Heron Island
@Apt/'82 Australia

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At Coral Beach on Heron Island

Easter holidays in foreign country are worse than Japanese New Year. You would starve if you are well organized. Many restaurants also close during this period for as long as a week. I had encountered the Easter Holidays when I was working at small town Moree in NSW (New South Wales) of Australia in 1982.

We decided to escape to Heron in order to survive the Easter in Australia. People advised us restaurants in town close but we can eat at hotels. HeronIsland is located in southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef which is stretching 2000 km along the east coast of Australia continent. In this tiny island off the coast of Australia, a hotel for tourists and marine life researcher is in operation. We drove up north along the Great Dividing Range to Gladstone, a small seaport town from where we flew to HeronIsland some 40 km off the coast by helicopter. HeronIsland is special among 600 islands on the Great Barrier Reef. It is made of genuine coral reef. Due to the rare ecological system is in delicate balanced in this island, the nature of the island is carefully reserved and marine ecologists are making their fields work staying in the island.



On the way to Gladstone, at Lechhatdt Highway

We drove up route 39 from Moree along the Great Dividing Range. At Goondwindi, we dropped in filling station, where we bought water and snacks for emergency survival goods during the way to Gladstone. There might be no house or no shop along the mountain highway for few hundred kilo meters. We started again heading north driving on the highway seeing no vehicle in front and behind. There were only few small villages with filling station with small convenience store till we reached to Gladstone, where we were going to stay at roadside motel. Gladstone was mid-sized mining seaport town.

The motel we reserved was found easily. A small motel of a dozen rooms operated by middle aged couple. This is BB (Bed and Breakfast style) motel. Motel in America offers very simple breakfast like coffee and muffins only, but this is British style. Breakfast is rather rich, toasted breads, sunny side up and baked bacons. At evening, we went to the seafood restaurant near beach. Not only our three Japanese men, but all Japanese might be programmed to found of fishes at all time. We were really glad to know that the luxury dishes full of quality harvests from the sea were surprisingly cheap price.

The next day we flew to HeronIsland by Helicopter that could carry eight persons at a time. We parked our car at free airport car park. There were four helicopters were parked on the tarmac. We were told that all these four belonged to hotel in HeronIsland. Prior to on board the helicopter, we had to weigh with holding all personal belongings. Weight control was so strict on helicopter ride. I simply imagined that helicopter flew up directly from the spot where it is parked now, but instead, it proceeded in low altitude hovering along the runway as normal plane do.

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South tip of Great Barrier Reef, Heron Island

It took 30 minutes reach to HeronIsland. Speed of the helicopter was 140 km/hour, so the distance between Gladstone and the Island was 70 km approximately. On the way to HeronIsland, we flew over the beautiful barrier reef. There were dozens of small coral reef breaking ocean wave making white long ark on the turquoise blue ocean surface. These reefs were looked as if these are islands emerged above the sea level, but all these reefs were under water few meters deep. HeronIsland was looked one drop of deep green in the far stretched vast ocean. We landed on the heliport on HeronIsland made of pure coral having only few km washing shore.

Reef on the flight to Heron Island

A board written "Welcome to HeronIsland" was the first thing we saw when we got off the helicopter. Heron is the name of large bird. It means this island is occupied by Heron. Yes, it is. A tremendous numbers of Heron in this tiny island, probably hundreds of thousand of them are parched in thick vegetated forests. Heron drops were everywhere. Their barking sounds were also loud all night that prevent our sleep till morning. On our arrival to the hotel, a lady receptionist instructed how we spend the time on the island. No key of the room. She said it is no need to lock the door because it is obvious that there is no burglar in the island. Rooms are 20 to 30 in total. Some of them are used for long term by marine ecologists for their research works. At night, in the hotel spacious lobby, they made small seminar of marine life of the Great Barrier Reef for the hotel guest. Their story was very interesting and easy to understand with beautiful slide pictures of marine livings around the island. Their talk skill was also excellent. We all enjoyed their talk show in exotic atmosphere.

There is a small souvenir shop in the hotel. I picked one T-shirt and went to casher to purchase it. I gave shop keeper a dollar note. She asked me, “Do you have a credit card?” This question surprised me a little, because I never had this question in Japan, when I presented cash. Probably I might have a reverse question. Due to security reason, many shops in Australia and western countries, they do not like to be paid by cash. They certainly preferred to be paid by card.

We spent whole next day at coral beach. I like this peaceful serene time of emptiness. The island is the size of 30 minutes walk around. Only one hotel of 20-30 rooms in the island, there was almost no one on the white sandy beach. There was sun upon us, a stretching blue ocean and crystal clear washing beach, no sound except bird twittering. Thanks and hail for Easter Holidays and rich rewarding globe.

Apr/'82 Rinzo@Heron Island Australia (Updated on 27/Aug/'05)

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