Glenis and David know how to enjoy themselves. For Christmas they reserved one of those ritzy cabins on the hillside at Kingfisher Bay Resort. They selected a larger cabin so their kids could join them if they wished. Well the kids decided not to turn up and we were invited instead.
We hadn't been to Fraser Island before. Just being the two of us, we were fortunate to have Mark's sister help out with the car shuttle for the return to Urangan Boat Harbour. It was Boxing Day bedlam at the ramp with a boat zipping away every 5 minutes. Leaving at a more leisurely pace in sweltering heat we plodded along in a clear space on deep green glassy water. I say clear space as their was a summer storm cell to the north and one closing in from behind. It was spooky as the water was inky and it very much felt like the calm before the storm. The space held and we landed at McKenzies Jetty for morning tea.
An hour ahead of our ETA at Kingfisher Bay it was leisurely coffee and a look around McKenzies Jetty before hugging the shoreline and diddling along to land on northside of the jetty at the resort. What timing. As we slid up the beach a white Subaru with kayak racks pulled up at the base of the jetty. Four pairs of hands made quick work of the boats and we completed our
arrival by stealth.
The cabin was perched on stilts high on the hillside overlooking Hervey Bay. Coloured a soft grey blue it was surrounded by native plants and linked to the resort by a timber walkway. For an award winning eco tourism resort there was a curious absence of solar panels and no roof water collection. Maybe eco stopped at the colour chart. With a huge jet spa bath dominating the bathroom and the full size kitchen with dishwasher, maybe 'eco' was designed to complement the colour of your money rather than the environment.
We were delighted at David and Glenis's suggestion to explore the island. Mark with his sand driving experience took the front
passenger seat and talked David through negotiating the tracks in the Subaru. On the road out of the resort we noted holes on the downward side that would happily swallow the Forrester. First stop Middle Station. It was getting late in the afternoon when we emerged from the track that follows the clear running stream with
its beautiful rainforest. Groves of Bangalow Palms (grow to 10m say the nursery) here they were pushing 30m. David avoided the bunkers on the way back down the hill so there was still a car for tomorrow.
