Lake McKenzie can be found resting calmly within Fraser Island’s Great Sandy National Park, offering the kind of crystal blue waters usually found on postcards. So pure and clean is this water that very few species call it home, making it a safe place to float about and waste a day under the sun. And with 150 hectares to choose from, your sure to find a patch of silica quartz sand to call your own.
FRASER ISLAND
TRAVEL IN FRASER ISLAND
If it’s a postcard perfect holiday destination you’re looking for - and let’s face it, who isn’t? - then the Queensland island of Fraser will be just what the travel agent orders. With a land size of just over 1,800 square kilometres it is the largest sand island found anywhere on the planet, floating between the Coral Sea and Great Sandy Strait, dotted with over 100 freshwater lakes.
Almost the entire island of Fraser is included in the Great Sandy National Park, inviting its guests to slow down, take long beach walks, and waste days doing little more than soaking in a river. Even the most popular activities on the island can be done at a leisurely pace, such as taking in the 1935 above-water shipwreck of Maheno or the ancient mustard coloured sand dunes known as the Pinnacles. Then again, even the most isolated and laid-back islands have that one token adventure for the adrenalin junkies, and on Fraser Island it’s the sandy highway of 75 Mile Beach. Here you can climb aboard a 4-wheel-drive and blaze a path between the bushlands and crashing waves, while your driver navigates the ever changing terrain of sand beneath the vehicle. Back on the Australian mainland is where those in search of culture will find their fix, learning of the state’s gold rush in Gympie and examining a time-forgotten general store transformed into a museum. After long days in the Queensland sun you’ll work up an appetite come dinner, calling for a lime drizzled salmon fillet or a cut of grilled kangaroo, finished with the iconic Australian dessert of pavlova. Visit Fraser Island just a few days and you’ll dream of it for years to come.
FAST FACTS
Language: English
Currency: Australian Dollar
Electricity: 230V
Visas: Click here to see if you need a visa to enter Australia.
Dialing Code: +61
Time Zone: GMT +10:00
ABOUT CONTIKI
From quick breaks to epic journeys, Contiki exists to connect young travellers with the time of their lives.
See more about ContikiTHINGS TO DO IN FRASER ISLAND
Visit Lake McKenzie
Drive the 75 Mile Beach ‘highway’
An iconic adventure path of 4-wheel-drive enthusiasts, the 75 Mile Beach ‘highway’ is a strip of beach on Fraser Island commonly used by motor vehicles. With rugged bushlands to one side and crashing waves to the other, this might be a scenic drive, but it’s nothing short of heart pounding. The everchanging beach scene makes for uncertain terrain, that can see cars maneuvering various sand beds, ditches and unpredictable tides. Take your journey at dusk and you may catch the sky transforming through various shades of orange and pink.
Float down Eli Creek
The fresh water body of Eli Creek drifts through Fraser Island Australia and spills over into the ocean, delivering some 4 million litres of pure H2O into the salty ocean every hour. The water moves quite rapidly offering something of a joy ride to those swimming in it, making it one of the most popular nature spots on the island. Pack a picnic and find yourself a secluded spot to bask in, before jumping in and drifting under picturesque bridges towards the beach.
See Maheno Shipwreck
The 120-metre ocean liner of SS Maheno was a New Zealand ship that spent many years crossing the Tasman, and also acted as a hospital for the New Zealand Naval Forces during World War I. After 30-years in service it got caught by a monster cyclone, and was washed ashore onto the coast of Fraser Island in 1935. Surprisingly, the eight men aboard managed to survive, waiting on the land like castaways until their discovery by a pilot flying above them. The ship’s body still sits corroding on the coast, and though access to it is prohibited, it offers a unique spectacle for those visiting the island.
Be amazed by the Pinnacles coloured rocks
The deep mustard coloured cliffs of the Pinnacles are nothing short of spectacular, formed over thousands of years with minerals seeping through the sand, resulting in dramatic colours and patterns. The area holds considerable spiritual significance for the Aboriginal Butchulla People - the original landowners of Fraser - who claim the sand dunes were created by a Rainbow Serpent of the dreamtime. Not surprisingly it is one of the most popular things to do on Fraser Island.
Greet sunrise at Eurong Beach
Rise early to catch the first glimpses of the day, as the sun rises from the horizon beyond the east coast of Fraser Island. Sending the sky into a artistic whirlpool of brilliant colours, you’ll may be so dazzled by this spectacle you want to rise early on every day you spend here. Eurong Beach offers a perfect mid-point along the coastline, where you can greet morning with a walk and dip in the ocean.
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TOP 5 MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES IN FRASER ISLAND
Venture of Fraser Island back to mainland Queensland for some culture, where the surrounding rural towns tell their stories and history through a collection of museums. Learn of the state’s gold rush in Gympie and peruse a time-forgotten general store transformed into a museum, not forgetting the Fraser Coast Discovery Sphere and relics of the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum.
Hervey Bay Historical Village & Museum
Back on the mainland of Hervey Bay, visitors will be welcomed by the charming cluster of time-worn homes at the Hervey Bay Historical Village & Museum. Watch demonstrations by a blacksmith, rope maker and corn sheller before pursuing a photography display, marine exhibition and more.
Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum
Almost 7,000 items can be found on display at the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum, including Important medal collections from the Vietnam War. Open 7-days per week with an entry fee of just $10, this is a popular activity for those who visit Fraser Island.
Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum
Known as the tiny town that saved the state of Queensland from declaring bankruptcy, exploring Gympie offers a glimpse into the region’s important gold mining history. The Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum comprises of 30 displays in 15 buildings, providing a detailed look at the ‘Gold Rush’ that started here in 1867.
Fraser Coast Discovery Sphere
For an interactive look at the region’s incredible biodiversity, look no further than the museum of the Fraser Coast Discovery Sphere. Learn the legends of the Aboriginal dreamtime and the marvels of the humpback whale, and other amazing facts about the The Great Sandy Biosphere of Fraser, recognised as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
Brennan and Geraghty's Store Museum
The Brennan and Geraghty's Store Museum is a genuine step back in time, into a small family shop that served customers from 1871 to 1972. Some of the stock still found here dates back to the late-1800s, transporting visitors to a time of wireless radio and milk in glass bottles.
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FOOD IN FRASER ISLAND
From sampling one of the 44 million kangaroos in the country to indulging in prawns, lobster and bugs, Fraser Island delivers all the iconic meals of Australia. With all the time roaming the great outdoors you’ll have earned yourself a hearty dessert, best served in the form of a well-layered pavlova covered in a mountain of strawberries.
Seafood
While the rest of the world indulges in a Turkey for Christmas, Australians will more likely chow into prawns, lobster and bugs - seafood sits deep within the country’s culinary culture. Venture to Fraser Island’s Maheno Restaurant where you can try Tasmanian salmon fillet with a mustard lime or Fraser Coast prawns with tomato relish.
Best eaten at - Maheno Restaurant, Mercure Kingfisher Bay Resort, QLD 4655
Pavlova
When a naughty treat and fresh Australian fruits collide, you know you are onto a good thing. Layers of meringue and whipped cream make for a textured dessert delight, topped with numerous berries, passionfruit and occasionally kiwifruit. Take a day trip to Mavis’s Kitchen by Mount Warning for homemade free-range egg pavlova you’ll dream of forever.
Best eaten at - Coast Restaurant & Bar, 469 Esplanade, Hervey Bay, QLD 4655
South Australian Kangaroo
Controversial though it may be, Australians eat their national animal! With kangaroo offered at many elite restaurants and in outback dining settings. With a staggering 44 million roos in the country - nearly double the amount of humans - sampling it at Seabelle on Fraser Island certainly won’t cause concern for extinction.
Best eaten at - Seabelle, Kingfisher Bay Resort, QLD 4581
Parmigiana
Traditionally this may be an Italian dish, but parmigiana has well and truly established itself as an Australian favourite. Settle yourself in at The Sand Bar & Bistro for their famous slab of chicken lathered in a tomato sauce and topped with grilled cheese. Hot tip: The Aussies have abbreviated its name, look out for the word "parma" or "parmy" on pub menus.
Best eaten at - The Sand Bar & Bistro, Mercure Kingfisher Bay Resort, Kingfisher Bay QLD, Fraser Island QLD 4655
Vegemite Sandwich
One of very few food items that Australians can call their very own, the yeast extract food spread of Vegemite is an acquired taste that makes many foreigners squirm. Found in just about every supermarket across the country, it should be spread lightly over buttered toast for the perfect Vegemite introduction.
Best eaten at - DIY at a local supermarket
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