Advertisement
Published: November 20th 2007
Monday Wishing we didn't have to leave our nice town house we reluctantly loaded the car up and departed. Our destination? Rainbow Beach where we would be picking up our tour to Fraser Island. On route we stopped for a milkshake thats something of a tradition with us out here. There also seemed to be a tradition to the more northern parts of Oz too..... rain and lots of it. We moved on up the coast towards Maryborough. We only stopped here for a couple hours sorting out some medical cards and some provisions. As we arrived in Rainbow it pretty much began to rain so we called the tour company and asked if we could change to the Friday departure. Which wasn't a problem but i ran out of money for the phone box and our mobiles didn't work so i couldn't complete the convo. After talking about it it seemed pointless to hang around there until Friday when we could make our way up to Hervey Bay and get a tour from there. We consulted the bible (lonely planet) to see what was on route. A mere 30km away was a place called Tin Can Bay and at
Tin Can Bay
Me feeding Patch8am they have FREE dolphin feeding down on the dock area. So we headed there and booked into a little camp site cabin.
Tuesday Amazingly i got up at 7ish just in time to wash, dress and meet Tag down there after her run at about 7.30am. I got there slightly before her and had taken some photos of the 2 dolphins wading in the shallows. One was the pod leader called Patch with a female counterpart Mystique. After receiving some info about the dolphins, like the are called Endo-pacific Humpback dolphins and they are very territorial having only recently had a fight with a pod that lives up the coast a bit, we were directed to the buckets which had a fish in them. We slowly approached the dolphins holding the fish just under the surface of the water. They approach us and snap the fish from our hands, really really cool, so much in fact we had another go. Off we went to Hervey Bay finally popping into the Tourist info on the way asking where we can find somewhere to book Fraser tours and of course hostels. Finally found the harbor with the booking offices
Fraser
Brushland in it. Decided on doing a 2 day 1 night trip instead of a 3/2 as we would of had to wait until Sunday. Now we get to go on Thursday and can be moving on by the Weekend, seeing as we are a bit behind schedule that was a better option.
Wednesday Most of the day was spent monging out, bit of food shopping and a hearty lunch at a burger cafe..... mmmmmm.
Thursday Checked out super early and put our main bags into storage. Our bus arrived at 8am for pickup to Fraser. Big green 24 seat 4WD monster.. grrrr. An hour ferry ride from the harbor saw us land at Moon point on the western shore of Fraser Island. Our route took us inland passing through Yidney Rainforest, where he let us out for a quick walk. When we met up with the bus again our guide had a polystyrene cup and poking something inside it with a little stick. Cautiously we peered in... low and behold he had found a Funnel-Web Spider one of the most poisonous spiders in Oz........... and he was poking it??!??!! in doing so it was going into
Fraser
Funnel-web Spider attack stance. After a bit he accidentally dropped it. RUN AWAY!!!! well lucky for us it may be deadly but it's slow moving and in fairness it just wanted to hide. Our guide wasn't having that and kept exposing it for us to take pics. After tempting fate long enough we moved on, reaching a village, the only true settlement on the island, Happy Valley. Here we had lunch in a fly infested restaurant... which was nice! Im beginning to think our guide is a looney as just before we enter the bus he guides us over to a small outhouse looking building with a MASSIVE spider constructing its web across a gap above the garage. This one isn't poisonous though just extremely large. Fun time was over and we moved out of town to the east almost instantly reaching 70 mile beach on the eastern shore. North was the direction we headed, firstly stopping at Eli Creek the largest on the island. This is a freshwater creek spilling 4 million liters every hour into the sea. With a country in such a state as far as water shortage goes it seems such a waste. We were able to walk
Fraser
70 Mile Beach also the "highway" up the creek to a certain point, and with the flow being fairly strong you are able to lay back and let it take you back to the beach. Only a short distance up shore was a shipwreck of the Maheno, which ran aground after being severed from its towline back in the early part of the century. Next was The Coloured Sands looking vaguely similar to the badlands of America. We then headed to the only part of the island with rock on it Indian Heads, the rest of the island is entirely made of sand, making it the largest sand island in the world. A couple hundred feet above the sea we were able to sea Dolphins, Reef Sharks, Eagle Rays and Humpback Whales frolicking in the water. Richo the guide had headed around the headland to see if we could go onto Champagne Pools the only place safe to swim in saltwater around the island, unless you happen to be impervious to shark bites that is, which we could so a few of us went for a swim. That was it for destinations this day, so we headed back down the 70 miles beach, which by the
Fraser
Shipwreck way is the islands main highway AND runway ........ only in Oz. Cathedral beach was home to our camp site, but these were no ordinary tents. Raised off the ground with proper wood flooring and comfy beds. Richo made us dinner, steak or fish was on the menu with a bit of Kangaroo steak to go round. About 8pm 15 of the group grabbed as many torches as we could and walked 500m to the beach. Here we all turned the lights out and lay there looking up at the stars completely unspoilt by light pollution. Breathtaking thats all i can say.
Friday Rise and shine...... 6.30am, someone hates me. Early breakfast, in fact i was the second person up Tag being the first naturally. We were underway again by 8am heading south along the "highway" slowly approaching Lake Wabby. This lake is situated above the water table, is freshwater and perfectly safe to swim in. But that wasn't before a 2-3km walk through forest and desert, yes i said desert. Quick dip and a dry off before walking back via a different route. On the way back another group was heading in the opposite direction. For a
Fraser
Pinnacle Rocks moment i thought i recognised one of them, how could that be? Well blow me, if it wasn't one of the lads i shared a room with back in Byron Bay.... small world indeed. Back on the bus we continued south for a short while then we turned right heading inland. We passed through Central Station a big resort place then off into the wild. We stopped off for some lunch and had a little walk along a boardwalk following a creek. Our last stop on Fraser was yet another Lake, Lake Birrabeen this lake is on the water table again freshwater and safe, it actually had less fish in it than the last one. It was much clearer and the gradual beach meant the water was warm. We had seen all sorts on this adventure; plants, creatures etc but we hadn't seen the Dingo. The Dingoes on Fraser are the purist breed in Oz having been isolated from the domesticated dogs on the mainland. 5 minutes before we reached the ferry port a dog like creature emerged from the left side of the road and crossed. A DINGO.... that was it, the final moments of the trip and we
Fraser
View from Indian Head had finally seen one. We all left feeling overwhelmed with information and delight at such an unforgettable 2 days, if not left a little tired. We had made friends with 2 Americans Jess and Brett, who asked us if we would like to meet them in town later on for some food and drinks. 2 of my favorite things, naturally i was well up for it. Got into town at 7.30pm had a drink at their hostel then walked town the street to find a restaurant. Brett kindly offered to pay for mine and Tags dinner as they were only on a 3 week holiday and they we still actually earning. Many drinks later we called a cab and headed for home, that was it Fraser Island had been done.... wow!
Saturday 10am departure heading inland now to a placed called Myella farm stay. We got there around 4pm after a very long drive. Got settled in and prepared for dinner. By 9pm the place was dead so we went to bed. Knowing i wasn't going to be able to go horse riding as i was 2 kilos too heavy for the horses i got up in my
Fraser
Our tents own time and sat around the eating area. The father of the family sat down with me and asked if i had ever ridden a motorbike to which i replied no. So he got me to fill in a piece of paper giving him some details as to my knowledge of motor vehicles including things like gears and such. He then took me over to the practice area and got me learning how to start the bike and change gears etc. After a few laps around the practice track we headed off around the farms 7km trail. This consisted of bumps ramps sharp corners all the things i really needed not having ridden before. Once we got back to the farm house, he graded me with a C+, which apparently is the highest you can get if you have never ridden before, so i was dead chuffed. This also meant i could herd the horses in the morning to get them ready for the riding session at 10.30 i would have to be up and out by 7.30 to do this. I got chatting to an English guy called Andrew who was still a little sketchy on his initial start
Fraser
Trekking through the desert off on the bikes so i said i would go out with him so he could get some practice. About 5 laps later we needed to have a drink so we headed back and cooled off in the pool. Nighttime drew in and dinner was server i felt like i had accomplished a great deal this day, up until just after dinner i was happy about this. Then the farm hand Trevor informed me and Andrew that he was going to be doing an early horse ride tomorrow so we needed to herd them in by 6.30........ he asked us to be up and ready to go out by 5.45am, now im sure someone hates me. Early to bed then.
Sunday Bloody 5.30am i got up it had hardly been light more than an hour. But we were both on our bikes and receiving our instructions by 6. Surprisingly it was much easier than i was expecting we had to gather horses from 3 paddocks. The first 2 the horses were waiting for us it was as if they knew why we were there. The last paddock was a little different they were all on the far side
Fraser
Dunes we had to climb of this extremely bumpy field, so we had to drive around the outside. But as soon as i got behind them they started to stampede towards the gate not so difficult after all. By the time we got back Trevor had already got most of the horses in their pens waiting to be saddled. A job well done if i do say so myself. Breakfast awaits. After Lynn the daughter of the farm family asked us to go around the 7km track checking the water tanks, they all functioned under a ball valve just like a toilet. She needed to know if they were all working. 1 wasn't and 2 of the bigger ones were covered in algae. I reported this to Lynn and she suggested we take a rake each and go clean them out..... me and my big mouth! Luckily it wasn't too hot today so that made the job a lot easier. After a couple hours we had had enough and they were both far better than they were when we started. Spot of lunch then Tag went and had her bike test. While she was doing that me and Andrew went round and around and around....
Fraser
Our group after arriving back from Fraser. Camera man's thumb included. fun!!! Once Tag had passed we went off around with a Norwegian girl the gang was up to 4, we could start a club lol. At this point me and Tag were loving every minute of the farm so decided to stay another day, which would mean we don't leave until Tuesday now 😊 At least i didn't have to get up at 5.30 again. After a quick dip to cool off dinner wasn't far behind. I was beat it had been a long day.
P.S. Please feel free to leave any comments on my entries, even if its just to say you hate me cos your stuck in England. I just like to know my blog is actually being read. Plus, feedback is always nice to read.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.198s; Tpl: 0.021s; cc: 11; qc: 49; dbt: 0.0992s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Sheff
non-member comment
I hate you! :P
.S. Please feel free to leave any comments on my entries, even if its just to say you hate me cos your stuck in England. I hate you cos im stuck in england!!! :P hope ya havin a good one! Sheff.