Hello everyone,

On Thursday 20th October we got back on the Greyhound and took the 5 hour journey up to Hervey Bay. When we arrived we checked into our hostel which was really nice. In the evening we just went on a little walk into the town and got some food.

The next day we'd booked to pick up our 4x4 for our trip to Fraser Island in the afternoon. So in the morning we made use of the free bikes at the hostel and went for a ride along the esplanade. We used some of the free gym equipment along the way but neither of us were very good! After a little wander on the beach we had a picnic before riding back to the hostel. We then got a taxi over to the 4x4 rental place. Here we filled in some forms and were made to watch some videos about how to drive on Fraser Island. I could tell Ryan was thinking he didn't need to watch them but I told him to make sure he listened and it turned out to be very useful! The man warned us not to go in the sea otherwise we'd be given a free one way ticket to New Zealand if we survived the jellyfish and shark infested waters. We then got shown our Land Rover Discovery complete with all the gear we'd need including a shovel or 'dingo basher' as the man called it! It was nice to have our own wheels finally after having taken the bus everywhere previously. That evening we stocked up on food including plenty of Tim Tams ready for our trip.

On the Saturday we were up bright and early and were down at the ferry terminal before 8. I'm glad that Ryan was driving as he had to reverse the 4x4 along a narrow ramp onto the ferry with all the foot passengers watching. He did a very good job though! When we drove onto Fraser Island we set off down a sandy track through a forest. We were expecting to see lots of other vehicles as we were driving round but they were few and far between. We could drive for hours and not see anyone! Though it is the largest sand island in the world. We roughly followed the route suggested to us at the hire place. First we drove eastwards stopping at lakes Birabeen and Boomanjin before emerging on to the Eastern beach. The island is amazing because you drive through so many different types of scenery from rainforest and woodland, to heaths and swamps. Ryan soon realised how difficult it actually was to drive along the tracks as they were rough and bumpy. It was fun though! We were expecting it to be easier when we reached the beach. It was really hard though because of the variation in hard and soft sand, the waves washing in and the wash-outs which can be really deep and appear out of nowhere. I had a go at driving for a bit but found it too hard when I came across a huge wash out! The sand is covered in blue bottle jellyfish as well which pop as you drive over them. We did try to turn off thud beach to get to lake Wabby but managed to get completely stuck in a big patch of soft sand at the turning. Ryan tried to dig us out with the 'dingo basher' but were in pretty deep! Luckily a nice couple stopped to help and towed us out with their vehicle. We decided to carry on up the beach in the end. After a long drive, we decided to set up camp just past Happy Valley on the beach. Although you can camp at proper campsites, we thought it would be more fun to be on the beach, which it was! We only saw a few other people camping on the beach so we felt really isolated. Ryan tried to dingo-proof our area by digging a trench and creating a driftwood fence around it. I'm not sure if it worked though in the end! He also cooked us both lots of yummy camp food with our stoves and we drank our beers to the sound of lapping waves. A few dingos came sniffing around which was a bit scary, especially when their eyes reflect in the dark. 

After a good nights sleep we packed up our stuff and set off again up the beach. The next place we stopped was the Maheno wreck, an amazing ship wreck buried in the sand. We arrived just after a tour group had left so we had it all to ourselves and got some awesome pictures. Next we stopped at the pinnacles which are some cool rock features before we turned back down the beach again. We couldn't believe how fast some of the tour buses and other 4x4s were going! After turning off towards the inner part of the island again, there was a sign saying the track was in bad condition so turned back again. When we reached the turning where we'd got stuck the day before, we deliberated about whether to try it again. We decided to go for it and Ryan put his foot down and managed to get us up there, much to our relief. The next stop was lake Wabby. Here we had to pack the 4x4 and walk for a while through the forest, then we climbed up onto a huge blowout. This is a huge sand dune which is gradually taking over the forest around it and lake Wabby which is getting smaller over time. The reflection on the sand made it feel really hot up there but we cooled off in the lake which is crystal clear and full of big fish. It was amazing! After walking back to the truck we continued to drive along the tracks through the changing environments to our next stop, lake Mackenzie. The water here is so calm and crystal clear and the sandy beaches around it are so so white. We paddled in the water and lazed on the beach before heading off again. In the car park we saw a curious dingo who jumped up at our car. We also saw goannas which are like giant lizards. After a bit more of a drive we got back onto the ferry and headed back to the mainland. We had an amazing time on Fraser and it was a definite highlight of the trip! We were sad to give the discovery back and go back to the hostel, though we enjoyed being in a bed again!

The next day we couldn't get the bus until later so we had time to spend in Hervey Bay. We relaxed on the beach and got some lunch before going back to the hostel and getting a taxi to the bus station.

Lots of love,

Jo and Ryan xxx