The two hour red greyhound bus took us from Surfers Paradise, via a changeover in Brisbane, Queensland’s capital (which from the coach window seemed as unremarkable as people have described) to Noosa. Here, following me having a steak pie with ketchup on(the anzac way which is something I’ve become really keen on) from 7-eleven, we jumped on the minibus with six others which took us to a supermarket to stock up on food for the next three days. A thirty minute drive from the town took us to Gagaju bush camp- something we had received free when we booked our activities up the east coast(we just had to pay a $50 national park fee). Turning off into the camp the first thing we encountered was a battered up car with the engine lying in front of it.
This gave way to homes constructed of wooden poles with tarpaulin draped over them- many the size of a small marquee. Our kiwi driver informed us that boguns (Australian pikees) lived here full time. We all looked at each other in agreement- thinking what the fuck are we doing?
As it happens, we were right at the end of the path, a few minutes from the gypsie camp, however we shared their toilet and shower facilities, though fortunately through our time we never really encountered them, let alone had any trouble- the only noise was from their dingo cross breeds howling in the nights.
The first afternoon was spent lying around in the communal area watching movies. This, like most parts of the site was a wooden construction, part walled part open, with a tv area, free pool table and kitchen, containing hobs and remarkably, an electric oven (which no hostel provides). As people arrived and left everyday, staying in three day cycles, more people joined us, returning from kayaking, as the day wore on. The evening was spent just drinking some Jim Bean and Coke, chatting and mixing in with the other people (ending with rob and I loosing consecutively to a drunk Scot at pool).
The next day we emerged from our dorm accommodation(bunk beds in an enclosure with wooden poles over which mosquito netting and tarpaulin was draped), had a short briefing about where we were kayaking over the next two days, filled up a splash proof container with a packed lunch and went to the rivers edge
The kayaks were designed for three people, but due to numbers rob and myself ended up taking one out between two of us (so our steering was all off balance). The group headed unaccompanied up the muggy, yet warm and shallow waters of the river towards a large lake. A boat of three French (two hefty lesbians and a bloke) steamed ahead, leading our unguided group of four boats 7kms downstream to a lake which we crossed easily enough, landing at a beach on the other side. After a downpour, the group typically headed to a pub where two girlie german girls(who never really seemed suited to the dirt of the bush camp) bought food(unlike the rest of us). Kayaking back was a mare, the wind was strong over the lake, and rowing upstream we managed to capsize our top heavy boat into the waist deep water of the lake, loosing our water bottles. After a hard workout (and a rescue mission by the relentless French to help another boat out) everybody made it back to where we had started.
Again, having soaked clothes to get the smell of the river out, and sorted out pillows and sleeping bags, the evening was spent just sitting around chatting, the rain hissing in bursts on the tarpaulin. For the two penultimate nights, we slept in tents by the river(this is how it all operates, one night in dorm two in tents) which were more comfy than the dorms we were in the first place.
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| Camping by the river |
Our final full day involved another Kayak, this time upstream and again across a lake to the other side. From here as a group we walked 3kms to a beach (I had a rare chat about beer with a kraut enroute) where everybody lazily sat in the sun and ate lunch, Rob decided to go for a brief dip in the surf. Walking back, Rob and I talked to a Brit about traveling in Asia , his descriptions of which made me more desiring to get there.
Our final night was spent drinking more Jim Bean and talking to some 19 year olds about going to university, a chat with have both had with others before. It’s a hard chat though, just because we both feel envious of their circumstances and wish we were in their shoes (as opposed to having to job up upon return), however the flip side was it was nice heading to sleep thinking about university days.
We left at midday the next day and took our next step on the greyhound two hours to rainbow beach- getting away from the mud and non flush toilets was nice though the three days in Noosa were very relaxing and defiantly enjoyable.
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| Goodbye Boguns |
