Photos from Moreton Island

Photos from Moreton Island

(Written 8 May in Cairns, where it's rainy)

I have a bit of a quandry. 

Fraser Island is nice; we've done something with it since 2008, and in some years before.  But in 2012, some of the students said that we should do a camping trip earlier in the course to help the students bond.  Sounds like a good idea -- we have camped on Fraser Island before, as well as Moreton Island. 

The only commercial group that camps on Fraser Island is Sunrover.  You can read reviews of Sunrover yourself; suffice it to say that once I found Bushwackers Eco Tours, I was much more satisfied.  But Bushwackers does not camp on Fraser, though I have pleaded wtih them many time.  They bring us to a resort on the island for the night, so it's pretty darned expensive.  Th folks at Bushwackers would always suggest that I consider camping on Moreton instead.  So, this year, I gave in.  We camped on Moreton. 

My quandry has to do with the future.  Assuming the fates allow me to continue to do this course, I have to decide which is better:  camping on Moreton or resort stay on Fraser.

The case for Fraser is substantial.  One gets to see dingoes roaming the island.  There are serious sub-tropical rainforests in the center.  Some wonderful views, and a nice resort. 

But Moreton is very good as well.  Bushwacker campsites are very nice.  We get to see some smaller, sclerophyll forests (on a sand island!).  There is a large tidal flat area that, at low tide, abounds with many creatures.  Here are some:

Soldier crabs.  Moreton island, 2013.

Brahminy Kite.  Moreton Island, 2013.

Australian pelicans.  Moreton Isalnd, 2013.

Puffer fish.  Moreton Island, 2013.

Sandworms.  Moreton Island, 2013.

Sea cucumber?  Moreton Island, 2013.

Juvenile shovel-nosed shark.  Moreton Island, 2013.

So, there's a lot to see on Moreton.  It's also economical; it is camping and not resort stay; the travel time is less, and one can see more of the island in three days. 

So, I cannot decide what to do in 2014.