Our ride to Rainbow Beach was an interesting one as we were entertained by the Oz Experience driver 'Coaster'. Window bingo, more creation stories about the coloured sands of rainbow beach and a more than necessary pee break were just some of the highlights.

Upon arrival we barely had time to take in our hostel as we were busy being briefed about our self drive tour of Fraser. We were told that we were in the lead vehicle with the tour guide and would need to bring the bare essentials for the 2 nights we spent on the island.

A nights kip, safety DVDs at 7am, goon packed (yes, it is an essential!) and we were all set! Being in the lead vehicle not only meant that we could grill the guide for facts about the island but that we were also in a plush 4 wheel drive toyota with comfy seats. And by god was I glad when we reached the sandy beach... I didn't know what to expect from the tour and only knew the generic facts such as - Fraser island is the worlds largest sand island which had become a world heritage site in 1991 due to it's unique ecosystem. What I didn't know is that the 'roads' were sand tracks and we'd be bounced around the place like flubber on acid! The ride was awesome though and we all soon settled once we reached the eastern shores where the sand was smoother than a normal road. Our first stop of the day was Lake Mckenzie, one of the many raised fresh water lakes on the island. I was awestruck by the sheer beauty of the lake when we arrived. Crystal clear water, snow white sand, lush rainforest, the place looked right out of a picture! We all jumped straight into the lake and enjoyed the refreshingly cold waters before hitting the 'road' again and taking a bush walk near central station. Then came time to set up camp and cook dinner on the beach in true Aussie style surrounded by wild dingo's for good measure.

The next day we were up at 5:45am to catch the end of a disappointing sunrise before driving down to the Lake Wabby walking track. After 45 minutes of walking sand dunes we reached a catfish infesting pool of water which provided us with a great morning bath. The sand dunes were a challenge on the legs and reminded me of a desert landscape untouched by people since the previous day. After the laborious walk back we then drove on to the shipwreck of the Maheno followed by the sights of the multicoloured sands of Pinnacle rocks. We then stopped for a little lunch before travelling up to the most northerly point of our trek at champagne pools. The cool thing about those were that they backed straight onto the ocean whose waves crashed onto the rocks and filled the pools with bubbles! We then took in glorious views of monstrous sand dunes from atop Indian head which also gave us yet more glimpses of wales before stopping at the islands largest creek, Eli creek. The day was exhausting but worth every yawn, stretch and tired blink of the eye. It didn't take much to sleep that night especially with the evening goontainment!

Our time on the island wasn't over though, we still had the 3rd morning to take in even more breathtaking landscape. It did mean another early start but we were greater with a glorious sunrise and the thought of another mesmeric lake was more than appealing. So off we went to Lake Birrabeen. It was reminiscent of Mckenzie but the good weather made it appear even better. An hour or two in the sun cleared everyones heads before they got bumped into oblivion on our way to Lake Boomanjin, the more striking of the lakes. And then it all ended... Our 20 man group packed up looking back on the trip with such amazing memories.

The island experience has been unforgettable for so many reasons. It's stupendous natural highlights,p interesting history, wildlife and beautiful views have equalled and surpassed a number of things I've seen and done so far on my travels. My favourite place on the island has to be Indian Heads which offered stunning sights as well as glimpses of the sea life. As for any tips for the journey... Well I would be take a good torch and a hoodie for the cold nights which can also double up as a pillow.

Once returning we settled again in Rainbow Beach to recharge the batteries before our Oz Experience trip up the coast to Town 1770 (Agnes). On our final day we did manage to pluck up the energy to take in the rainbow cliffs, famous for their various sand colours - beautiful, but not a scratch on Fraser Island. Then, as the sun was shining, we took in a glorious sunset from atop the Coolooba sand blow - a magnificent way to finish an unforgettable couple of days.