All along the rainbow

According to Aboriginal legend, when humans were created and needed a place to live, the mighty god Beiral sent his messenger Yendingie with the goddess K’gari down from heaven to create the land and mountains, rivers and sea. K’gari fell in love with the earth’s beauty and did not want to leave it. So Yendingie changed her into a heavenly island – Fraser Island.

We had travelled 350 kms from Rainbow Bay to Rainbow Beach and the golden sands of Fraser Island were now within reach.  The Butchulla Aborigines named the island K'gari, pronounced 'Gurri', which means paradise.  For our family of beach lovers the largest sand island in the world surely would be utopia.

“If you're going to live by the river, make friends with the crocodile” Indian Proverb

75 miles long and 15 miles wide, Fraser Island is made of sand that has been accumulating for 750,000 years.  A fungi in the sand releases nutrients for plants and so the island has rainforest, eucalyptus woodland, mangroves, swamps and coastal dunes.  These ecosystems sustain over 350 different bird species, reptiles, amphibians and mammals including the purest strain of dingo.  Occasionally saltwater crocodiles are seen.   

"Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety."

William Shakespeare 

On our way to the Inskip Point car ferry, Jasmin took the time to read the safety advice and learn a little about tire pressure.  We had a permit to drive on an island without roads, a ticket we couldn't find to prove we had already paid the ferry man and a car commonly known as the Ford Exploder.  What could possibly go wrong?

"For safety is not a gadget but a state of mind."

Eleanor Everet 

Life for the 190 or so resident islanders on this World Heritage Site centers around the tides, swell and weather conditions. There are a couple of ferry options, we chose to depart from Inskip Point and timing it to the low tide was imperative.

“A thousand fantasies Begin to throng into my memory, 

Of calling shapes, and beckoning shadows dire, 

And airy tongues that syllable men's names 

On sands and shores and desert wildernesses”

 John Milton 

It had been over twenty years since I'd been on Fraser and the sand driving brought back instant memories.  One of which was getting hopelessly lost.  In dumb blonde repetition, it seemed we were doomed to a similar fate until way off in the distance we spotted a line of cars waiting for the ferry.

"The engine’s runnin’ but nobody’s driving." Unknown

We waited with bated breath to see if there would be room for us on the ferry across the narrow sound.   

“The hasty and the tardy meet at the ferry”  Arabian Proverb

"I would never take a fifty thousand dollar car onto the beach" Greg Huglin

We squeezed onto the ferry that was full to capacity and sitting in the car while we rocked and rolled was a little claustrophobic.  But it was all worth it as we herded off the other side at Hook Point.  We chased after the other cars as we all made a mad dash north racing against the tide.  

"The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choice less as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea." Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

"For those who've come across the seas we've boundless plains to share…"
Australia National Anthem

We barely made it around the washed out point and headed north up Seventy-Five Mile Beach, following the tracks of the faster drivers.  But just as the fisherman waits for his catch, our patience was rewarded with a welcoming committee of the four legged variety.  The kids were ecstatic to spot their first dingoes.  We needed to get to our beach house in Eurong before the tide got any higher so there was little time for game viewing.  Not to worry we would have plenty of opportunity to see everything on this side of the rainbow we had a week to explore this pristine paradise.