Hotel pools Part 2: Queensland

Four of the best outdoor pools from Queensland.

Top of my list is in the swim-up apartment hotel, aptly named Pool, at Port Douglas.




Sanctuary Cove Resort on the Gold Coast is renowned for its pool area, including an artificial beach lagoon.

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The Ramada Hotel at Hervey Bay

..and Eurong Resort on Fraser Island (there's two pools)

 

Eurong Beach Resort

The pools at one of the two main resorts on Fraser Island. I swam in both! Very nice.

Champagne Pools, Fraser Island

You can't swim at the magnificent beach along the eastern coast of Fraser Island (sharks, deadly sea snakes, currents....), but these natural rock pools are a gorgeous place for a dip.

They are natural fish traps, used by Aboriginal people.

Waves crash over the rocks, creating 'champagne bubbles".

Eli Creek, Fraser Island 24 Jan 2011

Eli Creek is the largest creek on the eastern beach side of Fraser Island. It discharges up to 4 million litres of clear, fresh water into the ocean every hour.

Floating down this shallow, but quite swift flowing creek was a whole heap of fun!

Lake McKenzie, Fraser Island, Queensland 25 Jan 2011

Lake McKenzie is a sublime place to swim. And on the day we were there, we were the only group (14 people!). The lake is a "perched lake", meaning it is located above the water table. It is fed ONLY by rain water, and the only way water can exit is through evaporation. A layer of bonded mud, sand and vegetation (peat) called "humate" acts like a huge swimming pool liner, keeping the water inside.

Because the water is pure, swimmers are asked not to wear sunscreen or oils or use soap and shampoos when swimming. Car camping has been banned by the lake, which has cut down on the amount of litter and water contamination which previously occurred there.

The water temp was approximately 23 degrees - perfect!

Fraser Island has about 40 perched lakes.

Here are my photos of swimming in the lake previously - on 24 Jan 2001

Above: This looks to be an accumulation of oils

Lake Mckenzie, Fraser Island

Photos: 24 Jan, 2001
Lake Mackenzie is on Fraser Island, Queensland, the largest sand island in the world. It has been world heritage listed since 1992.

Mackenzie is a "perched" lake sitting on top of compact sand and vegetable matter 100 metres above sea level. Ithas an area of 150 hectares and is just over five metres in depth. The beach sand of Lake McKenzie is nearly pure silica and it is possible to wash hair, teeth, jewellery, and exfoliate your skin. The lakes have very few nutrients and pH varies, though sunscreen and soaps are a problem as a form of pollution.

The beaches along Fraser Island are not recommended for swimming, having plentiful sea snakes and tiger sharks in their waters.