Fraser Island
Yesterday and the day before we did Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island. I think something like 99% sand!
We booked the trip at a Peter Pan office (travel agents for backpackers) along with the Whitsundays trip (these two things are considered MUST do’s if you are in Australia.) The name of the company was Fraser Experience.
So the next morning we got picked up by a neat 4-wheel drive van that looked really sturdy. There were about 8 of us total, 2 Irish, 1 Swiss, and a couple “poms,” which Aussie love to call the Brits. (“Bloody pommies!”) Our driver was a totally Aussie guy named Jason. He was hard to understand and was a bit sexist… but very informative.
He told us about the history of the island and even told us that if it is dark at the hotel and we need to walk to the toilet, to stomp our feet because the snakes can feel the vibration and they will go away. That would turn out to be useful information. And it also caused me to stomp my feet the entire trip.
We drove to the shore and drove right onto this funky shaped ferry that took us across the water to Fraser, only about 5 mins.
Once on the island, we started driving down the really long coast. The tide was in so the water would sometimes come right up to us in the van. Driving down the coast itself wasn’t that exciting since it was just, well, sand and water. The waves were pretty neat since they were big. (What an intelligent sentence.)
I forgot to mention that tons of backpackers get self-drive tours, where you and about 10 other people pack into a 4WD van and drive yourselves around and camp on the island. We thought it would be must easier to get a guided tour even if it was a little more expensive. We saw lots of these self-drive vans stuck in the sand and I can’t imagine trying to get along with a bunch of other young backpackers who all have their own idea of fun and what they want to do for three days. And camping. Yikes!
Fraser Island has one of the most pure breeds of Dingoes in Australia. They look like skinny yellow dogs, but they can be very dangerous and there are signs EVERYwhere telling you NOT to feed them or even leave food out anywhere. They tell you to LOCK up your food because they get into everything. It’s a pretty big deal. There also used to be wild horses but they were all killed. I don’t have time to explain.
Finally we arrived at our “beach resort” for a break and then got back into the van for more long rides. We stopped at a place called Eli Creek, which was just a small creek with crystal clear water that ran into the ocean. It wasn’t that spectacular.
Then another long ride to Indian Head, which was great. We climbed up quite a bit of hillside and finally got to the top, which was a big cliff that went straight into the water. I guess on some days you can see sharks and rays and other life swimming in the water way below. It was quite dramatic and a bit scary since it was very windy and we were climbing way up there. We got some great photos.
You can’t even get an idea of how high we are and how far down the water is!
Pic: Me almost getting blown off the cliff (well not really)
There are also tons of interesting plants, flowers, and butterflies everywhere. I love that. I don’t know why the plants are so fascinating to me.
We climbed down and saw some more enormous spiders in a tree. (shudder). Then we made our way back down the beach and stopped at the Coloured Sands and The Pinnacles, both of which weren’t that interesting. They were big rocks that were yellow and orange. I hate that things don’t excite me as much as they used to. I guess that’s one drawback of traveling for quite a while.
I forgot to mention, we also saw the Maheno shipwreck from the 1930s. it was lodged into the beach and was just a rusty metal frame. It was kinda neat.
Also, on the way back, our crazy driver Jason stopped and told us to find clams. You could see small bumps in the sand and reach down and pull out a clam. Jim was all about it since we thought we’d have a clam bake. But then Jason had us all line up our clams on the beach and we stood there and watched them. Suddenly, once started moving and shimmied his way back into the wet sand!! Then, two more did it! It was really neat to see these seemingly immobile clams just stick out their little tongue-y thing and dig themselves back in. Jim was sad we didn’t eat them but he thought it was the best part of the trip.
We also saw some interesting birds and finally a dingo.
We also saw the Colored Sands (I think that’s what they were called).
Eventually we got back to the “resort” and saw our room–it was more bare and desolate than a hostel! Jim and I stayed in a room with two British girls and immediately found a tiny little gecko living on the ceiling. We named him Gary. I didn’t mind him at all since he was tiny and they eat bugs!
Jason made us dinner and we all ate then went to the cruddy pub and it was quite boring. As we ate, a dingo walked around and I tried to stare it down like Jason said to. He didn’t get too close though.
We walked back to the room to get ready for bed. The Swiss guy went straight to the bathroom and he says something like, “Oh, a snake.” And us scaredy-cat girls and Jim ran from the terrace down to the path to look.
Sure enough, there was a medium-sized black snake sitting on the concrete, dark dark dark path to the bathroom. His head was in the air as if he was in a defensive position. We were all scared since everything in Australia is deadly. One of the Brit girls got her flashlight and we watched until it slithered away.
Then we went back into the room and discussed how scary it would be to go to the bathroom now. Then one of the girls saw a huge gecko right next to her bed, which we called Big Gary or Gary II. At this point, things were getting a little crazy. Tiny gecko=cute, Huge gecko=not so cute.
I also forgot to mention that earlier I was in the bathroom and got a huge itchy bug bite on my hip. Well, ok, almost my butt. I hate it.
So us 3 girls, armed with a flashlight made our way to the bathroom, freaking out the whole time. I swear I head something rustling in the bushes and I basically pushed my way past one of the girls into the bathroom.
One of them opened a stall and found another big ugly gecko on the wall. Sheesh! And that’s not mentioning the moths and other flying bugs.
Finally we finished and made our way back. I think all of us girls slept with our sheets tucked tightly around us in case Gary II came around.
In the morning it was pouring rain but it turned out to be a very nice day. We went to the center of the island on an EXTREMELY bumpy ride and walked through the rainforest. Literally a real sub-tropical rainforest completely on SAND! It was really interesting. There was another crystal clear stream going through and you could hear all sorts of weird bird calls and see weird plants. That was great. I’ve never been in a rainforest. Jason also explained to us several trees and plants that were special to Fraser Island. I’m so glad we go the guided tour since we never would have learned any of that.
The rainforest
Pic: The Swiss guy sitting in a huge hollow tree!
Then we went to Lake McKenzie, the largest perched lake in the world (I think). That means it’s floor is made from..um.. I think, squished-down vegetation. The water, again, was crystal clear and I didn’t think I would go in but it was a good temperature. We all played frisbee and had a great time. The sand there is so fine that people bring their jewelry there to polish it. One of the girls polished her ring and it was nice and shiny. It was pretty awesome sand!
Lake Mackenzie… Jim is in there playing frisbee. Isn’t it gorgeous?
After a while we went back to the van and ate while a MILLION flies flew around us. It was awful and some of us even got up and walked away to try to eat in peace. Damn wildlife!
After that we drove back to the mainland and to Hervey Bay, where Jim and I are now. We booked our Whitsundays trip for next wednesday. We didn’t realize it was Easter and a lot of things are booked. Tomorrow we are going to Rockhampton. It stinks that we have so many days to waste until the Whitsundays! Anyway, hope you all have a great Easter and happy birthday to my sister!!
Tags: Australia
Kelly
Kelly – I’ve been reading your Blog since it started and never have sent you a comment. You are a very creative and entertaining writer and very opinionated :). Your information is both fun and informative. I will be travelling alone to many of the places in SE Asia that you wrote about. Again, thanx and keep it up!
J
Another interesting entry! I felt like I was there with the snakes, geckos, dingos and spiders; I hate them, too. I’ll bet the little spiders, ants and mosquitoes back home won’t even make an impression, now.
Hi Jeff!! What a great comment; that makes me happy!! thanks for reading! Do you have a blog? when are you leaving? let me know if I can help with anything!!! 🙂
Hi mom! I’m glad you like it! I spent a lot of time typing it so I’m glad someone liked it!