and we explored some of the rock pools and could see the coral on both sides of the bay.  This is a bit further out but seems quite sheltered.  Climbing to Mother Beddock Rock and lookout was next.  This gave views along Kings Beach and out to North Head Lighthouse.  At Rose Bay, the tide was on the turn and we explored rock pools filled with coral.  We also saw several large sea slugs.  Grays Bay, and views over Queens Bay concluded our hike.

Coral at low tide

Dessert tonight was mango sorbet!  I can’t visit Bowen without enjoying the mangoes.