I’ll admit, we were a little baffled by Baffle Creek.
We’d never heard of this small town on the Capricorn Coast halfway between Bundaberg and Gladstone in Queensland.
What was the attraction to it? What would we discover upon arrival?
We weren’t sure. The drive revealed nothing but forests of Eucalpyts, rivers and dirt roads. It certainly was not a place to be coming if you wanted a bit of action.
But again, that depends on the kind of action you’re after. Bright lights and night time parties? You’re entering the wrong zone.
But, if it’s a return to nature, a holiday away from the maddening crowds, stunning scenery and some of the east coast’s best river fishing, then you will no longer be baffled by Baffle Creek.
Baffle Creek touted as one of Australia’s last pristine waterways. I’ll let you conjure up what that means for your holiday experience.
Broadwater Haven Cabins
We stayed just north of Baffle Creek at Broadwater Haven Cabins on the estuary of Deepwater, Mitchell, Blackwater and Cow Creeks.
This eco-friendly property is owned by Frank and Noela Goetz who moved here from Gympie 16 years ago. They’re happy to sit on your deck and chat with you about the local area and their lifestyle, one they are passionate about.
They loved the relaxing lifestyle so much they decided to create a haven for those wishing to escape and connect to the beauty the region has to offer.
The beautiful warm day, birds singing, slight breeze, the smell of gorgeous lemon scented Australian bush plants off my balcony made me wish we were staying so much longer. A time to disconnect to reconnect was exactly what I needed.
Frank and Noela are keen to get their little place on the map, but not so much to steal away its charm.
Their park has 10 eco-friendly 4-star waterfront self-contained cabins, which sleep up to 6. They’re well thought out, modern and comfortable.
But, you don’t even need to worry about the cabins, it’s the scenery and outdoor activity you’ve come to spend most of your time interacting with. It’s far too pretty to spend indoors.
We arrived on dusk and once we’d checked in and got settled Frank had the fire pit roaring and we sat around with a glass of wine and chatted about the area.
Frank mentioned how pretty the sunrise can be over Deepwater Creek, right out the front of our cabin. Craig got up early the next morning whilst the girls slept in and captured this scene.
Thanks to the creek and ocean frontage of Broadwater Haven, some of the region’s best fishing and crabbing can be found just a few steps from your cabin door, without even needing a boat.
It’s private land so you can rest assured that the only other people accessing the creek alongside you are those staying at Broadwater Haven. If fishing is not your thing, the crystal clear water is super enticing for swimming or a boat ride.
Frank was kind enough to take Craig and Kalyra for a spin in his tinny whilst I played with Savannah by the shore.
Just over the creek (a short wade at low tide), you’ll find a pristine stretch of beach, where you might even catch an odd wave or two although it is open ocean and a bit wild.There’s a small jetty to park your boat.
The beach will be all yours for the day. This is Broadwater Haven’s Beach. Frank says the sunrises from here are absolutely sublime.
We didn’t catch one from the beach front, but the sunrises we saw from the creek bank was a good sign of what could be seen on one of those extraordinary mornings.
If you don’t like to get up before the sun, enjoying an ice cold sundowner on your balcony or under the oaks by the creek is just as good.
If you had a bigger boat and wanted more “river” fishing than the boat ramp to Baffle Creek is only 9 kms away.
Baffle Creek, QLD
Baffle Creek is more river than creek with its widest point at over 2kms and a tidal reach of 35kms. The length of the Baffle is 120km and is home to thriving mangrove forests and an abundant array of sea critters and birds.
Baffle Creek is a protected fishing habitat – Queenfish, taylor, trevally, salmon, grunter, barra, bream mangrove jack, and whiting. Guests of Broadwater have been known to have caught 16 different species of fish in one day.
I had to text my brother in-law as soon as I heard that stat. He’s a mad fisherman, and surprisingly had not heard about The Baffle. I’m pretty sure, it’s now on the top of his list and my sister will be helping to prepare the boat for the family’s next fishing adventure.
There’s an abundance of wildlife on land in the The Baffle Creek region as well: kangaroos, echidnas and we even saw an emu wandering around in the forest in the Deepwater National Park.
There are plenty of walks you can enjoy on the 69 acre property and plenty to explore in the area.
Noela took us for a drive to check out the Baffle Creek region, driving through the Deepwater National Park and stopping to visit some of the local beaches.
Driving along the dirt road through the jungled palm trees to Wreck Rock gave me the first inhale of what I anticipated the northern part of Queensland to be like – tropical bliss.
Wreck Rock Beach is a small, rock-bound beach and the place to come and sit for awhile in solitude and just enjoy the moment.
We also stopped off at Rules Beach which was kind enough to supply us with a natural hammock in the form of a tree branch.
Finishing off a magical day at Broadwater Haven can only be done one way: around the campfire with a glass of red wine under a sky blazoned with stars.
The Baffle and Broadwater Haven will take you back to a time when life was far less complicated and nature was all you cared about interacting with.
There’s nothing too baffling about that.
The Details
Location – Baffle Creek is a 6 hour drive north of Brisbane, and a short drive north of Bundaberg.
Accommodation – Broadwater Haven Holiday Park on Deepwater Creek offer 10 eco-friendly 4 star waterfront self-contained cabins.
Our visit was in partnership with Tourism Queensland. To plan your next trip check out Queensland Holidays.
