Day two on Fraser started with a rather long bus trip to the other side of the island. And then it was time to drive on the beach. The weather was beautiful and the sun glistened on the water. At that point I really wished we had rented a 4-wheeler that we could drive ourselves, because this must be so much fun. But it still was beautiful to enjoy from inside our bus.
At the first stop, we had to option to get onto one of those mini planes and take a 15 minutes tour over the island. Of course we didn't say no, because the prize was pretty reasonable and just look at that view:
We even spotted some wales in the water, but it was quite hard taking pictures of them, while the pilot kept circling around them. After a few minutes we flew back over the island, because we started getting a little dizzy.
Back on land we drove a little further down the beach, where we had some time to play in the water, explore the ship wreck or just enjoy the weather. I really hope those pictures transfer the beauty of this place.
Next stop started with a quick walk up a hill and along a plank path to the so called 'Champagne pools'. The pools are two stone basins, where you can safely swim and play in, while the rocks protect you from the ocean. Swimming isn't technically forbidden on the beaches, but our tour guide wasn't allowed to let us in the waves, as the hidden currents are to dangerous. So if you are touring the island on your own, you can swim at the beach at your own risk, but I recommend to be careful and just go to the pools. It's really pretty and relaxing as well, just sitting in the water and watching the waves crash and the spume bubble over the rocks - which is where the name 'Champagne pools' comes from. You really feel like you're sitting in an massively oversized champagne glass - just don't try drinking any, there is no alcohol, but lot's of salt instead!
After a small lunch at the beach we climbed to the tip of Indian Head, the most easterly point of the island and a famous lookout to watch for sea life. And we hadn't been promised too much. We saw stingrays, sharks, dolphins and wales after wales passing by. Normally wale season doesn't start until late august, but we were really lucky, since because of some reason they started coming in early this year. The pictures didn't turn out too well, as none of us had a big camera with them, but upon closer inspection you can make out two wales in one of the pictures further down. The beauty of this is something no camera could really capture, you just have to see it in real life. Whenever another wale popped up, there were lots of 'ahh's and 'ohh's and everyone had a smile on their face. I could have happily stayed there all day.
Before we made our way back, we had one last stop on the list, which was Eli Creek. If you followed the plank bridges through the greens, you could get in the river at one point and either walk through the water to the beach or bring a tube and let yourself float downstream. The stream isn't too strong, so it's not one of those fast tubing adventures, but the water is crystal clear and the nature is stunning and it's a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the end of the day.
When everyone was out of the water it was time to get back. This time we missed the sunset, as we were still on the bus at that point, so when we arrived we still had time to grab something to eat - we opted for the sand bar right down at the pier, as the included buffet served at the dingo bar the night before didn't really wow us. Finally it was time to get on the ferry and eventually we were back at the camping site and fell straight into our beds.
Fraser Island was just so beautiful and there are so many things to do and see. If I ever go back I really want to explore on my own and get to drive a 4-wheel vehicle on the beach! But if you have only limited time and/or want to get a quick overview with all the best bits, a guided tour is a really good option. I hope the pictures did the beauty justice and there weren't too many - it was so hard to sort some out. Look forward to the rest of our Australian adventure as there are many more beautiful places to come.
Have a wonderful day and don't forget to smile.
♡
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