Bundberg, Noosa & Fraser Island

Lake McKenzie & the amazing white sand
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This entry is all about turtles hatching and an island made completely of sand.

First, one of our most fantastic nature experiences this year was making the trip to Mon Repos where we witnessed a clutch of loggerhead turtles dig out of their nest in the sand on the beach and make their way into the ocean waters. Wow! It was amazing. We waited anxiously when the nature center opened for our group number to be called. The center opens at 7pm and they told us that at times it may take until midnight to find a hatching of eggs to watch. That concerned us a bit, but luckily it only took 15 minutes before our group was called. We curiously walked out onto the beach with our ranger and we circled around the nest to see the activity of the hatching. The turtles were just bursting out of the sand climbing all over one another; it was like watching a bubbling spring. In the end, there were 120 turtles that had hatched. The turtles were full of energy – after only eight weeks of incubation in the sand. We got to touch their shells as the ranger brought a few around and then we watched them run off into the ocean in the moonlight. So cool.

All about the turtles & a sand island

baby loggerhead turtle
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Our other great experience here was a trip to Fraser Island. Fraser Island is an island made entirely of sand and is the world largest sand island. Traveling in a 4X4 vehicle is the only way to get around as most of the roads are also all sand. After cruising along on the hard packed sand of 75 Mile Beach, we headed inland to Central Station, an old logging depot It was quite something to see the rainforest and vegetation that all grows in sand and there are satinay trees that are over 1000 years old. We then took a dip in Lake McKenzie which sits on the island and the beach had the finest white sand I think we’ve ever experienced. A few dingos visited us while sitting on the beach and they are supposed to be the purest breed of dingo anywhere. It was very interesting to learn about how the island basically moves as the sand blows over the island. It’s almost like a glacier moving.

The friendly dingo at the beach
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Next we are off for the Whitsunday Islands…..

Tidbit of the day:

The most amazing fact in my opinion about the loggerhead turtles is that the sex of the hatchling is determined not by a gene, but by the sand temperature where it develops and incubates. Warmer temps result in female turtles and cooler temps result in male hatchlings. Females mate and store the sperm with up to four different males and then move to the breeding ground where she controls the fertilization of the eggs. She’ll them come onto the beach and dig a hole on average of 55cm deep for the laying of the eggs. She does this maybe four times during a breeding season (which is not every year). The hatchlings dig their way out eight weeks later and find their way to the ocean waters by being drawn to the light on the horizon.