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Thread: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

  1. #1

    Thumbs down Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    Just about to book a lux, camper trailer and three blokes for six nights at Moreton surf fishing - cost before we even get to the island $622 - I can go to Fiji for a week for less than that.

    Since the combie trader got wound up by Hawkins and his crew the cost to get to Moreton is out of control. Blatant bloody rip off I reckon.

    Soon to be renamed Hawkins bloody island.

    Craig

  2. #2

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    Try Straddy its cheaper and the fishing just as good down Main Beach. There is a barge that runs from Amity to Moreton now and I believe it is cheaper to go via straddie then direct to Moreton. Oh yeah and the pub at straddy dosnt kick you out at 6pm!!!


    Marty
    Living the dream, Barry

  3. #3

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    Yea mate. have been going to Moreton for about 30 odd years, lived at Scarborough & knew nearly everyone on the Combie. I mentioned in a different post a few months ago that it was a monopoly by the present operators, but, if you listen to the scuttlebutt, their in deep doo doos. I have moved from Scarbie but still find it a pain in the bum to have to traverse the Gateway bridge & associated traffic to get to the island. We made the mistake of returning on the Friday barge & got stuck in peak hour traffic after a relaxing 2 weeks. What a joke! Won't say any more as I'm getting angry thinking about it.
    Steve

  4. #4

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    yes I have to agree our family and friends have been going for over 30 years but not since the combie trader closed down. I live at Redcliffe as well and used to travel further to work than to go on holidays. Due to the expense of Moreton now we holiday all over the place. Some business' just don't get it. Pete

  5. #5

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    It's a shame. We used to do Moreton a lot on the combie. It's about the same price now to spend 4 or 5 nights at Kingfisher on Fraser, and that's what we've been doing.

  6. #6
    Ausfish Gold Member Richo1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Brisbane

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    Stradbroke Ferries has a deal going at the moment - free trailer with a return trip!

  7. #7

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    At least twice a year for about 30 years, I'd take my family camping on the surf side for 7 -10 days.
    Bad weather, and we had plenty, wasn't an issue coz on average we'd jag at least one good trip a year.
    My family grew up, bought 4wds and went their ways, and still we all went camping on the island.

    Now... ? Well, no-one can justify the expense against the risk (and our history) of bad weather for the one affordable trip each year, so no-one goes.

    And although Straddie is a good option, it just doesn't hold the same appeal for us.

    Just one more sad loss, especially for my grandkids.

  8. #8

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    I used to go to Moreton Camping about 4-8 times a year and now just cant see the value in going.
    I went to Fraser a month or so ago for the first time and we are all ready looking at heading back for another week.
    Oh and after raving to mates about it they are looking at heading up there also.
    They all stopped camping at Moreton only because of the cost in getting there.

    Cheers
    Brett

  9. #9

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    Seems I'm not the only one. Been camping and fishing the ocean side as well for 7-9 day stints always with my old man and various mates since 1986, one of which is no longer with us.
    In those days we often didn't see another soul for days at a time, fishing was pretty darn good as well just quietly, then came the nineties and the noughties and the place was like Queen street.
    Seems we've gone full circle again now and last year the place was again deserted - but for the wrong reasons.

    Agree with TheGurn, Straddie is an option but confer Moreton holds a special place and many wonderful memories with me. The old boy hit 81 in March, still pulls fish and has a ball.

    I'll keep coughing up for now but the patience is wearing thin.

    CraigAttachment 68421

  10. #10

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    Yea,well I just bit the bullet & booked for a week in September. I'm taking the Cruiser ute instead of the old beach Rangie as the ute has 2 diesel tanks so they can stick their $$$$$ a litre fuel!

  11. #11

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    Love your work. As long as you know the Combie Trader was put out of business by the new Moreton Island Management Plan where QP&W decided in their wisdom that Moreton Is should be a day trip destination to take the load off the poor overworked Rangers.

    And the rest, as they say, is history. In other words the EPA got rid of the Combie and we have all paid for their "wisdom" ever since. If in doubt, check out the DERM web site & read the half truths & fiction there.

  12. #12

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    Quote Originally Posted by Captain Incredible View Post
    Love your work. As long as you know the Combie Trader was put out of business by the new Moreton Island Management Plan where QP&W decided in their wisdom that Moreton Is should be a day trip destination to take the load off the poor overworked Rangers.

    And the rest, as they say, is history. In other words the EPA got rid of the Combie and we have all paid for their "wisdom" ever since. If in doubt, check out the DERM web site & read the half truths & fiction there.
    just like National Parks in NSW put up camping fees to double caravan rates for families, to keep visitor numbers down (IMO)

    cheers Murf

  13. #13

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    ignore my ignorance but can someone tell me how much a ticket to get to moreton is these days. havnt been in 7years. fraser barges 100 bucks to travell 1.2km each way.(40 bucks per km) barges are a ripoff.

  14. #14

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    barges are expensive to operate, the overheads would be horrendous and unless you have a "permanent" paying client (like a sand mine in the case of stradbroke ferries) unperpinning your income, then who knows how much income you may or may not earn. how many times would the combie trader have made a 2 hour trip with only a couple of cars on board? Like the Captain is saying, don't blame the Hawkins family, blame DERM, they wanted to limit visitor numbers and the combie became unviable.

    If you think it's nasty living on the mainland and not being able to get over there easily/cheaply, then spare a thought for some of our friends that live at Bulwer! If you're walking on there's a boat from Scarborough that stops in at the Bulwer bowl now.

  15. #15

    Re: Moreton Island to be renamed Hawkins Island

    the amount of $$$$$ and bookwork that is involved for the Fraser barges by EPA or what ever they are called this week (National Parks) is astounding and unbelievable

    cheers Murf

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