This World Heritage listed Island comprises of white sandy beaches, thumping waves in the bright blue ocean, toques in land lakes and rivers and dense rainforest along with some amazing hiking and 4WD tracks - all the ingredients for an amazing adventures.
Tours can be organised from Rainbow Beach, Hervey Bay, Noosa or the Sunshine Coast and can cost anywhere from $120 upward for a one day return trip. Alternatively you can do it without a tour and drive around the island yourself, however before arriving on the Island you must pre-orgainise vehicle and camping permits. This at Rainbow Beach, Hervey Bay or online. All cars on Fraser Island must be 4WD as there are no roads, you drive on the beach or through the 4WD tracks in the interior which is extremely fun!
We opted to hire a 4WD. We organised this is Rainbow Beach and went with a local family run company call Fraser Island 4x4, they were also a bit cheaper and offered more personalised service. Before departing for Fraser Island we were taken to a local beach for a test drive and explanation on the vehicle, tides, getting bogged, engine failure, etc which was very beneficial being inexperience driving on beaches. Before going I would recommend to google pictures of vehicles getting bogged on the beach because this happens all the time and I wanted to make sure it wasn't going to happen to me.
There are two options to get to the Island, both a via the Barge. The first option is from Inskip Point (just north of Rainbow Beach) arriving in Hook Point which is the most southern point of the Island. The second option is from River Heads located just south of Hervey Bay stopping at Kingfisher Bay which the biggest resort on the island. The service operated 7am-5pm daily and takes around 5-10 minutes
If beginning at Hook Point, its best to follow the track inland for around 20 minutes then turn off 75 Mile beach after you hit the sand the same road rules apply as on the mainland, drive on the left hand side, speed limited are 80 km/h on beaches and 30 km/h in townships and on inland tracks. Driving on the beach can be dangerous and its best to drive at a safe speed that you feel comfortable and that gives you enough time to slow down in case that is a gully in the sand which can be 1-2 metres deep on not seen until its too late! Also remember that if it rains, the inland 4WD tracks get muddy and harder to pass but this also makes it more fun :)
Dilli Village is the where you will get your first glimpse of civilisation on the island, offering basic accommodation but without shops. If you continue further north along the beach the next stop is Eurong which has more accommodation, shops and a petrol station, which there are few and far between on the island - so its always a good idea to fill up every time you drive past one!
One of the most famous sites on the Islands is the Maheno Wreck, which was washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935 and laid in her resting place ever since. Most people stop here, take photos and explore the wreck before parking at the nearby Eli Creek. From Eli Creek you can jump aboard a charter flight which take off from the beach and flies a scenic road around the island allowing you to see the islands from a different prospective (this cost around $80 per person and can be organised on the ground). There is also a timber decked path leading into the rainforest which ends on the crystal clear shores of Eli Creek enabling to walk back through the knee/waste high water back to the beach through the Creek which is fantastic.
Lake McKenzie is the postcard photo everybody wants from their Fraser Island experience! Unfortunately for us it was raining with thunderstorms when we were there, although we couldn't get there photos we didn't let that get in the way and still had a great day having a swim and lunch at the Lake. Even in the storm Lake Mckenzie was amazing and the photos do not do it justice!
There are also various other inland lakes, both Lake Boomanjin & Lake Birrabeen are relatively close and offer completely different outlooks. Lake Boomanjin is tinted red, stained by all of the decomposing vegetation under the surface and Lake Birrabeen is similar to Lake McKenzie just not as nice and less busy. Cathedrals on Fraser, Indian Head & Campaigne Pools are all located on the northern side of the Island which are less accessible a busy but if you have enough time, well worth the trip.
When driving back up the beach we missed the turn off inland (as there are no signs) and ended up driving the whole way back around the the beach. Although its fun driving on the beach, it does get pretty tight the closer you get to Hook Point so I believe that its a far safer option to take the road inland. The Barge operated every 20-30 minutes so in no time we were on our way back to the Mainland to end our adventure.
Another cool option to check out while in this beautiful part of the world is Tin Can Bay, where you can hand feed dolphins at the Marina. The cost is $10 per person and this takes places every day at 8am. The only negative about the experience is that the system is set up like clock work its its not very intimated.
WARNING:
Swim between the flags? There are none!
There are dangerous currents in surrounding the islands with predominately rough seas which are unguarded so going for a swim at the beach unfortunately not an option. You will need to head to one of the islands hundred or so inland lakes if you want to have a dip!
Dingos
Although, it can be a vicious predator, majority of the time Dingos keep to themself and are hard to find. Remembering that they are wild animals, you should not feed or try to touch them under any circumstances. There are also Camp Grounds available that are dingo fenced for your peace of mind, along with various fenced areas for you to stop of at for lunch.If you see a Dingo that you believe requires assistance or could possibly be threatening, call the National Parks and Wildlife Service immediately.
If you would like anymore information about Fraser Island feel free to email us at info@indyworldtravel.com or comment below :)