Wanda’s story
One of the most familiar faces around the coast and Fraser Island is our very humble and hard working ‘mail lady’, Wanda Deen.
Wanda and husband Mark have owned the Cooloola Coast mail run, which brings your parcels and mail from all over the world to the Rainbow Beach and Tin Can Bay post offices and to the outposts on Fraser Island.
Wanda drives solo over to Fraser Island twice a week to take the mail and supplies over to the villages right to the top at Orchid Beach and back in a few hours then back to finish her other runs.
She said: “I’ve been doing it for 20 years and It is always a race against the tide. You can’t get cocky because the beach changes all the time and you can come unstuck.
“I love it but it’s hard work and you don’t get holidays. Covid has made it very difficult as the reduced barge hours meant we had to change our operating structure and we have had so many more parcels over the past five months with all the online shopping.
“I don’t mind driving on my own, I actually love it, and it’s great getting to know the mixed bag of unique and interesting people on Fraser Island.
“One day its a beautiful highway and then the next there are washouts or exposed rocks, but when the weather is good and the beach is good – it’s perfect.
“I’ve only had one close call so I have been lucky. Getting caught behind inexperienced drivers who get bogged is one of the trickiest things. You’ll always get your young guys who are invincible with the foot flat down. You might see them later and have to help them.
“I leave home most days at 5.30am and usually get home by 6pm at night. We have a property at Wolvi with 235 head of cattle, so weekends are pretty busy too. “
Thanks from all of us to Wanda, for getting the mail through every day, rail, hail or shine.