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Rainbow Beach Report

Submitted: Sunday, Jan 02, 2005 at 09:39

Member - Trevor

Having just done the Rainbow Beach “thing” here are a few comments.
I have never seen so many 4WDs in one place. Birdsville, The Alice and anywhere else included.
We travelled from Rainbow beach to Noosa virtually in a convoy. There were AWD Holden utes, Suzuki Jimmys and anything else you would like to name. The entry to the beach is down by the surf club while there is a separate entry for those travelling north. The Mudlo Rocks were no problem as it was about two hours before low tide. There is a lookout at the eastern end of the CBD which will give you some indication of how busy the beach is. The crossing over the Twin Islands lighthouse has wooden paving on it. The wreck of the Cherry venture has almost been dismantled and is covered in graffiti. It’s a sorry sight!
The campers on the main beach are shoulder to shoulder for about 20km and there were garbage and ice trucks servicing them. There were a few private Portaloos and nothing else!!!!!! The speed limit through the camping area is 40kph while it is 80 on the main beaches.
There are three exists at Noosa. We took the one furtherest south (called cutting one). Just up the road from there is an under body car wash. The cost is $10 (in gold coin) and there is some type of solution in it which smells like soluble oil. There is another charge of $1 to do a car wash to get the mess off your duco. I think there may be a similar machine at Rainbow Beach but I didn’t confirm it.
Both ferries were taking vehicles south across the Noosa River so the hold up was not all that long.
I wouldn’t bother doing it again but I’m happy to have it “ticked” off the list of things to do. As for difficulty rate it as 0 We saw a big 4WD being snatched out at the exit to Rainbow Beach Surf Club and a Suzuki bogged waiting to get into the traffic at the lighthouse crossing. They must have had 500psi in their tyres.
Happy New Year To All. Trev
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AnswerID: 90991   Submitted: Sunday, Jan 02, 2005 at 10:10

Bob Y. - Qld replied:


Happy New Year Trevor,

Thanks for the detailed report on Rainbow beach. All those campers, "shoulder-to-shoulder", makes you wonder why they left home? Leave one bit of suburbia, and head for an artificial one. Must be the salt air.

Sounds like a good drive, once "they" all go home.

Been pretty quiet out on the Diamantina, no tourists, plenty of water for swimming(the River is running), and not a shark or tsunami in sight. Even the weather has been mild, struggling to get over 40 degrees this year.

Have a good 2005..

Hooroo...
Reply 1 of 8
FollowupID: 349633   Submitted: Monday, Jan 03, 2005 at 07:19

Member - Trevor posted:

Hi Bob Y - Have done the Diamantina and it was just as you describe it. I was warned there would be a lot of cars on the Rainbow Beach drive but I did not expect so many. There was no agro however it would be a far better drive out of season (if there is such a time).
We much prefer the inland and will do the Alice and Simpson again in July taking an older couple with us who have not have the privilege of seeing the "real" Australia. At this moment the Cook is starting to pack or really putting aside some 100% cotton shirts for the trip. Trev
FollowUp 1 of 2
FollowupID: 349689   Submitted: Monday, Jan 03, 2005 at 15:47

Rocky M QLD posted:

Bob.
just took a look at your rig profile and was wondering if you have had any minty moments lately I hope that is what you are referring to,
regards Dave
FollowUp 2 of 2
AnswerID: 90992   Submitted: Sunday, Jan 02, 2005 at 10:13

Patrick replied:

Hi Trevour,

The whole of the Cooloola beach section can get a bit over the top at holiday times when everyone wants to either camp or try out their 4WD on the sand. It certainly a time for exhibiting patience as the idiots do come out to play.

Being from the northside of Brisbane we are lucky to have all this in our own backyard and only go there outside of holidays which makes a real difference. If you think that Rainbow Beach is busy, you should have gone over on the barge to Frazier as that would open your eyes to real crowding.

It is still a beautiful part of the world and as such try to put the other issues aside and enjoy what nature has to offer even if it come with a carbon monoxide smell attached.

Happy new year.

Cheers,

Patrick

Reply 2 of 8
AnswerID: 90996   Submitted: Sunday, Jan 02, 2005 at 10:29

glenno(bris) replied:

Thats why i only pass thru there on my way to fraser island .
Reply 3 of 8
AnswerID: 91005   Submitted: Sunday, Jan 02, 2005 at 12:32

Rick Blaine replied:

I too was amazed at the traffic on that beach...the conjestion was amazing... and in the middle of all manner of mechanical apparatus racing along the beach were people laying out on their towels sunbathing.. gutsy play....but having done it i wont bother again....
Reply 4 of 8
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AnswerID: 91033   Submitted: Sunday, Jan 02, 2005 at 21:22

Rocky M QLD replied:

Trevor,
the oil that is sprayed at the underbody sprayer is cottonseed oil.I havent used it so dont if it works or not,
regards Dave
Reply 5 of 8
FollowupID: 349632   Submitted: Monday, Jan 03, 2005 at 07:09

Member - Trevor posted:

Hi Rocky - Thanx. I didn't clean the oil off the duco but when I got back to the relatives the rearview mirrors were a bit yucky so I started to clean them with my handkerchief. The stuff was pretty black. I ended up cleaning all the glass and was in trouble from the Cook.
FollowUp 1 of 1
AnswerID: 91064   Submitted: Monday, Jan 03, 2005 at 07:59

Nick R replied:

We are off over to fraser in 10 days, did you notice any quieter parts of the island for camping?
Will be towing ct so can't go far from the beach. I was planning to head to the northern end somewhere.
With a bit of luck some of the people will be back to work by then.
Thanks
NickR
Reply 6 of 8
FollowupID: 349893   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 20:58

dano01 posted:

The place to stat is Waddy point it is up north sheltered from most weather. The camp ground on the beach is best best. There is good fishing and facilities there. We go there every year in may for a month and have do for the last 26 years. this will be the first year i am not going but i'm going to the cape instead so all is not lost. Happy camping.

P.s you will also be away from those crazy backpackers that visit the island you will see what i mean when you get there.
FollowUp 1 of 3
FollowupID: 349894   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 21:00

dano01 posted:

The place to stay is Waddy point it is up north sheltered from most weather. The camp ground on the beach is best . There is good fishing and facilities there. We go there every year in may for a month and have do for the last 26 years. this will be the first year i am not going but i'm going to the cape instead so all is not lost. Happy camping.

P.s you will also be away from those crazy backpackers that visit the island you will see what i mean when you get there.
FollowUp 2 of 3
FollowupID: 349924   Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 06:52

Nick R posted:

Thanks, that is where I was thinking, should be clear of the daytrippers too.
Have a great time at the cape.
Nick
FollowUp 3 of 3
AnswerID: 91105   Submitted: Monday, Jan 03, 2005 at 13:42

Willem replied:

Hapy New Year Trev

We did a run up and back from Noosa in 1977 in a Soft Top 2 stroke Suzuki with skinny tyres. We saw one other vehicle the whole day. Admittedly it was out of holiday season which was good for us as we were able to enjoy the ambience of the beach. Then we came in from the north in the early eighties, this time in a MQ Patrol and had to snatch a nearly sunken Landrover out of trouble. I recall about ten vehicles on the beach during that visit and also the slatted boards for getting on and off the beach.

I tend to stay away from high visitation areas although during a refuelling stop at Innamincka last year I counted 61 4x4's in the early morning. Ghastly!!!!!!!
Karoo Jackal
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Willem

There is more than one way to get a rabbit

Reply 7 of 8
AnswerID: 91151   Submitted: Monday, Jan 03, 2005 at 19:10

daisygirl replied:

We go up to Rainbow Beach/Coloured Sands area quite a bit and after one bad Easter at Frazer I now refuse to go back to Fraser and only go to Rainbow Beach/Inskip. Most places you go to will be extremely busy over Xmas/New Year but Rainbow Beach/Coloured Sands is really quite on a normal weekend and a real pleasure so please dont be offput just because of a couple of weeks of the year that are bad because the other 48 to 50 weeks are great even in the middle of winter when everywhere else is freezing
Reply 8 of 8
FollowupID: 349876   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 19:23

Rocky M QLD posted:

daisygirl,
I couldnt agree more.Camped for a week in nov and it was really peaceful.Our camp was about 5 kms south a littlefreshwater and we would not have seen a dozen people,but have also made the mistake of driving through on along weekend,tend to remember only the week in Nov.Still a nice place and hope to take a couple of poms for a week in early Feb,
regards Dave
FollowUp 1 of 1

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