Fraser Island - April 2013

[jss Moderated member Find all posts View Profile Close jss]

JPH you guys will have no drama getting up to the top. I'd say so long as you were on half tide or lower between Orchid Beach and Sandy Cape you won't have an issue at all, and won't have to even dip a tyre in the ocean at any point.
Lake McKenzies was a bit dissappointing this time as it was not the beautiful blue that it can be, so it just looked like any other lake. We were told that lake Wabby was looking fantastic, but the kids were not into the driving and just wanted to hangout at the resort and do the activities there so i gave it a miss.
Eli Creek was it's usual hit with everyone and although it wasn't the hottest of days there were still a respectable amount of hottie backpackers in bikinis for the men of our group to get busted perving on by our wives. What can you do but shrug your shoulders and tell them that beauty is meant to be admired lol.
Hook point (inskip ferry landing) is a low tide event, or upto about 1.5 hours either side of low if you want to go up the beach because some fallen trees block the high part of the beach at the south end, but there is always the inland track which you'll only need to use the southern part of then you can hit the beach at any tide but it will only just be 2 cars wide at spots up in the soft stuff on high tide. But thats why god invented beer....just pull up and have a couple while you wait for the tide lol.

Cheers
James

[ScoticusMaximus Member Find all posts View Profile Close ScoticusMaximus]

JPH you guys will have no drama getting up to the top. I'd say so long as you were on half tide or lower between Orchid Beach and Sandy Cape you won't have an issue at all, and won't have to even dip a tyre in the ocean at any point.
Lake McKenzies was a bit dissappointing this time as it was not the beautiful blue that it can be, so it just looked like any other lake. We were told that lake Wabby was looking fantastic, but the kids were not into the driving and just wanted to hangout at the resort and do the activities there so i gave it a miss.
Eli Creek was it's usual hit with everyone and although it wasn't the hottest of days there were still a respectable amount of hottie backpackers in bikinis for the men of our group to get busted perving on by our wives. What can you do but shrug your shoulders and tell them that beauty is meant to be admired lol.
Hook point (inskip ferry landing) is a low tide event, or upto about 1.5 hours either side of low if you want to go up the beach because some fallen trees block the high part of the beach at the south end, but there is always the inland track which you'll only need to use the southern part of then you can hit the beach at any tide but it will only just be 2 cars wide at spots up in the soft stuff on high tide. But thats why god invented beer....just pull up and have a couple while you wait for the tide lol.

Cheers
James

thanks for the report james, im heading over on sunday with a group and some of them were stressing out about rocks and lack of beach, your report has calmed them now.

The cruiser at the start of this isnt the one that chopped up the waddy exit by any chance?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdJiCcIj8mQ

Cheers,
Scott.

[Mark from Brisbane Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark from Brisbane]

Yep those fallen trees are a real pain, we had to pull up for about 45 minutes until the tide went back a bit.....the funniest thing was there was a bunch of us waiting to go around, Cruisers, Pootrols, a few Prados...and a little Jimney came up and just went straight round....water about up to the window.

Even funnier was that 30 minutes later after it had receeded and we went aroound easily the Jimney was around the other side trying to get restarted.

Some people will NEVER learn (or maybe that's how they learn)

[jss Moderated member Find all posts View Profile Close jss]

thanks for the report james, im heading over on sunday with a group and some of them were stressing out about rocks and lack of beach, your report has calmed them now.

The cruiser at the start of this isnt the one that chopped up the waddy exit by any chance?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdJiCcIj8mQ

Cheers,
Scott.

No worries Scott. No mate this was an L/C ute and it was the southern most beach exit from Sandy Cape into Orchid beach, much more steep than the one in the clip lol. I think that poor 200 would have had a heart attack where we were if it couldn't even make that cutting in the video hahaha.

Yep those fallen trees are a real pain, we had to pull up for about 45 minutes until the tide went back a bit.....the funniest thing was there was a bunch of us waiting to go around, Cruisers, Pootrols, a few Prados...and a little Jimney came up and just went straight round....water about up to the window.

Even funnier was that 30 minutes later after it had receeded and we went aroound easily the Jimney was around the other side trying to get restarted.

Some people will NEVER learn (or maybe that's how they learn)

Some people are just put on this earth to keep the rest of us entertained i think lol. I had to tow one of those little suzies out of a bog the other day, but it had an American tourist for a driver so i guess it's to be expected. Then he tried to pay me for the recovery.......i told him "thanks but we don't do that kinda shit in Oz, especially on the beach so have a nice day on Fraser mate."

Cheers
James

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

Well here it is, only a fewvdays

[jss Moderated member Find all posts View Profile Close jss]

#### i'll pm you my mobile number so you can give me a buzz when you make it up this way if you like, and we can work out when/where i might catch up with you guys for a day or so on the big sandpit.

Cheers
James

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

#### i'll pm you my mobile number so you can give me a buzz when you make it up this way if you like, and we can work out when/where i might catch up with you guys for a day or so on the big sandpit.

Cheers
James

Sounds good!
Tentatively we were going for a sniff around cooloola, anywhere from noosa, to rainbow maybe on Sunday - back to noosa for Sunday night.
Then over on Monday, I will p.m you my email, as iPad has Telstra. If you have email on your fone?

[Dusty74 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dusty74]

I've printed and laminated a bunch of the Fraser Is maps off the parks website to hand out once we meet in Rainbow, they're not that detailed but do point out distances between points of interest. Thought they'd be handy.

Me and the Old Man still plan to be hanging around Rainbow by 1000 at the latest Monday, so without any dramas, I'll see you there.

Cheers,
Dusty

[JPH Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close JPH]

I've printed and laminated a bunch of the Fraser Is maps off the parks website to hand out once we meet in Rainbow, they're not that detailed but do point out distances between points of interest. Thought they'd be handy.

Me and the Old Man still plan to be hanging around Rainbow by 1000 at the latest Monday, so without any dramas, I'll see you there.

Cheers,
Dusty

Sounds good Dusty, we'll see you then. Not long to go now..

[spally Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close spally]

Just got back from Fraser on Saturday. Went up on Tuesday the 9th, staying at Happy Valley. Weather wasn't the best but that didn't stop us from having fun.

Hook point was a breeze, at low tide, plenty of beach.
Heaps of erosion along most of 75Mile Beach, covered in pumice Stone. Plenty of debris and rubbish.

Plenty of coffee rock exposed. Here is a video of Poyungan Rocks, some erosion just north of that and the Yidney Rocks to Happy Valley section. http://youtu.be/j2690dRHrh0

Inland tracks were fantastic. Even after the Easter traffic the tracks were in good condition. We did the loop from Eurong-Lake McKenzie-Central Station-Eurong with no issues, firm underneath and relatively smooth. (Compared to Dec 2012 when it was CRAP!)

Indian Head was no trouble, just drove through like it was an inland road. There was a bit of a climb at Middle Rocks, just to get onto the boards, but simple enough. Even though the buses are not supposed to go up, we watched one of the Kingfisher guys take 2 goes at it to get up. Virtually no sand left at Champagne Pools, sad, but there is some huge Bream in the eastern pool! Take some snorkeling gear.

There are a few patches of rock between Happy Valley and Eli Creek that you have to drive over, nothing bad, just slows you down. We found we could get around 3hrs either side of low tide but outside of that, it is not possible.

Happy Valley to Yidney Rock bypass is the only way between these two except 1hr ether side of low tide unless you are happy to drive through salt water.

Walked into Lake Wabby. Easy walk now that everything is firmed up from the rain.

A deep hole has formed at the bow of the Maheno. Just dropped a line right in front of the Port side anchor portal, no more than 3m away and pulled out some good whiting. Didn't even need to cast! Kids loved it.

So in summary, we had a great time, traveling was fine, would have loved better weather.

[derek11 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close derek11]

Thanks for the video of part of your trip Spally, and the info, this just makes me go there so bad again.

cheers Derek

[spally Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close spally]

Forgot to mention that part of the boardwalk at Central Station is closed. There is a section that has been hammered by storms and a large tree came down and smashed the boardwalk. Go in via the western end as the walk from the eastern end is short and you don't get to see much.

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

Just got back from Fraser on Saturday. Went up on Tuesday the 9th, staying at Happy Valley. Weather wasn't the best but that didn't stop us from having fun.

Hook point was a breeze, at low tide, plenty of beach.
Heaps of erosion along most of 75Mile Beach, covered in pumice Stone. Plenty of debris and rubbish.

Plenty of coffee rock exposed. Here is a video of Poyungan Rocks, some erosion just north of that and the Yidney Rocks to Happy Valley section. http://youtu.be/j2690dRHrh0

Inland tracks were fantastic. Even after the Easter traffic the tracks were in good condition. We did the loop from Eurong-Lake McKenzie-Central Station-Eurong with no issues, firm underneath and relatively smooth. (Compared to Dec 2012 when it was CRAP!)

Indian Head was no trouble, just drove through like it was an inland road. There was a bit of a climb at Middle Rocks, just to get onto the boards, but simple enough. Even though the buses are not supposed to go up, we watched one of the Kingfisher guys take 2 goes at it to get up. Virtually no sand left at Champagne Pools, sad, but there is some huge Bream in the eastern pool! Take some snorkeling gear.

There are a few patches of rock between Happy Valley and Eli Creek that you have to drive over, nothing bad, just slows you down. We found we could get around 3hrs either side of low tide but outside of that, it is not possible.

Happy Valley to Yidney Rock bypass is the only way between these two except 1hr ether side of low tide unless you are happy to drive through salt water.

Walked into Lake Wabby. Easy walk now that everything is firmed up from the rain.

A deep hole has formed at the bow of the Maheno. Just dropped a line right in front of the Port side anchor portal, no more than 3m away and pulled out some good whiting. Didn't even need to cast! Kids loved it.

So in summary, we had a great time, traveling was fine, would have loved better weather.

Thankx for the info! Sounds you had a great trip.

[Dusty74 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dusty74]

Just wondering how long the run from Hook Pt to Happy Valley took with all the coffee rock?

Low tide for Monday of our trip is about 11:00, wondering how far up we'll get.

Cheers,
Dusty

[gympiebrowns Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gympiebrowns]

hey guys what date/time and plans do you have from noosa, I think im days off soo gonna pop down and run up to rainbow with you all