Video Transcript
Welcome to this brand new episode of Wout of the World. And as you can see, we’re in Queensland. This is Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. Let’s go.
Previously you saw the start in Darwin. This four wheel drive Hilux camper van took us into the wild in the Northern Territory. And now we drive it all the way to the east coast.
We were on our way to Cairns when we stopped at a town called Babinda. And over here we got a little campsite that’s free. We found it on wiki camps. We’re gonna do some grocery shopping and we’re gonna have some shelter rain in our tent because I don’t think we’ll have a lot of sun in Babinda today. Look at this. But it’s romantic, right?
We don’t mind a little rain and we’re already surrounded by the tropical rainforest. Over here we found one of the most amazing nature campgrounds. Totally free.
The coast between Townsville and Cairns is also known as the Cassowary coast because you can find this prehistoric looking bird called the Cassowary. We didn’t see him yet, but I saw another one a little bit smaller which was very strange too. I’ll show you.
This is an Australian brush turkey, also named bush turkey. It’s known to be a delicacy for the aboriginals. We drive on and I can promise you we’ll find Cassowaries later.
Good morning. Today we’re going on a tour with East Coast Tours to the most beautiful reef in the world. Of course I’m talking about the Great Barrier Reef and we’re going to be snorkeling at two places in the so called Upolu Reef. One of them in the shallows is called Upolo Cay. And the other one with the beautiful name Wonderwall is more at the edge of the Upolo Reef. They’re both supposed to be among the best places to go snorkeling around here. So I’m curious as to what we’re going to see today.
We take an uber through Cairns to the reef Fleet Terminal at the Marlin Marina. On a boat called Ocean Freedom. We sail through the harbour straight into the heart of the Great Barrier Reef.
We sailed for about an hour. I’ve got my mask on. It’s time for the first snorkeling spot, guys.
I’ve only been in the water for one minute when beneath me a white tip reef shark swims by. And to my surprise, just on the other side, I spot A blacktip reef shark. There are so many beautiful creatures to see. Like this blue tang nowadays better known as Dory. I see a giant moray that’s about 2 metres long.
The vision is not that great. But I saw two sharks. I saw a big moray and I saw Dory. Found her. How many turtles did we see?
Woohoo.
Jens and Suus joined the glass bottom boat tour and they actually see a green sea turtle from there. Swimming back to the boat, I do another little expedition at the wonder wall.
So we had snorkeling spot one. In between we have the lunch. I have a nice craft beer over here. And we’re going to the second snorkeling place. But what can I say about this day guys? The sun is shining and we’re in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. So I say cheers.
On this special day in nature paradise, Jens is also going for his first snorkeling experience. Imagine being 5 years old and telling your friends at school about the Great Barrier Reef.
So this is what snorkeling spot number two looks like, guys. I must say it looks promising. And the water here is sublime. So I hope we have good vision. A nice reef. Let’s see some fish.
In the shallows. The colours come out even better.
How awesome. We already found Dory at the previous site. But down here is Nemo as well. Yay.
They even live in the exact same house as in the movie. A blue spotted ribbon tail ray slides by. Do you think he’s picking up Nemo for school?
Oh wow. We’re taking off all the boxes today because down here there’s a turtle. I was following him around. Awesome. We see so many beautiful things here. You can go from one piece of coral to another and there’s so much to see. Really incredible.
The fish here are this size.
This giant Trevally weighs about 80 kilos. The other ones are Spangled Emperors, also known as Northwest Snappers. We head back to Cairns because it’s time to explore this place above water.
It’s Sunday morning and we’re just being a bit lazy on the campsite. Oh no we’re not. We’re going into town for a little city safari in Cairns. And there are a lot of churches so that’s perfect for a Sunday.
The church is in session and on a Sunday Cairns is super quiet and relaxed.
So this is Cairns. The centre of North Queensland for the tourism, but also with some history. The town was found founded in 1876 and named after the governor of that time. It used to be a miners town and also an important place for exporting sugar cane.
And we already saw that cane train on the way. Remember, we visit the most important old buildings in town, like the St. Joseph’s Convent. But Cairns also has some modern architecture, and a lot of Asian place ever since the Chinese immigrants came over to Australia, we see the influences everywhere. Some nice historic buildings are the city council, the old Barrier Reef Hotel, the impressive Poland centre, and the Adelaide Steamship Building.
We end our little city safari in the most popular spot of Cairns, which is the Cairns Esplanade. It’s a nice boulevard with some shops. You can go to restaurants. And this is also the place where the boats depart towards the Great Barrier Reef. And so did we yesterday. But today we’re here for some other entertainment, which is the Esplanade Lagoon. Because right in the middle of the city, you can have a nice refreshing dive in this beautiful lagoon.
Cairns is like Sea world in real life with marine animals everywhere, like these Pelicans. But the highlight of the Esplanade is the Esplanade Lagoon, the beating heart of Cairns, where both locals and tourists hang around.
And by the way, I think that this is actually the biggest free pool that I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s all because you cannot swim here in the water because of crocodiles and jellyfish. And there’s also a beach. Wow. Chilling at the beach. I’ve got one more very important tip for you guys. If you go here, right to the city centre of Cairns, you should go on a Sunday, because we’re here on a Sunday and the parking was free. I’m still a Dutch guy.
Good morning. We had a wonderful night’s rest after the day in the Great Barrier Reef. I always find that in my dreams I’m still exploring the coral, looking for fishes. And I also got some sore muscles. But it doesn’t matter because today we’re going on another east coast tour. We woke up early, and this time we’ll be exploring above water in the Great Barrier Reef.
We’re going to a little tropical island on the reef.
The comfortable big cat will take us to Green island. And luckily on board we can get some more coffee. This island is an absolute must visit to really enjoy the nature around Cairns.
Today we visit the most beautiful coral island within the Great Barrier Barrier Reef Marine Park. We took a boat. It took us about 45 minutes from Cairns to end up in nature paradise called Green Island. It’s a tiny island, but it has everything you can walk around in 30 minutes to find. Tropical rainforest, beautiful white sandy beaches and the most beautiful underwater world right in front of you.
The island has many birds and following this convenient boardwalk we explore the tropical rainforest.
Green island is in fact a beautiful green island, as you can see all around me. But it wasn’t named after its colour. It was named after the chief observer on board with the boat that brought Captain James Cook to this island. And his name was Charles Green. But it is very green too. And the jungle is amazing. Come on Jens.
On the remote side of the island we check out the beach. Let’s also see what this island looks like with the drone. The island is only 600 metres long and 300 wide. It has been a protected nature sanctuary since 1934.
It’s time because every day I’m snorkeling.
So the coral isn’t on every part of the island. So I’m now walking to the best spot to see some nice colourful coral and maybe some turtles, nice fish.
And my wish is soon granted because Green island is like an aquarium. So much life all around.
What to think about this giant cowtail stingray having lunch over there.
There are of course some sea turtles joining the party today, but the most particular catch of the day was the poisonous lionfish swimming just a little bit too close to Suus and Jens.
That must have been one of the best snorkeling sessions I ever had in my life with the turtle, with the stingrays, the spotted ones, the big one and of course all the super bright coloured fish. The coral is nice too and I think we topped yesterday.
It’s time to leave again. But how was the snorkeling here? Suus? Most awesome ever. It really was. We saw so many beautiful things.
Jens is talking about the lionfish that we saw with his tentacles that are very poisonous.
We hang out at the campsite and Australia is not really helping us to keep a strict diet because the campsite actually offers, free pancake today.
We say goodbye to Cairns, but Queensland has plenty more in store for us. And now we start a new mission. As we drive to Mission beach.
It’s time for an incredible road trip along that beautiful east coast of Australia. And the first place that we visit is called Mission Beach. One of the coziest and most laid back towns that you can find on the coast of Australia. And I’m standing here with a coconut. But I can assure you the beaches aren’t the only thing that we’re here for.
And that’s the mission I was referring to. This cozy little town is where the beach meets the rainforest. And in there lives an extraordinary bird called the Cassowary. We couldn’t miss this big one driving into town.
Cassowaries are sometimes called living dinosaurs. And that’s because they have been roaming the earth for about 60 million years. And they’re even closely related to dinosaurs because they have the same three toed feet and they have the same respiratory system, the way of breathing. There are about a couple of thousand along the east coast over here in Queensland. So we might be lucky and see some of them. It’s worth it.
But first let’s get settled at the best camping spot in town. Mission Beach Camping and Caravan Park right near the beach. Hey, nice hat. Celine.
How beautiful is the coast at Mission Beach? The gold sand and the waving palm trees make this one of Queensland’s best beachs. And it’s also at the perfect stage of tourism with enough happening, but also far from overcrowded.
And guys, you have to tell me, where in the world can you find a better classroom to do some math? The world is his school.
I was up early this morning so I thought let’s make a little walk along the beach to find some wildlife. And of course I’m talking about the Cassowary. But I didn’t see anything yet.
My first tip for finding Cassowaries would be to check out the trails along the beaches in the early morning. The nature is already promising. Mission Beach has 14km of broad sandy beaches. So I decided to walk a bit further.
You know what, even if I don’t find the Cassowaries, this walk itself is already pretty amazing. I went through the mangroves. Now on the beach I have to cross this water and then onto where the Cassowaries might be.
At the visitor centre in townhey they gave me a couple of spots to look for on the map to find the Cassowaries. So they’re close to town. I’m gonna check those out first. And after that I can do a little boardwalk in the jungle. So that’s my second chance to see the Cassowaries. Anyway, I’m gonna get you guys.
So no Cassowaries yet. But I did find this little cute wallaby over here. He’s not scared at all. He’s just staying put.
The town of Mission Beach seems to be one big zoo where beautiful birds and furry animals are all around.
So this is my next spot. Not exactly a nature park, but it’s a dump station and it does attract a lot of Cassowaries, so maybe I’ll find some of them here.
I do find pink pineapples, but no Cassowaries yet. And the fields here are again full of wallabies hopping around exuberantly. All of a sudden I see that one is carrying a baby in her pouch. How cute is the little one?
Still, I don’t give up on the living dinosaurs. As my friend Bobby McFerrin would say.
Cassowary…Be happy.
And with all those signs, I should be getting closer, right?
The last stop of the day is called Licuala, and it’s all protected by UNESCO World Heritage. This jungle supposed to be some Cassowaries, but I’ve been told that before.
In the actual habitat of the mighty living dinosaur birds. I search carefully for movement, but I’m starting to think that this is all a myth.
Do they really exist or am I being pranked?
As I walk back home across the beach, my quest remains unanswered. Back then, I still didn’t know there would be a big surprise waiting the next morning.
When I arrived back in town. There are also, of course, many beautiful birds and more wallabies again roaming the streets like pigeons. Wow, look at this bee eater.
I was just sitting here working on the laptop when I heard something in the bushes. So I went over there to take a look and without even seeing something.
I stepped on it.
It was a snake. I felt it wrapped around my leg, so I kicked it away and then.
I filmed it, of course.
But I think it was a dangerous one, so I’m lucky. And of course, Suus is pretty scared right now because the camper is right here.
How adventurous. Can you imagine encountering this on your way to the bathroom at home? I didn’t think so. His creepy friends show up to the party as I walk around in the dark. Oh yes. The big surprise, Cassowary wise, is about to happen. At the ultimate moment when we drive.
Away from Mission Beach. Yeah, baby.
A big adult bird came out of the rainforest into a meadow just as we were driving by.
I couldn’t be any happier after this long day full of walking. Finally.
It’s right here in the bushes.
My newfound friend even decides to come a bit closer and seems to be planning a walk around the town.
Cassowaries do come into town looking for food as they eat just about everything. These 60 kilo athletes can jump, swim and even run 50km an hour.
Bye bye. My Friend, you really made our day.
That’s it, guys, for Cairns, the Great Barrier Reef and Mission Beach. I’ll see you next time. And it’s a wrap. See you next time.
That’s right. We’re continuing the big lap down under.
And over there we’ll be driving the east coast, the south coast, all the major sites all the way to the west in the and this super nice four wheel drive camper van.
And now we drive to Townsville in three hours for a new east coast adventure.
We’re here. This is Townsville. So let’s do a little city safari.
Townsville is a city between Brisbane and Cairns and has about 165,000 inhabitants. It was named after Robert Townes who first ordered the construction of a shipyard over here. And today this is still the most important source of income because in the industrial port there are a lot of minerals being shipped and metals being processed. So a real industrial town. From here we’ll be going into the nature. Why not?
Townsville is interesting for colonial buildings, modern architecture and street art. It has one of Australia’s key military bases. And it’s sunny almost all the time.
It’s great for camping too, and inexpensive compared to other hotspots in Queensland.
We got some proof again of the fact that wildlife is always nearby in Australia. We were just watching a movie outside of the camper van and all of a sudden this rock wallaby hops by. And normally they’re very shy, so I chased him a bit. And right next door at the caravan of the neighbours, I could make some awesome shots of him. They’re so cute.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention. Right here on the campsite next to the swimming pool, we have a little water park. It’s awesome.
This is so awesome. But the real reason to be here is waiting in front of the coast.
Today I visit Magnetic Island, a beautiful Rocky island just 20 minutes off the coast from Townsville. I went here by ferry. And there isn’t only nature to be found here. It has a lot of history too, because Captain Cook himself named the island Magnetic island when he came sailing around and his compass was disturbed by a magnetic field. And this magnetic field still works because it draws visitors from all over the world. With more than 300 sunny days a year, I’m going to discover what’s so special about Magnetic Island Island.
The Sea Link ferry takes passengers to this little slice of paradise over 15 times a day. Tickets are around 20 Aussie dollars and the trip takes about half an hour. I arrive in Nelly Bay and from here it’s pretty easy to Find my way around the island.
So the bus is fairly busy, but it makes sense because it costs only $1 for a day. Where can you find that?
On Magnetic Island there are several walking tracks that you can do. I visited the first one that’s called the Forts Walk. Which is the most important one and the most rewarding one because at the end you can see some nice old 40 from the Second World War. But more importantly, you can spot koalas on the way over there. So I’m looking up.
As a matter of fact, this place has the largest colony of koalas in the northern half of Australia.
After just 15 minutes of walking, I see two koalas up here in the tree. But they’re both fast asleep. So maybe they will wake up soon. Let’s try and see.
It does take a while, but the adult koala gives me some proof of life.
And back to sleep.
So what do you think of the view guys? And there is another koala right over here in this tree. Oh, it’s moving.
Once again I’ve reached the top. It was quite the hike and it’s warm but the view is magnificent. So I’m now at the top of the highest of all the fortresses with a 360 view all around us, and I think this is the best part of the other island. Look at this.
The nature is incredible. But it’s also nice to learn a bit of the involvement of this island in World War II. Mostly for observation and intercepting radio signals of the enemy.
And what a view did they have while doing it.
We won’t ever see them closer than this one.
As I walk back to the bus stop, I find another koala with a baby on its back. They are both wide awake and really made my day. It was so tempting to just jump in that tree and start cuddling them. But I didn’t.
Time to continue our trip on Magnetic Island. This was the Forts Walk. It was beautiful, the views were amazing. And I think six is a perfect score for koalas. So let’s see what else we can find on Magnetic Island.
Wait a second. Just walking here, seeing this car over here, I suddenly remember I’ve been to this island before. It was eight years ago and there was a similar car like this one in the involved. A tropical topless car. Really nice and pink and it went a little something like this.
Hi Barbie. Do you want to go for a ride?
Sure Ken
Jump in.
Okay. We did have a lot of fun though.
These cars must be unbreakable. Still driving around here. And I drive up to the north.
My next stop is the largest and the most popular bay on the other side of the island from Nelly Bay. You get here in 15 minutes. And this one is called Horseshoe Bay. It’s kind of crowded over here here, but it is beautiful.
From the sky we can see not only the white and turquoise blue Horseshoe Bay, but also the nearby Balding Bay and Radical Bay.
The entire island proves to be very mountainous and beautifully green from up here. Let’s continue because there are more more awesome animals waiting.
My next stop is called Alma Bay. It’s close to the town of Arcadia. It’s beautifully set between the rocks. It’s perfect for swimming. And also within five minutes you can walk to the rock wallabies from here. So I’m going to do that too. And first enjoy this beach.
So now let’s go and find some rock wallabies, and I should find them because I came prepared. Not only do I have this, but I also got this. Their favourite food. Or did you think this was my lunch? Not so bad.
From Alma Bay, I walk over to Geoffrey Bay and the rocky peninsula in the middle. Over there I have a dinner date with the cutest animals on the island.
And so we’ve learned the way to the wallaby’s heart is through the stomach. They love my carrots, and again I am lucky to find a baby one too.
And some colourful lizards join the party.
How lucky was I? I saw a bunch of rock wallabies. They did like my carrots and now they’re all gone. So I was here on time, late afternoon, I’m heading back to Nelly Bay from Geoffrey Bay where we are now to see what’s over there. But this day turning out pretty amazing.
I’m almost at the end of my visit to Magnetic island, but I walk back from Geoffrey Bay to Nelly Bay to have the most spectacular road and coastwalk of the island. Just look at this behind me. Sun is setting and I’m almost back at the pier.
Rarely I visited an island that’s so pretty with mountains, beaches, rainforest, hikes and such. Easy to spot animals. It’s all very relaxed and therefore a must do in Queensland.
Cheers and let’s go on to the next one. I think I deserve this one called Great Northern. Back with the family. I miss you guys so much. We’re ordering pizza by the way.
We enjoy the campsite for some days and get ready to drive on to the next adventure.
It’s time to continue our route down south along that east coast. And the next stop will be Bowen.
We get ready to explore Whitsundays next, and in two and a half hours, we drive to Bowen.
On our way to Whitsundays, we stop in a little town called Bowen. Or I have to say, we’re already there, because they call this the Top of Whitsundays. With eight stunning beaches, this is a tropical paradise, both under and above water. It’s tiny because of the 10,000 residents, but it’s big in reputation.
Bowen is not on everybody’s itinerary. But in this video, I will show you why it should be.
Here in Bowen, we got the best spot again. Our campsite is right next to Rose Bay, which is a ridiculously beautiful.
Bay that I will show you from.
Above with the drone.
First, we get settled on this cozy little campsite, which is like boat peaceful and relaxed.
So this is what the campsite looks like from above. The surroundings are quiet, but breathtaking. And in the distance, we can already see where the Whitsunday Islands begin.
We go out to explore the square peninsula that Bowen is on. The north beaches connect to the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef.
The most perfect beach that you can find in Bowen is at the Horseshoe Bay. Because of its beautiful shape like a horseshoe. There are giant rocks on both sides, and to have a nice view, you can climb some of them. And the water is the most perfect in all of Bowen.
And now you see what I mean. How could you skip this coastline on your trip through Queensland.
And of course, this water is perfect for snorkeling, too. There’s plenty to see, and Bowen is especially a good chance to spot sea turtles.
Time for beach number two. And the road literally crosses that beach because we drive over here, we hop out of the car, and this is the next bay. Grays Bay can do some swimming. And I’m gonna do some droning.
The Shire of Bowen is a stunning area. And in 2007, it merged with the Shire of Whitsundays, making its nickname officially the Top of Whitsundays.
You should go to this part too, to avoid mass tourism and enjoy both nature and history. We drive into the centre to see one of Queensland’s prettiest towns.
Apart from the beautiful beaches, Bowen is also famous for the delicious mangoes. All over town you will see the mango signs. And believe it or not, this one over here is called the Little Mango. Because when you drive into town, there’s another one they call the Big Mango. It’s actually the biggest mango statue in the world.
There is a chance, by the way, that you recognise Bowen from the movie. Because the movie Australia was set in Bowen with Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman.
And we can see why. Why a drive around Bowen makes history come to life with old buildings and street art.
But of course, more importantly, there is is a water bike. Water bike. Water bike.
I let Jens decide on the last beach. And right in the middle of the centre, next to the beach is another free water park. Just like many places in Australia. How awesome is that?
Of course, I also want to show you the Big Mango. It’s huge and there’s a little ant on it. And that’s exactly how I feel when I stand next to it. Like an ant, look.
At last we enjoy the pool of the campsite. Since not all beaches are good for swimming. And over here we don’t have to worry about.
Never mind.
Stay tuned as we’ll discover the rest of the Whitsundays and of course the rest of the east coast of Australia.
Now we pick up the adventure in Airlie beach, the entrance gate to Whitsundays.
We have a lovely campsite here in Airlie beach for the next two days.
Because tomorrow is the highlight of this trip which will be Whitsundays. Looking forward to it.
We just love the Queensland campsites with so many fun things to do for kids, and adults for that matter.
Here at the swimming pool I see the first two kookaburras from this trip. We’ve seen them before but it’s really awesome to see them. Always the sound they make.
All right, here is the sound that I made.
Turns out this fellow isn’t really scared of anything.
So excited we get picked up at the campsite by East Coast Tours. The van takes us to the boat and the boat takes us to Whitsundays for a tour all day long.
We gather at the pier, pick up some wetsuits and are ready for some ocean rafting.
The Whitsundays is a group of islands just 55 km off the coast of Queensland. It’s a tropical paradise with beautiful white bounty beaches and turquoise waters. It’s a paradise both above and underwater and we’re visiting it today day.
So this is the raft, the most adventurous and the fastest way to get to the islands.
After only an hour on the raft, we arrive at Whitsunday island, which is the biggest of 74 islands in total. And over here we’re gonna make a walk to the most spectacular view. It’s called Hill Inlet Lookout because we look down on Hill Inlet, which is one of the most beautiful places in all of Australia. It’s a swirling fusion of turquoise and blue because of the water and the sand. It’s like a painting.
A nice walk through the rainforest takes us to several viewpoints at the top. And it’s pretty hot today, but the reward is well worth it. Incredible.
So we walked about 15 minutes to get to this amazing view. This is Hill Inlet, guys. It’s so magnificent. So the third platform is really good for us.
It’s no wonder that this view has often been voted to be one of the most beautiful views on earth. On these decks, you can expect one wedding proposal per day, at the least.
So we walk down to the other side where we end up at Hill Inlet Beachnd, and this might even be prettier than up there. Just look at the white sand leading up to that turquoise water here.
It’s almost too hard to leave this perfect natural swimming pool. But we have more places to explore.
Every day. I’m snorkeling.
At our second stop it’s time to go for some snorkeling. This behind me me is called Teague island. And this down here is called beautiful coral.
The coral is insanely vibrant and full of life.
Cheers to the Whitsundays.
We sail on to another record holder, the most famous beach of Whitsundays. Oh, and have you noticed these dark rocks moving around? Okay, they aren’t rocks. There are stingrays all around.
We’re already at the third and final stop of the day. This is Whitehaven beach, and it’s often voted to be the best beach in the world. It’s also the whitest beach because it has an amount of silica that’s really high and that makes it so white. It’s pure science stuff, but as you can see, it’s beautiful for the eyes toond, and I’m gonna see this from above with my drone.
Lunchtime. So we’re having lunch here at Whitehaven Beach, One of the best places for.
Lunch in the world. Yeah.
Let’s take a look from the sky to see even more proof that we arrived in heaven on earth.
And we can even spot Hill Inlet over there.
Here’s a fun fact about Whitsunday’s, guys. It’s should actually be named Whit Mondays. And I’ll tell you why. When Captain Cook came sailing around this island, he thought it was with Sunday, the first day of the Pentecost. But it was actually the second day, so he was mistaken. The name is still wrong. But it’s called Witsundays now. Well, it should have been Wit Mondays.
Walking around on this beach I spot many animalssuch, such as kookaburras, cockatoos, parrots and even monitor lizards.
We sail back and race the other boats on the way. And Jens is having the time of his life.
Enjoy guys. She’s the best cook I’ve ever seen on this campsite. She specialises in camping food.
I’m so glad that my daughter gets my humor.
We drove south to Rockhampton and past the Tropic of Capricorn.
We’re on our way to Hervey Bay and we stop in a town called Rockhampton, which is exactly on the Tropic of Capricorn. So we’re as far from the equator as from the South Pole going south. So we’re leaving the tropics and we had a free campsite here, which is cool. But in the same park there’s also a free playground. And this is the best free playground you ever saw. It’s huge, and there is everything.
There is even a really nice tropical botanical garden.
Getting some gas here in Bundaberg.
And now we arrive in Harvey Bay for another major wonder of Queensland.
Good morning. It’s nice and fresh this morning. That’s why I got the warm clothes on. I’m awake. The family is still a little bit sleeping over there in the car. It’s very early. Susie’s gonna drive me down to the docks in Hervey Bay and me and Jens are gonna go to Fraser island, the nature wonder. It’s not really suited for Celine, so Suus will stay here with her, so it’s me and Jens on adventure.
But first we need some coffee.
With East Coast Tours, we get dropped off at the ferry and it’s already a sight to witness this jigsaw puzzle of cars.
Then we cross the Coral Sea to Fraser island and the views are getting better by the minute.
K’gari, formerly known as Fraser island, is the biggest sand island in the world. It’s just off the coast at Hervey bayut, but it’s 122km long. It’s also on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Not because it’s so big, but because of the beautiful nature. This is the only place in the world where you can find tropical rainforest growing on sand, in this size.
So the boat took about 45 minutes and we’re now on K’gari, Fraser Island. You like it?
Yeah.
As I told you before, this place is very special because the rainforest grows on the sand here, which normally shouldn’t happen. But we’re just south of the Tropic of Capricorn and the right climate and the fresh water on this island makes it so that there is subtropical rainforest all over the island.
We make one of the most unique walks on earth since this rainforest developed in 800,000 years on drifting sand. We see mainly Satinay, Brushbox pines, Palms and Gum trees.
But we soon spot animals too in this jungle as two monitor lizards join the party.
So our guide just told us that some of the trees over here are nearly a thousand years old. So that’s how long it took to grow rainforest on sand, has something to do with all the bacterias that over time came to be in this earth. It’s awesome.
A pair of kookaburras hang around the Wanggoolba Creek.
We end our walk through the beautiful subtropical forest at this building over here, which is the only old building in the area from 1920, this is the old Central Station garage. Hey, bus, wait for us.
We drove from east to west to arrive in Eurong, a resort village where we have lunch.
Enjoy.
We continue our journey driving the longest beach in Queensland, which also happens to be the main road on this island.
So this was pretty awesome. We saw a wild dingo on the beach. Hey, yeah, it was awesome. Something that you rarely see here. So very nice.
The dingo is Australia’s wild dog that was probably brought to the continent by Asian seafarers about 4,000 years ago. They often hunt alone and they can be dangerous, so beware.
At our next stop we visit a very photogenic shipwreck.
The S.S. Maheno was a luxury ocean liner between New Zealand and Australia until in 1935 it got in a cyclone and got washed ashore here in Fraser Island. It’s been an icon ever since and we can enjoy some history walking around here on the beach. Come, Jens.
The most bizarre thing we see a dingo walking on this ship wreck.
They say that the dingo is dangerous for kids. So that’s why he ends on my neck. Nothing to worry about.
The road that we’re driving or actually the beach is called 75 Mile beach and it’s actually an official Australian highway. There’s a speed limit 80 kilometres an hour. And along that road we’ll find some icons like the next one called the Pinnacles.
It’s pretty interesting that in hundreds of thousands of years the sand of Fraser island created this multi coloured rock formations.
Our next stop is the best place to go swimming in freshwater. It’s actually the biggest production of freshwater on this island by the Eli Creek. And we can just swim around in it. Yeah, going swimming.
So we’re in the Eli Creek and it’s actually quite cold. Jens finds it very cold, but it’s shallow so we can walk, drift a bit right into the rainforest. It’s really nice.
That was fascinating, but a little bit too short. I think next time we should bring a tube because it looked awesome to go tubing. But it’s only like five minutes because we’re already back at the beach.
Let’s go on to the next site, which is our favourite one.
The most beautiful lake that you can find on Fraser island is Lake McKenzie. It has powdery white sand on the beaches and it has different shades of blue in the water. K’gari means paradise and if you’re searching for paradise, this is it.
This 1200 by 900 metre lake has such pure H2O that it’s basically a swimming pool. It’s unsuitable for fish to live in. But on the plus side, you don’t have to bring a bottle of water because you can drink this.
And the beaches are pure silica, as white as powdered sugar.
That’s it unfortunately for our episode in paradise guys. But be sure to tune in next time because we’ll be cruising the east coast, the south coast, all the way to Perth. We love Australia. See ya.
Oh, and don’t go anywhere yet because we do have a special dessert and preview for you.
It’s Jens’s birthday.
Oh my gosh. Apple. Yes.
We have a lot of fun in Harvey Bay before we continue the road trip.
From Hervey Bay we are driving down south towards Noosa and the sunshine coast. But we still stop at a really nice place to camp which is called Tiaro. And right in the middle of the centre of this little village there’s a free campground. It actually looks like a paid one because it’s perfect and it has a playground.
Happy birthday to you.
Good morning. We have a beautiful sun today, but this wasn’t always the case in the last days, we were driving towards Brisbane, and all of a sudden we got caught in this storm, lightning, rain, everything you can imagine. But fortunately, we could see my family over there in a little town called Tallegalla.
My great Aunt Cory and her family gave us the warmest welcome and shelter from the rain.
I hope you liked Queensland, because I sure did. We’re traveling on through Australia, and in the next episode, you’ll see us in the south. So we’re driving south along the east coast. And I’ll see you in the next episode. Ciao.
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Wout of the World
Online travel show in Dutch and English with World traveler and actor Wout of the World. In dozens of episodes Wout takes you out for adventure all over the world, always in the most budget-friendly way. Enjoy over 120 countries from your couch, phone or the computer.