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Rainbow Beach & Fraser Island
We arrived late afternoon, getting off at a large area of grass with an old looking circus tent on it. We didn't have a map in the book for this town as it was quite small(pop;900). So we were bumbling around trying to figure out where we were, then Sam spotted it, pretty much all the hostels were opposite the bus stop on the same road. We wandered into Pippies (the hostel) which had a big open area with benches and hammocks and what looked like a few portacabins/sheds, nevertheless it looked very chilled out.
We went to check in, though they had not got our reservation as we had booked it on the internet the night before and it had not been checked yet. The girl was lovely though (two Irish girls were working there pretty much running the place for a bit), it wasn't a problem. They didn't have a dorm room so we got what appeared to be a family room; a large double bed and one bunk bed. as it turned out this was really nice, as it ment we had the room all to ourselves and so could chill out and wouldn't be disturbed by anyone else. We dumped our stuff and headed to check out the beach.
The main street of the town Basically had a couple surf shops , a small supermarket and a restaurant, there was also a surf club down near the beach which was basically just past the shops. Although what you could get in the shops was limited as we had our sights on a fish pie for supper( breaded fish fillets it was in the end!!) i felt very comfortable here and liked the fact that it was so small with lots of open space.
Not really realising the time we popped into a couple of surf shops on the way to the beach. I wanted to get a hat to shade my face as i was now looking rather beetroot like from the sun, and Sam was looking for some more shorts, due to the heat and humidity( you felt like youjust didn't wanna wear any clothes). In the second shop i got myself a Baseball cap and Sam tried on many things much to the dismay of the shop assistant as they were trying to close. One of the ladies also commented on our burntness (must have been the 40 billionth person who had, as Sam mentioned to them in not so many words, as by this stage it was starting to get annoying).
Rainbow beach looked pretty big; a large bay stretching what looked like miles both ways. Out from the North of the beach we could see Fraser Island (which was to be our destination the next day on a bus tour). Around on the South of the bay was Double Island point (named thus as James Cook hadn't come in far enough due to the sand bars and had assumed that they were Islands), and Coloured sand rocks (stripped with varying shades). There was also a large sand blow called Carlos, though we couldn't see it. We walked down onto the beach where we had been told you may have to walk a little way to see all the different colour sands. Though we could see a little of it, not bright colours of the rainbow as you may lead your mind to imagine, but varying shades of beachy colours. There was a band of very dark/ black sand, a golden band and a very white band nearest the sure.
There was still a few people in the water and lifeguards on the beach, we thought of going in but were getting that lazy we couldn't even be bothered to to do that. I think also we have been so spoilt with the opportunities of going in the water and we knew there was more stunning beaches and waterways to come.
Back at the hostel armed with fish fillets, peas and potatoes and the false sense of security of an oven, that we were told there was...tea was made. ( had to fry frozen fish fillets in pan as no oven or grill!!!) Nevermind still tasted good and Bond had been put on the TV too, so all were happy.
Early night had, as tour in the morning at 8:10 and sandwiches to make still. Got on the bus across at the petrol station( after being on bus for bout ten mins it then stopped pretty much just outside of hostel!!!). When i say bus it was quite strange really, a normal small coach with a big lorry like cab on the front and huge tyres (a four by four coach basically). I thought it must be going out into the bush, but as hadn't really read the leaflet properly didn't know what to expect.
It only took about ten mins to get to the north end of the bay where the coach drove across the soft sand (our first taste of the bumpy ride), onto the barge as they called it ( a small car ferry). We could hope of and get onto the top deck to admire the view, though no longer had we got of and up to the deck we pretty much had to get back into the coach as this crossing was the shortest to the island, probably less than a mile. Across the soft sand again and then into the bush, you definetely had to wear your seat belt otherwise your head would prob touch the ceiling; it was rather bumpy as we rode through pot wholes and through the narrow tracks, it soemtimes felt like we were going to roll. the first stop on the Island was the resort for morning tea. It was a slightly odd place it didn't seem to have anyone there. There was a stunning looking pool it was very inviting, though we were just invited into the cafeterea which didn't seem to quite fit in with the beauiful surrounding and paradise like pool. I shouldn't really complain though as tae/coffe and a muffin was all free( well included in the price) as i hadn't looked at the leaflet everytthing was pretty much a surprise and it could only get better.
Quick low down on the Island; Fraser is a sand Island with many dunes and blows that are constantly cahnging and moving. It is home to many species including the Dingo (which aren't a a threat unless you antagonise them; there were lots of signs warning you of them though and not to feed them).
Back in the rolling 4x4 tin can we headed to Central station, a site in the bush that was once a logging settlement though is now just an area of open sapce with a couple of done up sheds donned with lots of information about the island and site. There were huge stag/elk ferns that ringed the rainforrest trees. As a group the driver lead us on a small walk down to a creek; so clear with a sandy bed it was almost invisible, with an eel as well. It reminded us of the spring/stream at the mitai evening in Rotorua. It was so tranquil with lush green plants lining the banks. There was also a particular fern growing in the middle of it that apparently had very specific environmental requirements, it had to have constant running fresh water, and this was one of the only places where such ferns could thrive this particular one was about 30 years old (very rare to reach this age).
As we drove along the side of lake Mckenzie; our next stop, we could see climpses of it between the trees, though the sand looked extremely white and stunning i couldn't help but compare it too the Kia Iwi lakes in nz. The colour of the water and surrounds weren't as vibrant, it was also swarming with tourists which was bit of a shame. The water in the lake was gorgeous though and was reknowned for its mineral preopeties9 very good for the skin). It is a perched lake 100metres above sea level; and so is only supplied by rain water. As the driver/guide told us the sand is also a very good exfoliater when rubbed on the skin. Another property of it was its ability to clean up silver jewellery; Sam took advantage of this on her earrings that had been tainted black by the Polynesian spa in Rotorua. The water wasn't cold at all, we lolled around in it for quite a while until we had to get back on the bus.
Back to the funny resort for lunch, me n Sam wandered whether we get lunch in as well, but didn't think it could be that good. We were pleasantly surprised when ...yes ...lunch was in as well. Soup, buffet of salads, a curry dish and pasta dish. We wanted to try everything and so i got a plate of hot food, some pasta and some curry and Sam got a plate of salad and cold meats. The curry was yummy and i wished we'd got more of it as the pasta had a lot to be desired. It was basically warmed tin tomatoes on pasta!!! The salad was pretty tasty and we went for more of the chicken so that must have been good. As we're greedy b*****s and we'd technically already paid for it we went up and got some soup as well, i say soup....well it looked like soup though a little dark, it appeared to have lots of vegetables in it but basically it had zilgo taste. What they had done i don't know, we could have rustled summit better up out of a backpackers' fridge left overs!!!
We drove back onto Seventy mile beach( the one we had landed on). Just along the track about 2/34 metres fro the actual beach where the sand wasn't quite so soft we seemed to get stuck, though the driver didn't make anything of it and nobody appeared worried i just thought we'll be out in second....well quite a bit of revving and a few second slater we were. It had really tickled Sam though, how we were so stuck and she had visions of us having to get out and push, she really had the titters and couldn't stop laughing.
On our way up the beach we had to drive through washouts, some deeper than others and than the driver realised covering the whole bus with water and chucking us all other the place . We also went through the shallows of the sea, and were told how the management don't like the coaches to get any salt water on them, this is bit difficult when the tide is high and there isn't much beach left. Further up the along the beach widened and on the landwardside we could see plane signs and orange cones set out on the sand; this beach was also used as a runway. Small planes took of and landed on the sand, it was a scenic flight operator taking people on trips around the Island. All quite crazy as i forgotten to say that this beach is also actually a propoer highway with vehichles going both ways on along though i wasn't sure if there was many rules and sides as such.
First port of call up the beach was the coloured sands pinnacle. We hopped out to take a look, there was an aboriginal story explaining the origin of the landform. Something of love and the rainbow and a woman (i will have to find out more, as i'm writting this so much later my memory isn't that good). It was quite a small rockform, quaint and pretty with differing colours/shades of yellow running through it.
The next attraction was the most photographed shipwreck in Australia, one reason probably being that it was right on the beach. Maheno(ships name) was built in Scotland in the early nineteen hundreds as a cruise liner (it is very small cruise liner though even for those times). It was the fastest boat travelling between Australia and New Zealand at the time, with it's rich passengers, though it had 1st, 2nd and 3rd class accomadation. In world war one it was used as a hospital ship, though by the 30's is was deemed unseaworthy. It was sold to a Japanese company for scrap metal but got caught in a cyclone on the journey and was beached, they stripped what they could of it and had to leave it as they couldn't get it moving. Since then it has been used for target practice by the Australian air force, so there isn't a lot left to it though our driver informed us that the aussies aim isn't that great. Apparently of many bombs only one hit it!!!
Our final stop was Eli creek, a crystal clear stream running down to the beach. There were lots of people there playing about in the water and doing what we were about to: we walked a short distance up the creek (i don't know quite how far it goes) and then got down in the hip deep water and floated down stream, it seemed to be the thing to do. It was really lovely, quite relaxing though there did seem to be a few funny looks shot our way(what the bloody hells the matter with people sometimes) . I found it all quite hilarious really, as we walked up stream there had been a grown woman floating down on an inflatable crocodile. Everybody appeared to be enjoying themselves so what did it matter.
Back to the barge and home ...but i've just realised forgotten to mention the Dingo(wolf/dog). On our drive up the beach we spotted a lone male dingo looking very skinny wandering across the beach watching us very inquisitively. They are very much like domestic dogs though they don't bark they howl. It looked a little sorry for it's self as it sloped across the beach and back into the bush.
Our final day in Rainbow beach we had have a day before the bus. I took a walk to Carlo sand blow. i didn't know exactly where i was going but i know it wasn't far away. i found soem steep steps and decided that must be the way as i knew i had to go up, then i sorta followed the sand and kept to the beachside....no probs i was there easy as pie.(wasn't really anywhere to go wrong). Onc eat the top of the sand blow( big dune) i could see out over the beatiful bay, such a stunning view and a very hot day, the sand beneath my feet was scorching. I sat under a lone tree in the shade and relaxed enjoying the solitude. A few people came over the top and walked down to te beach or decided not to and go back. I just sat and soaked up the gorgeous view, doin g alittle writting of journal notes and tried sketching the view before( ijust couldn't do it justice though).
About an hour and a half later Sam popped up over the top just as i was gonna head down, she took some photos and then we headed down to the beach. We tried walking down but even with flip flops on it was scorching our feet, those others that had gone down must of rolled or have aspestos skin. We ended up shuvelling down on ours arses (even then my bum was burning through my trousers). When we got to the beach the tide was still pretty darn high and so we had to wade and climb, i tried to get the timing right but manged to miss it and slip into a deeper bit basically i was saturated upto my bum even my pants were wet. We strolled back to the hostel i changed my clothes and we had bite of lunch before getting back on the greyhound...a fairly long journey ahead of us, though we did get the pleasure of a chick flick on the TV.
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