Maryborough 19 - 20 June 2015

We always enjoy stopping at Maryborough – it has managed to retain its charming heritage buildings and houses set against the background of the beautiful Mary River. We camped in a park and watched the sun set over the river. Maryborough has a rich and varied history, with many fine buildings financed by the gold rush and its position as the busiest port in Queensland. It was probably the port where Peter’s grandfather landed, after fleeing Ireland from the Great Potato Famine that killed so many people and decimated the population for half a century. While the port and river have lost their pre-eminence in the economic life of the district, it has left a legacy of many graceful, if forlorn buildings dotted along the harbour and throughout the town. Nowadays it has been overtaken by Harvey Bay, which feeds on the latest gold rush – Mexicans settling down for their retirement along the beaches and tourists rushing out to see the whales on their annual migrations up and down the coast or heading off to Fraser Island.