Philip P
Australia is full of beautiful places to experience, and I hope to help people get the most from their travels...
View all articles by Philip PA Guide to Visiting Fraser Island
If you are looking for an amzing destination for your next holiday, Fraser Island is 184,000 hectares of lush forest and plant life in which live an abundance of animals, surrounded by a fringe of endless white beaches running next to eye-catching coloured sand cliffs. On top of that, off-shore waters provide a haven for visiting whales and other sea life. The Butchalla Aboriginal people gave it the name "K'gari", meaning "paradise", and once you experience it you understand why they felt that way. You also understand why Fraser Island is listed as one of Australia's World Heritage areas, along with Uluru, Kakadu and the Great Barrier Reef.
During your stay, you can enjoy walks of varying distance, swim in the sea or soak in the purest lakes. Perhaps you'll camp, take a guided tour, watch whales, go fishing, indulge your appetite for water sports, or get around by four-wheel drive. You may see a shipwreck, a lighthouse, or simply relax in the sun on the beach. Fraser Island is simply one of the world's best places to go to get away from it all.
As many as 500,000 visitors each year take advantage of the many attractions Fraser Island offers. Awaiting you are world-class beaches, unique lakes, one-of-a-kind rainforests, and a wild profusion of wildlife. You'll discover a whole range of activities to keep you busy, and resorts to spoil you if that's what you want.
Back outside, the ocean beaches in many places stretch to both horizons. The best-known is Seventy-Five Mile Beach. Keep your eyes open for wild dingoes while you're there! The beach also serves as one of the roadways people use to drive about the island, as well as a landing strip!
An even more remarkable feature of Fraser Island is its sand-based rainforest. As the world's largest sand island, it normally wouldn't be possible for rainforests to grow here. The rainforests on Fraser Island have found a special solution to this problem, however. They work together with fungi in the sand to extract what they need to grow. Hence the world's only rainforest in sand above 200 metres!
The result is a truly astonishing diversity of plant and animal life. You'll enjoy the island's wide range of plants and wildlife. Dingoes as well as dozens of other species thrive. Hundreds of species of birds are seen here, and many species of reptiles and rare frogs can be found. The surrounding waters provide a habitat for dolphins and other sea life, as well as a seasonal shelter for migrating humpback whales.
Fraser Island has even more in store for you. You'll find more than 100 freshwater lakes all over the island, with water coloured anything from clear to reddish-brown, each with its own beach of powdery white sand. 40 of them are perched lakes, special to sand country. Among the most popular ones, Lake McKenzie is known for its clear blue waters and white shores and Lake Wabby, the deepest lake on the island, can be reached by a four-wheel drive.
While you're observing the natural variety, don't miss some of the other features, such as Maheno Shipwreck and Sandy Cape Lighthouse, which has excellent views of the ocean, beach, and rainforest.
In between bouts of sightseeing and playing, you're going to need some place to stay. Depending on your budget and tastes, you'll find a full range of accommodations on Fraser Island.
Eurong Beach Resort, located near the Seventy-Five Mile Beach, is well-positioned to visit McKenzie Lake, Wabby Lake and also the Central Station rainforest. The resort has all the mod cons, including a contemporary restaurant and a large swimming pool. Kingfisher Bay Resort, on the island's west, is an award-winning ecotourism resort with a hotel, over 100 1-3 bedroom villas, a nightclub and more.
Alternatively, why not avail yourself of the National Park and private camp-sites all over the island? National Park sites provide some basic facilities including showers and toilets, while other sites may have few or none.
Once you're rested and ready for the day, be sure to try out the water-sports, walks, bird-watching, whale-watching, and tours. You can rent canoes, catamarans, snorkelling and fishing gear at Kingfisher Bay Resort.
You'll enjoy guided walks such as the Fraser Island Great Walk, which is 90 kilometres long and takes 6-8 days. If you don't want to walk that far, begin in Kingfisher Bay at the ferry drop-off, make your way to Lake McKenzie, where you can sta overnight, and then walk back.
While you're out and about, if you stay alert you can see hundreds of species of birds. If you like whales, you're really in luck! Those in the know call Fraser Island the Whale Watch Capital of the World. More than 1500 humpback whales take advantage of the calm, safe waters in the lee of the island between July and November.
Since you're at the beach, you may notice that Fraser Island has some of the best beach fishing in the world. You can angle all year round in the surf gutters. The tailor season in winter sees dozens of fishing groups along the beach.
Many visitors like to take a tour so they can learn more about this beautiful island. If you share that desire, you have many options to choose from. Tours run each day from Hervey Bay and Rainbow Beach and include courtesy pick-ups, all meals and accommodation for 2-3 day tours.
If you're planning to drive on the island, you'll need a four-wheel drive to get around. As already mentioned, Seventy-Five Mile Beach actually doubles as a highway that runs up the surf side of the island. You can also use the sand tracks crossing the island.
Now that you've heard the story, why not come and experience the real thing? It could be your best holiday ever.
During your stay, you can enjoy walks of varying distance, swim in the sea or soak in the purest lakes. Perhaps you'll camp, take a guided tour, watch whales, go fishing, indulge your appetite for water sports, or get around by four-wheel drive. You may see a shipwreck, a lighthouse, or simply relax in the sun on the beach. Fraser Island is simply one of the world's best places to go to get away from it all.
As many as 500,000 visitors each year take advantage of the many attractions Fraser Island offers. Awaiting you are world-class beaches, unique lakes, one-of-a-kind rainforests, and a wild profusion of wildlife. You'll discover a whole range of activities to keep you busy, and resorts to spoil you if that's what you want.
Back outside, the ocean beaches in many places stretch to both horizons. The best-known is Seventy-Five Mile Beach. Keep your eyes open for wild dingoes while you're there! The beach also serves as one of the roadways people use to drive about the island, as well as a landing strip!
An even more remarkable feature of Fraser Island is its sand-based rainforest. As the world's largest sand island, it normally wouldn't be possible for rainforests to grow here. The rainforests on Fraser Island have found a special solution to this problem, however. They work together with fungi in the sand to extract what they need to grow. Hence the world's only rainforest in sand above 200 metres!
The result is a truly astonishing diversity of plant and animal life. You'll enjoy the island's wide range of plants and wildlife. Dingoes as well as dozens of other species thrive. Hundreds of species of birds are seen here, and many species of reptiles and rare frogs can be found. The surrounding waters provide a habitat for dolphins and other sea life, as well as a seasonal shelter for migrating humpback whales.
Fraser Island has even more in store for you. You'll find more than 100 freshwater lakes all over the island, with water coloured anything from clear to reddish-brown, each with its own beach of powdery white sand. 40 of them are perched lakes, special to sand country. Among the most popular ones, Lake McKenzie is known for its clear blue waters and white shores and Lake Wabby, the deepest lake on the island, can be reached by a four-wheel drive.
While you're observing the natural variety, don't miss some of the other features, such as Maheno Shipwreck and Sandy Cape Lighthouse, which has excellent views of the ocean, beach, and rainforest.
In between bouts of sightseeing and playing, you're going to need some place to stay. Depending on your budget and tastes, you'll find a full range of accommodations on Fraser Island.
Eurong Beach Resort, located near the Seventy-Five Mile Beach, is well-positioned to visit McKenzie Lake, Wabby Lake and also the Central Station rainforest. The resort has all the mod cons, including a contemporary restaurant and a large swimming pool. Kingfisher Bay Resort, on the island's west, is an award-winning ecotourism resort with a hotel, over 100 1-3 bedroom villas, a nightclub and more.
Alternatively, why not avail yourself of the National Park and private camp-sites all over the island? National Park sites provide some basic facilities including showers and toilets, while other sites may have few or none.
Once you're rested and ready for the day, be sure to try out the water-sports, walks, bird-watching, whale-watching, and tours. You can rent canoes, catamarans, snorkelling and fishing gear at Kingfisher Bay Resort.
You'll enjoy guided walks such as the Fraser Island Great Walk, which is 90 kilometres long and takes 6-8 days. If you don't want to walk that far, begin in Kingfisher Bay at the ferry drop-off, make your way to Lake McKenzie, where you can sta overnight, and then walk back.
While you're out and about, if you stay alert you can see hundreds of species of birds. If you like whales, you're really in luck! Those in the know call Fraser Island the Whale Watch Capital of the World. More than 1500 humpback whales take advantage of the calm, safe waters in the lee of the island between July and November.
Since you're at the beach, you may notice that Fraser Island has some of the best beach fishing in the world. You can angle all year round in the surf gutters. The tailor season in winter sees dozens of fishing groups along the beach.
Many visitors like to take a tour so they can learn more about this beautiful island. If you share that desire, you have many options to choose from. Tours run each day from Hervey Bay and Rainbow Beach and include courtesy pick-ups, all meals and accommodation for 2-3 day tours.
If you're planning to drive on the island, you'll need a four-wheel drive to get around. As already mentioned, Seventy-Five Mile Beach actually doubles as a highway that runs up the surf side of the island. You can also use the sand tracks crossing the island.
Now that you've heard the story, why not come and experience the real thing? It could be your best holiday ever.