We got to Rainbow Beach and checked in at Pippie's hostel, which seemed like a very hippy place! Wasn't one of the better hostels we've been at... Tiny room and a bit grubby, but only there for one night so we made do. We grabbed some lunch before heading down to the beach to see the rainbow cliffs (hence where the name comes from!). It was pretty windy and a bit chilly so we wandered back onto the main road and got some dinner and wine for the evening. We very quickly realised there wasn't a lot to do when the weather wasn't particularly nice! It felt a bit like a ghost town as there was no-one around at all. In the morning, we checked out early and went back to the beach as the weather had perked up. I had the most incredible swim in the sea. No one else in the water, could see some fishes and just felt so refreshed. That passed at least an hour! Our bus to Hervey Bay was just after lunch and we arrived around half 4ish.

We got the shuttle to get some dinner we could make at the hostel. The hostel had an odd set up where they were like small apartments with dorm rooms in them. We ended up being the only ones in our room. We decided to go out for a drink at the local Irish bar which was cool and we got talking to another group of travellers. The next day we spent a few hours down at the beach and I went for a nice walk whilst Danni sunbathed. We had our group meeting about Fraser in the afternoon which was cool as we got to meet the others who would be going with us. Our group size was about 30 and everyone was lovely! We teamed up with some other girls to buy food together for the few days. Due to getting up at 5.30 the next morning, everyone had a pretty early night.

There was lots of excitement the next morning but also some very sleepy people. We chose our 4WD that we'd be driving for the next 3 days. In our car we had Holly, Lucy, Hannah, Jess, Kristina and Ana, a lovely group of girls! We packed up and set off for the ferry. Hannah was our first driver, it was great that we all had the chance to drive it on the Island. It was very bumpy driving on the sand which was an interesting experience bouncing around in the back of the car! It was strange going from open sand, to wooded areas and then the rainforest. Our first stop was Lake Mackenzie. It was so beautiful and the water was so clear. I was one of the only ones that went for a swim but well worth it. The sun started to come out for us which made it all the better. We stopped at some shops and had lunch, pre-made sandwiches... None of us could face the sight of bread by the end of the trip! Next we had a little hike through the rainforest where we finally reached huge sand dunes which had a lake at the bottom. You could roll down the dunes and plop into the lake which was a lot of fun, although you had to be quite brave to do it from the top. The lake was next to these tea tree oil trees so it was meant to be very good for your skin. After a while we hiked back to the cars and headed off to our campsite. Within minutes of getting there dingoes had already been spotted, so we had to go everywhere in groups and make sure we took a 'dingo stick'! We had a yummy BBQ for dinner before sitting down with the goon and playing some drinking games. It proved trickier than expected with such a large group and the more alcohol everyone had...

The next morning it was raining and we had some slow starters after the nights antics. I hadn't actually slept too badly in the tent which I was surprised at, and it was warmer than anticipated. We tidied up after breakfast before getting into the cars. At our first stop, we went to Eli Creek. It was pouring down with rain and the boardwalk was closed, but our guide (Dusty) said we should wade through the creek instead. It was actually really cool and we were all wet anyway. Had some awkward moments where it was deeper than expected and you plummeted waist deep in to the water! Thankfully, managed to rescue my camera from a near death experience! Once back in the car, we drove all the way up the Island on the beach to Indian Head and the Champagne Pools which were amazing! The pools were like a natural jacuzzi and amazingly the rain had stopped and the sun came out for us. A couple of the girls saw sharks just metres from the pools which is kind of scary! We weren't allowed to swim in the sea for that reason. We hiked up Indian Head for some spectacular views of the Island. After that we stopped at a freshwater stream on the beach before Dusty told us that we were going back into the rain... The drive down the beach was awful! Poor Lucy was driving and it was very scary. At one point the window had fogged up, the rain was torrential and the car was sliding all over the place. We eventually made it to the infamous shipwreck of Fraser Island which was so cool. Especially in the rain with the waves crashing over it, it actually looked as though it was sinking all over again. Finally, and thankfully, we made it safely back to camp where the rain continued. We had some soggy tents but it all added to the experience of camping. Everyone crammed under the main tent area where we cooked and sat down to some more goon. That definitely lightened the mood! The rain stopped a little later on so people were able to move around a bit more. Dusty got out his guitar and we all had a bit of a sing song, even though we weren't allowed a campfire.

The following morning, we were all a bit damp in our tents and rather grateful it was our last night camping. Showers and beds beckoned. It was my turn to drive that morning which was quite an experience, a bumpy one at that! We spent the morning at another lake and a few of us went on a walk with Dusty who was full of facts about the Island. He used to be one of the park rangers and his aboriginal family inhabited the Island many years ago. It was fascinating to hear him talk so passionately about Fraser. Although the native name is Gurry and he got rather offended when we called it by the name it is now! One of the girls in our car (no names mentioned) had a little bit of a thing going on with him ;) we all had a lot of giggles and banter over it. Dusty Luuurve! She liked how he was 'at one with nature'! We had a picnic stop at Central Station where all the old loggers had been but unfortunately the time came where we had to head back to the ferry.

Back at the hostel, we all freshened up before regrouping in the evening for take away pizza and reminiscing (the romances, the drunken antics, the running over of food and the peeing of one individual in the tent!). A few of us girls ended up in the same room which was nice as well. It wasn't a late one due to how tired everyone was from the trip. I've never appreciated a bed more, even a hostel one!

Before our bus up to Agnes Water/Town of 1770, we had the morning to kill. After checking out, our little group went to get breakfast together as the heavens opened again. We were stranded in the cafe for a good hour and a half before making a dash back to the hostel. Somewhat difficult for me as I was suffering from insect bites on the sole of my foot, ouch...

And here I am, on the bus (as usual) writing up my blog! It's quite a nice way to do it as it's still all fresh in my mind and it's good to look back fondly on what you have done. When we're doing so much it gets difficult to remember the little things that have happened and the smaller places you went to. So I'm very glad I'm writing this as I go and I'm hoping you're enjoying reading about my little adventure!

Till next time :)