Mum and Dad

As per Anna’s Byron Bay entry, we travelled north to Hervey Bay, the easiest jumping off point from which to visit the famous Fraser Island.  Quite a contrast to Byron Bay, which was compact and bustling, we arrived in Hervey Bay to find a suburb-like community extending for miles and eerily quiet.  Our hostel was fantastic though.  Aptly named the Friendly Hostel, the building was set up into mini appartments, with 2 doublerooms and 1 4-bed dorm sharing a proper home-like kitchen and living room.  And the bed was INCREDIBLE!!

However, though we contemplated never leaving the above, we were here for Fraser Island and wasted no time in signing up for a 3 day/2 night ’self-drive’ tour.  There are quite a few different tour options.  The one we opted for (the cheapest, incidentally/surprisingly) saw us in a group of 9, sent off to the island with a sizeable 4WD vehicle and a load of camp gear. 

This type of tour, being the cheapest, has a reputation for attracting 18 year olds enmasse.  Which concerned us a little.  And sure enough, within the first hour we had been dubbed Mum and Dad.  Our cause wasn’t helped by the fact that Anna and I were 2 of 3 named drivers – you have to be 21 to get behind the wheel. 

So, with the kids in the back, we hit the road and got on our way.  Or should I say hit the track – roads as you and I know them are few and far between.  When in the interior of the Island, tracks dominate – never flat, never straight and never free of potholes.  It was a bumpy ride.  Anna had won the coin toss to drive first so it was her responsibility to navigate us (safely) to the Island’s East Beach.  And she did a great job – I felt guilty taking over on the beautiful flat beach after all her hard work.  I soon got over it though because driving on a beach is a lot of fun!  That this particular stretch of beach is considered a highway by law obviously helped – bombing down a beach at 80kph with the roar of the ocean in your ears is an exhilirating experience!

Pretty much all we did on the first day was drive.  Because of the tides you only have a relatively small window in which you can drive on the beach – generally between 9/10am – 3/4pm.  So, within a couple of hours of being on the Island we had to turn our attention to finding a good spot to pitch up for the night. 

The tents were very easy to assemble (don’t be fooled by the photo of me looking clueless below – I was merely surveying the terrain), the rain cover sheets not so.  Which was a bit of an arse as the weather was sadly not the best.  We gave up on the first night, the result being that I woke up to find my wallet taking a bath.  The irony of my last post’s title hasn’t escaped me!

Anyways, tents up, there was little else for it but to get cookin’ and boy were we good at that.  Our attempt at a barbeque was pitiful – everyone of the 1,000 sausages pictured below ended up skinless, in at least 4 pieces and garnished with tin foil.  Delightful.  Then we got pissed!  (Not very responsible parents, I know.)

The next day featured much of the same – a lot of driving, camping, cooking (more successfully, this time) and drinking.  We did get to see some of the Island, however.  The highlight on this particular day being our visit to Lake Wabu, a freshwater lake set against rolling sand dunes.  Being the old boy of the group, it was no surprise that I was the last to reach the water (below).  Which, by the by, was a bit smelly and not quite so fresh.  Unlike the water of Lake McKenzie, a world apart …

The jewell in the Island’s crown, Lake McKenzie was simply breathtaking.  Look at that water!!!!!  I don’t know what else I can say. 

 

And that was our final stop – a perfect way to end what had been an immensely enjoyable 3 days.  As I mentioned earlier, we were a bit dubious about taking this particular tour but didn’t want to pass on the opportunity to drive, camp, etc.  And we have no regrets – we loved every second and our group, below, was great.