Moreton Island: Paradise Found

We heard the first bang just after 8pm. Flashes of coloured light just cleared the top of the forest to reveal an early fireworks display. The stretch of beach twinkled with the soft light from glow sticks, candles and fires where jovial groups were celebrating the last hours of 2011.

Across Moreton Bay, the same coloured bursts of light flashed over the mainland and disappeared into the dark water. Staring into the campfire during the moments of stillness, the soothing sound of the ocean was the soundtrack to reflections on the year past, the year ahead or how we were going to stay awake during the three long hours still separating 2011 and 2012.

Jeff and I had arrived that morning, to join my family who, after spending just 5 days camping on Moreton Island already looked like castaways. 

The site they'd chosen certainly had that deserted island feeling, with quiet neighbours on only one side and an empty beach out the front. Unlike most of the rest of the 20 square kilometre island, this stretch of sand was also blissfully four wheel drive free, so we didn't have to look left, then right, then left again before getting out of the crystal clear water.

Embracing island life took us all of 5 minutes in paradise especially since our tent was already set up before we arrived.

That afternoon we went for a long walk along the beach at sunset.

 

A few boats were already safely anchored for the night in preparation for the New Year's Eve celebrations.

As the champagne chilled, we christened our camp stove in the fire, cooking a smoke infused pork roast.

We then waited (or napped in the very comfortable camping chairs!) for midnight. A few minutes before twelve (at least according to us), what was left of the fireworks started to go off and differently timed celebrations of the New Year took place across the island. I always love New Years Eve in the outdoors because the celebrations always vary by a few minutes and the person holding the champagne feels compelled to pop the cork as soon as they hear one go off elsewhere even when the rest of the group is adamant that it's not time yet!

Happy New Year!

Since planning the trip, I couldn't help but reminisce how different this New Year's was going to be to the last one. Twelve months ago we'd rugged up to go for a long walk in the snow, gone bum sliding and ridden in an sleigh. But in some ways, it wasn't that much different.

On this New Years day we were sinking into white sand instead of snow, the gentle rocking motion of the sleigh was replaced by a four wheel drive and we could have even gone bum sliding in The Desert. Really the only difference (well apart from hemispheres and being on a sand island instead of the mountains and not having any vodka) was the temperature, and let me just say I don't really envy anyone their winter.

Bring on swimming in the beautiful Blue Lagoon any time!

 And ocean sunsets, while cooking sausages over the fire.

The following morning my family had to leave camp at the ungodly hour of 4:45am after packing up the tents, to catch a 6am barge home.

We were fortunate enough to be staying another night and after a burst of packing energy we were left camp-less and waiting to join our friends who were arriving on the island in the afternoon. Seeing as lots of effort surely begets no effort at all, after another long walk during sunrise, we "waited" for them on the beach.

At 3:55am it had started raining and this pattern was left in the sand. Luckily it turned out to be a beautiful day.

Despite doing the absolute bare minimum and being spoilt rotten by our friends with delicious cooking that evening and the following day, the rest of our stay passed in a blur. Between swimming and snorkeling at The Wrecks, eating, playing with the kids and just staring at the water wondering how it can possibly be so clear, it was soon time for us to board our barge and head back to Brisbane.Why does that always happen?

From the vantage point of the top deck, I looked across the clear water to the rusting wrecks that the sun was slowly turning orange and I remembered this parting moment. Although it had been more than ten years since I'd been to the island, the pang I'd felt countless times on regular visits throughout my teenage years was the same. And Moreton Island asked me the same question that it always does as the boat pulled away from the beach. When will you be back?

Everyone loved looking at the massive container ships in the Port of Brisbane