A mammoth entry.....Kroombit, Fraser, Rainbow Beach and Brisbane

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Writing this from Brisbane; be warned it is a mammoth entry!

Found a great stonegrill restaurant in Airlie Beach so had dinner there before getting the bus at midnight to Rockhampton. Only issue was that the bus was an hour late leaving so I missed my connecting bus to Biloela and ended up hiring a car with a fellow passenger. Two hours later we were in Biloela and Alan from the ranch collected me - very twinkly blue eyes and some interesting driving!

Settled in to the accommodation (log cabins in the forest) and met my companion for the night......a lizard. Better than a spider. Goat muster on horseback in the afternoon, when we rounded up 150 odd goats. Horses were a mixture of Australian saddle horses and wild brumbies; I rode "big Red", not actually that big but was red (chestnut). Next up was the goat rodeo where I discovered that I can't lassoo a goat to save my life but am good at plunging in and grabbing them by the horns for branding. Rode back to the ranch where the "mystery meat" was waiting. It was delicious and turned out to be goat. Evening activities were the Aussie version of roast beef, bush dancing, whip cracking and the mechanical bull.

A beetle joined the lizard and I for the night, positioning itself between my bed and the door. When I eventually got to the door there were 3 horses grazing outside. Quad biking that morning up to Queensland's highest beach: a sand pit with an old water tank, filled with green water and plenty of algae. Definitely not a white flag beach.

Bus to Rainbow Beach and the Fraser Island briefing where we were put into groups and watched a DVD about how to drive on the island, feeling like we were at school. Key points were don't overtake, no whistling or spitting on fire while on the island as it's against Aboriginal beliefs. My group was 2 German girls, 3 Americans and 2 Israelis. After breakfast (free pancakes) we packed the cars the following morning and set off for the barge then had lunch on the island and went to crystal clear lake Mckenzie for a swim. The evening was rice and vegetables for dinner and a campfire before bed. Next day brought a trip to Eli Creek where the water is pure enough to drink so filled my water bottle there. Indian Head in the afternoon, which had stunning views down to the beach, and was the site of an Aboriginal tragedy when women and children were killed by the police. Also saw dolphins while up there before going to the Champagne Pools. On our last day we stole a march on the other groups by getting up early and breakfasting on the beach then driving to the walking track for lake Wabby. 45 minutes later we were there, having hiked over sand dunes to the dark green lake with a strong smell of eucalyptus. The flesh eating fish were a bit of a surprise, nibbling on my feet and back. We would pay a fortune for fish therapy at home! Dolphin cove for lunch, where we did see dolphins but were also joined by a dingo, before driving back to the barge and to Rainbow Beach where we unpacked the cars. Some good live music last night.

After breakfast (more pancakes, not free this time) I left Rainbow Beach this morning and arrived in Brisbane this afternoon. The hostel is a bit of a dump but the city itself is great, old buildings side by side with modern skyscrapers. Some buildings are shut because of storm damage but not many. Christmas is everywhere: lights and a huge tree. Tomorrow I leave here for Byron Bay, then Sydney and Tasmania.

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