Heaps of sand on Fraser...
So, after Bundaberg, I travelled down the coast to Rainbow Beach where I leapt on to Fraser Island, putting my life in the hands of 6 others driving a 4WD on a sand island (to be fair, they also put their life in my hands for parts of the journey).
Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world, and also the only place in the world where the trees grow directly from the sun...there are a couple of handy facts for you. (As an aside, loving the '90's' day the Australian radio station in here is having right now...from Mariah and Britney to 'total eclipse of the heart', oh yeah.)
Aborigines (or, 'Indigenious people') believe that when humans were created, the goddess 'K'gari' (the aboriginal name for Fraser Island) fell in love with the earths beauty and refused to leave, so their snake god turned her in to Fraser Island.
This is a the 'Maheno', a ship which was used as a hospital ship in WW1. It was caught by a cyclone in 1935 and washed up on Fraser Island where it has been ever since, rusting away on the beach for everyone to see, it's surprising there is still so much of it left actually.
From Indian Head, we were able to see Mantarays and Sharks in the water below, and there were lots of dingos (wild dogs) living wild on the island. Even saw a dead shark on the beach.
On our first day some of the aboriginal guys who run the camp we were staying at invited us to come and help with the fishing, took me a while to work up to pick up a wriggling fish and chuck it in the basket, they'd caught tonnes of the poor little fishies, they did taste good on the barbie later though!
In the middle of Fraser Island is 'Lake Mackenzie', which has 98% silica sand (like Whitehaven beach) so it's pretty white and is said to have healing properties in it, so we all smothered ourselves in it and used it as an exfoliator in the water, even to the extent of brushing our teeth with it, it did feel as though it did something...scrubbing off my tan if nothing else.
I am now in Brisbane, arrived here last night. The weather isn't so great, but it's brightening up. I am actually wearing my jeans for the first time since I left the UK in February which is taking a bit of getting used to, but I have missed them a bit.
Ronan is now on the radio which is my cue to leave...
Ronan is now on the radio which is my cue to leave...
Fraser Island looks amazing!!!