Discover wild and beautiful Fraser Island (also known as K'gari), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world's largest sand island, with a length of 123km and area of 184,000ha.
Best explored by four-wheel drive, Fraser is a nature-sculpted wonderland of wide golden-sand beaches, crystal clear lakes and huge sand dunes scattered with towering satinay hardwoods and a stand of unspoiled rainforest – the perfect spot for a honeymoon or romantic getaway holiday.
Drive scenic 75-Mile Beach – Fraser’s main road – past family tents dotting the nearby sand dunes and anglers as they fish for their supper. Look out for approaching aircraft coming in to land – vehicles must give way!
Stop to admire the many highlights along the beach including: Eli Creek, a picturesque freshwater creek that merges onto the beach, perfect for a cold, refreshing swim; the Maheno ship wreck, beached during a storm in 1935; Wungui Sandblow, a Sahara-like dunescape 4km walk from the beach; and the Cathedrals, a line of multi-coloured sand cliffs.
Further on lies Indian Head, a rocky outcrop with magnificent views overlooking the surf and marine life below, including sharks, manta rays, dolphins and pods of whales (during the migration season).
Further again, Champagne Pools is a group of shallow, safe-swimming pools that marks the end of the drivable beach road.
From Central Station, located in the middle of Fraser, hike bushwalking trails to visit some of the island’s 100 freshwater dune lakes, including magnificent McKenzie Lake as well as Jennings, Birrabeen and Boomanjin lakes.
Sunbathe on the sugar-white sand that rings the 150ha McKenzie Lake and exfoliate your skin in this unique mineral-rich sand.
Discover Fraser Island’s rich fauna, including 47 species of mammals, 79 species of reptiles and more than 354 species of birds.
Look out for swamp wallabies, small-eared mountain possums, brumbies (wild horses) and dingoes that lope along the beach (just don’t be tempted to feed them), as white-bellied sea eagles soar overhead.
While camping is allowed on Fraser, the perfect resor for your island honeymoon or romantic getaway is the 4.5-star Kingfisher Bay Resort, which nestles among tree-covered dunes on the edge of the Great Sandy Strait at the western side of the island.
Or try the all-budget Eurong Beach Resort, located close to Seventy-Mile Beach and Central Station.
Mercure Kingfisher Bay Resort
Location: Fraser Island
Rating: 4-star
Prices: from AUD138 per room
Description: This beachfront resort is located along Fraser's west coast, with a choice of hotel rooms as well as two- and three-bedroom villas. Guestrooms open to balconies with sea, lake or water views and feature jetted bathtubs, LCD televisions, air-conditioning, refrigerators and fax machines. The villas lie just a short walk from the main resort area and pools. Each villa has a kitchen, washing machine and dryer. The resort offers an impressive lineup of eco-educational activities includes daily four-wheel-drive tours with a ranger, free guided walks daily, bird-watching tours, guided canoe trips, sunset champagne sails and dolphin and dugong spotting cruises. Facilities incl.: 3 restaurants, 2 bars, 4 outdoor pools, tennis courts, tour desk and watersports rentals.
The best time to visit Fraser Island is anytime; but for the best weather visit from August to December.
Fraser Island experiences a maritime subtropical climate with warm, humid weather cooled by sea breezes.
Summer (December through March) in Fraser Island is hot and wet, with an average maximum temperature of 29°C (84°F).
Winter (June to September) is predominately dry with just the occasional shower and an average temperature of 22°C (71°F).
More about Fraser Island weather…
Fraser Island is located along the southeastern coast of Queensland, around 250km (160mi) north of the state capital, Brisbane.
The island is separated from the mainland by Great Sandy Strait. The nearest large town to Fraser Island is Hervey Bay, with both Maryborough and Bundaberg situated close by.
The most convenient route to Fraser Island is by air to Hervey Bay Airport (HVB), located about 7km (4.3mi) southeast of the town centre, followed by a short taxi to River Heads and ferry ride to the heritage-listed island.
From River Heads, around 20km (12mi) south of Hervey Bay, a car ferry operates five times daily to Kingfisher Bay, taking 45 minutes.
A ferry serice also operates from Inskip Point, north of Rainbow Beach, to Hook Point on Fraser Island.
From international destinations this may require first flying into Brisbane Airport (BNE), the closest international airport to Fraser Island, and take an express train to Maryborough West.
Queensland Rail Travel operates a frequent high-speed Tilt Train service from Brisbane Roma Street Station to Maryborough West Station, taking 3 hours 33 minutes, four times daily. By taxi, Maryborough West Station to River Heads ferry terminal takes around 50 minutes.
More about how to get to Fraser Island…
Latest update: About Fraser Island: 24 September, 2023
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