This page will help you to get the most out of your stay on beautiful, fascinating Fraser Island.
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Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island, and Australia's largest off-shore island, being 124 km long and 5.25km wide. It can be reached by commercial ferry or plane operated by tourist companies based on the mainland. The island is readily accessible from Brisbane by plane or road, or by barge or ferry from Hervey Bay, Inskip Point (Rainbow Beach) or Mary River Heads on the mainland. The ferry takes 30 minutes from the Hervey Bay.
Fraser's beaches are particularly attractive for those with 4WD vehicles, but the island is large enough to provide plenty of room for everyone. 4WD vehicles can be hired through Getabout Oz. A light plane trip can give a good overview of the island and bay. (The beach is the airstrip.) The sandy straits between the mainland and Fraser island are ideal for sailing, and also attract hundreds of anglers for the tailor season. Camping and vehicle permits are required.
Scenically, Fraser Island features seemingly endless miles of beaches and sand dunes, long stretches of mangroves, exceptionally clear-water creeks, cliffs of coloured sands, tall unspoilt rainforests - and half the world's perched freshwater dune lakes. This combination of sand-dunes, tropical rainforests and lakes makes its 160 000 hectares an exceptional and memorable place to visit.
View the Fraser Island Ferry Timetable.
You will need a Camping Permit to camp on Fraser Island.
You will also need a Vehicle Access Permit to drive on Fraser Island.
Accommodation is limited, and varies from beach camping, backpacker's accommodation, private house rental and resort standard accommodation. Booking is essential. On the ocean side, there is accommodation at Happy Valley, Eurong, Dilli Village and Cathedral Beacj Camping Park. Korawinga Lodge at Eurong has time-share units. All these holiday centres have family accommodation. Day tours leave Hervey Bay and Rainbow Beach. For further information, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife can be contacted.
The long stretches of beaches are unique, the most notable being Seventy-Five Mile Beach.
There are 72 differently-coloured sands on the island, the best being seen along a 35km stretch of beach called Happy Valley.
There are over 40 lakes on the island, each with its individual features, and all above sea level.
Sand blows are an added attraction worth seeing, caused by the sand being shifted by the sea breezes. The Knife Blade is the largest of these blows.
The shipwreck Maheno is easily seen on the beach just south of the Knife Blade.
The western coast of Fraser Island is fringed by mangroves backed by 30 000-year-old cypress pines.
Along the eastern coastline are sand dunes that have been blown into shapes with such names as The Cathedrals and The Pinnacles.
Rocky headlands provide excellent views.
The coastal creeks have water that has taken about 70 years to works its way through the dunes and underground aquifers.
There are cliffs and gorges in shades of orange, red, yellow and pure white.
Other features are great basalt headlands and saltpans with eerie mangrove forests.
Scientists believe Fraser Island developed over 800 000 years, its sand coming from Northern NSW, washed into the sea by the big rivers in that area, and carried north by strong sea currents.
The rainforests grow in sand, but survive on the nutrients supplied from the breakdown of other plants. Some of the giant satinay and brush box trees are over 1000 years old.
The island attained World Heritage Listing in December 1992 because of its sand dune systems, rainforests growing on sand, and the amazing clarity of the water in its streams. (You can look at a stream and see only the creek bed because the water is so clear.)
Fraser's vegetation is not all tall forest, as the Wallum heath lands occupy a lot of the lowlands. Here you can see scribbly gums (the scribbles on the bark are caused by an insect), and the Wallum Banksia. (Banksias are named after Sir Joseph Banks, the botanist on Captain Cook's ship Endeavour.)
The sand of Fraser Island goes down to a depth 30-60 meters below sea level. The dune systems dates back 30 000 years and are the oldest in the world.
Groundwater is stored in huge reserves of about 10-20 million megalitres within the sandmass. Six million litres of this is stored above sea level.
Some of Fraser Island's 40 lakes are estimated to be over 300 000 years old.
There are about 50 species of fern on Fraser island, including the angiopteris fern which had the largest fronds of any fern in the world. It uses water pressure rather than structural tissue to keep its fronds erect.
The wildflowers are at their best between the months of August and September.
The only way to get around the island is by 4wd. There is a wide range of tracks for driving to the main places of interest, but you have to be able to drive a 4wd in varying terrains - mainly sand - after all, Fraser Island is ALL sand! Getabout Oz has access to the widest range of 4wd vehicles available, including tent-top campers. Let us know your travel requirements and we can advise the right vehicle for your needs.
Consider picking up your 4wd in Brisbane and tour north through the Glass House Mountains to Gympie and then on to beautiful Hervey Bay. This is where you get the vehicle ferry to Fraser Island. You can camp on the Island or there is accommodation available. There are also many organised tours of the various sights on the island. The choice is yours.
The Maheno was once a luxury liner, which when on route to Japan to be scrapped when it was washed ashore on the eastern beach of Fraser Island during a rare winter cyclone.
Walking Tracks vary from short walks along creek beds to a 13km walk between Lake McKenzie and Lake Waddy. It is recommended walks be taken with an experienced bush walker, and to always advise park rangers of your itinerary before setting out.
Maps, and a compass are essential, as is staying on the tracks, as swamps and thick heath make many areas inaccessible. The southern area has fresh water in creeks, but it is harder to find water in the northern areas, so adequate food and water should be carried.
Comfortable walking shoes, a hat, sunscreen, water, food and a compass are needed by bush walkers.
Fraser is not snake free, and the local wild dingoes should not be fed. Insect repellent is needed in summer and after rain. Roads - All tracks are unsealed, and are not graded regularly, which means the roads are rough.
Self-drive 4WD vehicles and trail bikes are available for exploring the island, and can be transported by ferry from the mainland. Commercial 4WD buses take tourists on day trips, and there are restaurants, general stores and basic comfort stops available. There are no towns on Fraser Island. Accommodation ranges from a resort to beach camping.
Swimming - There is excellent swimming in the creeks and lakes. Swimmers should not swim into the surf on the eastern shore because of the dangerous currents.
Fishing - The island boasts some 200 lakes that provide excellent spots for fishing. Many visitors come mainly for the fishing, especially along the ocean beaches of the eastern coast. A fishing competition is an annual event here, running for a whole week.
Flora and Fauna - Fraser Island is famous for over 300 species of birds, and include coastal birds such as dotterals, pied oyster-catchers, pelicans and terns, and birds of prey such as brahminy kites, white-breasted sea eagles, ospreys and peregrine falcons. The island's heathlands are home to one of Australia's rarest bird, the ground parrot, and here you will also find honey-eaters, kingfishers and cockatoos.
The freshwater wetlands are the habitat of curlews, jabirus and brolgas.
There are 25 species of mammal, including pure-breed dingoes, wallabies, possums, flying foxes and echidnas. Dugong feed on the sea grass, turtles breed on some island beaches, and tailor spawn annually near rocky headlands.
Humpback whales from the Antarctica come to the sheltered waters of Platypus Bay with their new calves on their return journey south. Between July and August is the time to see the whales, and licenced tour-operators operate from Hervey Bay.
The climate on Fraser Island is categorised as maritime subtropical with annual mean temperatures ranging from 14.1C minimum to 28.8C maximum. Rainfall is high, reaching 1800mm on the highest dunes in the centre of the island.
Resorts and stores on the mainland provide information and booking facilities for day trips, tours and accommodation on Fraser Island. There are also Information Centres on the island at Central Station, Eurong National Parks and Wildlife Office, Waddy Point and Dundabara as well as at tourist information centres, resorts and stores on the island. Fuel and ice are available on the island.
