Fraser Island- A 4x4 Adventure

One of the three major natural highlights of Australia’s east coast, alongside the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Islands is Fraser Island.

We spent two nights in the seaside village of rainbow beach just across from the island, where we went on a free cruise to see dolphins and otherwise did some washing and went on the internet. We were briefed about driving on the island in 4x4’s. The world’s largest sand island is a world heritage listed site, where some of Australia’s last pure Dingos roam freely alongside many rare birds and animals. Inland from the sandy coastal areas are subtropical rainforests where freshwater lakes spontaneously appear. It’s only really accessible by 4x4, with the road network a plethora of sand and mud tracks, the highlight of this being the main highway called 75 mile beach (including speed limits and regular road laws).

There were six others in our Toyota Landcruiser, three Israelis, two Americans and a German. This was part of two convoys of four which went to the island- the under 21’s in two lead vehicles driven by guides. The ferry docked at the waters edge and we drove straight onto the beach highway, cooled by the sea breeze as we thumped along the sun drenched sand in a column, slowing only to pass through freshwater streams sliding into the sea.

Speed Limits on the Beach!

We then pulled off the highway to a small hamlet, where we ate lunch, making sandwiches and eating fruit from our food box. After the radiator on our overheating car was replaced, we drove to Eli creek, where a fresh stream, the water naturally super filtered by the islands sands flows through forest into the sea.

 People slowly floated and waded down the stream, the pure water being great to drink, while small fish swam protectively in schools along the banks. There was then enough time to have a game of football by the sea, which we couldn’t swim in due to the lethal creatures lurking under the waves (bull sharks, stingrays and box jelly fish(the worlds deadliest) among others).

 

The minor delay with the car meant we arrived at the other striking beachside sites around dusk. This actually turned out to be advantageous, as although the natural rocky pools of champagne pools would have been more pleasant in afternoon heat, the view of 75 mile beach from Indian head couldn’t have been better than in the evening sun. 

Champagne Rocks

We arrived at our woodland campsite as night fell and set up our two man tents (similar to those in Noosa). The old German Diane and myself cooked really good steak and potato salad for the group (all the food was incidentally included in the tour in giant cool boxes-we just had to cook it or in the case of lunch make sandwiches) before people rolled out the drink. One of the Israelis, Peled, offered round some Jack and Coke whilst Rob and I shared our last drops of Jim Bean before starting our first box of goon. Goon is a staple for many backpackers in Australia- costing around $10 for a 4.5 litre silver bag of rough white wine. We hadn’t had it up to now as it is pretty revolting stuff, alongside this it is powerful- it’s a memory wiper- even if you’re not particularly drunk you just remember nothing for hours on end. During the memorable part of the night we played card games with the Frenchies we met Kayaking at Noosa and two English girls we met in the hostel prior to arriving.

Our second day on Fraser took us firstly to the rusting wreck of the ship S.S. Maheno which was being towed to Japan for scrap in 1935 when a storm hit and washed it up on the beach.

Then we headed inland, I had my turn driving the 4x4 for 30 mins along bumpy dirt tracks(where the Israelis, all of whom had done 3 years compulsory national service provided me with really useful driving tips). Incidentally one of them Tzahi(Z-a-h-ee) looked just like Adam Sandler and got loads of people pointing it out to him. The drive lead us to the most visited lake on the island, Lake Mackenzie. This is an oasis, the flour soft sweeping white sands which never chaffed the skin, leading into the turquoise clear waters of the lake. It is a ‘perched’ lake so contains only rainwater with no streams entering it or groundwater topping it up. I wished I had had goggles as I could have swam into the reeds where turtles hide from the tourists- our guide managed to catch one and showed everybody. Bliss. 

Adam Sandler?

That evening was spent camped next to the sea, under the ceiling of stars again playing cards and chatting, though now just sipping goon. Diane again cooked all of us food as she had for breakfast that morning (me and rob stumbled out of bed to scrambled eggs on toast all made up!). The friendly, yet typically American couple, realized at this point that there weren’t people to wash up plates for us and that you had to do it yourself(hands over face moment)!

 

The final day was spent at a quite different inland lake. A 2km walk through forest suddenly leads to a great sandy plain, like a desert, next to which is another freshwater lake. The environment was strange there couldn’t have been more of contrast of scene- the spiders, greenery and health of the subtropical forest standing meters from the barren lifeless desert. People from the groups rolled down the giant sand dunes into the lake, whilst others, like myself, just waded about.

Due to all of its beauty, the island is protected by really strong environmental laws; you’re not allowed to take a whiz there unless you dig a hole in the ground first, and use of any shampoo or soap has to be 50 meters away from freshwater lakes. Your not allowed to feed wild dogs, and need to keep food in a vehicle overnight. When there, we had no washing up liquid. Of course these rules meant we didn’t shower for the whole time, so upon returning to our hostel in rainbow beach there was a queue for the shower in our room!  

We spent a quiet last evening in the empty hostel bar with the guys from our car before setting off on an 11 hour coach journey to Emu Park. Here we stayed at the best hostel on the trip so far, no bunk beds, a great pool and communal area with kind staff. We also saw thousands of crabs on the beach!

Hostel In Emu Park

Kayaking in Noosa

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. 

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.

Goodbye Boguns

Surf Week, Byron Bay and Surfers Paradise

We went on a five day surf camp on our way up to Byron Bay. For the first three nights we stayed in woodlands, a 30 minute drive from Seals Rocks, one of the Beaches we used. We stayed in a block on bunk beds, a short distance away were outbuildings including a block where the staff provided us with food. All of the days were similar, an early start, beginning with a hearty buffet style breakfast (a mix of cereals toast and warming foods such as French toast or fried eggs). Over breakfast, people talked with hoarse yet excitable voices, about the inevitably alcohol fueled antics of the night just gone. Our Scandinavian dominated group moved fast after breakfast, rinsing plates before donning a wet suit and climbing aboard the well worn bus to be whisked along dirt tracks to the beach. 

The most irritating part of the day began here, clumsily lugging the awkward boards down dirt tracks to the waters edge. Apart from the initial day ( where we were shown in 15 minutes how to get on a surfboard) once on the sand everybody was left to attempt to surf themselves-it’s a game of trial and error.

Dragging a heavy surf board over the relentless waves to break point was hard graft (though us not always using rips or channels where water drains off the beach didn’t help), then once in the calm beyond, you had to pick the ‘right’ wave and paddle like a maniac before catching the wave front and standing up. Sounds simple, however most of the time you ended up being tossed like a rag doll, be it from paddling to fast or slow, or going off balance or not having your board completely aligned, before being battered by the next white wall- this all meant then when you did catch a good wave it gave a huge buzz and much satisfaction.

At the end of the day, with red raw skin ripped off on the rough boards, the bus headed back to the hostel, via a small beachside shop where people bought drinks and the like. 

Though the surfing left everybody tired, the group was up for drinking and the evenings were spent playing drinking games with the ever keen instructors. The instructors were the real deal, proper surfer types, blonde hair and chilled out plus they were phenomenal surfers as this picture of Joel shows.

On one of the nights, I ended up in the pool fully clothed with my phone and wallet in tow, courtesy of a drunken welshman (one of many things alongside my mp3 player and clothes which broke/disappeared in these few days).  The only major issue with the place was that there was no clean running water- the showers and taps operated from a borehole and so what came out was coloured brown and heavily soiled- in fact after a shower you smelt worse than before you went in. The only place you could access drinkable water was at the eating area where blue containers rested on the bar.

For the last night we went to a hotel in a town called Maclean 3 hours away. The clean water and the luxury of a hot bath(the first in months) made this place amazing. When surfing the next day both Rob and I caught a wave before it had broken which was awesome- ie we surfed properly(unlike in these photos which we took at the start of the trip!).

 

 

The trip ended in Byron bay where the group  was dropped off, however everybody met up later in a bar called cheeky monkeys where we got a starter, main course and two beers for just $5 courtesy of a discount card from Waves(the surf school). Byron Bay is a hippie town, so much so that there is no McDonalds- the locals didn’t allow it. The place was sleepy by day as the town drained onto the beach to surf, before waking up at night with plenty of bars. When there we spent a day dealing with some trip logistics before walking 40 minutes to the lighthouse at dusk, from here we had a great view of the sun setting over the hills.

 

We took our first greyhound to Surfers Paradise where we spent the afternoon and following night. The place is the opposite from the organic juice bars and frugal shops of Byron, with massive Skyscrapers and chain restaurants and shops right next to golden sands. The city doesn’t sleep, with restaurants and bars open all night. In spite of this it does have the same relaxing ‘beach bum’ feel as Byron.  

 

Sydney!!!

Unlike the last, the first of our five days in Sydney provided excellent weather, allowing us to explore the city and get some great photos of the major sights. On the first full day was slow, all we did was get a train to the Nike Outlet in the suburbs where I bought some new trainers. The second day we walked from our hostel, based in the backpacker district of Kings Cross, down past the large naval base to a viewpoint where you can see The Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Skycrapers of the centre.

 We took photos before navigating round through the botanical gardens to see the Opera House. It’s an elegant structure, though it was strange seeing it close up-the tourist photos only show it from far away. It’s pretty impressive that it was only built in 1973, yet in its short life has managed to become a global tourist icon, as well recognised as historic sights such as the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben and The Great Wall of China.

 We then headed into the skyscraper dominated city centre, through the business district into the pedestrianised shopping district, browsing in shops and eating some fast food for lunch. The city doesn’t have the wide American streets of Melbourne, feeling more pedestrian friendly. There are English place names everywhere, Kings Cross Station, Hyde Park, Oxford Street, Croydon and Liverpool are just some of the areas named after places at home and statues of British monarchs are dotted round the city. It feels like a capital city (even though its not), far more than Melbourne did, and defiantly feels more ‘global’-you certainly don’t feel your at the edge of the world. In the evening we walked through the oldest district of Sydney which to us didn’t seem at all remarkable, to the Harbour Bridge at dusk, and saw the urbanscape of the trip so far as the city light up as the sun set.

 

Sydney From the Entrance to Hyde Park

 We walked the half hour back to our hostel, that evening also provided our first opportunity to try Kangaroo-we had burgers in a pub which did a backpacker special of drink and burger for $10. The meat was so similar to beef- identical in colour and with a similar taste and texture. To be honest we ate late and were ravaged after walking about so I wasn’t concentrating on it too much- I will need to have a proper kangaroo steak before I leave Oz. Incidentally Kangeroos aren’t rare or endangered, in fact there’s millions of them, so many that in parts of Northern Australia people are employed just to drive about shooting them.

On the other days we took a boat across the harbour to Manly, a district which felt like a seaside town and in which resides a large surfing community, sorted out the rest of our trip in Australia and went on a night out.

Bats in the Botanical Gardens

Giant Spiders on Manly- had to watch where yo walked here

The night out occurred on a Saturday, and was organised by our hostel, so after pre-drinking some Jim Bean and coke bought in duty free on the way to Sydney, we made the trip across the small leafy Victoria street on which we reside to the nightclub called Soho opposite our hostel. The club was decent though not amazing(even though it was Saturday) and not being that packed (thankfully we got free entry and a free drink through the hostel), however we left early to have more drinks at the hostel and weren’t let in as the bouncers accused Rob of urinating on a nearby wall which he didn’t do- the worst bit was we weren’t even close to being drunk so merely asked for proof. In spite of our mild mannered protestations about them chatting rubbish they still wouldn’t let us in, and told us we had to move 50 meters away. We barked some expletives and left, irritated that having had trouble free nights throughout New Zealand, our return to Oz was marred by the draconian drinking laws here (on nearly every night we have been out on in Australia one of us has been refused entry or kicked out for supposedly being drunk, even if we are completely in control- it really rarely happens at home). I don’t really want to go out in Australia again (I inevitably will of course) because of the fact that you cant relax and enjoy yourself; you always have to be alert as one sign of not looking sober (I was chucked out for leaning on a bar waiting for a slow barman in Melbourne) and, unless you are a girl, you are out on the street.

 

Browsing Chinatown

The Retro Metro-The Sydney Monorail

We will be traveling up the east coast on greyhound buses, the first 5 days will be spent learning to surf in Byron Bay. We then travel to a beauty spot called Noosa for a few days(via surfers paradise) followed by a 3 day 4 x4 drive round Fraser Island with other travelers. Working up the coast we will also do a sailing trip around Whitsunday Islands and should end up snorkling the Great Barrier Reef on our last day in Cairns. There are some other stops on the way which I have marked on the map below. With our activities we have kept ensured there will be plenty of other travelers, as it was this that made New Zealand so enjoyable, and the lack of them that made the road trip prior become tense at times.

  

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