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Series Code: TIJ
Program Code: TIJ005118S
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00:28 Rainbow Beach is a small coastal town nestled between
00:34 Frazer Island, Great Sandy National Park and the vast 00:38 Pacific Ocean on Queensland Sunshine Coast. 00:42 The town boasts a population of just over 1,200 people 00:47 but is a popular tourist destination. 00:50 Rainbow Beach sits in the Wide Bay Burnette area of 00:54 Queensland just east of Gympie and a few hundred kilometers 00:58 north of Brisbane. It draws crowds throughout the year 01:03 both as an attraction in its own right but also as a 01:07 gateway to Frazer Island. 01:09 The town gets its name from the rainbow-colored sand dunes 01:13 that surround it. The sand gets Its color from the rich mineral 01:18 deposits beneath it. The town- ship itself is wrapped in a 01:24 rustic charm where time seems to stand still and the 01:28 only thing really present is the sun, sand, and surf. 01:32 The single main street is a central attraction and weaves 01:37 a path right down to the ocean. Rainbow Beach doesn't just 01:42 give off the mellow vibes of a sleepy surfside town baking 01:46 in the sun. It also offers travelers an amazing variety 01:50 of outdoor attractions to explore and enjoy from the 01:55 majesty of massive dunes from which it derives its name 01:59 to the allure of subtropical Rainforest not far away. 02:03 Rainbow beach is an unspoiled gem just waiting to be 02:08 discovered. Nearby is the Double Island Point Lighthouse which 02:15 is an active lighthouse located at the summit of Double Island 02:18 Point, a coastal headland located inside the Great Sandy 02:23 National Park 70 kilometers north of Noosa. 02:27 Then, if you fancy a long walk, with picturesque ocean views 02:32 you might want to try the Cooloola Grape Walk 02:36 a102 kilometer coastal bush walking track within the 02:40 Great Sandy National Park. The walk which was opened in 2010 02:45 runs from Noosa North Shore through Cooloola and down to 02:50 Rainbow Beach. Then, there's the Carlo Sandblow a gigantic 02:56 massive sand covering 15 Hectares and overlooking the towering 03:01 colored sand dunes of Rainbow Beach and the coastline 03:04 which takes in Double Island Point and Unesco Peninsula 03:09 visitors can take the short Nature Walk from Cooloola Drive 03:14 and then take in the Sunset over Tin Can Bay and the Great 03:19 Sandy Straight. 03:20 And once you've had your fill of the mainland, you can always 03:24 hop across to Frazer Island the world's largest sand island 03:29 stretching over 122 kilometers in length and spreading across 03:34 22 kilometers at its widest point. 03:37 All of this and more are why travelers to this little 03:42 slice of heaven on earth. Some of Queensland best kept 03:47 secrets which offer not only a perfect getaway from the hectic 03:51 pace of city life but also a chance to take in the sparkling 03:56 blue-green waters of the mighty Pacific Ocean. 04:00 Join us as we journey to the Sunshine State and take in the 04:05 sights and sounds of Rainbow Beach and Frazer Island 04:09 on this week's episode of The Incredible Journey. 04:32 One of the first things you will want to do when you come down 04:34 to Rainbow Beach is take off your shoes and sink your toes 04:39 into the warm sand. Then maybe go out into the water for a dip 04:43 the sand is pristine, the water clear blue and the Rainbow Sand 04:49 Dunes seem to stretch on forever. 04:52 It's no wonder that Rainbow Beach attracts so many tourists. 04:57 It is small, rustic, and has the laid-back vibe of a 05:02 lazy beach village complete with a customary surf club 05:06 and local fish and chip shop. 05:08 But that is not all there is to the allure of Rainbow Beach, 05:12 the coastal area surrounding the town is alive with sights 05:17 and sounds to dazzle the curious visitor or serious adventurer. 05:22 For example, if you are up for a little drive on the beach 05:27 you can hire a 4-wheel drive and do some serious beach 05:31 driving, on the other hand, if you prefer a lazy stroll 05:36 along the beach, you can do that too, 05:38 the area boasts a vast array of walking tracks. 05:49 Perhaps one of the most iconic stops in the area is 05:52 the Double Island Point Lighthouse. 05:54 Now Double Island Point was named in May 1770 by Captain 05:59 James Cook during his exploratory voyage along 06:02 the east coast of Australia onboard the Endeavor. 06:05 Cook named the island because of its unique natural features 06:10 He commented that while the island itself was fairly 06:13 symmetrical and equal in height, the point was made up of 06:18 such varying heights that it looked like two small islands 06:21 lying under the land. It was this that led him to Christen it 06:25 Double Island Point. The light- house on the point is in the 06:30 Cooloola Recreation Area of the Great Sandy National Park. 06:35 Getting to the lighthouse involves a 2.2-kilometer return 06:39 walk which is also accessible by high-clearance four-wheel 06:43 drives or even trail bikes. 06:45 Though short, the walk is fairly steep but totally worth the 06:50 effort. The lighthouse offers 360 degrees views of 06:54 Frazer Island, Rainbow Beach, and even Nooser on a clear day. 06:59 If you're lucky you might even catch a glimpse of whole 07:03 array of sea creatures, Dolphins, Marine Turtles, 07:06 Humpback whales and Manta Rey's all frolic in the waters 07:10 of the headland. The lighthouse is still active and located on 07:16 the Southern End of Wide Bay. The location was surveyed for a 07:21 light-house as early as 1864, but the structure was only 07:25 constructed in 1884. The tower rises 8 meters from the base 07:31 to the lantern, and is conical in shape. It's constructed with 07:35 an internal timber face and clad with galvanized steel plates 07:40 about 2 millimeters thick which have been painted white. 07:44 In 1923 the light was upgraded to a kerosene-fueled light 07:49 and the lens was upgraded in 1925, then in 1933 underwent a 07:56 major overhaul when it was converted to electricity 08:00 this significantly increased it's luminosity. 08:05 Further upgrades took place over the years and the voltage 08:09 of light was increased and finally converted to solar power 08:13 as early as 1991. Then in 1992, the very next year the 08:19 Double Island Light became automatic. 08:22 The history of Double Island Point Lighthouse dates back to 08:27 the first few decades after the colony of Queensland was formed. 08:31 In 1864 two committees were appointed to look into the issue 08:37 of coastal lighthouses, one of the sites identified as being 08:41 suitable was Double Island Point but it was nearly 20 years 08:46 before the Queensland government acted on the recommendation. 08:49 Around 1883 the port master of Queensland Commander George 08:55 Pointer Heath visited the island, when he got there 08:59 he realized that the original location for the lighthouse 09:03 which was halfway up the point was not suitable because 09:07 the light would not be visible to the north. 09:10 After careful consideration he then suggested that the 09:14 lighthouse be constructed on the summit of the point. 09:18 By June 1883, Kinders were called in for the construction 09:23 of the lighthouse, a cluster of three keeper cottages 09:27 were constructed alongside the lighthouse as well as the school 09:31 house. The lighthouse and the keeper cottages were 09:35 completed in 1884. Lighthouse keepers put in a hard night's 09:40 work, working four-hour shifts throughout the night tending 09:44 the light between dusk and dawn. 09:47 When the station was converted to electric light in 1933, the 09:51 keepers work load diminished then the staff was reduced to 09:56 two keepers who tended the light from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. 10:00 in six-hour shifts. But it was still hard work and lighthouse 10:05 keeping was not for the faint of heart. 10:08 Upon the lighthouse keepers shoulders rested the immense 10:12 responsibility of keeping the light burning clear and bright 10:16 through the long dark nights so that ships would be warned 10:20 to stay away from the rocky headland. Currently the light 10:25 which is fully automated emits a wide flash of light every 10:30 7.5 seconds which is visible to passing ships up to 26 10:35 nautical miles away which is about 48 kilometers out at sea. 10:40 Not far from the lighthouse extending from Double Island 10:44 Point down to Noosa North Shore is Teewah Beach. 10:48 The beach is a famous gateway to both Rainbow Beach and 10:53 Frazer Island and is a haven for four-wheel drive enthusiasts. 10:58 But this is not the only thing that attracts tourists to the 11:04 beach, it's also famous for its ship wrecks, among them, is the 11:10 Cherry Venture, a 1,600 ton Singaporean Cargo Ship 11:14 which ran aground here on the 6th of July, 1973. 11:19 The ship was traveling from Auckland to Brisbane when it ran 11:22 into a terrible storm. The captain and crew struggled to 11:26 battle winds that raged into 120 kilometers an hour 11:31 and waves that were 12 meters high, unfortunately, she ran 11:36 aground at Teewah Beach and remained there despite numerous 11:40 attempts to salvage her. Over time the ship became a 11:45 tourist attraction but as it started to rust and decay 11:49 it became more of a death trap than anything else. 11:52 Fearing for the safety of over eager tourists who clamored 11:57 over her rusted and jagged frame, the Queensland government 12:01 removed the wreck in 2007. 12:05 Another major landmark and attraction on Frazer island 12:08 is the shipwreck of the SS Maheno. 12:11 The ship was built in Scotland at the turn of the 20th century 12:15 and was originally designed to be a luxury passenger ship 12:20 for Trans Tasman crossing between Australia and New Zealand. 12:24 The ship later served as a hospital ship for wounded 12:28 soldiers from Gallipoli during World War I. 12:31 In 1935 was being towed to a shipyard in Osakwe, Japan 12:38 to be taken apart when she was caught up in a cyclone about 80 12:43 kilometers off the coast of Queensland. 12:46 The towline snapped and the 9th of July the Maheno 12:52 ran aground on the East Coast of Frazer Island. 12:54 A few years later during World War II, the wreck was 12:59 used by the Royal Australian Air Force as a target for 13:03 bombing practice and later as an explosive demolition target 13:08 by the Frazer Island Commander School. 13:11 Interestingly the marri word Maheno means island 13:16 and the wreck now lies along the shore of Frazer Island 13:21 on 75 Mile Beach rusted and browned in the sun with 13:26 more than three stories of its structure sunk into the sand 13:30 near the fast-flowing Eli Creek. 13:32 Even with the breathtaking beauty and attractions 13:42 surrounding Rainbow Beach and Double Island Point 13:45 perhaps the highlight and feature attraction of this area 13:49 is Frazer Island. A sliver or land just hovering just beside 13:53 mainland Australia and only accessible by barge or car ferry. 13:59 Frazer Island is a heritage listed island and is considered 14:04 the largest sand island in the world. 14:07 The Australian Census Bureau puts the population 14:11 on the island at just 182, the island is separated from the 14:17 mainland by the Great Sandy Straight, a strip of ocean 14:21 70 kilometers long tucked between Frazer Island 14:25 and the Queensland Coast. The island covers 1,840 square 14:31 kilometers and has a small cluster of scattered satellite islands 14:36 it's Queensland largest island and Australia's 6th largest 14:42 island. Frazer Island is populated with lush rainforests 14:48 fragrant Eucaptalyus woodlands and main grove forests. 14:52 Scattered across the interior of the island are Wallaman 14:57 Peat Swaths and a chain of inland freshwater lakes. 15:01 And then at the water's edge are great sand dunes 15:05 and pretty coastal heat. The island is made up of sand 15:10 that has accumulated over volcanic bedrock unlike other 15:14 sand dunes. the dunes on Frazer Island are teaming with 15:19 plant life, mostly due to a natural occurring species 15:23 of fungi that thrive on the island which releases nutrients 15:28 that are conducive for plant growth. 15:30 In addition to the the abundant plant life Frazer Island is also 15:36 home to various species of mammals, birds, reptiles, 15:40 and amphibians. You can see dingo's foraging on the beach 15:44 and the occasional salt-water crocodile lurking among the 15:48 Mangroves. 15:52 The first European to discover the island was Captain 15:55 James Cook when he sailed past the island in May 1770 during 16:00 his exploration of the Australian Coast. 16:03 Though Cook didn't name the island he name Indian Head 16:08 when he spotted a group of Aboriginal people congregating 16:12 on the headland. Then in 1799 Matthew Flinders the first man 16:17 to circumnavigate the Australian mainland passed the island. 16:22 In 1802 he landed at Sandy Cape, the northernmost point 16:27 of the island while charting the topography of Harvey Bay. 16:31 The Butchulla people called the island K'gari 16:35 and later for a short spell the island was known as 16:38 Great Sandy Island but then became known as Frazer Island 16:43 because of stories of a ship- wreck survivor named 16:47 Elisa Frazer. Now Elisa Frazer was the wife of James Frazer 16:53 Captain of the Sterling Castle a Scottish Vessel which sailed 16:58 from Greenock in Scotland bound for the colony of Sydney 17:02 in 1831. In 1836 while on a voyage under the command of 17:08 Captain Frazer, the Sterling Castle was wrecked on the 17:11 Great Barrier Reef near present day Rock Hampton in Queensland. 17:16 When the ship struck the reef, they were hundreds of kilometers 17:20 north of the island. The passengers launched two 17:24 life-boats and set a course south, they landed on the beach 17:29 on K'gari on the northern side of Waddy Point, 17:33 there were 11 survivors on board and they split up into two 17:37 groups. Most of the survivors dies in the following weeks 17:42 most likely from starvation. James and Elisa Frazer 17:47 were part of the second group who decided to trek south, 17:51 they foraged for berries and ate pandanus until they reached 17:55 Hook Point, the southernmost tip of the island. 17:58 James and Elisa were captured by the Butchella people, 18:03 James Frazer who was in poor health soon became weakened 18:07 and incapacitated, he died about eight days later and was buried 18:12 on the island by the tribe. Six weeks after landing on the 18:17 island Elisa was found by John Graham an Irish convict 18:22 who was part of the Morten Bay Penal Colony. 18:25 Graham understood the dialect of the Butchura people 18:28 and managed to successfully negotiate Elisa's release 18:33 and get back to Teewah Beach where they met a small company 18:37 of soldiers and convict volunteers who were awaiting 18:40 their arrival. Elisa was transferred from Double Island 18:46 Point to the Morton Bay Penal Colony and then found her way 18:50 back to Sydney where she married Captain Alexander Green and 18:55 returned to England aboard his ship the Mediterranean Packet. 18:59 Over the years, Elisa Frazer turned into somewhat of an 19:04 Australian icon, she was featured as a character in 19:08 several works of fiction and a movie. 19:10 The island, which by this point had been christened twice 19:15 first by the Butchura tribe and and then by the European 19:19 Settlers was renamed Frazer Island in honor of Elisa Frazer 19:24 and her experiences there. 19:26 The raw beauty and appeal of the Frazer Coast is breathtaking 19:35 wide sandy beaches stretching endlessly in every direction 19:40 clear as earth skies reach down to meet the blue-green ocean, 19:45 it seems so pristine and unspoiled, a paradise waiting 19:50 to be experienced and explored. 19:59 But this paradise can also teach us some valuable spiritual 20:03 lessons, lessons that can give us deeper insights into how to 20:08 lives that are both fulfilling and successful 20:10 regardless of the storms that life might toss our way. 20:14 The first lesson can be gleaned from the constant unfailing 20:19 light of the Double Island Point Lighthouse. 20:22 Without that lighthouse countless ships would 20:26 lose their way as they as they sailed across the dark waters 20:29 of the Pacific Ocean and end up wrecked and battered 20:33 off the coast of the Australian Mainland. 20:35 In John 8:12, Jesus said, 20:47 And again in Psalm 119: 105 the Bible says, 20:58 The Bible points us to Jesus, the only true and unfailing 21:02 beacon of hope in this dark world, the only one who can 21:07 guide us safely to shore, protecting us from the rocky 21:11 reefs that threaten to wreck us and to destroy our lives. 21:14 Jesus is also the divine light- housekeeper and from the 21:20 lighthouse of His Word He shines the bright beams 21:23 of His love and truth. 21:25 As sailors on the windswept sea of life we may safely look 21:29 to the Bible and find a map that will help us navigate our 21:33 ways safely into the harbor. 21:36 But it's not only the Double Island Point Lighthouse 21:40 that has a lesson to teach us, Frazer Island has a lesson 21:45 tucked into the sand for us as well 21:48 Frazer Island is the largest sand island in the world. 21:52 Now sand can be beautiful just as we've seen but it doesn't 21:58 provide a steady foundation to build anything on. 22:02 Speaking about the kind of relationship we need to have 22:06 with God's Word, Jesus told a parable in Matthew 7: 24-26. 22:13 There Jesus says. 22:24 The man who built his house on the rock was able to extend 22:29 the storms and floods that lie through him. 22:32 When everything around him seem- ed to be shifting and changing 22:36 the rock beneath his feet was a strong foundation 22:40 and held firm and kept him from sinking into the churning 22:44 waters around him. 22:47 Then, Jesus contrast this wise man with a man who was not 22:52 so wise. In Matthew 27:26 Jesus says. 23:09 When the rains came down and the floods swept across 23:12 the plains turning the plains into a quagmire of quicksand 23:16 the foolish man and everything he owned was sucked down into 23:21 its murky depths. 23:22 Sand isn't the best foundation to build on, it can shift and 23:27 change beneath your feet bury you as it shapeshifts and morphs. 23:31 Foundations are important, a good house needs a solid 23:37 foundation in order to keep it standing through the most severe 23:42 weather conditions. Our lives are a lot like a house, 23:46 the foundation is the most important part and Jesus 23:51 tells us that the right foundation, the best foundation 23:55 we can have is His Word, the Bible. Not just to listen to it 24:00 and then wander away but to really hear it and be willing 24:04 to follow its guidelines and principles. 24:07 But too often, like the foolish man in the story we focus on 24:13 building the walls and the roof, we fixate on shiny fittings 24:18 and expensive floors and feature walls and paint and lighting 24:23 and even good furniture. We focus on the peripherals 24:27 the non-essentials and then one day when our health fails us 24:33 or the economy fails us or we lose our job or like something 24:38 out of the twilight zone, a global pandemic sweeps across 24:42 the world, we find that the sand beneath our feet is shifting 24:47 and cracks begin to appear. Our walls collapse on us 24:52 our expensive floors split open and our pretty furniture 24:56 and fittings are swallowed whole. We find that because 25:01 we didn't take the time to set down the solid foundation 25:06 the storms and challenges of life have come along and swept 25:11 away everything else. But luckily for us, 25:15 it's never too late to rebuild. God's Word doesn't have an 25:20 expiry date attached. Jesus offered to be the Rock 25:24 beneath our feet is still good. We only need to take advantage 25:28 of it and cash it in. The truth is only the Bible can keep your 25:35 world from dipping and swaying when the earth beneath you 25:39 shifts. Only the Bible can provide the solid foundation 25:44 we need to deal with the challenges of life, 25:47 only the Bible can lead you to a safe harbor when you seem 25:52 to be surrounded by jagged reefs that threaten to tear 25:57 into the hull of your life. Only the Bible can offer you 26:01 a hope in despair, eternity in the face of transients 26:06 and peace in the face of turmoil. 26:09 When everything else is shifting, Jesus is a rock that 26:14 will stand firm, it's not too late to be like the wise man 26:19 and build your house on the rock, that's where you'll find 26:23 true inner peace and happiness. 26:26 If you would like to find a sure and solid foundation 26:30 to build your life on, then I'd like to recommend 26:34 the free gift we have for all our Incredible Journey viewers 26:38 today. It's the booklet The Best Insurance Policy 26:43 In the World, you'll really enjoy reading this popular 26:47 little book. This booklet is our gift to you and is 26:50 absolutely FREE. I guarantee there are no costs or obligations 26:55 whatsoever. So, why not make the most of this wonderful 26:59 opportunity to receive your free gift today. 27:03 Phone or text 0436.333.555 in Australia or 020.422.2042 27:13 in New Zealand, or visit our website TIJ.tv 27:18 or simply scan the QR code on your screen and we'll send you 27:22 today's free offer totally free of charge and with no obligation. 27:27 Write to us at GPO Box 274 Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia 27:33 or PO Box 76673 Manukau Auckland 2241 New Zealand 27:41 Don't delay, call, or text us now. 27:43 Be sure to join us again next week when we will share another 27:49 of life's journey's together. Until then, let's pray 27:53 and ask the God of the Bible to bless us and guide our lives. 27:58 Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you for your word 28:02 the Bible whose guidelines and principles provide a solid 28:06 foundation for our lives. Lord, we all want the inner- 28:10 peace and happiness that the gospel message, the good news 28:14 of Jesus can bring. Lord, bless us and guide our lives. 28:18 we ask in Jesus' name, Amen |
Revised 2023-02-09