Riviera takes in Fraser Island Experience

by Denby Browning on 31 May 2007
Riviera owners Graham and Biddy Stevenson will find it difficult to improve on the excitement of rafting up in Kingfisher Bay on Fraser Island in company with 29 other Riviera luxury cruisers.

It was the fourth day of an incredible seven-day adventure for more than 100 boating enthusiasts that began at a rendezvous on the Gold Coast Broadwater on a gleaming Saturday morning in mid May. The R Marine Fraser Island Experience would take them through Moreton Bay to Mooloolaba, then north, through the Wide Bay Bar to the quiet village of Tin Can Bay and through the Great Sandy Straits to bustling Hervey Bay and the eco-tourism resort at Kingfisher Bay on Fraser Island.

Graham and Biddy joined the Fraser Island Experience for a simple reason.

The climate and boating opportunities of the Gold Coast had lured them north from their home in Adelaide a few years ago. But they lacked the experience and confidence to venture much further. Then Keith Hanson, Dealer principal at R Marine Coomera, invited them to join the Fraser Island adventure.

'From our perspective, the Experience events organised by Riviera and their R Marine Dealers are what boating is all about,' said Graham. 'Cruising together to learn more about our boats and our own capabilities, then rafting up at the end of the day to celebrate, relax and exchange stories and ideas; that’s why we got into boating.'

Graham and Biddy travelled in their new Riviera 42 Flybridge, Off The Hook, sharing the adventure with a couple of friends.

Ray and Sue Read were delighted when Keith Hanson invited them to join the Fraser Island trip.

'Seven or eight days is ideal for this kind of event,' said Ray. 'You settle into life on board the boat and have a chance to meet up with old boating friends and form great new friendships.'

Ray has owned boats for about 40 years. He and Sue have owned three Rivieras – all Flybridge models. Their current boat, Devil’s Lair 2, is a Riviera 42.

'There’s something special about the Riviera family,' said Ray. 'It doesn’t matter whether your boat is 20 years old or two months old, whether it’s worth a few hundred thousand dollars or a few million; everyone is the same. We all take pride in our boats, we’re excited to talk about them and share experiences and lessons learned.'

John and Ve Helgeson remember the Hawaiian night as a highlight of the trip.

'The band was unbelievable,' said John. 'They played a lot of the old rock songs. A few of us stayed dancing so long that the bus left without us. Fortunately, one of the restaurant staff took us back to the marina. It could have been a long walk!'

John said he and Ve were nearly exhausted from long working hours and grasped the opportunity to unwind.

'The anchorage at Kingfisher Bay was superb,' said John. 'We went on the tour of the island which was fascinating, but more than anything we enjoyed simply relaxing, swimming, eating and drinking.'

The Fraser Island Experience was the first for Tony Armstrong and Helen Renn. Tony has been boating for about 30 years and his M400 Sport Cruiser is his second Riviera.

'We usually use the boat for day trips or weekends,' said Tony. 'This was the longest time we’ve spent on the boat. And it was still too short!'

For Tony and Helen the camaraderie of the event was the highlight.

'Randall Jones and his team at R Marine Sport Queensland made us feel welcome straight away,' he said. 'So did everyone else.'

Even when the weather turned against the flotilla, with winds of more than 25 knots whipping up the waters around them, keeping them at anchor in Kingfisher Bay for a second day, spirits remained high.

'The work that the Dealers and their staff did to re-arrange the schedule and ensure our safety was incredible,' said Ray Read. His sentiments were echoed among the owners.

'They really went the extra mile for us,' said Tony Armstrong. 'We got the boats back to Tin Can Bay and there were buses waiting to take us home. It just wasn’t sensible to drive the boats any further in that weather. We had a great party on the Friday evening and watched a video that had been shot throughout the seven-day Experience.'

To find out more about Riviera, visit www.riviera.com.au.