Day 126 to 127 - Fraser Island

I woke up at 6am and checked out of the hostel and made my way to the Holiday Inn to be picked up for Fraser Island. I immediately knew it would be and entertaining trip once I met the staff. They were super friendly and quite funny.

The first stop was Rainbow beach to see the red canyon. And the sand was well, as the name states, red. Really red from all the iron in the sand. This beach apparently has about 80 different colours of sand on it, hence it's name, Rainbow Beach. It is definitely beautiful.

We arrived on Fraser Island after taking the ferry across at 1:30pm and what a beautiful place. It is the world's largest Island composed of only sand. It is absolutely huge. The sand is much different than any other sand I've seen. It's superfine white sand with the consistency of flour.

Lake Barrabee was our first swimming hole stop. The day was so hot and the water was crystal clear. It was also consumable as I was told but didn't want to try it since well, everyone was swimming in it! What a great place. I could have chilled out on this beach all day long.

The accommodation was really better than I had expected. I really did want to sleep in a tent and camp out on the island so I had to settle for a tour that stayed at a resort. The rooms were really spacious and there were no bunk beds! I was so surprised but so grateful. Dinner was buffet style and I had the best lamb I've ever tasted. It really is quite different over here. Lamb doesn't have the really strong gamey taste it does back home. After dinner I had the best sleep I've had in quite some time, even though I kept passing out in the Jeep on the way over here!

The next morning breakfast was just as good as dinner was last night. I ate like a pig! Two sunny side up eggs, 5 hashbrowns, 8 pieces of bacon, beans and toast. Brilliant! Did that ever make me happy :)

At 7:30am we left to go to and area where fresh water ran out of the rock on the island. There are places like this all over Fraser Island. As the water had been filtered through the sand for the last 300 years, it was the best tasting water I've ever had. Very fresh and clean. I found myself drinking it right off the rocks as it poured off into the pond below.

From here we went to the Maheno wreck which was a ship that was bought by the Japanese after WWI. They decided the best economical way to get it back to Japan was to tow it with a tiny tugboat with half the sailors. And of course, the boat broke free and washed onto Fraser Island and has been here ever since. It's in really rough condition and over 80% of it is buried under the sand. It's illegal to touch it since it's in such bad condition. Great for photos though. This ship was huge.

Indian Head on Fraser Island has the best view point on the island. I would have to agree here. The view is spectacular. The headland was named by Captain Cook when he passed it on the evening of 19 May 1770, for the aboriginal people he saw assembled on it.

Next was the Pinnicles. There is an aboriginal story about how a boomarang master was in love with a girl who was in love with the rainbow serpent. Since he wanted her for himself he killed the serpent and sprayed its blood all over the pinnicles, making them all different colours. This is sacred site for aboriginal women. Men were not allowed here.

Lastly we stopped at Eli Creek for a swim. The water here was really quite cold and the deepest point was only up to my knees. This place was full of families and children. Not really a place to swim but beautiful none the less.

It was then time for the long haul back to Brisbane. I arrived back at the hostel around 8:30pm after having a few social drinks and Barramundi (really nice fish) and chips with some people on my tour. Unfortunately I was having a lot of difficulty with my key card and the rooms were not set up properly so I kept having to go down to reception to get it fixed. On the 4th time down there, the guy at reception just gave up and gave me a private ensuite for the night as it was the only one left for $28 instead of $96. Sweet! Private room. Private rooms are gold when you've been travelling as long as I have. Personal space and privacy are 2 things I took for granted when I was at home.