25.04.2026

The rain continued through the night and the day began gray. Breakfast brought positive energy, and we headed to the meeting point at the 'Sunset Bar' in the rain. Driver Andrew had gathered all his 'sheep' for his bus for the island tour, about 20 people, soon enough. This time, we had aligned more closely with the average age, as there are currently no holidays and young people tend to book guided tours with jeeps. However, all need a four-wheel drive on this largest sand island in the world (about 124 km long and 22 km wide), as there are no roads, only sand tracks which can have deep ruts and uneven terrain. Our driver clearly enjoyed 'rocking' us around the island. Our tour started at 9:15 AM and ended at 5 PM - a 'hard' vacation day. And a strong back is also necessary! It was great to have the camera filming the path ahead of us and broadcasting it onto a screen. We went through the only rainforest in the world that grows in sand. By the first stop, we no longer needed umbrellas as the sun slowly broke through. Andrew was also our tour guide and explained the flora and fauna. We saw bushes with small white berries featuring dark spots - the Midyim or Midgeon berry. We tasted them; they were sweet and tasted similar to blueberries. Here, there are also giant trees that only grow in California. Many plants and ferns were familiar from our hikes. Then we headed to 75 Mile Beach. This beach on the east coast is the 'highway' of Fraser Island. Bathing is prohibited here due to the rough waves; 'only' cars may drive on the beach, at a maximum speed of 80 km/h. A treat for all drivers! We also spotted some wandering dingoes, the wild dogs of Australia, always on the lookout for food. When hiking here, it is recommended to carry a stick, and there are also signs about how to behave around them. Our driver always had a stick when getting out of the vehicle. A highlight on this 'beach highway' was the wreck of the former cruise ship 'Maheno.' Back then, cruise ships were really small! By now, the sun had fully broken through, and the wind at the coast was blowing strongly. For lunch, we went to a restaurant where the buffet offered delicious options for everyone. This was included in the price of the island tour. There was also a later tea and coffee time with sweet pastries. The latter was at a dingo-safe picnic area with a high fence. One is not allowed to eat or drink due to the wildlife. Any trash must be taken with you. The entire long white sandy beach is litter-free; it seems that hardly anything is washed up. The waves are high, so - even if it were allowed - no one would want to swim. There was a final stop on our tour, at the largest of over 100 freshwater lakes on the island! The water was not cold, very clear, but the sun was already hiding again, and the thermometer showed 20°C with a strong wind. We were satisfied with the view! We enjoyed our mentioned coffee! On the way back, it became cloudy, and the first drops started to fall. We returned to the resort promptly at 5 PM. And as we entered our room, the first heavy downpour began, nearly dark - once again, no sunset! We really enjoyed this island tour! We could not have explored this diversity on foot. We are glad that we have a solid roof over our heads. The campgrounds are still well booked, but camping in this weather wouldn't be very comfortable!