Having been away from the coast for over a week, we were glad to get back in the surf at the swanky resort town of Noosa on the Sunshine Coast. As there are no decent surf beaches North of Noosa, we had our final fix of wave riding. Between spells on the beach, we explored the surrounding National park and got to see dolphins playing in the waves just off the headland where we sat watching the sunset. The only down side to being in Noosa was walking past all the lovely beachfront restaurants and not being able to stretch our budget further than fish and chips on the beach! After Noosa, we headed for the sleepy settlement of Rainbow Beach - so named because of the multi-coloured sand cliffs. It was here that Lisa designed and painted her own boomerang which gave me a bit of peace and quiet for a few hours. Rainbow Beach was the jumping off point for our Fraser Island trip - a christmas treat from my parents. Thanks M & D. Known as 'Paradise' to the original Aboriginal inhabitants, at 80 miles long, the world heritage listed Fraser Island is the Worlds largest sand island. This virtually uninhabited giant sand bar is unique as it is now home to dense rain forest and freshwater lakes. Despite my confidence in 'The Beast' we had to leave her on the mainland (4WD only) and joined a small group tour, spending a few days exploring the forests, dunes, shiprecks and freshwater lakes. The wildlife treats were our first sightings of wild dingoes (pretty lucky on Fraser as the Rangers have shot most of them) and we sat on a cliff watching enormous Manta Rays and Tiger Sharks in the ocean below. Having been reunited with our trusty steed, we continued North, heading for the Whitsunday Islands. We stopped for a couple of days at the village of Mon Repos, Just outside Bundaberg (home of Australia's famous rum). Mon Repos itself has little to offer to the traveller except for it's turtle sanctuary. Here, at the right time of the year, enormous loggerhead turtles drag themselves up the beach to lay their eggs in the sand dunes. We arrived at the crossover between nesting and hatching, hoping to see both. Unfortunately, despite a long night waiting, no expectant mothers appeared. However, we did get to see plenty of hatchlings emerging from the sand and scurrying down to the ocean. It was pretty amazing stuff - the sort of thing one only expects to see on a wildlife documentary and never with your own eyes. Next we are heading to Airlie Beach, the jumping off point for the Whitsunday Islands. S