World heritage Fraser Island

Fraser Coast - World heritage Fraser Island

Explore the world's largest sand island

Fraser Island is the northernmost in a string of sand islands along the southern Queensland coast that includes Moreton Island near Brisbane and North and South Stradbroke Islands off the Gold Coast, formed over hundreds of thousands of years as winds, waves and ocean currents have carried sands from the eastern river systems of Australia out to the continental shelf and in towards the land again. The highest dune on the island is 244 metres but most rise to between 100 and 200 metres above sea level and drilling shows that the sand extends to 100 metres below sea level in places.

Almost all of the island is national park and only accessible by four-wheel drive or boat

It is a world heritage wilderness with towering rainforest, massive sandblows, beautiful freshwater lakes and continuous beach. It is the only place in the world where tall rainforests are found growing on sand dunes at elevations of over 200 metres and has half the world's perched dune lakes (there are 40 on the island), lakes formed when organic matter, such as leaves, bark and dead plants, gradually builds up and hardens in depressions created by the wind. The island also has barrage lakes, formed when moving sand dunes block a watercourse, and 'window' lakes, formed when a depression exposes part of the regional water table. The dingo population on the island is regarded as the most pure strain of dingoes remaining in eastern Australia.

One of the most popular sites is Lake McKenzie with white sand and clear, blue water and fantastic swimming. Lake Wabby, at the advancing edge of the Hammerstone Sandblow, is the deepest lake on the island. You can walk across the sand dunes to Ocean Beach, but the shadeless white sands can make for very hot walking in summer - go early in the morning and carry lots of water. Eli Creek is a crystal clear freshwater creek that flows right out to the beach and is very popular place to swim as you can walk the boardwalk then float with the current to the beach. The wreck of the Maheno lies slowly deteriorating on the water's edge, about 10km north of Happy Valley. The trans-Tasman liner, bound for a Japanese wrecking yard, was driven ashore during a cyclone in 1935.

Waddy Point headland at the northern tip of Ocean Beach offers great views of beach and ocean and you can often see sea turtles, sharks and stingrays in the water below. Champagne Pools, where the surf crashes over a series of rock walls into calm but bubbly rock pool below the headland, is another popular swimming spot.

Lake Boomanjin is the largest perched lake in the world, covering almost 200ha, with its waters stained brown by tannins leached from the vegetation.

Central Station has several good walks though the rainforest including the Wanggoolba Creek boardwalk along a creek with water so clear it is almost invisible

Visit peaceful Basin Lake or stand among some impressive satinay trees in Pile Valley or in the aptly named Valley of the Giants.

All roads on Fraser Island are 4WD only - there are a number of tours available or you can self drive with 4WD hire available on the island and in nearby Hervey Bay, but be warned, you'll need some experience of driving on sand before you head out of the resort. If you haven't driven on sand before the friendly folk at Kingfisher Bay car hire rental will give you a quick lesson before you set out.

The tracks in the centre of the island are soft sand and in dry and/or busy periods can deteriorate quickly. Engage 4WD (and lock hubs if necessary) as soon as you start driving on sand and lower tyre pressure. Normal road rules apply. Most inland tracks are wide enough for just one vehicle, so you will need to pull over frequently to let oncoming traffic pass; those down hill should give way. Most people head to 75 Mile Beach on the eastern side of the island, where driving on hard sand is much easier and access to various highlights is quicker. It is however, inaccessible two hours either side of high tide, so check tide charts before you set off.

Inland, the Central Lakes scenic drive (30km, around two hours) meanders through tall open forest. Highlights include Pile Valley's impressive stand of tall, straight satinay trees, Lake McKenzie and Lake Wabby lookout for a view of Lake Wabby and Stonetool Sandblow. In peak periods (summer holidays and Easter) the road through Lake McKenzie can become very congested and parking may not be available. Plan to arrive at Lake McKenzie before 10.30am or after 2.30pm, otherwise there may be delays.

The Southern Lakes scenic drive (30km, around two hours) is through hoop pine plantations, native tall forests and open forest with extensive areas of banksia woodland, wallum heathlands and reedy swamps. Lake Garawongera scenic drive (15km, one hour) is a very rough inland track and for experienced 4WD users only, as is the remote Northern Forests scenic drive (36km, around 2.5 hours) that starts at Happy Valley and heads north-west towards Yidney Scrub before crossing through rainforest and wallum woodland, past the Boomerang Lakes and on to Lake Allom. Stop in at the lookout over Knifeblade Sandblow before reaching the eastern beach, just south of The Pinnacles.

But getting around Fraser is not just about being behind the wheel. Fraser Island Great Walk is a 90km trail that winds between Dilli Village and Happy Valley, passing iconic sites such as Lake McKenzie, Wanggoolba Creek, Lake Wabby and Central Station, as well as some of the islands most popular spots like the Valley of the Giants. As well as the full walk, there are several short walks from Central Station, Kingfisher Bay Resort, Lake McKenzie, Lake Wabby, Lake Boomanjin and Eurong. Additional walking tracks link the Great Walk to the island’s main barge landings, accommodation and supply centres.

There are a number of tours available and the rangers at Kingfisher Bay Resort also run guided canoe paddles into Dundonga Creek, a freshwater creek that runs into the ocean close to the resort and has an excellent mangrove colony. Dolphins, dugong, turtles and rays can often be seen, along with pythons which often swim from tree to tree as you glide past.

Article by Lee Atkinson, February 2006.