As the scent of coconut oil mingles and an array of sunscreen fragrance wafts into cafes along the main street of Rainbow Beach over the Australia Day long weekend, young backpackers from across the world joined locals and regional tourists to guarantee a huge, long weekend in the town.
With a generous sprinkle of foreign languages, an exciting collection of swimwear styles, drink bottles, hats and nationalities it is a stimulating place to be.
Young bright energetic young men and women from foreign shores drop in for a coffee or juice on their way to K’gari alongside locals gasping for their regular brew.
The staff at the local cafés and restaurants rise to the occasion and keep the coffees coming along with locally sourced food freshly prepared and delivered to deserving patrons.
One group of ladies travelled more than ten thousand miles from the chilly weather of Oxford and Cambridge in the UK to enjoy an Australian summer and were excited to stay in Rainbow Beach.
Fresh and full of optimism they arrived in Sydney three weeks ago for a six-week trip organised by ‘My Adventure Project’ who plan dream adventures in Australia for European travellers.
The group are travelling the east coast and have had stopovers in Sydney, Byron Bay and the Gold Coast before landing in the sunshine of Rainbow Beach.
They are about to jump on board one of the hugely successful three-day Tag Along Tours operated out of Rainbow Beach for travellers before they pack up again and travel up to Cairns.
The group of healthy stunning women hail from Cambridge, Oxford and Bristol in the UK and are celebrating the end of their tertiary studies finishing degrees in a range of advanced studies from English to Animal Medical Therapy.
One traveller, Alice Bradfield who graduated English at the University of Exeter, said she was enjoying her first trip to our country and said it was fun experiencing different places with everywhere they visited having something unique about it.
Following the cessation of backpacking and tourism in 2020, the town took a huge hit financially with not only tour operators suffering, but also food and beverage suppliers and local workers who lost their livelihood.
Locally based operators Pippies and Dingos regrouped and now seem busier than ever with their three-day, two-night Tag Along Tours and accommodation adventures to tourists who travel in a procession of 4WD vehicles.
Pippies owner and operator Kristy Pamenter said Pippies love having the My Adventure Project customers, with mostly groups of young women who travel together from Sydney to Cairns.
She said the backpackers seem to have more money these days and are spending more money in venues enjoying dine in meals and filling cafes and restaurants rather than packet noodles and fruit to sustain them.
Kristy said, “The cost of accommodation has nearly doubled since 2020 as a lot of hostels have closed down and visitors enjoy a lot more upmarket accommodation than before.”
She said on a recent trip a customer had a medical episode, and on that trip, they were fortunate to have a doctor and midwife in the group.
“There are a lot more University educated people travelling now and they are all really friendly with about ninety-nine percent international.”
“All backpackers are so friendly and are always happy as they are on holidays, it really is a great industry to work in.”
The tours have a lead vehicle with five to six 4WD’s following to explore the secrets of K’gari and costs are still low with a three-day two night package only $569 per person.
The tours employ a healthy number of local staff and hospitality venues enjoy the spin off.
Now the town is on the National Bus Line itinerary, it is placed beautifully to welcome many visitors who might not have been able to make the trek into the town from the National Highway.
With visitor numbers already high due to the town’s increased popularity, it makes for a very exciting cosmopolitan town.
Beach traffic from Inskip Point heading to K’gari kept the barges busy all weekend and the camping grounds were full.
The Freshwater Track became the only access to Double Island Point and Teewah Beach due to very high ’low tides’, however it did not stop everyone with some giving their brand new Landcruiser’s a wash in the salt water to the dismay of locals.
The overall consensus is a wonderful long weekend with clear clean water, great weather, tasty food and coffee and awesome camaraderie amongst visitors.
