Fraser Island, Australia

 

December 22nd 2011

We woke up early for our Fraser Island tour. After parking up the camper for the day we got picked up in a 4x4 by our guide Kris. He took us to the office where we paid up and met the other people on our tour. We drove to River Heads and boarded the boat to take us to Fraser Island. While we were waiting to get to the island some playful dolphins started swimming around our boat, jumping and showing off in the water. It was the first time we had seen dolphins in the wild so it felt very special and meant that the day started off very well.

Seventy Five Mile Beach

We eventually got to Fraser Island and took to the very sandy roads in our 4x4. We were very relieved that we didn't hire our own 4x4 to drive like many people do as it's so easy to get bogged in the deep sand. We drove through the rainforest which is the only rainforest in the world that grows on sand and Kris told us interesting stories about the nature and wildlife on the island. We drove through Eurong Resort and on to 75 mile beach highway where we cruised along the smooth sand with the ocean to our right. Kris highlighted that the water off the coast of Fraser Island is home to tiger sharks and if we were to go for a swim then we definitely wouldn't survive! We got to the Maheno shipwreck and stopped for morning tea where we had cheese and crackers, strawberries and amazing lamington cake which we hadn't had before. It's a lovely light sponge covered in chocolate and dessicated coconut, delicious! We had a look at the wreck, it's rusty hull covered in all sorts of miniscule sea creatures. The crowds eventaully gathered round making it impossible to get a nice photograph without someone walking in front of it so we moved on to see the colourful Pinnacle Rocks which in aboriginal culture is a place for women so no aboriginal men are allowed there.


Maheno Shipwreck

After Pinnacle Rocks we drove to Champayne Pools where we passed a couple of drivers stuck in the sand wheel spinning to get out. The weather was starting to make a turn for the worse so I wasn't keen on having a dip in the pools and instead watched on as the much braver people had a dip in the cold water. The pools were very beautiful, we watched the water swirl and bubble which is what gives it it's name and took in the pretty views out to sea. After Champayne Pools we walked back to the car and made our way to Indian Head. We climbed to the top which was a bit trecherous in the slippery sand and made it to the top. It was so windy that I thought I might be blown over the edge! Luckily we weren't and we managed to get some nice if a bit windswept photographs and looked out for wildlife which can be spotted from the top. On our way back down the rain and wind started to pick up so we huddled under the little awning for a buffet lunch which was lovely. It was nice being in such a small group which consisted of two cars worth of people compared to the impersonal coach loads who were also doing the tour, we paid $10 more but it was worth it as we got to know other people on the tour.

Pinnacle Rock

After lunch we drove to Eli Creek, we walked along the boardwalk and waded back in the water watching the kids boogy board their way down. We passed an absolutely massive spider in a web in the trees and heard reports of a snake in the mens toilets too, our first real encounters of scary Australian wildlife! Our last stop of the day tour was to Lake Mckenzie which boasts beautiful white silica sand and crystal clear waters. Even on our overcast and rainy day it still looked dazzling. We had afternoon tea and Craig had a swim in the water before the sky opened up again and we receded to our 4x4. We drove through the trees and back to the ferry for our crossing to the mainland where we had a great chat with Kris and relaxed in our camper for the night.