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Brisbane was nice enough, but we only had a short amount of time there, and the weather wasn't too great during our stay, so missed out on seeing and doing more. Apparently Queensland has approx 300 days of sunshine each year, which is good going, but to say the start of the year has been pretty dire for then with the floods and cyclone, I wasn't really expecting anything but good weather. Anyway, as sods law has it, it rained and wasn't very appealing, then on the day we left Brisbane, it was a perfect day.... Onwards, and upwards...
So our next stop from Brisbane is Hervey Bay, the kind taxi driver corrected my pronunciation,... its read as Harvey bay....... ???!?!? the bus took us up the coast through the Sunshine coast, noosa, Rainbow beach & tin can bay etc, Noosa looks gorgeous, theres heaps of villas overlooking creeks with their own private beaches, and jettys... im sure its a millionaires paradise! Sadly, we didn't get off the bus, I've planned us a tight schedule!!
We arrived in Hervey Bay just before 9pm, so went to check straight into our motel for the night!!Luke was more than thrilled to be greeted with a new top gear special!!! Then we hit the sack (rock and roll!) We were up early the next morning for our day trip to Fraser Island, we were picked up just before 7am, so had to sort our luggage out for the day, and put our backpacks somewhere safe for the day... So the bus picked us up first, then drove all around Hervey bay picking up more people, so We mad a mini tour of the township on the bus anyway! I would say Hervey bay is more for the elderly folk...
The good thing about Australia is that they have actual work out machines etc in the street - like a grown ups play ground, these are scattered all over the country, whether its in a park next to the childrens playground, along the coastal walk to Bondi, they're all over. Anyway, along the Esplanade in Hervey Bay, is totally kitted out with all these different pieces of equipment, and theyre all in use, by old people!! The minimum age for the user most have been 70! It was so funny seeing these people on their equivalent of swings!!!
The bus dropped us off at the end of the mainland to catch the ferry over to Fraser Island, the ferry took over an hour, this was because the usual port they go into wasn't accessible this morning due to low tide, so we had to go further up to 'Kingfisher bay'. On Fraser island we boarded a 4x4 Coach & that drove us on a dirt track to Lake Mackenzie, this is a freshwater lake, one of many on the islands formed by rainwater over the years, the water is crystal clear and really warm. We spent a while swimming here, before we got dressed and headed off to 'Central Station'. This many years ago was the busy point of the island for the wood trade, but with it now being world heritage listed, the trees cannot be removed. We had a little walk around the rainforest here & our guide told us plenty of things about the wildlife and the trees, ive now forgotten! But it was pretty cool to be in a rainforest on an island!
Fraser, is the worlds largest sand island..... so with this in mind I went thinking that it would be sand, that nothing would have been built on.. i was wrong, there is resorts and concrete roads around these resorts!! Pretty disappointed, but thats where we had lunch, so I am grateful for it a little bit!
After Lunch we hit 75 Mile beach, this is a long stretch of beach along the right hand side of the island, the 4x4 sped all the way up the beach, and into the water to avoid rocks!! We pulled in by the Maheno shipwreck, this ship was originally made out to be a luxury cruise liner to transport people from NZ to Sydney, but in WW1, It was recommissioned and was sent over to be a hospital ship, in the red sea (i think). After the war, and of saving many lives, it was bought by Japan, to cut a long story short, also because I cant remember how it made its way to Fraser island, It ended up shipwrecked at Fraser island... For WW2 the Aussies used the ship as target practice, and now they use it as the main selling feature to any tour to the island! It was pretty cool to be able to get up close to a shipwreck with all this history, but it was TINY!! Seriously could not imagine it being a luxury ocean cruiser!! From here we headed back down 75 mile beach, Luke spotted some wild dingo's and we went to 'the pinnacles'. Not the famous pinnacles we visited in Western Australia, just some sand rock at the side of the beach, apparently there is 57 different colours of sand... but I would have said 3!!
Then it was back along the humpy dust tracks back to the boat home. It has been an action packed adventure to Fraser Island, and well worth the trip,the weather was glorious, and couldn't have asked for it to have gone any better! Back on the main island, we boarded yet another coach to drop us off, the journey was quick this time, but along the main road, there were loads of cue Kookaburras (fluffy birds) sitting on telegraph wires, theyre ever so cute!!
We were dropped off at our motel to pick up our bags, then we went to sit in Maccers for a couple of hours before our overnight bus. This my friends is really slumming it right now! As I write this I have been sat on a bus for 12 hours, I still have suncream on from over 24 hours ago, have not been able to shower and look / feel generally grubby!!! But Within an hour we will be in Airlie beach, and be able to kick back and put the night behind us!!
In the last 12 hours on the coach, I have had a million beetles crawling over me?!?!?! Seen two million crickets trying to get into the bus, and between Luke & I, we have both got body injuries from sleeping in uncomfortable positions on the bus!! Luckily, I booked the cheapest bus I could find, and with this in mind, The bus has been next to empty on all the journeys, so we've had 2 seats each to ourselves, 2 seats for our bags, and been able to stretch out. Compared the the greyhound travellers, one seat for each passenger!! Weve really got ourselves a bargain here!
Anyway, the bus is pulling into Airlie beach as we speak, so will end with my Hervey Bay blog, hope your all well, and will see you all soon.
Lots of love, from Jenni & Luke XXXXX
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