Brisbane to Hervey Bay via Noosa and Rainbow Beach
Northbound
| Brisbane to Hervey Bay via Noosa and Rainbow Beach - |
For the correct pick up time and place see the relevant Timetable.
OPTIONAL HOP OFFS:
> Mooloolaba
> Noosa
> Rainbow Beach
> Hervey Bay
RECOMMENDED ACCOMMODATION:
> Frasers on Rainbow (Rainbow Beach)
> Palace Backpackers (Hervey Bay)
> Beaches Backpackers (Hervey Bay)
Leaving Brisbane we head north past the Glass House Mountains, an eerie looking group of 13 volcanic peaks, formed by giant cores of long-extinct volcanoes. They were so named because when first sighted by Captain Cook on his exploration of Australia the light reflected off them so brilliantly he thought they looked like glass houses back home in England. Continuing further, past the wacky and famous Ettamoogah Pub, we arrive at the Sunshine Coast where we have some brief stops in Mooloolaba and Noosa.
Noosa
The key to any understanding of Noosa Heads is to recognise that it is a little piece of exclusive city suburbia located on the Sunshine Coast and, as one cynic observed, 'a true holiday home for yuppies': where the young and the wealthy come to get away from it all.
Of course it wasn't always like this. Noosa, located 146 km north of Brisbane, was originally a sleepy little village beside the sea known only to a few fishermen and beachcombers. The first European to come to Noosa to 'get away from it all' was the convict 'Wandi' (David Bracefell) who managed to escape from Moreton Bay with almost monotonous regularity. Each time he escaped he fled north and lived with the Noosa Aborigines. Between 1828 and1839 he escaped four times. He accompanied Henry Russell Petrie's exploration of the coast in 1842 and was involved in the rescue of Eliza Fraser on Fraser Island (more about her later…).
Noosa National Park
The Noosa National Park, located on the headland beyond Little Cove which is only a short walk from the Noosa town centre, is a small coastal park of 382 ha in which birds and small mammals find refuge in the native flora. The bushwalks, beautiful scenery, the string of bays, the noted and swimming surfing beaches and the picnic spots all stand in sharp contrast to the urbanity of the nearby Noosa shopping centre.
Five walking tracks of varying length start from the park entrance at the end of Park Rd where there is an information centre, car park and picnic area.
Transfer to Australia Zoo
Australia Zoo: home and resting place of the world famous ‘Crocodile Hunter’, Steve Irwin, his equally crazy mates, and also a great deal of animals. There’s a courtesy coach from Noosa and Mooloolaba - It is essential to book the courtesy bus. For further information call (07) 5436 2000.
Bus Departs Noosa and Mooloolaba:
8:30am - Noosa Heads Bus Stop (Noosa Parade)
9:25am - River Esplanade bus stop, Mooloolaba
Bus Departs Australia Zoo:
4:00pm - Depart Australia Zoo (Entrance)
Rainbow Beach
Imagine Byron Bay 25 years ago, and you will get an idea of Rainbow Beach. Rainbow Beach gets its name from the towering sand-cliffs that stretch for over a kilometre along its uncrowded, white beach. These ‘Coloured Sands’ are part of an Aboriginal legend that tells of Yiningie - the spirit of the Gods represented by a rainbow - who was killed in a fight over a woman and crashed into the cliffs, forever colouring them with his spirits.
Rainbow Beach is the gateway to some of the most amazing natural attractions to be found anywhere in the world.
The nearby Carlo Sand Blow’s unique sand mass covers over 15 hectares and overlooks the towering coloured sands. It’s an excellent spot to watch the sunrise or sunset. The 360 degree views are spectacular, with magnificent views of Fraser Island, Inskip point, Tin Can Bay and the ocean where one can often see the migrating whales from August to October.
Rainbow Beach is a tiny coastal town with a laid-back atmosphere. The main street in the centre of Rainbow Beach, where the hostels are located are only 100 metres from the main beach.
Rainbow Beach is only 10 minutes by ferry to World Heritage listed Fraser Island. Rainbow Beach is fast becoming the gateway to Fraser Island but also has much to offer in its own right.
Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island, almost 110 km long with rainforests growing on the sand dunes, unlike any other sand island. Over the last 15 years Fraser Island has become the number two destination for all backpackers visiting the East Coast of Australia, second only to the Whitsundays.
Activities & Attractions from Rainbow Beach:
• Check out the Coloured Sands - 72 colours ranging from white through to rich reds and darkest black
• Enjoy sunset and spectacular 360º views from Carlo Sand Blow (a huge naturally created sand mass)
• Sea Kayak with dolphins, turtles and whales (seasonal) at Double Island Point
• Try your hand at Boogie boarding in the rolling surf
• Hand feed wild dolphins at Tin Can Bay
• Horse ride through beautiful bushland and along the beach
• Sky Dive enjoying awesome views of Fraser Island, Carlo Sand Blow and the Coloured Sands
• Hand Glide or Paraglide from the top of Carlo Sand Blow
• Dive with Grey Nurse Sharks at Wolf Rock, voted in the top 10 of Australian dive sites
• Enjoy fantastic fishing - beach, rock, estuarine or reef - take your pick!
• Discover Fraser Island with a self-drive camping adventure or fully guided accommodated trip (see the ‘Fraser Island Safaris’ in the next pages about the differences)
Hervey Bay
Our final stop for the night is Hervey Bay, another gateway to Fraser Island and also a nice kind of place in its own right, with a great beach and Esplanade. Another drawcard would be around 3000 mammals weighing up to 40 tonnes each! These Humpback whales divert from their 5000km migration from the warm water of the north to the icy water of Antarctica, for what appears to be a little R&R. The viewing season goes from the end of July to the end of October, with early September being the best time. Fraser Island Safaris.
There are two popular ways for the traveller to see Fraser Island from Rainbow Beach or Hervey Bay. These include:
- Self Drive Safaris
- Guided Safaris
Self Drive Safaris
These are designed for the individual travellers wishing to join a group of like minded people. This adventure promotes the true Aussie ‘take it easy’ experience giving travellers the opportunity to create their own experiences on Fraser Island. Travelers are given a suggested itinerary on how to explore the World Heritage listed natural wonders of the world however are encouraged to design an adventure that best suits their travelling style, whether it be laid back or active. The beauty of this style of travel is the fact that travellers experience a real adventure as they get to drive the car, camp under the stars, cook and have fun in a natural wonderland without being on a strict program.
Different operators have different vehicles with their own unique features. Generally, they all offer power steering, specific sand driving tyres, upgraded suspension. Group sizes are limited to ten people only. Camping equipment supplied (depending on the operator) includes tents and cooking equipment. Generally these are three day safaris so you have the time to see everything, although two day options are available.
Guided Safaris
These give you the best of both worlds – action-packed days discovering all the wonders of World Heritage Fraser Island and fun nights enjoying great meals and partying in the resort bar and a fully accommodated tour with no extras apart from what you drink. An inclusive tour is a great way to discover Fraser...no tents, no sleeping bags, no cooking, no driving, no hidden charges...no worries! You’ll have an experienced guide doing the driving and telling you about everything there is to know about Fraser Island
At night you’ll sleep in the Wilderness Lodge or Eurong resort, set in a eucalypt forest. All-inclusive guided Fraser Island tours offer 3 day 2 nights or 2 day 1 night options including return catamaran transfers, resort accommodation, ranger-guided 4WD tours and all meals (buffet dinners and breakfasts with picnic lunches on tour).
Other free stuff to do:
• Whale perving when in season: July - October Fraser Island
The world’s largest sand island, this World Heritage wilderness features towering rainforest, massive sand blows, beautiful freshwater lakes and continuous beach. Stretching over 123 kilometres along the southern coast of Queensland, Fraser Island (184 000 hectares) is the largest sand island in the world, and was inscribed on the World Heritage List in recognition of its natural values as an outstanding example representing significant ongoing ecological and biological processes and as an example of superlative natural phenomena. The island is a place of exceptional beauty, with its long uninterrupted white beaches flanked by strikingly coloured sand cliffs, its majestic tall rainforests and numerous freshwater lakes of crystal clear waters.
The massive sand deposits which make up the island are a continuous record of climatic and sea level changes over the last 700 000 years. Fraser Island features complex dune systems which are still evolving, and the array of dune lakes is exceptional in terms of number, diversity and age. The highest dunes on the island reach up to 240 metres above sea level. Forty perched dune lakes (half the number of such lakes in the world) can be found on the island. These lakes are formed when organic matter, such as leaves, bark and dead plants, gradually builds up and hardens in depressions created by the wind. The island also has barrage lakes, formed when moving sand dunes block a watercourse, and ‘window’ lakes, formed when a depression exposes part of the regional water table. A surprising variety of vegetation types grow on the island, ranging from coastal heath to subtropical rainforests. It is the only place in the world where tall rainforests are found growing on sand dunes at elevations of over 200 metres.
Birds are the most abundant form of animal life seen on the island. Over 320 species of birds have been recorded. It is a particularly important site for migratory wading birds. Few mammal species are present on the island. The most common are bats, particularly flying foxes. The dingo, Australian native wild dog, population on the island is regarded as the most pure strain of dingoes remaining in eastern Australia. The lakes on Fraser Island are poor habitats for fish and other aquatic species because of the purity, acidity and low nutrient levels of the water. Some frog species have specially adapted to survive in this difficult environment. Appropriately called ‘acid frogs’, these frog species are able to tolerate the acidic condition characteristic of the lakes and swamps on Fraser Island.
Called K’gari by its Aboriginal inhabitants, the island shows evidence of Aboriginal occupation of at least 5000 years, although it is possible that further archaeological work may reveal evidence of earlier occupation. Early European reports indicated that Fraser Island was heavily populated by Aboriginal people, but subsequent research suggests that there was a small permanent population of 400 - 600 which swell seasonally to perhaps 2000 - 3000 in the winter months, when seafood resources were particularly abundant. Fraser Island contains many sites of archaeological, social and spiritual significance. Middens, artefact scatters, fish traps, scarred trees and camp sites bear witness to the lives of the original inhabitants. Early European contact, initiated by Matthew Flinders in 1802, was sporadic and limited to explorers, escaped convicts and shipwreck survivors. In 1836 a number of survivors of the shipwrecked Stirling Castle lived for about six weeks on the island before being rescued. During these six weeks, hostility and aggression developed between the Europeans and the Aborigines. One of the survivors was Eliza Fraser, the wife of the captain of the Stirling Castle, Captain James Fraser, after whom Europeans named the island. Day-to-day management of the island is primarily the responsibility of the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage through the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.
Information courtesy of Australia’s World Heritage published by the Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories, Commonwealth of Australia, 1995, World Heritage Unit and Cool Dingo, Palace Adventures and Frasers on Rainbow.
