Before it was popularly known as Fraser — after shipwreck survivor Eliza Fraser — early explorers referred to it as Great Sandy Island. This accumulation of sand floating offshore from Hervey Bay in south-east Queensland, is the world’s largest. Stretching 123km long and about 22km wide, it’s shape — according to the Butchulla — resembles a humpback whale, many of which pass the island during winter and spring.

Fraser Island earned World Heritage status in 1992 and is a stunning playground for nature enthusiasts and campers. Sand is ever present here — almost all of the island’s 1,200km of tracks are formed from it — but if you’ve got a high clearance 4WD with low range capacity then take advantage of the abundant bush camping and go explore.

HIT THE ‘HIGHWAY’

From the ferry disembarkation point at Kingfisher Bay on the island’s west coast, you’ll quickly hit the soft sand roads of the interior that have a 30km/h speed limit you’d be lucky to reach. A gentler introduction would be to take the ferry to Hook Point which deposits you onto 75 Mile Beach on the south-east coast. This sand ‘highway’ allows speeds of up to 80km/h and makes for blissfully easy driving at low tide (keep left as you would on a normal road).

This route links many of the island’s key east coast attractions. The wreck of the Maheno, a trans- Tasman liner beached during a cyclone in 1935, is worth a look. Sheltered from ocean waves, great swimming can be found at the Champagne Pools and, nearby, an outcrop of volcanic rhyolite forms Indian Head, with excellent panoramic views. Waddy Point is another great vantage point for spotting turtles, sharks and whales out at sea.

Beach driving is best done at low tide or within two hours either side, and the dangers of venturing onto the sand outside of this period should not be taken lightly. In big tides the beach can all but disappear, leaving drivers stranded on small pockets of dry land or worse. Every year a few cars are lost to sinking sands and rising waters, even with experienced drivers at the wheel.

Maheno shipwreck

SHIFTING SANDS

The sands of Fraser Island have been accumulating for around a million years, washed by ocean currents from northern NSW and southern Queensland. The island is in a continual state of movement, with sands from the eastern shore being blown inland to create giant sandblows that swallow forests whole before losing momentum to be regained by plants once more.

Dozens of these sandblows, often punctuated with the  skeletal remains of trees, make for interesting exploration. The Hammerstone Sandblow stretches almost 2.5km inland and advances up to a metre each year.

The Binngih Sandblow at Waddy Point offers sweeping views over the northern headland, towards Sandy Cape where a lighthouse is situated. A 200 metre walk through the impressive red, yellow, orange and brown sands of Rainbow Gorge leads to Kirrar Sandblow.

Driving on sandy roads will be more challenging if there has been little rain on the island

LAKES WORTH A LINGER

With its famously crystalline blue waters and a dazzling white, powder-soft beach lined with maleleucas, it’s easy to see how Lake McKenzie has become an iconic feature and a popular swimming spot. It’s a perched lake, one of 40 across the island, created by rainwater collecting in dune hollows and contained by an underlying layer of hard-packed organic matter.

Fraser Island has more than half of the world’s perched lakes and Lake Boomanjin is the world’s largest, covering 190 hectares. This vast and beautiful lake has waters stained from tree tannins and is far less visited. In contrast, Lake Wabby is a barrage lake, formed by a dam wall of sand from the adjacent Hammerstone Sandblow, and at 11.5m, is the island’s deepest.

To see freshwater turtles, a 1.4km circuit trail leads to a viewing platform at Lake Allom, lined with towering brush box and satinay trees. Basin Lake is a 5.6km round trip walk from Central Station, making it an often-secluded option for a swim.

Relax at the Sand Bar with a picnic rug for happy hour

RARE RAINFOREST

Fraser is one of the few places on Earth where rainforest grows in sand at elevations of 200m, thanks to the occurrence of mycorrhizal fungi that releases nutrients into the sand and allows plants to thrive. Add to that almost two metres of rain a year and the forests here are impressively green and lush, filled with epiphytes, thick beds of damp moss, lichens and palms.

Stands of kauri, satinay and hoop pine trees were once prolific but in the late 1800s and early 1900s loggers cleared plenty. Satinays, found mainly on Fraser, have a bark resistant to marine borers, and this made their timber hugely appealing, leading to their use in the construction of the Suez Canal.

Thankfully some areas of forest were classified ‘beauty spots’ and spared. The Valley of the Giants contains some of the island’s largest living trees. Short walks here lead to a few enormous specimens more than 1,000 years old.

Aerial view of the magnificent 75 Mile Beach

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Fraser Island is synonymous with dingoes. Around 250 of the purest breed specimens in Australia roam in packs of up to 12 individuals.  Dingoes have a natural fear of people and generally steer well clear, but those habituated to humans can become dangerous and, as such, should never be encouraged or fed. They adhere to a pack mentality with ‘rules’ and body language that differ greatly from domestic dogs. Simple things like walking alone or jogging can trigger a test of dominance or an attack, and women and children are at a greater risk. It’s best to walk in groups and, if in doubt, carry a stick as a deterrent. Being complacent around dingoes has led to serious injuries, requiring dogs  to be euthanased, so for the benefit of all it’s best not to encourage them. Families with children are recommended to stay in the four campsites that have dingo deterrent fences.

Wildlife is rich on the island, from swamp wallabies to sugar gliders, lace monitors, frogs and even a few brumbies. Offshore the life is abundant too, with habitat for dugongs and dolphins. The sheltered waters of Platypus Bay, on the north-west coast, are a resting spot for migrating humpback whales and half-day boat trips can manoeuvre you literally eye to eye with these majestic creatures — sometimes with a swim too.

Fishing is good year-round — trevally, whiting, flathead — but between May and October the annual ‘Tailor Run’ is a major draw on the eastern surf beach. For easier access head to Kingfisher Bay Resort where a long jetty is the only structure around for miles, providing shelter for baitfish and drawing in the bigger predators.

Steer clear of the island’s dingoes

WHEELS AND FEET

Four classic scenic drives, taking two to four hours each, visit many popular attractions, or alternatively you can make up your own route. Allow plenty of time as travel  can be slow and getting bogged, or encountering others who are bogged, is a common occurrence that can cause long backups.

It’s good practice to let faster vehicles pass, particularly the daytour buses whose 20-tonne loads require them to keep a decent speed to maintain momentum. If it hasn’t rained for a while, the softer sand makes travel even more challenging.

While the island’s east coast is dominated by its long sandy beach, the west is characterised by mangroves, and the increased tree roots can slow progress.

Migrating humpback whales glide by during winter and spring

Discovering the island on foot is a great way to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds and there are literally dozens of hikes to choose from, ranging from short 30-minute strolls to the six-day Fraser Island Great Walk.

Fraser Island is vast and its attractions too numerous to mention, but whichever way you do it there’s enough here to keep you busy (or relaxed) for weeks.

Category: Destinations
Written: Wed 01 Jan 2020
Printed: January, 2020
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