K’Gari (Fraser Island): After the Fires

Sailing up The Great Sandy Straits from Tin Can Bay the results of last year’s fires on K’Gari became more obvious, with larger tracts of bush charred.  Up at Orchid Beach and through to Rooney Point fires had burnt over the dunes and down to the beach.  

The north is a beautiful part of the island, with no traffic to worry about, just the odd dingo strolling the white sandy beach and plenty of wildlife.  Some very interesting crabs patrolled the beach as the red-capped plovers tinkled along the sand.

Skipper Pete tried for some sand crabs but caught a lovely seastar instead.  We returned  him to his home.

The local summer storms produced a spectacular Qantas sunset...

With SE winds forecast for the next few days, we retreated down to Wathumba Creek, anchoring near the Management Track, where cars can drive onto the beach for 250 m.  

Of course, there is always one who feigns ignorance and drives the whole beach with no regard for wildlife. 

Walking up the Management Track, it was lovely to see the vegetation already recovering after recent rain. Old banksias were covered in bright green emergency shoots, wildflowers were blooming and brackens and grasses formed a cover of green.  Bush birds had returned and were busily dashing around the trees, dingo and wallaby tracks criss-crossed the main track.

At Towoi Creek, where a large wetland flows out to the beach, a pair of beach stone-curlews kept an eye on us, while a mob of crested terns rested at the water’s edge.  A lone sea-eagle cruised effortlessly on the breeze and a pair of rainbow bee-eaters cartwheeled through the air.