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.