The evening before our trip to Fraser Island, Cloe and I joined everyone who had signed up in the bar of the Hostel where we were divided up into groups of 8. We also had the opportunity to order food, which we would receive in a cooler for the three days and two nights we would be on the island. An Island devoid of shops, restaurants or anything else relating to modern-day comforts.

We ordered meat for 7 of us and a veggie burger for our new vegetarian friend. This may seem like unimportant information, but trust me that veggie burger will still become a featured element of this trip. We also made sure we had a number of snacks, including tomatoes, cheese and some not-so-healthy options. Once we had finalised all the details, we all went to get some much-needed sleep as it was going to be an early morning. 

A visit to Paradise

The following day, we all met and were united with the final member of our team, the 4×4. Our designated driver made sure our new friend got a comfortable spot on the ferry and then joined us on deck for the short journey to the Island. Once we had disembarked, our first destination was the famous freshwater lake, Lake McKenzie.

There are a few spots on this earth which are so special and beautiful that they instantly fill your soul with energy and love. For me, this was one of those special places. White sand, clear turquoise water and bright green vegetation. I had found paradise, it isn’t imaginary, it is real, and it was right in front of me. Naturally, we were all in the water a few minutes after arriving. We spent some time enjoying the lake and the beauty surrounding it, but there was still a lot we wanted to see and experience, so it was soon time to pile back into the 4×4 and head towards the northern part of the Island, where we intended to spend the first night. 

With some backseat navigation, the old-fashioned way, with an actual paper map, we made it across the island and emerged out of the thick vegetation onto a pristine beach, where the Pacific Ocean greeted us once more. I felt like I had left the grey and depressing winter days in London behind to enter a parallel universe where nature kept showing itself from its most remarkable side.

We used the less challenging driving conditions to get to know each other. Everyone shared a little about themselves and for the first time when mentioning that I was a professional Dancer, I did not have to follow up by explaining why I was not currently performing in a west-end show in order for people to believe me. They just accepted my answer and didn’t judge. For the first time ever I didn’t feel like a failure, but rather like a part of a special experience for which my CV was of no importance.

The boys naturally loved the feeling of speeding along the beach in our robust but slightly ageing vehicle.  It was during this drive that we spotted the Shipwreck of the SS Maheno, the most famous of the 23 wrecked ships the Island claimed over the years. Rusty and broken, and yet still majestic in its own way. 

At this point, I should probably point out that I love ships. Having had the privilege to work aboard 2 beautiful cruise ships, life at sea as well as a love for these magnificent often underestimated creations has become a part of who I am.

An old Ladies final resting place

The SS Maheno was a turbine-driven steamer, in fact, she was one of the first in existence when she was built in 1905. Her job was initially pretty simple, a route between Sydney and Auckland. But she was destined for greatness, and so she was commissioned to serve as a hospital ship during WW1. At the age of 30, she was sold to Japan for scrap. What a tragic end for a special ship. But faith had different plans and when a storm hit while she was being towed to her final port, the tow broke, and she drifted onto the Fraser Island beach, where we as well as millions of travellers are granted an audience with her. A beautiful final resting place for a special lady, who even after her passing continues to provide people with special memories.

Click here for more information about Fraser Island Shipwrecks

We all made sure we got lots of pictures of and with this beauty and then continued our drive up the beach. Timing was as we discovered everything on this journey to the north of the island as we had to take the tide into consideration. At high tide, we would be unable to reach our destination. We made it, but it was already dark when we arrived at the spot where we would set up camp. It is a lot more challenging than you may think to set up camp in the dark. The tents which came as part of the package deal were anything but new. Fortunately, some members of our group were a little more skilled at these tasks, so we managed to set up our tents and build a fire. It was time for dinner. But we were not the only ones who thought so. 

When Camping Takes a Turn

So let me set the scene. We were in a clearing, not an actual camping ground. Surrounded by trees and since there is only a single small resort for those not willing to rough it on the island, there was no light at all. The moon had not yet made an appearance, which left us with the most magnificent star-studded black sky, but with absolutely no light other than that emanating from our campfire. We peeled and prepared the potatoes, while the men were in charge of the meat. Naturally, multitasking was a little challenging for them, so they left the cooler open while setting up the pans.

When I looked up, all I saw were a set of shining eyes, we had a rather hungry visitor. It was a Dingo. We chased him off, but not before he had managed to grab his dinner out of our cooler. I am sure he was the most disappointed dingo once he realised that rather than getting a nice beef steak, he had grabbed the one and only veggie burger.

Between chasing the dingo away and prepping the dinner in the dark, we had managed to season everything with the local sand and our dinner was a little more crunchy than we would have liked. With no real facilities to wash anything, we did our best to pack it all up to be washed the following day, once we found a campsite where this was possible, and we could see more than rough outlines of anything. After making sure the campfire was fully extinguished, we decided to retire for the night. 

A Hot, Sticky and Restless Night

It was time to get some sleep in our tiny tents. With 4 of us in each tent and temperatures in excess of 30 degrees, you can imagine how much sleep we got. I was starting to think that camping may not be my kind of thing after all. The sun came up the next morning, and we could finally appreciate the beauty around us.

Unfortunately, it was high tide and there was no way for us to drive anywhere. We were at Indian Head and decided to climb to the top and enjoy the view while we waited for the tide to turn. From the top, we could see the fins of tiger sharks in the water below on the northern side. It was breeding season, so it was better to stay away from them. They may otherwise think of us as a threat to their young. After a lengthy photo session, we returned to the beach, where the tide was still a long way from letting us pass.

Thrilling Encounters: Swimming among Sharks

The temperatures were soaring, and we finally gave in and went swimming on the South side of Indian Rock, a few meters away from where we had seen the sharks. I wasn’t worried about the sharks, for the most part, they are just going about their business, it is the jellyfish I was terrified of. Those brainless, spineless sociopaths are not to be messed with. But we all survived unscathed and felt a lot better. The tide was finally willing to let us pass. It was finally time to explore a few more exciting spots on this unique island. 

Our next destination was yet another lake. This one was surrounded by sand dunes and home to the biggest catfish I had ever seen. Only a few months earlier, both would have scared me. Australia had taught me that I was so much more than the person people had led me to believe I was. 

“You are not who you think you are, you are not who others think you are, you are who you think they think you are.” by Charles Cooley

We ran down the dunes and dove into the water, made friends with the catfish who probably thought we were all insane, huge fish. We were enjoying each other’s company while taking in our surroundings. After the experiences of the previous night, we decided to find an actual camping ground and get cleaned up before the darkness descended upon us. We did just that, cleaned the dishes from the previous night. We decided to stick to a simpler dinner of cheese and tomato sandwiches, which Cleo made like a professional chef.

Soaking up Natures Energy

The sun set and with a moon which was clearly too lazy to appear until past midnight, we were treated to the most incredible display of bright stars, I had ever seen. It is fascinating how just lying beneath the stars can make you feel as though you are so filled with energy that your body is barely able to contain it. Nature is the fuel which keeps us going, and yet so few of us venture out into the unknown to truly feel its power. Irrational fear and a desire for stability stop us from experiencing what life has to offer those who embrace the fear and rise above it. 

On our first night in the tent, we were all soaked with sweat and as nature wanted us to experience everything in its repertoire, the second night had us soaked due to a heavy rainstorm which penetrated every tiny tear in our rather worn tent. It was another restless night followed by a chilly morning. But a hot shower and some biscuits revitalised us for the final few hours on this beautiful Island. Soon the Sun joined us and highlighted each drop of water which had come to rest on a blade of grass or a delicate leaf.

We packed the 4×4 for the final journey and unanimously decided to end the trip the way it had begun with a final swim at Lake McKenzie. We said our goodbyes to the magnificent sandy shore of this beautiful lake and drove the final distance to wait for our ferry back to “civilisation”. Arriving a little early, Cleo whipped out her UNO cards, and we sat in the sand playing.

Tiny and very Unwelcome Guests

At first, I thought that I was just being paranoid when I felt the first sting, but when I saw that everyone else was also starting to look a little uncomfortable then jumped up and brushed the sand off their bare legs, it was clear that something was biting us. I couldn’t see anything at all, but it stung like fire. Anyone who knows Australia has probably already figured it out. We had managed to choose the wrong spot and became the next victims of sand fleas to be avoided at all cost. Having survived the final challenge of the trip, we boarded the Ferry and enjoyed the ocean air on the journey back to Harvey Bay. 

Back at the hostel, both Cleo and I treated ourselves to a very long hot shower, a large dinner and a few drinks at the bar before saying goodbye to the other members of our group. I sadly can no longer tell you their names, but they like so many other people I met along the way influenced my life in a profound way. Wherever they may be today, I hope that they are happy and still the adventurous souls who made my trip an unforgettable experience.