Indefinite Leave

23/10/2026

I'm not sure how this really works but apparently if we refer you to Starlink we both get $220 🤷

We have Starlink here on Fraser Island at the resort and we have Starlink at our house.

If you're thinking of getting Starlink, maybe use this link and we might both end up with a few dollars

https://starlink.com?referral=RC-DF-10285554-39618-3

I'm not trying to talk you into anything or sell it to you but if you were about to join then why not.

We are currently on the unlimited plan which costs us $210 a month, which I think is the most expensive, but the plans vary and you can also put it on hold for a period of time too.

Anyway, if you're considering Starlink, click on the link and both of us might have a win - https://starlink.com?referral=RC-DF-10285554-39618-3

Thanks :)

Starlink delivers fast, reliable internet at home and on the go. Seamlessly stream, video call, game and more with high-speed connectivity even in the most rural and remote places.

23/10/2026

Just drove up to Orchid Beach here on Fraser Island and back to provide the mechanic with another part for the Navara. 🛻

Beach conditions are interesting 🏖

At low tide it's fairly good, not too many problems.

But mid tide is ugly. I'll get to that in a second. 👍

The inland bypass track at Indian Head I nearly did in 2wd just for fun and to prove how flat it is, but I had no recovery gear so thought better of it haha 😂

Ch*****ne Pools is the same, tracks all so easy due to all the rain, and we've had plenty of it.

What the beach needs is some big high tides. 🌊

When we have conditions like we have, where the High tides are low at around 1.5-1.7m and Low tides are high of .80m and more we get lots of humps along the beach, washouts and ruts. 😢

Add this rain we have now and it becomes severe.

If you try to drive high on the beach you get craters in the sand and constant washouts and bigger drop offs.

The best driving and safest is 3 hours either side of Low. 😊

Outside of that, really slow down and take it easy or you could do some serious damage.

From Tuesday next week we see some High tides over 2m and that should help level the beach out but we have so much erosion that too makes a difference. 🤔

Take it easy on the beach for now and try to stick to driving as close to low as possible

We've had a lot more rain here again today. 🌧

22/10/2026

There seems to be a bigger push for Daylight Savings in Queensland this year.

I've always been a huge advocate for it although for the last decade we have been travelling and making our own times anyway.

So it doesn't bother me so much these days but in business I certainly found it frustrating dealing with people in the south.

The only States that don't have DLS is WA, the NT and us in Qld.

The NT is probably an obvious one, they already have daylight until late anyway.

What's your thoughts on Daylight Saving?

22/10/2026

The reaction has been swift, well not by Council but Police and Media have been haha 😊

Wasn't expecting that and I said no to media.

Shane the Sergeant here on the island stopped to have a look and inspect the damage from the recent rain.👮‍♂️

While we had the opportunity it was also discussed about all the current road closures on the island, especially to Moon Point.

The closure of Moon Point Rd is unfair to Happy Valley residents and guests and completely unnecessary for everyone who enjoys the western beach.

Apparently Cornwells track is currently being worked on.

Shane as always was great to talk to and listened.

Very little rain here today but still too much wind and swell for us to bother with fishing. 🌧

The Navara is in for more work, replacing seals in the Transfer case and adjusting brakes. 🛻

Engine oil leak now appears to be the Sump which is bad news.

We will have to assess the car once we have it off island and see if it is worth spending more money on repairs.

It needs new Springs and Shocks, new brake pads, drums and more plus now the engine leak fixed. Fortunately my brother will be able to do a lot of it but we will see.

2 weeks to go today and we will finish up here on the island.

Have a great day

22/10/2026

Here's a look at the front area here at Happy Valley on Fraser Island today after all yesterday's rain. 🌧

Over 70mm eventually fell.

In the photos you can see the drain after we cleaned it up last time it happened.

That drain is now completely buried..... again

This will happen every time we get any kind of showers. 🤷

It doesn't take 70mm to cause problems, the drain was full very early when the rain was light, wasn't even heavy.

Debris, rubbish and sand wash all the way from the Tip and Pub to here and then it blocks the drain and backs up against the fence severely restricting the waterflow 🤔

That's a lot of pressure on the Dingo fence and eventually something will give. One guess what that will be.

This is incredibly short sighted by Fraser Coast Council engineers with no care, understanding or experience to properly analyse all the issues.

It was so obvious this would happen.

The embankment is now collapsing and has real potential to completely wipe out the front section potentially taking the Dingo fence with it and who knows what else.

In other news, the Palm trees out front are getting their annual haircut to ensure safety for everyone.

Those palm frons and Coconuts would do severe damage if you happened to be walking under them at the wrong time.

Been a frustrating day and it's still only young lol 🤣

21/10/2026

Plenty of rain here at Happy Valley on Fraser Island this afternoon after a sunny morning, we got our share finally. 🌧

Around 60mm of rain.

The new works by Fraser Coast Council though have now caused so many new issues. 🤦‍♂️

Exactly what I told them would happen. 🤷

Check out the video and see the torrent of water we get during rain and the new drain fills in moments.

The debris against the fence will eventually cause it to collapse.

The embankment has seen heavy erosion already.

21/10/2026

Fraser Island is so much more than Fishing, Camping, swimming and Dingoes 🏖

When you get into it's History, the uniqueness and the importance Fraser plays on the planet you learn to respect it with far greater value. 😍

Here's a few things about the island that makes it so special.

Commando Training 🥷
In 1942 a secret camp near McKenzie Jetty was established to train Commandos for war.
The island was chosen for it's ability to train in conditions closest to jungle warfare.

Maheno bombed 💣
The SS Maheno was washed ashore during a Cyclone in July 1935.
That's amazing in itself that we were having a cyclone in July 🤷
We can only see part of the Maheno ship now because the RAAF used it for bombing practice plus the Commandos used it for explosives training.

Rainforest growing in sand
Fraser Island is the only place in the world where Rainforest grows in pure sand.

Protects the GBR
Without Fraser Island there would be no Great Barrier Reef. 😱

One of the 7 Wonders of the World would not exist.

Fraser Island sends the sands which push up the Eastern Coastline out to sea saving it from going further north and covering the GBR.

Lighthouse and Shipwrecks
The Maheno Shipwreck might be the most famous of them but there's many shipwrecks all around Fraser Island. 🛳

There is so much history with Ships that have succumbed to the seas here and that represents the importance of the Lighthouse.

Sand mining and Logging
Logging played an enormous part of the history of the island and many still believe this was when Fraser was best looked after and cared for.

All over the island that history still remains and makes for a fascinating look back to a major part of the Island's past.

Island Lakes
There are over 100 Lakes on Fraser Island plus the largest perched lake and over 40% of entire worlds perched lakes.

These lakes are all truly amazing and play different but vital roles of the islands ecology.

Air strip's
There are Air Strips all over the island. 🛩

Some obvious, some less easy to find and others you'd really need to know what you are looking for.

They all played an important part in the history of Fraser and have so many stories to tell.

Yes its fishing is extraordinary 🎣
Yes the camping is amazing 🏕
Yes Dingoes live here
Yes the Sunrises and Sunsets are mind blowing 🌅
Yes its part of the Humpback Highway 🐋

But Fraser Island, or Kgari as it is now named, forms a vital place of utmost importance on the planet and a History that makes it special beyond words.

Fraser Island/ K'gari

Far more than just beaches, fishing and Dingoes.

Its History and the vital importance it plays on the planet makes it extraordinary

Its lakes, beaches, rock pools and sunrises or sunsets make it breathtaking.

Visit once and you're guaranteed to want to come back. 😊

Maheno, Fraser Island The Bark Hut at Yidney Rocks, Fraser Island Fraser Island Retreat

20/10/2026

We thought we had the ideal boat for what we want but it didn't turn out to be. 😕

A 4.8m tinnie with a 60hp on the back would have given us the space and capability to handle Matt and I with the room we want and potential for a 3rd passenger of Adele or my brother to come with us. 🛥

A side console was perfect too for what we wanted. All under 10k. 👍

But my brother went to inspect it for me today and the hull had patches from repairs and there were possibly cracks in the hull too.

The Motor was great but the weld repairs didn't impress us and with its age we decided the risk was more than we wanted to take on.

So we are back to square one. 😀

I'll stop looking now until we are off island and I can go look for myself.

Sent my brother on a 5 hour round trip for no result which is frustrating

We will get there though, hopefully we will buy something soon 😊

20/10/2026

Much warmer and calmer here today on Fraser Island 🏖

If it holds up to this afternoon maybe we might even get out this afternoon for a fish. 🎣

Please watch out for the drop off at the washout here at Happy Valley.

Coming over that at any speed isn't going to be good for your vehicle, it was almost waist high on me. 🛻

The boardwalk into Happy Valley is getting close to finished and is looking good. 😊

Once finished they will start on the track which means the entry from the beach will be fully closed. 🚫

It's expected to be closed until December.

The grid into Happy Valley is full of sand, I've reported it to Rangers.

The problem when it gets full like this is the Dingoes walk straight over the sand and come in to the Dingo fenced proofed area. 🤔

We have had confirmation that we officially finish on Nov 5.

So just over 2 weeks to go 👍

Our page Indefinite Leave will continue, there'll still be Fraser content but not the daily updates obviously.

We're looking forward to showcasing a lot more of the local area.

And this morning my brother is off looking at a boat for me. 🛥

Fingers crossed it looks good and we have a boat waiting for us in 2 weeks when we get to our house 😀

Have a great day.

17/10/2026

I haven't ever told this story here before, it's a moment in my life I've preferred not to re-live. 🤔

It took me some time to move past it and accept what had happened, a lot could have gone wrong but thankfully it didn't 👍

Two young kids had robbed our home and I tracked them down to our nearby Railway Station. 🚂

They had my laptop and it had all my business information, client emails, databases, contracts, operational systems, everything to run my business.

I had to get my laptop back. 😡

When I saw them I immediately recognised my camera bag over one of their shoulders.

I approached them and ended up having to physically defend myself.

Any of us could have ended up on the train tracks with a train approaching.

They could have had a weapon 🤷

One of them told me he had just got out of prison 2 weeks prior and he threatened to sh00t me.

When I asked for my items back they became aggressive so I threw one of them to the ground and loosened some of his teeth.

The other one though hit me over the head several times with a b**r bottle he had stolen from our fridge

There was a big young burly guy sitting watching everything and he did nothing.

I pleaded for help to stop him from hitting my head with a bottle and he pulled out his phone and began talking, I assumed he was calling Police. 🚔

About 15-20 people were there on the platform, no one came to help or made any attempt to approach.

What really upset me most was when the Detectives told me, no phone calls were logged of an incident at the Station.

That was devastating to hear.

I had just come back from an appointment and was wearing expensive clothing and during the altercation they had admitted out loud they had robbed us, but no one cared enough to intervene, assist or even bother to ring 000.

For the weeks after I felt so alone.

I vividly remember the moment I chose to let go of that hurt, I was ironing my trousers for work and I realised I was being the victim. I decided then I wasn't going to be one any more.

The older one went back to prison, the younger one went into the Juvenile system.

There's a lot more detail to the story, but it's too long to tell here.

In the end, after they left, we were able to track them down through social media and led the Police to them. 👮‍♂️👮‍♀️

Police eventually showed me the CCTV footage from the railway station which captured everything that happened.

The Forensics officer who came to our house to dust for fingerprints said to me, "I know a lot of people who would like to do what you did"

I guess that's what brings me to telling this story now.

So much could have gone wrong that ended a life, especially mine.

Would I do it again, I've always been a person with a low tolerance to a sense of injustice, so I don't know. 🤷

But I'd have a better understanding of the potential consequences.

It wasn't a movie, it was real life.

And I never did get back my laptop. Thankfully though, I lot of it was backed up and we retrieved it.

With so much crime happening, if you were in a similar situation please remember, they're the ones who've come prepared for it, you're not and a lot could go wrong and has for others.

Cheers