From Finch Hatton we head to Clairview and St Lawrence with the intention of stopping at one of them for a night but after a stop and look around at both locations we decide to head on to Yeppoon.

Stacey and I moved to this quiet little seaside town 32 years ago for work before chasing other opportunities elsewhere. Coming back after all that time has been an eye opener and played back many happy memories.

Yeppoon has grown up and I’m happy to say in a good way. Yes there has been massive expansion in the area with housing estates replacing the bush land over the years, modernisation of the main street and shopping precinct and the rebuilding of many of the local icons such as the Strand Hotel but it has all been achieved without compromising the feel of the area. We both agree that 32 years later we could happily move back here as long as you can get close to one of the beaches. Walking the sands around this coastline is still one of our favourite past times. There is also a bigger bonus in that you can now get a decent coffee at one of the many cafes and you can eat out after 8pm, how times have changed…

We start our stay with drives up and down the coast from Yeppoon to Emu Park looking in at the duplex we once lived in at Kinka Beach. At Emu Park we see a small town that has expanded beautifully and is now home to one of the best tributes to our Anzacs that I have seen in Australia. The tribute incorporates a memorial boardwalk that hugs the headland just below the Singing Ship monument. There is everything from silhouettes of soldiers to full stories of local identities and the roles they played in the various conflicts. The head land and the beach front remains untouched with much of it seemingly still the same as the day we left.

Yeppoon beach is still a favourite of ours with a tide that goes out 50 to 100 metres at its lowest. It presents beautiful sunrises and moon rises as you can see in the pictures below.

Rosslyn Bay has also fared well with the natural beauty maintained while the marina has grown. It’s good to see the bay itself has not changed too much other than a number of beach access points that make getting down to the water a whole lot easier.

Needless to say we are still very much in love with the area and could happily move back. Maybe one day.