In January 2005, I had some friends visiting from southern Europe, my friend, a keen naturalist and lover of forests, was very keen to see some of the legendary landscapes which we are blessed to have on our doorsteps.
Whilst we were touring around Queensland's Sunshine Coast and Hinterland we made arrangements to visit Fraser Island. With only a limited amount of time available to us we decided the best option was to try and compress as much as we could into a one day tour. We contacted The Fraser Island Company and see what they could provide for us.
So on the appointed day we got a VERY early start and drove to Hervey Bay to meet the tour and board the 'Fraser Dawn'. Being Queensland and summer, we were fortunate to have a truly magnificent morning to savor the 45 minute cruise across the Great Sandy Straits.
Our Tour Guide, Sven was courteous and friendly and we knew we were in for an interesting and fun day, my guests didn't speak English and Sven made lots of efforts to explain the tour in Italian, we were impressed!!
On the Island we boarded the air-conditioned, purpose built 4WD and immediately headed into the Islands interior where we explored Fraser Island's flora and fauna in a small group atmosphere. Stopping to have a close look at the Rainforest.
Mid morning we stopped ant the Fraser Island Wilderness Retreat for morning tea (which considering the early start to the day we were most ready for!!) and then headed for the Maheno Wreck and a walk along the banks of Eli Creek. A relaxing, informative and comfortable journey on which we learned about the history of the Island.
We stopped for lunch at Cathedral Beach, where we encountered a dingo whilst Sven prepared a lunch of fresh fish or prime cut steaks with a selection of fresh salads and drinks. After lunch we had the opportunity to take a short helicopter flight over part of the island before heading for a swim in the pristine freshwaters of Lake Allom, home to freshwater turtles which surface regularly.
We headed back to Moon Point to board the ferry back to Hervey Bay, most content with our one day tour of the Island and had the good fortune to see wild dolphins on the journey home. All-round a great day which left an unforgettable impression on my friends. Its my pleasure to recommend The Fraser Island Company if you wish to experience Fraser Island in a relaxed and comfortable environment.
Alessandro Sorbello
Editor
AustralianNationalParks.com
