Thread: For people like me who don't know about Fraser Island's history. Interesting.

Originally Posted by scarry

We were there a lot between '68 and '74.My father worked on the island, doing research for QIT,as it was called in those days, and for the QLd museum, and the ANU,Australian National University.Students came over as well, learning about whatever.He also did some of the very first of the environmental impact statements, for Dilinghams(spelling),who were doing the sand mining. A lot of bird research was also done with Don Vernon,who was the curator of birds at the Qld Museum,and bird lists were published.Trapping for native rats was also done as was recording of plants in many areas.Reptile research also done with Janette Covachovich,curater of reptiles,Qld Museum.We used to also set up mist nets for bats, which were also recorded. Many Brumbies were on the island in those days, and dingos, but they stayed well away, although they came around the camp after dark,as we could see their tracks in the sand in the morning. We generally stayed at the forestry huts, at Coomboo lake.That was the base camp, with trips made all over the island from there,generally working with Ariel photographs as there were no maps.Supplies came in by air, there was a landing strip near the camp.Hard going as well,tracks were very rough, there was no one around if we needed help while away from camp.Dragging trailers was tuff going, for the Land Rovers.Even getting around, say, middle rocks was a hard slog, winching,etc.Trips to the top of the island were impossible some years due to the state of the tracks.I remember some days, being bogged most of the day.The LWB vehicles were not much fun in the sand, the SWB ones being much better.Mechanical repairs and servicing was done on the vehicles, at the camp, parts flown in. Many loggers on the island as well, most of the logs went to the Puthoo logging dump, on the Western side of the island, from memory.They used huge all wheel drive prime movers pulling trailers to move the logs around. We used to go to quite a few beautiful lakes that are now in accessible to the public.Yankee Jack lake comes to mind, crystal clear water, and very deep.We used to snorkel in them and catch the turtles for fun,just let them go again. One year the young ones were hatching at Coomboo lake, hundreds of them making their way down to the water.We caught lots of them and took them to the water,as the crows and dingos were after them. Fishing in the surf on the eastern beach was fantastic, used pipis as bait, were easily found in those days.They were also good eating in fried rice.Worralee Ck estuary was another great fishing area we used to go to a lotion the western beach. We used to catch lobby's as we called them around some of the lakes, nice eating.We used to get a stick,tie a pice of string on the end, then a bit of meat on it as bait, dangle it over a lobby hole, and out they would come.Then into the billy of boiling water. In those days, we often didnt see a tourists vehicle for two or three weeks,unlike today. Anyway,enough rambling about a great place.We have a few pics, i will try to find them and post them up.

Are your Lobbys our "Yabbies" freshwater small "crayfish" Speaking of which I was told WW have bought up all supplies of Crays to assist the fishermen seeing there is no market in China. Selling for $20 each. Don't know the size. Thats a bit better that $100 per KG which it has been for years. I wonder what the Chinese will be eating this year? Who cares.

Originally Posted by 4bee

I wonder what the Chinese will be eating this year? Who cares.

Not too bad, 4bee, as it's the 'Year of the Ox'. A few stews, one would think!

Originally Posted by 4bee

Are your Lobbys our "Yabbies" freshwater small "crayfish"

Probably the same as your freshwater yabbies, at a guess.

I do remember there being a resident red bellied black where we used to go Lobbying,as we used to call it.
It was quite large, used to stick its head up,have a look, then move off.

Death adders were supposedly common there but cant remember ever seeing one.Huge centipedes were common,as were scorpions.
Saw quite a few carpet snakes, one used to reside in the shower, it was the bucket thing one filled with warm water and hoisted up, pulled a wire to let the water out.

Not the best place to get bitten by a snake, we only had a two way that sort of worked at times.

Bloody leaches were everywhere in the rainforests, and seemed to appear in the rainy weather.A bit of salt sorted them out once they latched on, some were huge.
Large horse flys,or Tabanids,as we used to call them were also a PITA.

The good ol days

Originally Posted by scarry

Probably the same as your freshwater yabbies, at a guess.

I do remember there being a resident red bellied black where we used to go Lobbying,as we used to call it.
It was quite large, used to stick its head up,have a look, then move off.

Death adders were supposedly common there but cant remember ever seeing one.Huge centipedes were common,as were scorpions.
Saw quite a few carpet snakes, one used to reside in the shower, it was the bucket thing one filled with warm water and hoisted up, pulled a wire to let the water out.

Not the best place to get bitten by a snake, we only had a two way that sort of worked at times.

Bloody leaches were everywhere in the rainforests, and seemed to appear in the rainy weather.A bit of salt sorted them out once they latched on, some were huge.
Large horse flys,or Tabanids,as we used to call them were also a PITA.

The good ol days

Ah roight I wondered as much. Method of catching yabbies was as you described for Lobbys then Paul.


This Central Station mentioned, was it just a planked platform that the Passengers alighted onto like a siding? I don't expect it to be like Grand Central Station in NY for instance.

Difficult to imagine with all the forest & vegetation growing there now. What type of Locos & rolling stock were used & gauge track?

Cant remember much about Central Station,just a building or two,a beautiful crystal clear creek, lots of trees and shrubbery, possibly rainforest.

Dont remember a railway line?

Originally Posted by scarry

Cant remember much about Central Station,just a building or two,a beautiful crystal clear creek, lots of trees and shrubbery, possibly rainforest.

Dont remember a railway line?

Odd, can't see the post for the mo but someone on this thread said his "mother went on holidays there in the 20/30s & got off at Central Station."


?????

Originally Posted by PhilipA

My mother used to holiday there in the 20s and 30s, and get the train to Central Station. That is why it is called Central Station. The line was used mainly to shift logs to the West coast.

When I first visited in 1978 there were lots of brumbies which were descendants of the horses on the Eliza Fraser and probably horses used in the timber getting, but they were moved/shot out by the government.

I can clearly remember a couple of stallions streaking through my campsite , fighting over a bevy of beauties. You had to be careful of your tent ropes and when you left your tent.
Another is 4 brumbies pacing my FJ40 along the beach one early morning, two each side.

We used to camp on the south bank of Ely Creek about where the toilets are now!

Regards PhilipA

Originally Posted by 4bee

Odd, can't see the post for the mo but someone on this thread said his "mother went on holidays there in the 20/30s & got off at Central Station."


?????

No need for thanks, just send money.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

No need for thanks, just send money.

I'll speak to my accounts dept & you should get a cheque in the post.







Possibly.


Thanks Ian, buggered if I could find that. A visit to Specsavers coming up I think.