East Coast Paradise - Fraser Island

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T'Gari is the aboriginal name for Fraser Island, it translates to mean Paradise, which i think is pretty acurate.
I spent a few days on this huge sand island, the size of hong kong, and toured around in a group of around 30 backpackers in 4x4 cars. Its like a giant playground for these cars, at times we were flying out of our seats! The island is so beautiful, with miles and miles white beaches. Unfortunately you can't swim in the shark infested waters, but you can swim in some of the 100 fresh water lakes that are scattered across the island.

On the first day we swam in lake mackenzie, surrounded by luscious green rain forest and by white sandy beaches. Fraser island is one of the only places where rain forest grows on sand! The lake is full of tea tree oil too...it's literally like a natural spa!! We walked up the Indian Head rocks too, for amazing views across the island before heading to our campsite. The campsite was a lot of fun, we all cooked together which was a bit manic with about 120 backpackers staying there, then the drinking began...many bags of 'goon' (cheap and horrific wine) were consumed! We had a really great group and everyone got on well...although it was like a mass hen doo with 27 girls and 4 boys!!

The next morning we rose early for the best hangover cure ever...floating on our backs down the fresh water of ely creek! It was bliss (although lydia, one of the girls in my tent, managed to dislocate her shoulder, ouch!). We also visited the champagne pools, which get their name from the frothy bubbles of waves crashing fron the sea into the rock pools. On the last day we walked through the rain forest to sand blows which lead to another bgeautiful lake, it started raining whilst we were swimming which was a pretty strange feeling, but a good one!

Our guide Geoff made the trip what it was too, he drove like a maniac and had hundreds of entertaining stories to tell. Some of which made me think i was going to get attacked by a dingo...but i didnt, although we did spot a couple! He also told us the aboriginal tale of T'Gari and of the name 'Fraser' island too...named after an english woman, Elizabeth Fraser who was shipwrecked on the island and lived with the aboriginals, before being rescued by an ex convict. It's a pretty controversial story with and one with a big influence...but i wont ramble on.

I had a couple of days on rainbow beach either side of the tour, which was actually really nice as everyone in the hostel was on the trip together. Everyone is pretty much travelling the same route on the East Coast so you're always bumping into the same people.

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Comments

[David]

Me and stu destroyed a 4x4 on fraser island. I still believe to this day it was him rather than me.

[Gillian Ainsley]

Fun fun fun
Hi Jo loving the blog, sounds a lot like Guide camp!