8/7
ROCKAMPTON – HERVEY BAY – FRASER ISLAND
The night bus is a nightmare. The driver is a kind of Nazi, no food and water are allowed on board, it is forbidden to use the toilet when the bus is stopped, prohibited to turn off the air conditioning and moving to other free seats, compulsory to fasten seat belts, etc. etc.. He is really pissing us off…
But that’s not all! Obviously, as soon as the coach leaves, everybody starts to move where 2 or 3 free seats are, to lie down. As if this was the most terrible thing we could do, he stops the bus, leaves his driving seat and goes half the hallway. Global ass chewing. He’s there to work and we do not respect him, we do not cooperate and do not facilitate his task. Murmurs of disapproval rise up from the back, practically choirs of “fuck you” translated into all the European Union idioms ….
We arrive at 7.00 to Hervey Bay, thank goodness. At the bus terminal there is a small office with information brochures of tours to be done at Fraser Island.
Fraser is the largest sand island in the world, and you can only go by 4WD. We opt for a 2 days 1 night guided tour, since we do not want to rent a private vehicle.
We compare a bit some quotations. All of them are about 200 Aud, with overnight stay in the same resort. No real big differences in the itineraries, it seems.
After an hour or so, a guy picks us up. We leave the big luggage in an automatic deposit, inserting coins into the slots, and carry with us only the essentials. Along the way, the bus picks up other participants who, contrary of us, carry with them their full wardrobes 🙂
We reach Fraser Island from the east, where the coast is swampy and where it is forbidden to drive on the beaches, because there is a risk of shifting sands. We proceed toward the center of the island. The roads, sandy paths with pot holes as deep as craters, are so bumpy that I cannot sleep, and I risk to bang my head against the seat back in front of me. We reach the so-called Central Station, and walk for half an hour along an easy trail. Then, lunch at the resort.
The Eurong, formed by some white buildings, offers accommodations for every budget (including dorms). Our room is already included in the package, but Lonely Planet says it would cost about 80 Aud.
The restaurant operates a buffet. If you arrive early, you have an easy life. Otherwise, you have to queue.
I do not know where the chef comes from, but the pasta is well cooked, and the tomato sauce is made with the fresh tomatoes. In addition, there is the barramundi, a species of local fish, fried in butter, which is delicious.
We arrive at 13.00 at the restaurant, and at 14.30 we are already again ready for another excursion. Worse than in the barracks !!
That’s why I hate organized tours.
We trudge for 1.8 kilometers, half of which are uphill on sand dunes, it seems to be in the open desert, to reach Lake Wabby. The shores are half covered with sand, and half fringed with very green rainforest. Some people swim in the crystal clear waters of the emerald-colored lake.
The west coast of Fraser is a huge wide beach, formed by stable sand, so here the jeeps can drive safely, without exceeding 80 km / h.
Bathing is prohibited because of the big sharks presence. These are not reef sharks, but their larger relatives. In practice, on Fraser swimming is only possible in the lakes.
The sea, apart from the northern area, Indian Head, is almost always rough, but has beautiful colors.
Indian Head is unfortunately not included in the 2-days circuits. For sure, if we avoided going back to the restaurant for lunch, there would have been enough time to go there … another reason why I hate organized tours. But I will have the occasion to see it anyway, from the boat, in the next days. Too bad that now I don’t know it yet, and then I feel like I should give up something precious which instead is very handy ..
Another feature of the west beach is a wreck of a Japanese ship dating back to 1936 or so, partially buried.
A little farther on, the sand dunes have variegated color, from beige red, because of the chemical composition of the soil.
Small detail, I loose big percentage of the explanations of the guide, which tends to mumble the words without even moving his lips. Ah, the great Australian accent … ..
Back to the hotel, we get informed dinner is served at 18.00. We arrive at 18.30 and we found ourselves in a huge queue.
At the restaurant there are only old couples or families. Young people, in the dormitory area, gather in a bar near the beach, with pool, loud music, billiards, etc etc.
Even here, walk in the moonlight, which is almost full, with background of “Rock This Way” in the distance.
8/8
FRASER ISLAND – HERVEY BAY
This morning, we explore more in details the west coast. Scenic flight are available, for those who can afford them.
We stop and examine the wreck and colored earths that we hastily viewed yesterday, then they lead us to Eli Creek, a kind of transparent and aquamarine coloured torrent, close to a grove, where people can bathe following the flow.
And then we’re back again like little soldiers in line at the self service restaurant, after that we all return to Hervey Bay, making a stop at Fraser Island “pearl”, Lake Mc Kenzie.
Probably somebody up there loves me. It would have been great even with the clouds, but, when we arrive, a strong sun appears.
Wonderful. A blinding white sand, it looks like snow in the sun, and water of Caribbean colors
Plenty of signs indicate the presence of dingoes, praying to be careful, keep an eye on the little children, and warning that it is forbidden to feed these animals, or leave waste around. Severe fines punish the offenders.
The dingoes are wild dogs; the purest breed, which has not degenerated mating with domestic dogs as in the rest of the continent, survives at Fraser. They can be dangerous, they attack in groups with the same mode of wolves, and two years ago they mauled a child. In case of encounters, it is recommended to get away without showing fear and ignoring them as much as possible, without giving them the back, not to trigger in them the instinct of predation.
We talked to some campers who run into them at night when going to the toilet, and they said it was not funny
After the stop in this enchanted place, here we are back to Hervey Bay
Surprise, a blackout due to a thunderstorm during last night knocked out the lockers where we left our stuff. It is 17.30, and at 18.00 the owner of Woolshed Hostel will come to pick us up. A sticky note advertises a hotline number to be called in case of problems. We telephone and, strange case, they reply!!. I explain the problem. I invent I have to take a bus tonight, just to dramatize a bit. They guarantee that within 10 minutes a guy will come to unlock the device.
I do not believe so, and I feel discouraged.
Leaving me speechless, within 10 minutes a little man really arrives, unlocks the automatic locks, resets everything, and apologizes for the inconvenience.
In Italy this would be pure fiction !!!!
But even Hannu is surprised and compliments the guy, assuring him that such an impeccable service is not provided even in the Scandinavian countries, which also have a reputation for being civilized world