Some time ago we had a privilege of camping and 4 Wheel Driving on the world’s largest sand island, Fraser Island.
It is a World Heritage Site, making it a precious part of Australia’s natural and cultural heritage. It 122 km long and the only place where sand and rain forest live in harmony.
There are beautiful long stretches of the purest white beaches you would see just about anywhere in the world. Endless clear blue skies, deep, translucent clear blue fresh water lakes, exotic rainforests and extraordinary sand cliffs are what goes to make Fraser Island a tourist mecca. It is also a great place for camping and 4WD. If you don’t have your own 4WD you can hire your one from nearby Hervey Bay on the mainland and explore the island at your leisure. You can pitch up a camping place on the beach, although you will need a permit. Alternatively you could choose the Youth Hostel or one of the many lodges and take a tour.
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| Typical sand road Photo source: BugBog |
Fraser Island is home to over 300 species of bird, including many rare coastal birds such as pied oyster catchers. The ground parrot also resides here along with honey-eaters and cockatoos. Pure bred dingoes, which are Australia's wild dogs, are also on the island. Though generally shy of humans, they are wild and visitors are advised not to feed them as they are highly dangerous and have been known to intrude in camp grounds especially when scavenging for food.
You may be lucky to catch a glimpse of humpback whales as they migrate from the Antarctica between July and August. The sea, as inviting as it may appear to the casual observer are fraught with dangers such as Tiger Sharks, stingrays and other stingers which abound in the waters off the beaches!
Any of the pristine fresh water lakes of Fraser Island are safe for swimming. Lake McKenzie is probably the most famous of the lakes on the island. It has crystal blue waters and perfect white sands. However fame comes at a cost. It is a popular place and it can get rather crowded in the middle of the day during peak season. I liked to visit some of the other more remote lakes as all of them are terrific.
We endeavoured to spend every second day driving through the rainforest either to a distant lake or the other side of the island. It didn’t really matter where we went everything was wonderful. Some of our team wanted a decent cappuccino at the end of one of the 4WD treks. There didn’t seem to be a shortage of coffee shops – they knew where they all were. I loved the idea of relaxing under the shade of the trees within walking distance of one of the many fresh water stream running down to the ocean. I also enjoyed walking along he beach and occasionally indulging in a bit of sand dune surfing. I also enjoyed walking around the ship wreck on one of the beaches.
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Michelle