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(>Pictures at the bottom!)
K’gari (Fraser Island) and the Queensland backcountry
The trip to K’Gari was a real treat. It finally felt right for us and it was like a new beginning for our adventure in Australia. Beforehand, we set up our car at the last campsite so that it was just right for us in terms of equipment and opportunities for independence. Crossing Rainbow Beach by ferry felt like a new start in a new world.
In addition to the new island, we had to get to grips with the tides, as high and low tide are an important factor when driving on the beach. We were also somewhat surprised by the many posters warning of the danger of dingoes. Are these animals really that dangerous, or are tourists on the island a little more careless than in other parts of Australia?
It was also our first stay where we organised everything meticulously in advance, i.e. every camp we wanted to visit had to be booked in advance. Of course, we also had to obtain a permit to drive! Internet access on the island is a rarity and only available at three locations in the resort. This meant that we couldn’t spontaneously decide on a new camp or easily extend our stay.
So we started our engine and ventured out into the vast beach world, where 4×4 driving is a matter of course despite the national park. You are allowed to race across the sand at 80 km/h, which to me (Tom) sounds almost a little ‘crazy’. In any case, we let the many ‘Aussies’ pass us by and enjoyed the slower glide along 75 Mile Beach to our first camp, where, no sooner had we arrived and set up, a dingo crept up behind us and looked at us with begging eyes.
In addition to driving on the beach between walking times, we explored all kinds of sandy tracks that took us to secluded spots. While the anglers were tripping over each other on the Pacific coast, we were almost alone on our detours. Presumably, it was simply too far away or not spectacular enough for most people. We, on the other hand, enjoyed the seclusion and the island’s lush nature.
After a week of sunshine and pleasant temperatures, the time had come for us to say goodbye to the dingoes and, as the rain set in, we crossed back over to the Australian mainland. Welcome to the warm, humid climate of the east coast.
We continued to follow the main road – the Pacific Highway – and kept looking for routes that reflected our motto: the back roads. We often found them and enjoyed the countless kilometres away from the hustle and bustle of the main road, but had to put up with many extra kilometres into the hinterland. Unfortunately, we had to keep returning to the main road because there was simply no other road or route.
What struck us more and more were the many dead animal carcasses on the side of the road. Whether on the main roads or the lonely tracks through the forest, dead animals lay by the side of the road everywhere. Whether snakes or an almost countless number of kangaroos, it was a sad sight, and the more rural it became, the more they lay by the side of the road.
Back on our route in the hinterland, where we thoroughly enjoyed the back roads, we found ourselves battling more and more with the susceptibility of our tyres to punctures. They certainly still had enough tread, but the rubber was already very brittle and the pebbles on the gravel roads caused countless flat tyres. We expertly repaired these punctures with the rubber tubes from the repair kit and were able to cover the next 500 kilometres before it was time to say, ‘We have a flat tyre’ again. Unfortunately, the many ‘rubber tubes’ led to further problems such as slow air loss or imbalance in the wheels. It was time for a tyre change!
In a small village where sugar cane is processed into brandy or sugar and the whole village smells of the sweet aroma, we had five new tyres fitted for rough terrain and, to our surprise, Backpacker Cars in Sydney covered the cost of the wrong spare tyre. In any case, it was a great gesture by the sales manager, as the spare tyre that had been fitted didn’t fit our car anyway.
With new tyres and full of confidence, we drove back a little and up into the coastal mountains. Around 8 metres of rain is said to fall in this area every year, ensuring lush vegetation. In addition to the many streams, the waterfalls were always a special treat. With so much rain, the high humidity was also an issue, causing us to sweat profusely and leaving our skin damp. And with this high humidity, the biting monsters in the evening made for lasting memories. Only 100 kilometres from the coast did it become drier and a little more pleasant again.
Our route took us back to the Pacific coast. This is an area where, long ago, white settlers cleared the jungle to create pastures for livestock and dairy farming. It reminds us of some familiar area in the foothills of the Alps. In addition to the hilly landscape, higher mountains towered in the background, which were anything but what we had imagined Australia to be like.
It was only a few kilometres to Cairns. There we wanted to prepare for the next leg of our journey to Cape York. We also needed to do our laundry again; the sweaty clothes from the last few days smelled bad and a short break would certainly be welcome.
But soon we would set off for Cape York.
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