Lake McKenzie

USC22_0008
Lake behind White Cliffs: Boo-rang-oora

USC60_0005
In 1946, the driest season for 35 years, the 320 acre lake McKenzie fell eight feet and all the lakes rise in the wet and fall i n the dry season as do the Atherton Crater Lakes. There is, however, a certain amount of evidence to indicate that some of' the lake s are losing their former capacity to retain water after severe droughts, but I contend that it would take accurate measurements and rainfall co -relations covering many years to prove this theory to the fu11. The severe drought of 1922 exposed the sandlstone bed o f Lake Bowarrady. The extensive surface of Lakes McKenzie and Birrabeen were utilised by the Cammandoes for training, by dropping of parachutists and collapsible boats.

USC184_0005
S.J. Did I like them. Well, when we went there they looked nice, you know. Anyone took a photo of them, we liked the background. They looked quite alright them lakes.
John What about Lake McKenzie?
S.J. Well, yes, thats further to the front beach than the Deep Creek one. Its well out . . Boemingen. McKenzies is more in the centre of the island, really, or more towards the front beach isn't it?

USC295_0005
The outbreak of World War II in the Pacific saw McKenzies developed as a Commando training camp for one of Australia's most famous and heroic units — Z Force. Two camps were developed — one at the coast in the bush surrounding the old lead lights, just north of Foulmouth Creek, and one on the North western end of Lake McKenzie which was used for some of the canoe training.

---
Little evidence remains of the Z Force occupation except for one small hut and a lot of cement slabs. Only the ghosts of those brave men and the memory of it are all that remains. The new camping area at Lake McKenzie is located near the cement slab foundations of the Z Force camp.

Since World War II there have been no permanent human residents in the McKenzie area.

----
There is no evidence to recall the riotous mutiny of the late 1920's, reported in MOONBI 36. There is no evidence to recall the aboriginal occupation. There is no evidence of tragedy and trauma and the happiness experienced here. Yet the McKenzie area has figured more prominently in the history of Fraser Island than any other part.

Now the areas adjacent to both the jetty and the Lake are both gazetted Beauty Spots which are protected from desecration of their flora for logging as a tribute to the memories of the past and their attraction at the present.

USC295_0006
[Photograph of road through wooded area]
ROAD WIDENING by courtesy of the ForestryDepartment at Lake McKenzie similar excessive clearing near Lake Birrabeen had foresters apologising

USC297_0002
And then there was lunch at Lake Mackenzie, a shallow, fragile bowl of sand, filled with tranquil water. About its white sandy shores, Melaleucas were in flower and a mixture or supporting shrubs and trees formed a background. Austromyrtus dulcis grew in profusion, also Phebalium woombye was in bud, Boronia rosmarinifolia displayed an odd flower, Caustis blakei its bright green foliage.
Underneath Schizaea dichotoma shyly showed off its forked fronds.

USC313_0016
Cornwall , Claude
Camped at Lake McKenzie, used a TD9 and a Diamond T 6P6 and 2 Gms. Took timber from Ding Donga Creek.

USC313_0018
Cornwall , Claude
Camped at Lake McKenzie, used a TD9 and a Diamond T 6P6 and 2 Gms. Took timber from Ding Donga Creek.

USC697_0002
(Handwritten) Inside front entrance
Central Station Creek
Lake McKenzie
Kirra
Sandblow

USC926_0001
State Sponsored Degradation: Having manipulated the truth on community support for an ill-advised and preconceived redevelopment plan for Lake McKenzie
(Boorangoora) the QPWS has spent $3.4M on a flawed site. During the six months that the public was excluded from the site, commercial tour operators were given exclusive access.
Unsolicited comments from group members at FIDO’s 1st August inspection was that the lake shore has been so modified now with fences and structures that it has lost much of its former attractiveness. While working on this flawed site, the QPWS has totally ignored the truckloads of road wash pouring into the lake elsewhere.

---
FIDO other conservationists and the Sunday Mail inspect the flawed Lake McKenzie (Boorangoora) redevelopment site .

USC1040_0003
Stage 2 is located from Lake Garawongera to Hook Point. There is already a walking trail from Lake McKenzie to Dilli Village and a fire trail from Dilli Village to Hook Point follows a previous walking trail. Thus it only requires establishing a route from Lake Garrawongera to either Lake Wabby or to Lake McKenzie to complete this section.