Today was day 3 of my Cool Dino Tour and it was packed with some of Fraser Island's lesser known treasures, some that have proven to be my favorite so far! I started the day early again 7:00AM; I don’t know why but there is something amazing about Australia that has made me into a morning person, I am now that really annoying person who is overly cheery at 7:00AM and everyone secretly hates.
Anyways we began the tour today by going to Lake Wabby, this place fits the definition of oasis perfectly, beautiful green waters surrounded by sand and jungle. After a short walk through the humid and dense rain forest you emerge into a vast bright clearing of nothing but sand and distant Ocean. We began walking on what is known as the Hammerstone Sandblow, just one of many sandblows that that blaze over Fraser Island and cut through the islands thick forests. Walking over this desert was a truly a mind blowing experience when you think that this massive pile of sand moves and average of 1-3 meters every year and bulldozes everything in its path. It was hard not to imagine I was in the Sahara as I put step after step into the warm golden sand.
After walking around for a bit we came to Lake Wabby, perched, turquoise freshwater lake that is slowly being filled in by the Hammerstone Sandblow. Lake Wabby is very unique for a couple of reasons but the main one would have to be its inhabitants. The lake has 14 different species of fish were most other lakes only have a couple. Probably the most interesting and my favorite of all these fish would be the Purple Catfish, that are more than happy to swim up to you if you have a juicy worm or fly.
There is a lot of argument of when exactly Lake Wabby will be completely under sand but we were told it would definitely be within this century. With that in mind it feels incredible to know that you are viewing and experiencing something that has a limited life span, something that will eventually only be seen in pictures; this in my mind is a treasure.
After the refreshing dip and a small trek back to the bus we headed to Eurong Beach Resort for lunch. Following the very tasty meal we were all back on the bus and heading to our next destination, Lake Birrabeen. Once arriving at Birrabeen, a lake notorious for being equally if not more beautiful than Lake McKenzie, we were able to lay back and relax on the soft sand. We unfortunately didn’t get to spend as much time as we wanted there because it started to rain, and just when the turtle sand-sculpture contest was heating up! Its not all bad though because sprinting back to the bus from the beach as the warm rain fell all around me was a very cool experience, one I will not soon forget.
The night was spent reminiscing about all the amazing experiences we had and exchanging information as we waited for our ferry to take us off Fraser Island and drop us off in Hervey Bay. The rest of the night was very low key as everyone had a full day and had very early travel arrangements the next day. My early arrangements being a beautiful sailing boat named Summertime!
In my mind Fraser Island is a must stop if you come to Australia. It has beautiful beaches, stunning lakes, unique flora and fauna, and a topography that will make your jaw drop. I want to quickly thank Cool Dingo Tours for giving me a life changing and unforgettable experience. I hope you all enjoyed hearing about my Fraser Island adventure as much as I did having it!
To follow Mike's adventures on Fraser Island and the rest of Queensland visit his blog: http://mikesaussieadventure.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/day-three-purple-cat-fish-and-spiders-oh-my/
