Stretching over 123 km off the coast of Australia’s eastern Queensland is Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island. This vast and diverse land offers hundreds of unique destinations and offers the perfect way to explore the four-wheel driving experience in Australia. The World Heritage-listed Fraser Island offers one of Australia’s most rewarding 4WD nature adventures. This island is fondly called as K’Gari which means ‘Paradise’ and it certainly lives up to its name. This island is sure to evoke a strong sense of adventure within anyone who visits. Are you planning a trip to Fraser Island and looking to find the things to do in Fraser Island? That’s great! You have landed on the right page. Read on to know more about things to do in Fraser Island.
Things to do in Fraser Island
A major portion of the land in Fraser Island belongs to the Great Sandy National Park. This park is a protected area of assorted habitats and remarkable beauty. Some of the natural attractions you get to visit here include sub-tropical rainforest, mangroves, lagoons, crystal clear freshwater lakes, streams, towering sand dunes and the beautiful beaches. The hot summers and mild winters make this island a popular destination for tourists throughout the year.
Besides the 4 WD experience, the other best things to do in Fraser Island include hiking the beaches, swimming, fishing, trekking, Camping and Bird watching. Now, let’s get started! Start building your itinerary with our handpicked list of the top 7 things to do on Fraser Island.
Visit Lake McKenzie
With more than 200 freshwater lakes and creeks, the Fraser Island tops the list when it comes to best places to swim and relax. It offers ideal conditions for a refreshing swim.
One of the most-visited attractions in Fraser Island is Lake McKenzie. This lake is huge and offers a striking combination of silky-soft white sand and crystal clear waters in vivid shades of the blue sky. The fine sand of this perched lake filters the rainwater, making it so pure that it also supports little aquatic life. The Lake McKenzie also serves to be a popular camping spot.
Are you looking for a more peaceful and less crowded camping experience? Then, Lake McKenzie is a great option.
Drive 75 Mile Beach Highway
Driving up the 75 mile Beach Highway, along the sweeping wave-thrashed shores of Fraser Island is one of the most unique 4WD safaris in the world. This highway also serves as a landing strip for light aircraft. The multicoloured cliffs of the Pinnacles, the Champagne Pools and the Maheno Shipwreck are some of the most popular stops on this long driveway.
The Speed limit is 80 kilometres per hour in good weather conditions. The highway comes along with road signs and police speed cameras. Make sure you adhere to the traffic rules to refrain from getting arrested.
Float down the Eli Creek
Did you know that this creek pours about four million litres of freshwater into the sea every hour? Sounds cool, right!
Jump into the fresh and cool waters of the Eli Creek and let it carry you along the gently curved path down towards the ocean. Eli Creek is a popular picnic and swimming spot in Fraser Island. Changing rooms and restrooms are located nearby. While you’re here, keep an eye on your children and your belongings.
Watch the Sunrise and Sunset
The sunrise and sunset are absolutely stunning on Fraser island. Get yourself out of bed as early as possible, wrap a blanket around yourself and walk to the beach, to see the day come alive. If you aren’t a morning person, then you always have the chance to watch the sun go down on the horizon, setting the sky ablaze with bright orange, red and yellow light.
Explore the Maheno Shipwreck
At about 10 kilometres north of the Happy Valley, is a popular attraction – the Maheno shipwreck. This boat was once a Trans-Tasman liner, and a cyclone swept it ashore in 1935 while it was being towed from Sydney to Osaka. It is said that the crew onboard camped on the beach for a couple of days until help arrived. They tried hard however the ship could not be refloated, and the attempts to sell it also ended in vain. Today its rusted skeleton haunts the shores of the Fraser island, making it a worthwhile stop for photographs.
Stroll and Camp in the Rainforests
The 7 kilometre Wanggoolba Trek is the most popular and easiest trail in Australia. It weaves through subtropical rainforest. Start the trail from a boardwalk followed by the fern-fringed creek through palms, vines and forests of tall eucalyptus and satiny trees to the shores of the charming Lake Basin. It is a four-kilometre trail and takes approximately 2 hours to finish.
Camping in the rainforest and snoozing to the sounds of striking waves, adds more fun to the Fraser Island. This island has more than 45 campsites and most of them are run by the Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service.
If you are planning to camp along with your kid, make sure you choose a camp with a dingo-safe fence. Book at least six months prior to your travel date.
See the View from Indian Head
Indian Head is the island’s most easterly point that offers a stupendous panorama of the wave-washed shores, and rolling dunes and scrub beyond. Hike about a 15 – 20-minute to the top point, over the soft and dry sand, but the climb is well worth the trouble you had. This headland was named by Captain Cook in 1770 when he noticed some aboriginal people gathering here.
The Indian Head is also a fantastic spot to look for marine life along the shore, such as manta rays, sharks, whales, dolphins, and turtles. This is also one of the best spots for fishing.
Are you looking for more suggestions on things to do in Fraser Island? If you are feeling super adventurous, hike the tracks of old logging routes with Fraser Island Great Walks. Or if you are feeling less energetic, climb the dunes to reach Lake Wabby and take a dip into the cool water. Fraser Island as a destination has lots to offer, that what it really seems to appear. Embark on an exotic vacation with your friends and family; Check-out some cool Australia packages in Pickyourtrail. For more ideas on places to visit this holiday season, keep reading Pickyourtrail Blogs.