Fraser Island Budget Camping Tour in Australia
Exploring the World's Largest Sand Island off the Queensland Coast
No visit to southern Queensland, particularly in the balmy months between April and October, should omit a trip to Fraser Island. One-day trips are available - some all the way from Brisbane, which is a good four-hour drive south. However, since most of the day is spent driving along highways, these one-day tours are not good value. For the best experience, a minimum two-day camping adventure is highly recommended.
World Heritage Listing
Few places on earth offer so much variety in terms of flora and fauna in one relatively compact package than Fraser Island. In 1992, UNESCO included Fraser Island in its list of World Heritage sites that also includes 17 other Australian sites including Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Kakadu National Park, and the Great Barrier Reef. According to the description in the World Heritage listing, the combination of shifting sand dunes, tropical rainforests, and lakes makes [Fraser Island] an exceptional site.
Budget Camping Adventure
For the traveler, a two-day to four-day tour of Fraser Island with one of the many 4WD tour operators based on the mainland provides a lively adventure. Depending on budget, various levels of roughing it are possible. At the least expensive end of the scale is a two-day adventure that costs approximately $175 per person and includes hours of bouncing across endless sand tracks in a 4WD jeep with minimal suspension, a tiny tent for the night, nine companions, and one catered lunch.
If luxury is not a priority, then these small group two-day budget adventures provide excellent value. The local guides take travelers on hikes into the rainforest, across huge expanses of sand dunes, and into at least two of the island's amazing freshwater lakes. In the evening, travelers cook food they purchased that afternoon. A covered cooking area that includes a barbeque grill is provided. The taste of slightly charred sausages after a long day viewing some of nature's most amazing creations is an experience not quickly forgotten.
What to See and Do on Fraser Island
At over 123 kilometres in length and 22 kilometers at its widest point, a good week is needed to explore all that Fraser Island has to offer. But even in a budget, two-day adventure, many of the island's highlights are experienced including:
- Endless Sand Beaches
- Beach Driving
- Rainforest and Dune Hikes
- Unique Freshwater Lakes
- Exceptional Wildlife Viewing
- Historical Shipwreck
Endless Sand Beaches
Over 250 km of sweeping sand beaches encircle the island, which is pounded on the eastern shore by the Pacific Ocean. The sand constantly shifts in response to the relentless winds, often moving inland and burying whole forests. These winds, combined with Great White Sharks and deadly undertows make swimming from the beaches extremely dangerous. The fishing, however, is world renowned as evidenced by the many clusters of sport fishermen huddled next to their vehicles, their long fishing poles arching into the water, their coolers full of cold beer.
Beach Driving
The highlight of any trip to Fraser Island is driving along the hard sand beaches in a 4WD vehicle. One of the most famous and well-traveled beaches is Seventy-Five Mile Beach that in high season can resemble the motorway out of Sydney more than a pristine natural wonder. The rules of the road apply on the beach as 4WD vehicles whiz past often at speeds up to 80 kmh.
Rainforest and Dune Hikes
Adventure tours generally include hiking excursions through some of the most ancient rainforests on earth. Towering trees soar into a dense canopy that shades the walkways, turning the rainforest into a steambath in summer. In the winter months, the guided hike across boardwalks in the rainforest is pleasantly cool. Other hikes climb from the beach to traverse rolling sand dunes and reveal amazing ocean vistas .
Unique Fresh Water Lakes
Over 100 sparkling clear freshwater lakes provide swimmers with plenty of opportunity to cool off. In some of the inland lakes, the water is reputedly clean enough to drink. Forty of the lakes are perched dune lakes, which means they were formed when leaves and other dead plants built up over millennia and then hardened into depressions carved out by the wind.
Exceptional Wildlife Viewing
Before plunging into the rainforest, the guide on a two-day adventure tour gives a short lecture about the island's snakes. Of the 19 varies of snake on the island, five are listed among the top ten most deadliest snakes in the world, including the Coastal Taipan, Death Adder, and King Brown. Fortunately, accidents are rare. Most snakes are shy and will slither away as soon as they feel the vibrations of people walking across the sand. Plenty of non-venomous snakes also live on the island, including pythons.
Fraser Island is also home to wallabies and possums, lizards and dingos, all of which are frequently seen--even on a short trip. In addition, over 350 species of bird can be sighted on the island.
Historical Shipwreck
Most tours include a stop at the shipwreck of the S.S. Maheno on Seventy-Five Mile Beach. The skeleton of the 1904 steamer that was washed ashore in a cyclone in 1935 must be one of the world's most photographed hunks of rusting metal.
In a country known for its amazing wealth of natural wonders, Fraser Island is a must-see. A Google search of Fraser Island and Fraser Island Tours will quickly yield many pages of information about the range of tours available and accommodation options. A particularly good source for information about what to do and see on the island is Fraser Island.net.
4WD Jeep Cruising the Beach on Fraser Island
|
Rainbow Sands on the Beach near Fraser Island
|
Staghorn Ferns in the Rainforest on Fraser Island
|
Budget Camping Tour on Fraser Island
|
Wild Dingo on Fraser Island
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Travel
Latest Articles