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Travel to Australia |
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Fraser IslandIf you drive north from Brisbane along the Bruce Highway for around four hours, you'll find yourself in Hervey Bay - where you can catch a ferry across to Fraser Island.
Fraser is the world's largest sand island, at 123 km long by 15 km wide, and was World Heritage Listed in 1993 after a long struggle between conservationists and sand mining interests. It's composed almost entirely of vegetation covered sand, and has over 40 freshwater lakes and dense rainforest.
(Central Station Rainforest, Fraser Island) Climate At 500 kilometres south of the Tropic of Capricorn, Fraser Island has a hot and humid climate but is cooled by sea breezes. Its summer maximum average temperature is only 30 degrees C, although the summer months have some extremely hot days. Winters are mild, with average temperatures of around 15 degrees C. This is usually the dry season and most winter days are sunny and frost free, making for a very pleasant climate. People with fair skins need to be wary when out in the midday sunshine since unprotected skin can burn in a few minutes. Hats, cool clothing that protects from the sun, sunscreen and common sense are essentials to enjoying Fraser Island summers.
Walking Tours Walking is one of the best ways to appreciate what Fraser has to offer. Walking tracks vary from a few hundred metres along some of the creek walkways, up to 13km treks, such as that between Lake McKenzie and Lake Wabby. Before setting out ensure you have good, comfortable walking shoes, a broad-brimmed hat, sunscreen lotion, plenty of water, a good map and a compass. The terrain on Fraser is generally easy, but walking on sand can be tiring and slow when the sand is soft, so always avoid walking in the hottest part of the day and allow plenty of time to reach your destination before dark. Constructed walking tracks and old forestry roads make the easiest walking and taking to the bush, off the beaten tracks is inadvisable and can be dangerous, particularly for the inexperienced bushwalker, as swamps and thick heathland vegetation make many parts of the island difficult to get through. The southern part of the island is well provided with water sources, but the northern half is dry in parts and freshwater is harder to locate. You should always carry ample water supplies and food. The Wild Life Fraser is not snake free and care should be taken - always be especially vigilant when walking through long grass, around rocks etc. Stamping on the ground will alert any snakes in the vicinity, and they generally take the view that 'discretion is the better part of valour' and stay out of your way. Mosquitoes and midges are a greater threat, so it's advisable to apply insect repellent in the hotter months and after rain. Do not encourage or feed the dingoes - they are wild, unpredictable and should be appreciated from a distance. There are fines for anyone who feeds these animals - for their protection as well as yours. Fraser's delicate balance of environments will survive for future generations, but only through the thoughtfulness of its visitors. Bushwalkers should keep to tracks, avoid damaging vegetation and respect the island's cultural and environmental heritage. Walking tracks in the southern half of the island: Dilli Village to Lake Boomanjin - 7km. Ocean Lake Circuit - 5km. The Pinnacles - these are part of the high coloured sand cliffs fronting the eastern surf beach. Fraser Island itself consists of sands compacted and bonded by silt and clay to a hard consistency; loose sand has blown over most of the core, but where it is exposed it gives the island some of its most magnificent scenery. The bulk of these sand deposits originated in NSW and have been brought here by wind and sea over thousands of years!
(Coloured sands, Fraser Island) Sandy Cape lighthouse - was built in 1870, at a time when there were many shipwrecks in the area. Lake McKenzie - white sandy beaches and clear, fresh water for swimming.
Precautions There are no paved roads outside of resorts, and most roads are tracks, so care is needed. The beach itself is also gazetted as a road, so the same road rules apply as on 'normal' roads - observe the speed limits, keep to the left, don't drink and drive. You'll find more information here on driving safely in the sand. You must also be especially vigilant for children, since Fraser is a popular family camping spot. Most rocks encountered along the beach are known as 'coffee rock', a dark brown sedimentary rock made up of sand grains cemented together with decomposed plant remains. Coffee rock is often soft enough to crumble easily, but in other places can be surprisingly hard. Tourist brochures tend to show vehicles travelling easily along the uncluttered eastern beach at low tide, but several outcrops of rock exist at various places along its length. When combined with a high tide, the rocky outcrops form a formidable obstacle even for 4WD vehicles. Detouring inland to avoid obstacles on the beach can mean a steep climb into the dunes through soft sand. Attention to tyre pressures is often necessary to make the climb successfully. Every year several vehicles are damaged and written off in mishaps on the island and it's easy to became trapped by a high tide.
(Indian Head, Fraser Island. All photos courtesy QTTC) Other traps that regularly claim vehicles are sand washouts where streams cross the beach. Their vertical banks can be difficult to see travelling at highway speeds, yet are quite high enough to cause suspension damage to vehicles plunging over them. But don't be put off by these warnings - Fraser is a magic place that has unique attractions. Additional Information Centres with information about the island are located at Central Station, Eurong National Parks and Wildlife Office, Waddy Point and Dundubara. There are no doctors or hospitals on Fraser Island. During peak visitor periods, a Queensland Ambulance Station is manned at Happy Valley. An Air Ambulance operates in the events of emergencies. Contact the Ranger Stations at Eurong, Central Station, Dundubara; Waddy Point, Ungowa or direct to the base in Nambour. In the event of bushfires or other emergencies or difficulties, contact the Ranger Staff at stations on the island at: Eurong Ph:(071) 27 9128 Central Station Ph:(071) 27 9191 Waddy Point Ph:(071) 27 9190 Dundubara Ph: (071) 27 9138 Ungowa Ph:(071) 27 9113.
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