On the road again stopped in Rockhampton where instead of lunch Keeley, Sarah and I went to look at the customs house. Keeley and Sarah not too impressed and I got bitten by a vicous fly this however was the main tourist attraction.

That evening we arrived in Krombit the cattle station. Most of the people spent sometime playing with whips and failing to make a succesful crack. After dinner of beef and goat (Keeley not into eating farm animals) we got to ride the mechanical bull. Most people were thrown off after a couple of bucks quite happy I managed the first lot of bucks and a few spins. Hard work on the balls though.

Next day we went to shoot at some clay pidgeons between us me and Keeley hit none out of ten not the best shots in the group. Some people even got five out of five. Then we got to try lassoing the goats Keeley was happy lassoing the pole but did not want to strangle a goat. I did manage to get me a goat and it did not seem to mind. Keeley liked that we realeased the goats afterwards to roam free until the next group arrive.

After some rearranging of plans we decided to spend a night in the town of 1770. The place was beautiful we had a studio flat the only downside we had to leave the next day. This is somewhere we hope to come back to.

Hervey Bay the gateway to Fraser Island was our next stop. In our group going across to the island was Esther who was on our Whitsunday tour. We were doing a self drive tour of the island in 4x4 with another nine people. I had signed up to drive but as it turned out never got behind the wheel. The dirve on the island was hectic even the drive to the barge the car swayed feeling very top heavy with five crates of beer overhead. Later we found out someone had tipped there car on the way to the ferry.

On the way to our first lake got stuck in a traffic jam when someone had blown a tire not what you expect on a sand island. When we got to the first lake someone was impatient to pass so they sped around us. This resulted in them ending up off the road nearly on his side requiring two trucks to pull them out. Karmic justice had been served. Lake Birrabeen itself was gorgeous clear water very white sand the lake water was clean enough to drink a good swim cleansed us of sweat and dirt. The next lake was Lake Boomanjin it was described as tea coloured, and it was. Just a picture this time no swimming. We camped on the beach walked up to another lake where we could run full pelt down a dune into the lake good fun. Also at the lake spotted our first Dingo did not seem very threatening. Spent the rest of the night drinking and eating as the sun went down.

Early start in the morning so we could make it up to Indian head hopefully to see sharks. The car however started to make strange clunking sounds getting progressivley worse. We had been stuck a couple of times on the way and had to give the car a push on more than one occasion. We called the mechanic and were told we had to bring the car to the garage. So not going to make Indain head as the garage is in the opposite direction. We did see the wreck of the Maheno impressive but surrounded by people. Cooled down in Eli Creek on the way to the mechanic. The problem with the car meant we were down to two wheel drive only to use 4x4 when very necessary.

Back to the campsite for drink and more food I was on the BBQ again. Dave our cheif driver had lots of drinks and ended the night singing songs with the main lyrics subsituted with the word Dingo. Kept us entertained after the I-Pod had run out of power.

Next day on our 4x4 with two wheel drive we managed to bump and grind the way to Lake Mackenzie. A very nice lake clear again white sand again and after two days no showers very welcome. We made it back in time for the ferry but one van was left on the island arrived two minutes too late. Back in Hervey bay we just made the bus down to Rainbow beach where we could eventually have a much needed shower.