Day 27 and it was up for an early 6:00 am departure to Rainbow Beach
to catch a ferry to Fraser Island. We were picked up by a unique large four wheel drive bus. We would come to understand the need for this mode of transportation
over the next 9 hours.
Fraser Island is considered to be the largest sand island in
the world and is a declared world heritage site.
About 700 million years ago Antarctica had mountain ranges that rival
the modern-day Himalayas. These mountain ranges were eroded with the resulting
sands being accumulated on the continental shelf where Fraser Island now lies.
Periodic changes in the earth's temperature have created changes in sea
levels which have helped to form the island. During these periods dune building
was at its most prolific with sand sweeping across the island faster than
plants could stabilize it. This loose, bare sand formed U or V-shaped parabolic
dunes which then stabilized over time. This dynamic landscape has formed a
series of overlapping sand dune systems dating back at least 700 000 years. The
shifting sands of Fraser Island, and those of nearby Cooloola, have continually
concealed and revealed a unique geological history.
(fraserisland.net)
The island has rain forests, eucalyptus woodland, mangrove forests,
wallum and peat swamps, sand dunes and coastal heaths. It is made up of sand
that has been accumulating for approximately 750,000 years on volcanic bedrock
that provides a natural catchments for the sediment which is carried on strong
offshore current northwards along the coast. Unlike on many sand dunes, plant
life is abundant due to the naturally occurring mycorrhizal fungi present in
the sand, which release nutrients in a form that can be absorbed by the plants.
Fraser Island is home to a small number of mammal species as well as
a diverse range of birds, reptiles and amphibians, including the occasional
saltwater crocodile. (wikipedia)
A bouncy 90 minute ride brought us to Rainbow Beach and the ferry that
would take us to Fraser Island. There is no real landing so the ferry just
lines up on a clear patch of beach and drops his ramp.
The crossing takes about 30 minutes with the landing process
duplicated on the other side on to the aptly named 75 Mile Beach.
There are no paved roads on Fraser Island so 75 Mile Beach
serves as the main road around the island. The beach is a listed and gazetted highway with speed limits, no parking zones and
landing strips. There is a highway patrol who can be found setting up speed traps along the beach. The beach tends
to disappear around high tide so sandy single one-way tracks are used to get around the
island as well as into the interior areas of the island.
With over 380,000 visits annually, mostly during the holiday periods, the beach can get pretty congested. With the Christmas holidays fast approaching, it its expected that over 35,000 people will visit and camp along 75 Mile Beach.
Our first stop of the day was for a walk in Eli Creek. The
water is so clear that when you are looking at the creek from a distance, the water disappears from view and you only see the bottom of the creek. As rain
falls, it is filtered by the sand and sediments that cover the island
producing water clean enough to drink straight from the creek.That is if you can get over the thousands of people who use it as a hiking path.
While water is safe, the beach has been tough on ships traversing the Coral Sea. The Maheno can be found rusting away on the beach. Built in 1904, caught in a cyclone in 1936, it was washed up onto the beach. They attempted to re-float the ship but after many unsuccessful tries, it was abandoned. Legends say the wreck became sacred to the aboriginals who would gather to play the didgeridoo and women who would come to the site to give berth. The above above should be taken with a grain of salt. The ship did have an eerie vibe about it.
Next stop was the Pinnacles. Here erosion gave us a peek
into the make-up of the island. Showing us the layers that 750,000 years of sand and sediment has come to cover the island.
With the temperatures moving into the high 30's, it was on to the single tracks and into the interior of the island for a cooling swim in Lake McKenzie. Like the creek, the waters here are filtered by the island and are as pristine as any I have ever seen.
The road in was a bumpy, rut filled thrill ride.
The road in was a bumpy, rut filled thrill ride.
Heading home, we checked off the last of the must see items of a visit to Fraser Island.
Dingoes baby!
The dingoes of Fraser Island are said to be some of the purest of the breed. It is estimated that there are up to 25 packs of dingoes living on the
island. A pack has around 3 to 12 dingoes. Dingoes for the most part avoid
human contact, but on the island they have become habituated and it is not
uncommon to find them near human settlements. These dingoes showed no fear of
our vehicle as we encountered them on the beach.
Petting was not encouraged by our guide.
In April 2019, a small child was dragged from his bed and
carried away while camping on Fraser Island. Thankfully, his father was able to
fend off the dingoes and rescue his child.
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