Fraser Island, Rainbow Beach and Brisbane

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I signed up for a 3 day self drive camping trip around Fraser Island - the world's biggest sand Island with over 75 miles of beach, 100+ lakes and creeks and rainforrestgrowing out of sand!! But it turned out to be great fun. There were 21 of us in two jeeps and here we are getting a lesson on how to pack the van correctly for driving on sand.

After our lesson and lectures on what we can & can't do we were all glad to get in the jeeps and set of on our adventure.

Marieka and Daniel are cooling off at our first stop was Lake McKenzie - beautiful clear blue water.

As is Juliana - how clear is the water??

After cooling down too much the girls decide to practice their hand stands etc to heat up agian. Quite sure the lads enjoyed this more than the girls right enough......

Poor CarolAnne was left holding the tarp whilst everyone else debated what was the best way to put it up!!

Even the bugs out here try and look cool!

Eating lollies (and I mean lollipops and not just a boiled sweet which is what the Aussies call lollies!!) in the back of a jeep whilst driving off road is not as easy as it looks!!

There were a few wild Dingo's on the Island - in fact they are considered to be the purest dingo's left in Australia as they are breeding with domestic dogs in other areas. You have to make sure all the food etc is packed away as there is a fine of $3,000 if you leave anything out that the dingo's or other animals/birds might eat even if by accidnt!

Lake Wangoolba - this lake was completely different than Lake McKenzie - much greener.

Julianna and Neil and CarolAnne enjoy the lake.

But that was before the water fights started :-)

Rolling down the sand dune into the lake just seemed like far too much effort to me.

No sharks in the lakes but a few big fish.

Beach, beach and more beach......

Building the tents - I was glad that it didn't pour down or get too windy as I am not sure these tents would have stood up to it!!

Ben obviously didn't fully understood what he was letting himself in for when Shannon asked him if she could bury him in the sand!!

Chom Poo Moo decided Ben was having too much fun so she insisted she got buried in the sand as well.

We were warned not to swim in the sea as it is full of Tiger Sharks (and they like humans) and bad rip tides - but that didn't stop Merieka and Ben having some fun anyway in the shallow end.

The lads decided to have a game of crazy golf after finding a gold ball on the beach - I did try but managed to hit Amy with the golf ball so decided it was safer just to watch!!

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Dinner at the camp ground.

x

It has been a while since I did some 'off road' driving (well the official kind anyway) and I hadn;t driven on soft sand before. There were quite a few drivers in our group which was good as it is quite tirning - and the jeeps were not exactly in the best conditions!!.

Of course we had been told that getting stuck in the sand was one of the experiences of the driving so as we were on day 3 and hadn't yet managed I felt it was my duty to not let the team down!! Anyway, we did get stuck again later (and the other car got stuck a few times as well) so it wasn't just me!!!

India Head - the northmost point on the Island which gives great views over the beaches and the waters where we saw some big sting rays swimming around - but unfortunately no Tiger sharks.

The Maheno ship wreck - this was a luxury liner built in Scotland in 1905 and it was washed ashore here during a cyclone in 1935 - it has 3 1/2 storeys buried under the sand and was used for bombing practice during WW2.

Shannon & Mark cool off (or try to look cool!!!) whilst floating down Ellis Creek.

For a lot of the driving it felt like there was only us and the other group in our convoy.

Then we would come accross a traffic jam - not only with lots of jeeps but also planes landing and taking off on the same strethch of beach.

Amy was getting excited about santa arriving later tonight (xmas Eve) so she decided to cartwheel along the beach :-)

After 3 days on this beautiful Island it was time to get back on the ferry - but not before one last photo of course!!!!

After Fraser Island we all went back to Rainbow beach where most of the guys on the trip hung around for Xmas day which was good fun.

Pancakes and Maple syrup for Xmas breakfast - what more can you ask for!.

After breakfast we went for a short but hot walk up to the Sandblows which has nice views over Rainbow beach.

A local lad paragliding - not a bad way to spend xmas day - listening to the Queens Speech would have been his second choice.....

Chom Poo Moo thought santa must have hidden her present in the tree as there were none under it!!

The rest of xmas day was spent messing about in the pool....

Xmas dinner - the hostel put on a BBQ and we had some sausage, kangaroo, pasta and salad - was pretty average but at least we didn't have to wash up and it wasn't turkey :-)

The buses here are pretty expensive between the cities and generally it is cheaper (and much quicker to fly) however, the Greyhound Hop on an off buses have been good way of getting down the East Coast as I wanted to stop at a few places. They have been pretty busy at the more popular stops with everyone heading to the beach for xmas.

It was a bit of contrast arriving in Brisbane after the outback and a couple of weeks coming down the coast.

Chom Poo Moo was enjoying the view from the Town Hall Clock Tower until the 2pm bells went - now she is a little deaf!!

We stopped to say hello to Santa & Rudolph but Chom Poo Moo was disappointed that she wasn't allowed on the sleigh as Rudolph was too tired after his dash around the world with all the xmas pressies!!

To cheer her up I took her to the Casino and she got very excited when she won a few games - but she wouldn't listen and quit whilst she was ahead and ended up losing all off her xmas money - $2 on the 1cent machines!!

Some local Ibis - they are all over Brisbane and are scavangers like seagulls and pidgeons!

A cute duck at the Botanic Gardens.

I wasn't expecting to see so much wildlife in Brisbane City Centre but I saw several of these big lizards.

Oh and then there was some Kangaroo's.

I think there is a hidden message in this piece of street art????

Right in the middle of the city is this beach lagoon just in case you want to cool off from the madness of the Boxing day sales.

The last few weeks have been pretty action packed and good fun and little time to spare. With so many photo's to choose from I had to do three updates - it's quicker than easier than one long one - so I hope your not all too bored!!

I had a great time day at Xmas which I spent on Rainbow beach with most of the guys who were on the Fraser Island trip - it was really good fun and nice to have some good company on Xmas day (makes a change from working it!!).

I arrived in Sydney yesterday after an 18 hour overnight journey and I spending New Year's eve here and catching up with some of the people I have met traveling down the east coast which should be fun - then I head to New Zealand next week!

Thanks for all the xmas messages I am still working on replying to them all!!! I hope you all had a fantastic Xmas and that santa brought you lots of presents. I will be thinking of you all over New Year and hoping that 2009 brings you some new adventures and lots of other good things.

luv

Jack xx