Fraser Island

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While in Brisbane, late February 2004, we took a holiday adventure to explore Fraser Island -- we had a colleague back in Canada who had been and said that we simply must go. So we did, and we're glad of it.

Fraser Island is a large sand island north of Brisbane and it's pretty much all protected wild land of rain forest, trees, several small lakes, wild dingo dogs and, until recently, a herd of wild horses (brumbies). We stayed two nights in the resort at Eurong which is on the ocean side of the island. We got there by bus from nearby Noosa Heads.

We met up with our bus from Fraser Island Explorer Tours in the morning near Noosa Heads having driven up from Brisbane and stayed over night for a fresh start in the morning. The bus drove along the sea shore up to Inskip Point and from there we took a short ferry ride across to Fraser Island and continued driving along the seashore all the way to the Eurong resort about half way along 75mile beach. There's no ferry dock as such at Inskip, there's just a gangway that they lay on the sand beach.

Driving on the beach is a thing in Queensland, the beach is considered a roadway and the usual rules of the road apply. It's a bit dodgy driving along the beach because if you get too close to the water you might get stuck. Conversely, if you drive too far away from the water the dry sand will get you stuck as well. From the picture above you can see our bus did get stuck! That was on the return trip. On the way there our driver regaled us with stories about inexperienced drivers who come to the island with their 4 wheel drive vehicles and get stuck in the sand. We met one of those on our way back to Noosa -- he was up to his axles spinning in the sand and no amount of effort on our was going to get him out. We abandoned him, hope he got out before the tide rose and covered him.

There are some roads within the island but they're really just side tracks where it's easy to get stuck. There used to be logging on the island and sand mining too so perhaps some of these roads were there for a reason. On our first day we went inland to MacKenzie Lake for a swim. The lake is fed with rain water and crystal clear. I understand there had been a problem with campers bathing with soap and shampoo that was polluting these clear waters but that problem has been resolved. I've never seen water so clear before -- a bit unnerving at first.

Later we were exploring the rainforest and came upon some huge staghorn ferns. It's a rain forest (the prevailing winds come from the east) and quite humid; an ideal environment for these ferns. I understand they are not indigenous but were brought in as an ornamental plant at a camp on the other side of the island. They've really take off -- they're huge!

We had stops at the Pinnacles (a scenic canyon), visited an old wreck (the Maheno) on the beach, and had swim in the cool waters of Eli Creek (rain fed).  You would think you ought to be able to swim in the ocean but we were advised not to -- apparently there's bities (sharks), sting rays, jelly fish and more. Odd, because most places in Australia warn you about such things but then say "Yes, but you'd have to be extremely unlikely".

The next morning we met up with some dingoes (wild dogs) along the beach. They seemed to be friendly with a staff member. I noticed that some of them hanging around the resort had ear tags of some sort. The staff talk fondly about the brumbies -- feral horses -- that used to roam the island. They were left there from the logging days and had established a colony. Unfortunately that had an environmental impact and they had short lives from getting too much sand with their feed. I understand they were recently removed by the Australian EPA. Staff seem to think that some remain on the island.

That day we drove (better bussed) to the far north of the island to Indian Point -- a hard rock point with great views back south along 75mile beach (it really is a very long beach) and further north to the next headlands. At that headland we went on to the Champagne Pool for a dip in the ocean. The pool is a safe spot which is replenished by waves crashing over the rocks -- no bities there. On the way back that day we stopped at another cool rain fed creek for another swim.

The last day we had a very brisk walk to Lake Waddy with another tour guide. There was a long walk through some woods and then over a bare sand dune area called the Hammerstone Sand Blow. The lake is slowly being swallowed by the sand dunes and, unlike Lake MacKenzie, is a bit murky and full of strange catfish (there's no fishing in the lakes). The lake is fed by the rains and on the one side is forested. You'd wonder how the fish got here and what will become of them as the sand dunes invade.

Back at the resort we had a bit of a rest before our afternoon bus ride along the sea shore back south to Noosa. I've already given away the story about us getting stuck in the sand. We had stopped to help another bus but then we got stuck as well.

Anyways, Fraser Island is well worth a visit and we're glad we took our friends recommendation -- after all, "Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God" (Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle 1963). There's some interesting things to see and there's the bizarre bus ride along the sea shore. You'll have fun.

Here's an album of photos from our visit to Fraser Island.

North Stradbroke

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North Stradbroke Island is a large sandbar island on Moreton Bay just to the south of Brisbane in Queensland Australia. It's about 25 miles long (long and narrow) but we didn't get to see much of it.

The three major islands from the north to the south are Bribie, Moreton and North Stradboke. All are mostly wild protected lands with very little habitation. Straddie (as the locals call it) is the largest. I read that it's the second largest sand island in the world (Fraser Island to the north being the biggest).

The shore of Moreton Bay is shallow, muddy and filled with mangrove swamps. Very unpleasant really. We wanted to swim in and explore some sand beaches. There are fine beaches on the ocean side of the island.

Kate and I spent a sunny summer day swimming on the island -- in the ocean and at the end of the day in a lake. We took our car across the bay from Cleveland to the small port town of Dunwich on the ferry. From there we drove across the island and had a lunch at the rocky outcrop of Port Lookout on the far north east corner. Along the way we swam in the clear warm ocean waters at Cylinder Beach. At the end of the day we swam in Brown Lake -- aptly named as it's a deep tea color. Surrounding the lake are paper bark eucalyptus.

There isn't much habitation on the island. Dunwich and Port Lookout are the largest towns but they aren't very big at all. There are some cottage homes and permanent residences. And quite a few day trippers like us. When we were planning this trip to Brisbane we thought about renting a place on the island and commuting to the city and Griffith University by boat. Luckily we were persuaded to find a place in the city!

Tangalooma

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Tangalooma is a resort on Moreton Island just off shore from Brisbane. Kate and I took a Saturday day trip out to the resort in early February, 2004 for a swim on the beach and a ride on the sand dunes.

People think of Brisbane as a coastal city but it's really a river city and down stream at the coast it's pretty mucky mangrove swamp shores. If you want to get to lovely sandy beaches you need to go further afield.

Nearby off shore are several large sand islands. Moreton Island is the largest, it's very long and quite narrow (perhaps 8 miles or so). It's a protected island (a national park) that's mostly forest with some very large bare areas that expose the sand dunes which form the island. I suppose all this sand washed down the river from the highland beyond Brisbane. The one and only resort is a very tiny portion of a very large island.

The Tangalooma Resort is on the Moreton Bay side (ie. the west side) facing towards the land rather than the sea. It's a pretty big resort, but we didn't get to see much beyond the beach and lunch at a dining hall. Down the beach to the north there's an artificial reef made out of sunken boats -- we didn't get down there this time.

The only way to get to the island is by boat. If you've brought a vehicle then you can drive around the island on the beaches. That's an oddly Queensland kind of thing -- cf. our trip to Fraser Island. We had arranged the visit through the resort and while there took a smallish 4-wheel drive bus adventure through the woods to the nearby sand dunes. At the sand dunes we climbed to the top and then slid down on "toboggans" --- really just a sheet of polished masonite. The climb up the dunes is quite a struggle. It's a good height and walking in sand isn't easy. The ride down the dunes is easy enough but do hold the front of you masonite up else you'll dig into the sand and get a mouthful. There were some folks who had their swimming glasses, that would work well to protect your eyes from the sand.

There's a dolphin feeding at the dock for the resort but it's done a dusk and our boat headed back earlier so we missed that. We're told the artificial reef has great snorkeling.

Here's a photo album of our day on the island. We had fun and will be back should there be another visit to this part of Australia.