Julian & Ali Travels


Fraser Island - Poyungan to Sandy Cape		August 15 - 18 2017

		leaving Ungowa it was a bit misty. Seemed like an excuse for heaps of unusual spider webs.

		And an eary drive through the trees.

		We filled the water tanks at Central Station then headed along the scenic route past Lake McKenzie. Stopped in Pile Valley for a look at some remaining big satinay trees. Something different about seeing them standing than felled.

		We pushed on as we were uncertain what the track would be like.

		Lake McKenzie looked almost the same as when we walked to it.

		Overlooking Lake Wabby. A perched lake, slowly being filled in by the sand blow. We toyed with the idea of walking down to it. Decided against it as we needed to drive along the beach for a bit while the tide was not full.

		Another lookout at Hammerstone sand blow. Named after finding some artefacts.

		And eventually out to the beach. We met a few vehicles going the other way. A few passing places. Pleased we didn't meet any buses.

		Camped at Poyungan. A stroll along the beach front and I caught something unusual out of the corner of my eye.

		We hadn't really expected whales. Hump backed whales. About 2 - 300 m off shore.

		With the occasional diversion into bird watching.

		And dingo watching.

		And just plain watching. As the sun went down behind us.

		There's a steady procession of whales. Doubt we'd ever get tired of watching. This one was waving a fin at us. A big splash as it sends whatever signal it means.

		There seem to be lots of these buses. And other sorts. A couple even stopped to look at "our" whales.

		This predator was caught in waves at the edge of the sea a few moments earlier. A failed fish catch. They don't have waterproof feathers so getting wet can be a bit of a disaster.

		We'd planned to drive a bit inland and walk to "valley of the giants". Alas, low branches within a couple of hundred meters of the beach stopped us. So, change of plan, we decided to drive northwards as far as we could. We stopped for a look at Eli Creek on the way.

		Drove past the Maheno wreck. Used for live target practice after it ran aground.

		Past "the Pinnacles".

		and some more pinnacles. Before Cathedral Beach.

		We are in fishing territory.

		Some even bring their boats.

		There are apparently 72 different colours of sand on Fraser Island.

		this is the end of the by-pass around Indian Head. We expected soft sand but it was surprisingly easy.

		And we could now see Waddy Point.

		more soft sand at the entrance to the by-pass. But heaps of room and not much traffic.

		Its two-way. There's another track.

		And now we can see the cape.

		A small obstacle at South Ngkala Rocks. There's a bit of a step down (about 600mm) that looked vertical. But when we looked closely a very steep slope. A bit of guidance from passing fisherman to line wheels up and we cruised in. Cheers all round from the assembled audience.

		Sand blow at the cape.

Fraser Island - Sandy Cape		August 18 - 22 2017

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