The Mitchell's Australia Blog: October 2009

Since we are pretty sure we are staying in Australia for a third year (hooray!) we decided to purchase a Toyota Rav 4. It is 4WD and we wanted to test it out. We went to Fraser Island to experience true 4x4ing on the world's largest sand island. We took a vehicle barge over to the island. Once we were off the barge we were on our own. It was a good thing we got a map ahead of time. The GPS doesn't pick up tracks made of soft sand. Had we known the horrible condition of the tracks we probably would have thought twice before taking our Rav. It is 4WD and not 4x4, which means we didn't have the really low gear that would have been very helpful. After looking back at all these pictures, I was rather disappointed that they didn't really come out showing all the huge pot holes (some up to about 4ft deep) and all the mounds of soft sand. It was really rough even though the pictures don't seem to show it.

Let's go 4x4ing!

Just as soon as we took off on our first track a tow truck stopped us and gave us his business card. He said, "I will probably be hearing from you soon!" No one thought we would ever make it, and they were right.

We got stuck shortly after we talked to the tow truck guy. It was totally our fault we got stuck, because we forgot that upon arrival we needed to take our air pressure way down in our tires.

Jonathan dug us out and a Jeep Cherokee pulled us out. We won't make that mistake again.

This is a dingo. Fraser Island is one of the few places in AUS that pure bread dingos abide. They are dogs, but act more like coyotes. They can be dangerous and they look very hungry. We got back in the car pretty quickly because this one seemed to follow us around. The good thing is they don't attack adult size people because they feel threatened.

This is our new Rav 4. I am absolutely tickled to have a car now. Thanks, Jonathan!

We 4x4ed from the west side of the island to the east side. Once you arrive on the east side you are free to drive on the beach. Now, it's my turn.

Almost everyone else had big Defenders, Prados, Pajeros, or Landcruisers with snorkels and all the 4x4 gear. Then there was us with our little Rav. We did just fine after our tire pressure incident earlier.

This is the Maheno Shipwreck...a New Zealand passenger liner which was also a hospital ship in World War I. On July 9, 1935 it lost rudder control and came ashore in cyclonic conditions. Since it would never sail again it's became a practice bombing target in World War II. Now it is corroding with salt water and crumbling away.

Above is one of my favorite pictures I have taken in AUS.

This is Eli Creek.

They had a lot of fun floating down the creek.

Yes, planes just take off and land right on the beach. It was pretty neat.

Look out! We had to drive carefully to maneuver around all the rock on the beach.

I did eventually let Jonathan drive on the beach too.

Now it is time to go back to the barge. That means we have to 4x4 through the rough terrain again to get to the west side of the island. Do you think we can make it all the way back without a tow truck?