Sunday 29th July –Central Station, Basin Lake, Lake McKenzie and the Maheno Wreck
The boardwalk from central station to Basin Lake is well frequented but the lake itself is extremely secluded and still. There is no watercourse running to or from the lake which makes it something like an amphitheatre. Rob spotted a freshwater turtle whilst we were there and a large sea eagle kept watch as we circumnavigated the waters. Signage around the lake informs that local aborigines used the area for ceremonies and the religious atmosphere is certainly apparent. On the walk back we were treated to an extremely rare sighting of a Wompoo on Fraser Island.
We then drove to Lake McKenzie which was a lot busier. Backpackers were daring one another to swim in the freezing waters. At Happy Valley we stopped for lunch. The prices were surprisingly reasonable for a tourist trap.
Driving further along the vast white expanse of the beach, the Maheno Wreck was suitably placed deep in sand and obscured by mist. Although not actually a graveyard (it was being towed to a Japanese scrapyard when it broke free from the tug during a storm) the rusting iron ship adds to the feeling of wilderness and isolation that is often evident on the giant sand dune that is Fraser Island.
It was after that timely reminder that we gratefully accepted the warm hospitality of the Big4 campground –Cathedral on Frasers. A box of wine and a cobbled together pesto risotto helped us to forget the dingoes, snakes and 75 miles of sand nearby being swallowed up by the high tide.
New Video!
As of March 2008, we have finally got round to uploading all of our travelling footage from the Australian outback. Here’s the second -a 4×4 extravaganza around Fraser Island. Just listen to the bootleg dance as we plough through the sandy roads!
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