Reviews add value to everyone's experience

You've probably have heard it a million times that reviews matter or that someone would like you to review their experience of your business.

At times thing do not go according to plan and we try and learn from this hiccups but then there's the majority of the time when the planets stay aligned and everything goes swimmingly well.

This is one of those reviews when epitomizes what we are endeavouring to do.

This comes from a rep of one of our groups we recently had visiting the region.

Heron Island and Central  Queensland Trip

On October 17, 20 of us set off by tilt train for an adventure to Gladstone area and Heron Island.

 We were met by Darryl ( Dags) Branthwaite – (not the singer!) but the ‘larger than life’ effervescent owner of Gladstone Region Tours. With his delivery in a delightfully, enthusiastic manner, he enthused us over the next 2 days with his deliveries of his impressive and comprehensive knowledge of the Gladstone region - it’s remarkable developments, mainly in the mining industry, aquaculture and tourism.

 He explained, with assistance from experts in the mining industry, how industry reinvests and ties in partnerships that reuse byproducts and waste to diminish carbon, leading to a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Aquaculture Gladstone was impressive as a thriving industry, as one of the largest fish stocking programs in Queensland, producing up to five million Barramundi, Mangrove Jack and Sea Mullet fingerlings a year at peak production.

We also enjoyed the tourism hotspots of Tannum Sands/Boyne Island on day 1, then travelled to the Town of 1770, Agnes Waters on day 2. Here we enjoyed the thrill of a beach trip aboard the iconic pink amphibious vehicle, a LARC, with lunch among the sheoaks, amid surrounding sea life and the beauty of the azure sea and blue sky.

Meanwhile, we were enjoying the comfortable hospitality that the Mantra Gladstone provided.

Day 3 saw us on our 2-hour trip to the coral cay of Heron Island.

We were met by some of the 200 000 birds of the island, and their cacophony of sounds.

The Black Noddy Terns and Mutton Birds were just returning to the island. The Noddies were busy building their flimsy nests and cohabiting to breed in the Pisonia trees, flying and landing everywhere. We soon learnt to walk under the trees quickly. Added to these were the white or grey gracious Eastern Reef Egret (or Heron), the crazy, cheeky Rails, healthy sea gulls, elusive kingfishers and occasional doves.

The birds which impacted on us the most were the nocturnal Mutton Birds (wedge-tailed shearwaters) which left the island during the day, and returned at night, only to continually emit weird noises throughout the night, ranging from screams to baby cries.

Their sounds are at first overwhelming, and some of us needed earplugs to counteract their noise.

Along the coastline could be seen sea eagles and cormorants.

Yes, we soon learnt to live with the birds!   

Meanwhile some of us enjoyed snorkeling around the ship wrecks, swimming with the rays, turtles and fish. Also, we could go reef walking, island walking, scuba diving and a trip in a submersible where we saw myriads of sea life.

Heron Island was an amazing experience for us.

Day 4 saw us return to Gladstone refreshed from our wonderful experiences.