A long drive back from Fraser Island to Brisbane, a little bit of sightseeing (kangaroo point) and packing for next day’s early departure to New Zealand.
Category: Australia
Vacation day on Fraser
Just a hang-out day in our resort. Some easy kayaking and relaxing at the pool. Well… we’re on vacation, aren’t we?
Fraser Island round-trip
Fraser Island is actually a big sand dune (largest sand island in the world) with forests (only place on earth where tall rainforest grows in sand), sweet water lakes, resorts and long 4WD tracks. Today’s tour was with a 4WD bus and covered most of Fraser’s highlights: refreshing bath in Lake McKenzie, walk in the forests of Central Station, drive on the beach-highway (80 km/h) along the 75 Mile Beach till Maheno Shipwreck and the Pinnacles and finally a stop at Eli Creek.
We skipped the optional scenic flight, but admired the fact that the 75 Mile Beach is a beach (obviously), fishing spot, national park, highway, campground and even a runway for aircrafts.
The dingo warnings made sense, we spotted one along the way. Dingoes were introduced around 4000 years ago in Australia and the ones on Fraser Island are considered “pure” and need to be distinguished from wild dogs.
I’ll remember our driver Martin (Bruce Willis’s doppelganger) and his sense of dry humor: once forcing a tourist car to drive back to a pass-by, commanding a 40-tons beast, he commented the scene with “Yeah, mine’s bigger than your’s… rarely got the chance to say this!”. Hilarious!
Ride to Fraser Island
A long trip with several means of transport until finding a honeymoon gift in the fridge of our room in the Kingfisher Bay Resort.
Brisbane
We returned the car and flew to Brisbane, our starting point for a tour to Fraser Island.
Great Barrier Reef
We set sail to the famous Whitehaven Beach, known for its fine and white sand (98% silica) and the beautiful landscape. As we were rather close to the beach already overnight, we could avoid most of the day-tour tourists in the morning. After lunch we sailed to an amazing snorkeling spot and could confirm that the word “Great” in “Great Barrier Reef” is well-deserved. A wonderful start into 2019!
For sunset lovers 
It moves – it lives! 
Colors! 
The Reef 
Amazing fine white sand 
My territory, mate! 
Whitsunday Islands National Park 
Our sailing trip 
Almost a dream 
Whitehaven Beach
New Year’s Eve on Whitsunday Islands
Our sailing ship “Prima” accommodated 11 (out of maximal 12) guests plus two crew members (captain Sas and cook Beke). We had a cabinet for ourselves – small but with a little bit of privacy. Before noon we set sail towards Whitsunday Island. Captain Cook discovered it on a Whitsunday (German: Pfingstsonntag), therefore the name. We traversed the hook passage, went snorkeling and anchored for the evening.
After a nice dinner at sunset we were in good mood for games (Twister and “Eat my box”).
To our big surprise (and shock) a squid joined the party – believe it or not, it jumped out of the water into our boat, just to be accidentally being stamped by one of the guests. A black trace of ink was a lasting proof. Our fellow travelers showed how to make a good meal out of the poor guy. Dinner out of one instead of “Dinner for one”. Happy New Year!
Airlie Beach – Gateway to the Reef
It was basically a driving day and a chance to wash – while enjoying a liquid honeymoon gift from the today’s resort. Airlie Beach is a famous starting point for trips to the Whitsunday Islands and to the Great Barrier Reef in general. Many young backpackers also stop here and make party.
Magnetic Island – Koalas!
Captain Cook thought an island would disturb his compass. He was proven wrong later on, but the name remained: Magnetic Island, probably the main reason to stay for a while in Townsville. After a bumpy ferry ride we rented two rusty bikes and pedaled over some hills until we reached the trail head of the Forts Walk, which is famous for spotting koalas in their natural environment, as it is home of the largest free-roaming colony in the world. We saw four of those cute furry animals, which sleep around 14 hours per day. They also need 5 hours to relax… from their search to feed eucalyptus (gum tree) leaves.
Alma Bay 
Scratch it! 
“Zzzz!” 
“Yawn!” 
View from the fort 
2 secs until wet feet… 
Koalas everywhere! 
Beach and bike 
This really is a sh** car! 
Castle Hill at dusk
Atherton Tableland (2/2) – Rainforest
From our bed & breakfast we had to drive till Townsville. In between, we did:
• Walked around crater lake Lake Eacham and saw a turtle
• Did the waterfall drive (Millaa Millaa, Zillie and Ellinjaa)
• Wandered in and above(!) rain forest at Mamu Tropical Skywalk
• Did nothing at Mission Beach (“Oops, still 3 hours till Townsville?!?”)
• Watched a vehicle parade of old-timers and tuned cars in Townsville
