MONDAY 11 MAY   LAKE MCKENZIE TO CATHEDRAL BEACH  

Overnight rain meant that we packed up a damp tent that we will have to dry out later.

Some of the latest crop of backpackers were quite rowdy last night, and are very seedy this morning. I was walking up the track towards the toilets, behind a couple of the lads, and heard one ask the other: “Do you remember the name of that chick I screwed last night?”……..an interesting insight into backpacker antics! I wondered if this was a peculiarly Fraser thing, or if maybe it was like that when my step-daughter and her friend went off through India and South East Asia. I wasn’t sure I should share this with John!

After pack up, took the quickest way to the east beach at Eurong, where we shared a portion  of the beach with a plane. This is not uncommon, here.

Then drove north along the beach, stopping at various tourist sights.

At Rainbow Valley, we walked up amongst some of the spectacular coloured sand cliffs that occur in these parts, where clays have stained the sandstone and also hardened the sands somewhat against erosion. The cliff walls really were multi-coloured, from greeny through to ginger, and with varied erosion patterns. Unfortunately, it was a very hard scene to photograph and do justice to, due to the narrowness of the little gorge.

Further along, we came to an area called The Springs, near one of the sand blows, and spent some time wandering amongst dry channels and hollows in the soft semi-rock.

Then we came to Eli Creek – a major attraction of the island. This is a fast-flowing, clear water creek, with a board walk along side. The creek discharges some 80 million litres of water a day, into the sea! There are huge ground water reserves under Fraser Island, that feed the occasional spring fed creek. Eli is a stop on the day tour circuit, so it was relatively crowded. We had our lunch there, watching fish and a big eel swim in the creek. Obviously a “to do” thing here is to float/body surf down the creek, from the board walk’s end to the beach. We were not tempted – there were a few too many younger bodies to compete with for space in the water. I managed to take a photo of Eli Creek, but it took quite a lot of patience to capture it without bodies

Further north again, we stopped at the wreck of the “Maheno” – a former liner and WW1 hospital ship. In 1935, it was being towed to Japan for scrap when cyclonic conditions blew it onshore here. Then it was used for bombing practice in WW2. It is now an interesting, rusted out, photogenic skeleton partly buried in the sands. We wandered around – and in – it, taking photos. There was another pair of dingoes at the back of the beach, here. A Ranger drove through and stopped near them and they went away. Seems they associate Rangers with being unwelcome!

Just north of the “Maheno” is the Pinnacles formation – more coloured sand cliffs, this time fronting onto the beach. These appear on many of the Fraser Island postcards – as does the ship wreck. We walked and took photos and admired the structures. I found the erosion features of the Pinnacles more significant than the coloured sand layers. I remembered that, many years ago, when my children were young and spending a holiday with their father, they did a day trip here and brought me home a souvenir bottle of coloured sands from these parts, which I still have. I doubt that they were old enough to appreciate the beauty and diversity of the island, though.

After this, we reached Cathedral Beach, with its private campground, some 29kms along the beach from Eurong. It took a long time to do that distance – there is a lot packed in there to see, along the way. The camp cost us $20 for an unpowered site. I was not impressed! We were the only tent campers there – given the cost and the nearby cheap camps in the dunes behind the east beach, I am not surprised. Still, it is a nice setting, there are lots of birds, and the location suits our plans for tomorrow.

We put up the small dome tent that was part of my farewell present from my staff. First time we have used this. We wanted it for overnight stays like this. Our lilo just fits in the dome tent, with a little crawl space on each side. As the night is supposed to be fine, and not too cold, this open air camp will suffice. Very bare ground all round.

After our quick camp set up, John went off down to the beach to fish. I had a very enjoyable shower – the first for three days! I could not be bothered, where we have been, queuing up with the backpackers for the shower there – and putting up with the mess they created in it. But I enjoyed this one – and it was warm!

John did not return until after dark – fish-less.

Tea was tinned tuna, in the absence of fresh fish –  and some salad.

There was no dingo chorus tonight.