So when you think about Australia, you think about the Outback. Well I’m NOT going to Australia to NOT see the outback. North of Brisbane is the unique Fraser Island. It is the largest sand island in the world at 123 km (~75mi). Originally inhabited by Aborigines, today it’s more of a 4-wheeler’s dream. Almost 75% of vehicles in Australia are 4-wheel drive with snorkels on them and an extra petrol (gas) can, or two, in the back. Aussies love to go ‘trekking’ on the weekends.
Fraser Island is no exception. You must have a 4-wheel drive vehicle to navigate the many sandtracks around the island. The island is also home to a few major fresh water lakes that are in absolute pristine condition. If you are going to go 4-wheeling then it might as well be in a 7,000 lb massive jeep-ish vehicle right!?! I think so! 
Beaches are considered roads in Australia, no lie! Once we got off the ferry that brought us over to Fraser Island, we drove straight onto the beach and started to make our way up the island. The vehicle is flying down the beach, splashing through the tide as it is rising and hitting little tide pools like it’s nothing.
We arrived right before high tide so we hit a point on the beach where we can’t pass because of the high tide, so we turn inland and make our way through the bush around the impassible tidal block. This is actually no easy feat though; these sand “roads” used to be old sand mining and logging roads but are no longer maintained. It felt like we were in a rock tumbler for about 10 km, EVERYTHING shook. And if something wasn’t secure, then it was going on the floor! A bit later we made our way back to the beach.
Next, we turned inland, back into the bush, to head toward one of the pristine fresh water lakes on the island, Lake Birrabeen. Now this trip was a bit better than the last but we easily spent 45 minutes, 4-wheeling through huge sand dunes and prehistoric rainforest with towering hardwoods and massive ferns to a very secluded crystal clear lake with untouched white sand beaches. It was amazing, just so beautiful. To make things better, there were absolutely no fish in the lake! So I didn’t have to worry about what was swimming below the waters. Score for me!
Now it’s about time for a little ‘Barbie’ on the beach and then off to the SS Maheno Shipwreck. Apparently the RAAF used the shipwreck as a target for practice bombing runs in the 60s and someone accidentally bombed it, splitting the wreck up even further, good job guys! We spent the rest of the trip racing the incoming tide attempting to avoid being washed into the gorgeous mosaic-color sand cliffs at the edge of the beach. Great start for all of my future adventures!
There were stretches of the beech being used as runways for aircraft too. It was awesome!