Last Thursday we took the barge out to Fraser Island for a day long tour of the island. We had a wonderful day. Photo above shows us nearing Fraser Island, the little truck you can see in the distance has the mail for the barge to bring back to the mainland. 
In the background you can see the four wheel drive buses which take people around the island. It is the only way to get around, there are no roads, just sandy tracks. The bus we went on took 15 people. We were advised before we went to NOT sit in the back, and after ten minutes we knew why! talk about bumpy! Our tour guide's name was Franz, originally from Austria he was fluent in three languages, and had to tell us everything in English, then, for the german tourists, repeat everything in German. He seemed to talk the entire day! (which of course he did). But he cooked us a mean lunch! We had fish or steak, salads, fruit, soup, it was great, sitting under the trees. Beer and wine were provided as well. And then afternoon tea was at one of the "resorts" on the island, at a place called Happy Valley, where you can buy a new apartment for yourself for the small price of $640,000. any takers??? They have built them right opposite the pub, we wondered (a) how on earth they had got permits to build them when the island is a national park and (b) why would you build them right opposite the pub? if your intention is isolation and solitude. Each to his own of course! 
Another shipwreck! This time the Mahina, originally built for the New Zealand steamship company. Originally built as a sumptuous ocean liner, it ran aground after the second world war, after being used as a hospital ship. The photo only shows about a third of it - it was massive. 
And of course on Fraser Island there are dingoes. We were fortunate (?) if that's the right word, to see two during the day. They were heavily culled after 2001 following the death of a child, this one was checking out people fishing on the beach and then wandered over to their fourwheel drive looking for food. There are signs EVERYWHERE saying don't feed the dingoes, for obvious reasons.
These are the Pinnacles, coloured sandstone formations, very pretty, but getting heavily eroded by wind and sand and time.
My first snake sighting! 20 years in Oz and this is the first snake I have seen in the wild. We actually walked past it twice, before another lady spotted it. It's a carpet python and was extremely docile and quiet (luckily) as it is just too cold at the moment. How's this for great camoflague. 
We were pretty late leaving the island, and as sun sets around 5.30pm up here, one minute it's daylight, the next it's dark. But another great photo opportunity! This was sunset from the back of the barge. We got back to the caravan park at around 6.30 and were in bed an hour later, totally had it! One big day, but really worth it.
Warren wants to know - if this bouy wasn't here, where would these birds sit? (and I am stuck in a caravan with him 24 hours a day ....................!!!!)We have been fishing the last two nights off the Pier and have caughts heaps of fish, sadly they are all Toad fish, totally useless and poisonous. They make this croaking sound as you pull them out of the water, and puff up their throats just like a toad - just revolting.
Four more days at Hervey Bay, which we are really enjoying, then we head for Mackay. We stay with friends at Howard on Friday night, then hit the trail. should take us a couple of days so we will camp overnight roadside. Talk to you next from Mackay!
No comments:
Post a Comment