What no dingoes?

Beach highway

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World heritage listed Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world stretching over 120km, is a pretty unique place to spend some time. The island was formed from sand blown in from the Antarctic and is pretty amazing how such thick rainforests have established themselves on the island, drawing their nutrients somehow from sand! The only way to get around the island is by four wheel drive, but where are the roads? Look again and you will see national speed limit signs and traffic cops ON THE BEACH! Yes, here on Fraser Island, the beach is treated as regular highway, just one with no road markings and where you need to be careful not to get stranded with the tide coming in. Oh and must remember to check the skies for planes that also land on the beach!!

Eli Creek

Watch out the plane is coming in to land on the beach highway!

Not quite the independent adventure but a lot of fun anyway

Maheno shipwreck, once a luxury cruiseship now a photo opportunity

I did screw up a bit on booking the tour for Fraser Island. I arrived into Hervey Bay off the Greyhound bus from Airlie absolutely exhausted after getting stranded at Rockhampton for many hours. There had been a huge fatal accident on the highway, an army tank or something had burst into flames and at first there was some suspicion of terrorism. The only road down through coastal Queensland was therefore closed for the whole afternoon. We arrived at the scene at around 9pm and it had only just opened up. The sight was complete carnage, not surprised that someone had lost their life in that mess. Checked into my motel in the early hours and was still pretty groggy when i went to organise the Fraser island trip the next day. Think I misunderstood the person on the travel desk or something as i thought i was taking a guided self-drive tour but somehow ended up on a big four wheel drive bus! Oh well, the day was actually a lot of fun, met some great people and the commentary on the bus was informative and real funny. Wouldn’t normally go for this kind of packaged up approach, maybe not such an adventure as i was looking for but had a stunning day. From the beautiful ferry ride over, to the exhilaration of driving on the beach, trekking through the rainforest and swimming in the drop-dead gorgeous Lake McKenzie. The day could have only been better if we had seen some of the famous inhabitants of Fraser Island, the dingoes. Apparently, this time of year they are busy weaning their pups so hide themselves away, damn....

I loved swimming in Lake Mckenzie, so unique and beautiful

Nice sunset to end a fantastic day

Chance would be a fine thing

Eli Creek

Maheno shipwreck, once a luxury cruiseship now a photo opportunity

Coloured sands of the Pinnacles

Rainforest growing in sand

Beautiful Lake Mckenzie