Tom awake first as usual. No bad thing as we have to be ready for departure at 8am. Down to breakfast at 6.45am, Sarah is pretending to be a mummy Giraffe and has her little stuffed toy up her T-shirt (a very precious present from Spike, her buddy). We are on time for once and we set off for a drive up 75-mile beach. Air Fraser do a bit of a sell on the bus for a 15 minute flight to see the island. We draw up to a little plane which will take 7 passengers, the first 6 seats go quickly so I egged Rob on to take the final seat (turns out to be the co-pilots one), one of us may aswell partake. Tom starts protesting as to why Daddy gets to go on the plane!
This is the lake we were at yesterday. A bit cloudy as it's still early in the morning.
Meanwhile mother and kids zoom up on the beach and 15 mins later we catch up with plane, all landed. I decide I'd like to go too, BIG protests from the young Wheatleys so in the end the three of us end up going and have the plane to ourselves as no one else is willing to shell out. The pilot only charges an adult fare for the 2 kids, the kids take it all in their stride though Sarah keeps staring straight ahead and I have to keep reminding her to look out the window! From above, I start to appreciate how big the island actually is.
Under us here is the bus with Rob on passing the Maheno wreck - more on that later.
Butterfly lake
The pilot still went ahead with the tour patter even though there was only me who had any notion of paying attention. Still was nice to have the plane all to ourselves. Landing was very smooth and we parked just beside the tour bus.
More racing along the beach to get to Indian Heads. Captain Cook named it so as he saw a local on top as he sailed by. (These sea faring chaps lacked somewhat in the imagination stakes though I guess it got a bit tiresome having to think up new names all the time. Sandy Island was the original name for Fraser, F for effort, it is a sand island). The bus got stuck in the sand. The poor guide Fabian was left to dig us out while anyone with a camera on the tour took a picture of him.
After a walk up the head, we were awarded with these fantastic views. The sea was an amazing blue around the head as the murky flood waters hadn't got there yet.
A sheer drop the other side of this sign.
On the bus again for a stop off at the Maheno wreck. It was being tugged for scrap to Japan in 1935 when it broke loose during a cyclone. Apparently, it was used for target practice in WWII but as most of it's still there, they can't have been very affective shooters. We were warned by signs to keep within 3 metres of it. Tom was very excited by the wreck, but was disappointed not to get closer.
Next Eli Creek. Fresh clear water is oozing onto the beach. Beautiful and cooling, just right for paddle though Tom and Sarah both end up soaked. Tom has to wear my purple sarong aka David Beckham and Sarah ends up in her pants.
Lunch has to be a very quick affair as the tour guide says we are running behind. Onwards to our last destination on Fraser, Wabby Lake. However it's a 2.4km walk from the beach on a sandy track over sand dunes and it's very warm. Sarah very quickly got tired of walking and Rob had to carry her most of the way. Tom had raced ahead to be with his new family ;) We got left behind and luckily we chose the correct fork in the road to get to the lake. After 50 minutes, we finally got there and hoped the trek in the heat was worth it. It was. (Forgot to mention that I was carrying 2 bags and Rob his beloved camera gear).
We had a great swim in the lake, really warm, it was full of huge cat fish. Apparently it's the deepest on the island, but only Rob ventured out to the deep, or the 'dark' water as the tour guide put it. There was a high sand dune which all the kids in the tour delighted in running down and launching themselves into the lake. Unfortunately it's expected that this lake will disappear in the next 20 years as the sand dune keeps encroaching on it.
This is it from the air
After what seemed like hardly any length, it was time to trek back. Sarah was carried all the way back by Rob while I got to carry the big camera bag too. A lady in the tour group took pity on the human mule and offered to carry one of my bags. The walk back was much easier as it was a lot cooler.
End of the tour. Back to the Dharma Initiative for a regroup, then off to the barge for the mainland (on the way we finally get to see a dingo!) Tom and Sarah have to say their goodbyes to their new friends, Rosie, Anna and Ellie.
Back at the Emeraldene motel, exhausted, bed at 8pm. It was a fantastic 2 days. But no sign of Sarah's Giraffe. Oops. Lost on the island, probably eaten by dingos............
Final question, flip flops are called thongs in Oz, so what's the word for a thong ?
Location:Fraser Island
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