The Fraser Experience

As we found out, Fraser Island was definitely an "Experience"! The briefing on the previous day already had me a bit apprehensive –how not to overturn your vehicle in soft sand etc. However at 7.00 am we picked up our White Suzuki Jimny 4WD, ESKI ice box and dome tent and headed for the barge crossing to the island. Once on the island, we followed other likeminded people down twisty, sometimes tortuous sandy tracks where there were deep furrows of soft sand. We arrived at Central Station which used to be a forestry camp and there were a mixture of trees: huge kauri pines, satinay pines, the wood of which was used for the construction of the Suez Canal.

Moving on we arrived at Eurong Resort by the beach. To cross onto the beach we crossed a cattle grid which had added electric stinger wires to stop dingoes crossing. So, here we were on 75 mile beach. I spent most of the time calling out "wash out" which meant there was a fresh water outlet running out to the sea and these caused banks and rivulets that you went into. Some were a lot deeper than others and we bounced about. I have to say, I admired Peter's driving because it certainly wasn't easy especially when we hit the soft stuff – like driving in deep snow, but he kept to a low speed and tackled 'most' of the wash outs without turfing me out of the car!

So what did we see? We had to bypass the Poyungan Rocks to avoid the seawater, stopped briefly at Eli Creek which is a deep fast flowing freshwater creek running down to the sea. Had a paddle there but due to loads of other tourists, we continued on to Maheno Wreck. This was a cruising ship which capsized in 1935 and is now in a very sorry, rusty state. Fascinating photostop though. Our intention had been to get as far as Indian Head and Champagne Pools which was the limit for our hire car, but the tides dictated that we turned around and we headed back along the beach to find a place to pitch the tent for the night. Finally, as the tide was coming in a little too fast for my comfort, we found a nice patch in the sand dunes at a spot called One Tree Rock. It was getting quite gloomy and looking stormy out to sea, so we got the tent up quickly and Peter erected the tarpaulin over the top in case it did get stormy. Talk about "Robinson", I am not sure if I mean Crusoe or Heath Robinson, but I'm jolly grateful Peter was a boy scout and knew how to lash things together. Needn't have worried though, because it didn't rain and we woke up at 5.00 am to glorious sunshine. Oops! Missed the photo opportunity for a sunrise!

The Ranger called by to check our permit and ask whether we had seen any dingoes. Sadly no, but there were fresh pawprints around the tent so they had visited during the night! Spent the morning reading the Weekend paper, as one does, waiting for the tide to ebb. We had an early Sunday lunch of sausage in a roll and headed North again to Eli Creek, a cool freshwater stream, where we walked along the boardwalk and then I floated down with the current to the seashore, which was all very nice until I spotted an eel! The day was beautiful – hot with a perfectly blue sky so we continued northwards to the Maheno wreck again for some more photos, then it was 4WD back to Eurong via the washouts. At one point a small light aircraft flew over the top of the car and landed on the sand ahead of us. There was a bridal couple on board getting married on the island, as one does!

When we got back to Eurong, we almost got bogged in the sand ruts, but Lewis Hamilton-Roscoe got us out of them. On the road back to Central Station campsite we saw two dingoes. We found the campsite and pitched for the night. I started to cook some lamb steaks; went back to the car to fetch the salad and while my back was turned, a kookaburra had nicked one of the lamb steaks! He sat on a log and proceeded to bash the steak on the log to break it in to smaller pieces. After that, he stayed on the log glaring at us and would have dived in for seconds if we hadn't eaten quickly! They warn you about dingoes but not kookaburras. He then flew off and you could hear him laughing all the way through the forest!! Heard dingoes passing in the night, but the only wildlife we encountered next morning was a very large goanna.

On to Lake Mackenzie, a beautiful azure blue freshwater lake with pure white sand , where we spent the morning sunbathing and swimming. Then it was time to attack the 14 kms of sandtrack back to the ferry. We just had to get bogged didn't we. The car wheels sank into the sand, not surprising when the ruts have been formed by huge trucks and we were just in a little Suzuki, but Peter persevered and we spun our way out again. So, we have experienced Fraser Island.

They say you have to have "A little adventure before dementia" and I think this trip is turning out to be quite adventurous. Next stop, the Sunshine Coast.