Charter Chatter

- Lake Monduran, near Gin Gin in south east Queensland, was created in 1987 on the Kolan River. Australian bass and barramundi are in abundance, with golden perch, silver perch, saratoga and sooty grunter being easy catches. When full, the dam has a surface area of 5340 hectares, a capacity of 586,000 megalitres with an average depth of 11 meters. Boating restrictions do not apply and a concrete boat ramp in the public access area is located below the lookout area near the dam wall and camping area. Camping and caravans are permitted at Lake Monduran Holiday Park, and a limited number of cabins overlook the lake. Currently the Park offers a 50 per cent off a third night or stay seven nights in a camping site and only pay for five.

- As the first pods of humpback whales enter Queensland waters on their 2010 migration, the ten vessels in the Hervey Bay whale watch fleet are ready to offer visitors a selection of whale encounters ranging from half day, full day, or extended tours of the area. A whale watch encounter in Hervey Bay is time spent with the whales at play, it’s the joy of having a new mum trust the fleet enough to bring her baby over to the boat, and the cheering as friendly youngsters perform, showing off newly acquired acrobatic skills for their audience. This all takes place in sheltered waters, not the open sea.

- A tour of the floating world of Cambodia is the Australian National Maritime Museum’s latest Asian cultural adventure. Explore the temples of Angkor and discover Cambodian maritime traditions – ancient and modern. Experience Cambodian life as it’s lived today on the inland waterways and sea coasts on 19 November – 5 December 2010. Check out www.anmm.gov.au for more details.

- Queensland’s new Season of Sailing includes racing events, learning to sail on a bareboat adventure, and crewed charters. Sail and stay packages, including resort accommodation in Central Queensland, the Whitsundays and Townsville, are available until March, 2011. Every level of skill and experience is catered for on a range of boats. Individual race events for Queensland’s Season of Sailing include:

For more information on Queensland’s Season of Sailing and to book packages visit QueenslandHolidays.com.au/sailing.

- Sydney charter boat company EastSail has taken delivery of four new Beneteau First 40 yachts from the design office of Bruce Farr. They are sister ships to the first and second place finishers in last year's Sydney to Hobart Yacht race.

- Whitsunday Rent A Yacht welcomes a new 40 foot catamaran to its fleet. The French Beneteau Lagoon 400, among only a handful of its kind in Australia, will be available for charter from June 21. The vessel offers spacious and affordable accommodation for eight people, a saloon design, the latest entertainment equipment, and is ideal for couples as each cabin contains its own ensuite. Whitsunday Rent A Yacht has the largest fleet of sailing yachts, motor yachts and catamarans in the region and specialises in skipper yourself charter holidays.

- Townsville in North Queensland averages 300 days of sunshine a year, making it an ideal destination to escape the winter chill. Eight kilometres or a 25 minute ferry ride from Townsville is World Heritage-listed Magnetic Island with spectacular granite boulders and secluded bays. One of the best ways to see the island is on a three hour Adrenalin Jet Ski Tour circumnavigating the island, or take in the top end on a 75 minute tour.

Self- skippered or skippered catamarans and yachts are available from Tropic Sail for cruising the crystal clear and calm waters around Magnetic Island. The whole family can learn the ropes on this sailing adventure as you spot turtles, dolphins and dugongs, snorkel straight off the boat in warm tropical waters and discover fringing coral reefs and the 13 unspoiled islands of the Palms Group.

- Up to 6000 whales head up the ‘superhighway’ along Western Australia’s coast to calve in the warm waters off the Kimberley between August and November. Coral Princess extended its Kimberley cruise program last year – and discovered that late season whale watching is ‘simply incredible’. 

Photograph: Whale Watching at Hervey Bay