When it comes to travelling the East Coast of Australia there are two giants of must-see locations - The Whitsundays and Fraser Island. While we’ve talked about The Whitsundays before, we thought we should give Fraser Island some time in the limelight.
Fraser Island (otherwise known as K’Gari, meaning paradise, in the language of the local Butchella People) is the World’s Largest Sand Island, stretching over 120km. This World-Heritage Site is filled with some of the most amazing natural locations in the area, making it a place full of things to do. From beautiful beaches, to pristine lakes, to amazing lookouts, and more. If you’re heading to Fraser Island and you’re looking for things to do you’ve come to the right place.
Lake McKenzie
Lake McKenzie is by far one of the most popular places on the island. Famous for its impossibly clear waters and soft, pristine white sands, the lake is truly a paradise in the middle of Fraser Island. But how did Lake McKenzie become so special? It’s because Lake McKenzie is a perched lake. This essentially means that the lake contains rainwater and no other water. It’s not fed by any streams that cross through the island, nor is it fed by the nearby ocean, and the pure white silica sands create a layer that makes it impossible for the water to flow away. The stillness of the water means Lake McKenzie is incredibly clear, as well as making it hard for much life in the lake. So while you won’t see much marine life, you’ll get uninterrupted time to swim, relax, and chill out in some of Australia’s most beautiful waters.
Maheno Shipwreck
With its abundant gifts of nature, Fraser Island is full of magical places. But if you’re feeling a bit sick and tired of the islands clear waters and lush rainforests take a trip to the SS Maheno (Maheno means ‘island’ in Maori), one of Fraser Island’s most popular locations. The SS Maheno was built in Scotland for New Zealand’s Union Company in 1905 and is the world's first turbine-driven steamer. But in 1935 the SS Maheno got caught in a fierce cyclone, about 50 miles of the coast, and flung onto Fraser Island where it would remain for the rest of its life. These days the Maheno is a simple image of rust and iron bones, making for a beautiful stark contrast against the background of the sea that brought it here.
Eli Creek
Eli Creek is another Fraser favourite. The creek is one of the largest freshwater streams and also holds probably some of the clearest water on the island. This is because Eli Creek begins high up in the sand dunes and, as it flows towards the sea, the sand removes almost all of its impurities. But the real reason people come here isn’t because of how nice the water is, it’s because Eli Creek pushes out over 4 million litres of water onto the beach every hour. Making it a perfect place to grab an Aqua Donut and relax while you float down the river.
4x4 Tag-Along Tour
If you’re already keen to explore Fraser Island the best way by far is booking a 4x4 Tag-Along Tour. Jump in a 4x4 and speed along the sands of Fraser Island with some new found friends and experience the best Fraser Island has to offer. There’s a bunch of different tours from a bunch of different companies, all different lengths and all different styles, however we recommend checking out Dingo’s. They’re one of the best out there and the guides know the island like the back of their hand. You’ll get to drive along 75 Mile Beach, sleep under the stars and do almost all the things featured on this list!
Central Station Rainforest
When most people think of Fraser Island they think of a few things - sun, sand, clear waters, and the occasional dingo. But people often forget the historic heart of Fraser Island, Central Station on Wangoolba Creek. Central Station is one of the only places on the earth where tall, rich rainforests can be found growing out of the sand, rising up more the 200 metres. The rainforest itself is full of history. It was first a Butchella woman’s area and birthing place where men were excluded, and later was the headquarters of Fraser Islands forestry operation from 1920 until the late 1950’s, during which time it was home to about 30 houses where the loggers and their families lived. The rainforest is also home to the King Fern, (or Angiopteris Evecta if you’re a bit of a science nerd) a rare and ancient fern only found in a few places around the world. In fact, it was once dinosaur food, being found in rocks that date to over 300 million years old.
Fishing
Image thanks to Queensland Uncovered
People think fishing is boring, but when you’ve got scenery as nice as this fishing suddenly comes alive. Fraser Island is top notch when it comes to beach fishing, the area is brimming with Bream, Tailor, Whiting, Flathead and more. If you’re thinking of hunting for a few fish the best spots are Sandy Cape, the most northern point on Fraser, Waddy Point, which is on the north-east coast, Indian Head, on the eastern ocean side, and Middle Rocks, just north of Indian head. Just a heads up though, Indian Head and Waddy point become no fish zones during part of the year - so keep your rods out of there between the 1st of August to the 30th of September.
Skydiving
Image Thanks to Skydive Australia
When it comes to Skydiving in Australia there’s two things that make a location great. The view and the landing. Fraser Island already has the view in spades. You’ll see 360° views of Rainbow Beach, Tin Can Bay, and of course the island itself, all while falling from 15,000ft. But what about the landing? The most popular, and also the coolest in our opinion, is a beach landing. Mission Beach, Great Ocean Road, Airlie Beach - all popular skydive spots, all with beach landings. But what if we could 100% guarantee a beach landing? Well on the world’s largest sand island, everywhere is a beach landing. So throw yourself out of a plane and cruise down to K’Gari for the adrenaline experience of a lifetime. The best bit? After the skydive your already on Fraser, ready to explore.
