Today we're off to K'gari, "paradise," an island off the coast of Hervey Bay. Formerly called Fraser Island, it's the largest sand island in the world, over 100 km long. And there's sand! It's also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Picked up early by a bus that took us to the ferry.
After a 45-minute boat ride, we arrived at a small jetty. We weren't the only ones on the island; today was King's Day, a public holiday. We boarded a four-wheel-drive bus. There were no paved roads on the island!
High on its legs, it pulls us over soft, sandy paths with very deep ruts. Impressive ride!
First, we went to a lake for a nice swim. Lake McKenzie has a beautiful beach, lovely water, but Arthur thought it was too cold, as he was shivering. The lake is also above sea level, which is remarkable.
We had a slight delay this morning. A whole bunch of vehicles were stuck on one of the island's cross-routes, and our driver had to help get the procession moving again. Not surprising, as the roads are loose sand, with holes and ruts of 30-40 cm in the road.
At Central Station, an old logging station, we went a bit further into the rainforest, following a path along a creek. There were also very old trees, less dense than in Cairns. So, they don't have a rainy season here, but they do have a storm season.
Lunch was at K'gari Resort in the tiny village of Eurong, on the other side of the island. A hot and cold buffet was laid out for the group. It was delicious. We had to eat a bit longer to catch up on time.
After lunch, the bus took a forest path and ended up on the beach, where you're allowed to drive. It was cool to race across the beach at 80 km/h! It was low tide, so we could drive for half an hour on the sand, without having to detour through the dunes. The beach is wide and incredibly long; maybe that's why it's called 75 Mile Beach?
I visited a shipwreck that lies half-beached here, the SS Maheno. A failed tow attempt left the ship stranded here a long time ago, and it's slowly rusting away—a beautiful sight!
Then we went to a creek that flows into the sea, Eli Creek. Here, groups of 4WD vehicles were parked by the creek, sunbathing/bathing, floating down the creek on a rubber ring, or playing a game of volleyball.
There was another rock formation, Pinnacle, with all sorts of colors of sandstone.
And here and there, there's a camping spot by the sea where you can pitch your (car) tent. Be sure to bring a suitable car, otherwise you'll be stuck in the sand after just 10 meters. Meanwhile, a small plane took off from the beach behind us...
Saw a few dingoes on the beach here, a wild dog or more like a wolf, not one to pet. It looks like a small shepherd dog or a large fox.
You weren't allowed to bring any food to the beach, and I wouldn't keep it in the tent here either, because he'll eat anything, fresh or leftovers. Children too! And he can get aggressive. There were plates everywhere near the cage at the jetty, so you could eat dingo-safely. And if you do go out: bring a dingo stick, and never run!
On the way back, the tide was already rising, and in some places the beach was covered in surf. The bus then had to take a short detour over the dunes.
The return trip across the island was quite bumpy. The bus never got stuck, but sometimes had to dig quite a bit in the loose sand. After 45 minutes of bumpy riding, we were there, and we were done with it.
On the boat back, we heard that the other half of the group, who were in a different 4WD van, had a flat tire. The driver had to work hard to change such a large tire on the sandy track.
At sunset, the ferry departs, and another bus takes us back to the motel. A truly wonderful day!
