Saturday 5th December

Fraser Island, Woody, Yankee Jack Piggot, Abo Jeff & Brumbies.....

Our first island trip today, to Fraser island, the world’s largest sand island! It has a beach that is 75 miles long! We wake early, again, (i could never wake early when I had a job, funny that), a relaxed start, Janet posts a card to her mum & dad & we wait at the pickup point. A small bus turns up & our driver greets us & introduces himself, Woody is his name. He reminds me of my uncle Bill, hard features with a ‘don’t mess with me’ kind of look in his eyes, but you can sense that underneath there is an honest caring heart beating. True enough, over the course of the day it becomes apparent Woody loves Fraser Island & all the flora & fauna & creatures & sights that comprise Fraser Island. We could not have asked for a better guide.

We drive to the barge, board & within 10 minutes arrive on Fraser Island. Woody talks all the time, telling us of the history, statistics, creatures, trees, aborigines, the English, shipwrecks, features of Fraser Island. We now feel like we know all there is to know about Fraser Island. What is impressive is that Woody is sharing his knowledge, casually, whilst man-handling a four wheel drive bus with 22 passengers on board along deep rutted sand tracks. Talk about multi-tasking, it was very impressive.

We heard about the English discovery & what happened to Mr & Mrs Fraser. It seems to me that at home we espouse our sea faring skills. The more I travel the closer i am coming to the conclusion that we (as an exploring nation) simply sailed around the world crashing our ships into rocks & sand banks & ship wrecking her majesty’s vessels but hiding the ‘bad news’ with a discovery! “I am extremely sorry your majesty, we seemed to have lost HMS Aveva & most of her crew, but on the upside we did discover the isle of dogs!”

Woody talked of the mining of the minerals from the sand that were used in NASA space flights, the enormous fresh water deposit that exists under the Island, the different types of lakes that are on the island, the fresh water creeks that empty millions of gallons of fresh water into the sea, the logging & types of wood & uses. On & on, his knowledge flowed forth like the fresh water creeks. We heard of ‘One Hand Yankee Jack Piggot’, a legend who apparently could fell a tree quicker & better than anyone else. Of loggers who having been bit by snakes would chop parts of their bodies off to save their lives.

We stopped for a swim at Lake McKenzie, a ‘perched’ lake of fresh water & white sandy beaches.

We chatted with Woody & he nicknamed me ‘Abo Jeff’. Was it because of my oneness with nature, my intuitive skills, my ability to quickly pickup bushman skills. “No” said Woody, “its cos you smell like an Abo! Take a bath when you get back, will yer! & what is that muck in yer hair? You slept in a gum tree?”

Woody told us of the ‘Brumbies’, a fascinating insight into early controlled breeding practised by Victorian Britain. With the Aborigines’ removed from the island, labour had to be introduced from somewhere to help with the logging. Britain exported working class labourers from the midlands & interbred them with local Aborigines. 2 or 3 generations later a hard working, broad shouldered large footed labourer was developed. For many years these large ‘work horses’ did the work of twenty hauling trees up & down the beach. Their large feet proving very beneficial on the soft sand of the island. Then came steam & electricity & petrol engines & the ‘Brumbies’ were no longer required. They were all removed from the island & repatriated back to the mainland. They struggled to fit in, their broad shoulders no longer of any use & their enormous feet being ridiculed. Some went into the police force, others into circus’s, most went into the carpet/tile laying profession. But they were never as happy again as they were hauling timber on the golden 75 miles of sand that is Fraser Island.

On our return we took an opportunity to fly over the island, this gave a better understanding of Fraser Island’s size & content. We viewed its lakes & shores, getting sights of sharks & rays in the sea, taking off & landing on the beach. All in all a wonderful experience that is a must if ever you visit this area.

Love & hugs
Jeff & Janet