Beaches, watersports, rainforests and resort idylls are all part of Queensland, tempting Kiwis to holiday in this diverse part of Australia. For many seniors, including editor, Helen Perry, the Sunshine State is also a regular winter escape from New Zealand’s more inclement weather.
Hoping for sunshine and warm temperatures, a mid-year sojourn at Hervey Bay for seven days then five days at Alexandra Headland, connecting Maroochydore to Mooloolaba, was not nearly as warm as expected. Even though the days were clear and bright, it was lightweight jersey weather at most times.
However, despite swimsuits and t-shirts remaining in the suitcase, husband and I enjoyed local excursions, the highlight being a visit to Maryborough, about 30km from Hervey Bay.
The town’s name was derived from the Mary River, which itself was named in 1847 after Mary Lennox, the wife of Charles Augustus Fitzroy, governor of New South Wales at that time.
Once known as Queensland’s industrial powerhouse, producing naval ships, heavy castings for sugar mills and railway locomotives and rolling stock, Maryborough was also the centre of significant agriculture, including timber milling and sugar cane growing.
Today, many of its early buildings have survived, are well maintained and are still in use. They reflect the city’s past as well as its connection to P.L Travers, the author of Mary Poppins, who was born there.
In fact, there is an annual Mary Poppins Festival in the town. People come dressed in Mary Poppins style, there is storytelling, chimney sweeping, Nanny racing, market stalls and much more. The 2025 event was held late September and planning for next year’s event is already underway.
However, back to the town’s other notable heritage features.
These include the Customs House, City Hall, the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum, the Magistrates Court, Story Bank and Baddow House.
Time restrictions meant we didn’t see nearly enough, not even the nearby Mary River Parklands with boardwalk and Point Lookout although we did manage more than an hour in the extremely interesting Military and Colonial Museum where a local volunteer provided all sorts of fascinating information.
On arrival, we first strolled past several key sites to visit the Thursday morning market taking time to sit in the adjacent Queen’s Park where we tucked into giant bratwurst sausages with sauerkraut while listening to smartly dressed, ukelele band, the Maryborough Musos. That put us in a toe-tapping mood.
However, the piece de resistance of our wanderings were the public ‘loos’ in Queen’s Park. Check out the photos I took – my, that gold effect toilet really was something! Still in public use, but also open for admirers to photograph, this is a must visit location where a doorman is generally on duty to ensure cubicles are vacant before snap-happy visitors pop in to look.
This is one town I want to re-visit, perhaps stay two or three days, so we can explore properly. I fancy being there in June for a fill of countryside flavours during the gourmet Relish Food and Wine festival but more than anything I would love to be there for the next Mary Poppins Festival. It will surely be, ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’.