Following our Whitsundays sailing experience, the next barefoot adventure for C and I was a two night 4WD tour and camping on Fraser Island in an Aboriginal camp site. The largest sand island in the world stretches for over 123 kms of unspoiled scenery, and boasts tranquil freshwater lakes and numerous other natural attractions. It’s the lesser known World Heritage site on par with the Great Barrier Reef, and I can’t believe more people don’t rave about it. The original name for Fraser Island was K’Gari, meaning paradise – and it really is, with white sand beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see.
Two unforgettable nights on Fraser Island: 4WD adventure and camping
You certainly need a monster truck to get around this lump of sand. C and I sat up front of our four wheeled drive with our driver and guide, Nate, and quickly took charge of the music as we rolled off the ferry from Rainbow Beach. Speeding along the shore in monster trucks with white sand stretching to the horizon before us with Snoop Dogg – Smoke Weed Every Day blasting was a definite highlight!
Wildlife on Fraser Island
We cruised along 75 Mile Beach (yes, its name does reflect its length!) which forms the spine of the island as well as serving as a landing strip for pilots.
We had only been on the island two minutes when a dingo raced our vehicle. The Fraser Island dingoes are thought to be some of the last remaining pure dingoes in Eastern Australia. To prevent cross-breeding, dogs are not allowed on the island
Later that day, we saw another dingo rip apart a huge washed up sea turtle that Nate said was probably 200 years old.
The Aboriginals that live on Fraser Island (around 200 people) used to keep dingoes as pets, and the tamed dogs would keep the vicious ones out of the camp, but after a few incidents they were forced to surround the camp with an electric fence and kill their harmless dogs. A sad story, but I didn’t fancy a hungry beast sniffing around our tent!
As the sun set on the first night, we coaxed some turtles over to the edge of a lake with crumbled biscuits. As soon as the morsels hit the water dozens of their shiny black heads broke the surface!
Sleeping in an Aboriginal campsite on Fraser Island
The camp site had a large cooking area, a campfire section, toilets (which were a bit of a scary trek in the dark), and rows of tents. There was a lovely communal feeling and everybody pitches in to help out. Aboriginal art was everywhere, bringing colour to the campsite.
We were quite a large group, but more groups joined us at the camp and the drinking games commenced. There were some unfriendly French girls, a guy who worked as a lab technician in a high school, a cute Swedish boy, a guy called Klass who approached our vehicle and said, “I have a question about Shania Twain” (he clearly gleaned from our song choices we were the girls to come to about all things Shania), plus some others who we didn’t chat to so much.
We took turns cooking dinner for our group using the ingredients packed into our cars in cool boxes. The food quickly got turfed out of the ice in favour of chilled goon! C and I ended up in the tour guide’s caravan drinking shots before a group trip to the beach to stargaze, one feeble torch between us – I was too preoccupied looking out for dingoes to enjoy the sky.
On the way back to camp on the second night, we pulled over and picked ‘pippies’, small shellfish buried in the sand that are distinguishable by the little raised lumps they leave. Back at camp, we boiled them in white wine and a little garlic – delicious, especially because we had dug them out ourselves!
Dinner that night was followed by drinking around the camp fire. As the night wore on we started a Slut Drop Competition in the ‘nightclub’ named after the locals’ favourite dingo at camp, ‘Winkies’, which consisted of a wooden hut with a disco ball and place to plug in your iPod.
Things to do on Fraser Island
Lakes
There are over 100 freshwater lakes on the island, the most famous being Lake McKenzie, which is just inland from the (very) small town of Eurong. As we headed towards it, Nate had warned us to look out for the death adder that had been resting on the path for the past few days. I was a little skeptical of any scare story an Aussie tour guide relates after hearing the tale of the drunk German guy who went down to the beach last year with a bag of crisps, nodded off and woke up with a mauled face.
Sure enough though, there was the snake, nestling threateningly in the silica sand!
We parked up and hiked through the wilderness inland towards a sand blow that descended into the beautiful Lake Wabby. Fraser Island’s lakes, perched high above sea level, are some of the cleanest in the world, and plunging in was a relief from the intense midday heat. Forward thinking kids sand sledged down the dunes into the water as we swam in the cool water with fish flitting past our limbs. At the lakeside we got chatting to a couple who had pulled their three children out of school for eight months so they could travel and I was immediately envious of these lucky kids’ childhood.
Eli Creek
One morning we walked to the top of a stream that spilled out onto the eastern beach and floated down towards the shore. Lying on my back being propelled along leisurely as branches passed by overhead was so relaxing. The water was pure enough to drink – not a way I ever envisioned re-hydrating after a heavy night!
Indian Head
Refreshed, we piled back into the cars and sped towards Indian Head, the most Eastern point of the island. A short climb took us to the top, where the view of Fraser was fantastic. I got shivers when I heard the story attached to Indian Head. When Fraser Island was discovered by Captain Cook, all the native Aboriginals were marched to the peak and ordered to choose – jump off or be shot.
The Maheno Shipwreck
I’ve always wanted to explore an abandoned shipwreck (think I watched Titanic too many times as a kid), and on Fraser Island my dream came true. The rusting wreck of the Maheno washed ashore during an out-of-season cyclone in 1935 and it still protrudes from the sand today.
Champagne pools
I think relaxing in a natural jacuzzi should be on everyone’s list of Bucket List experiences. The rock formations mean the sea water bubbles around you like champagne, and bathing here is a wonderful way to soothe your limbs after exploring the island all morning.
Fraser Island is a unique experience and camping with a 4WD tour is a brilliant way to see it because it’s an easy way to navigate the sculpted sand blows and lush rainforests, which stretch over 200 metres above the sand dunes. The island is unique in its abundance of greenery, as most sand dunes can’t accommodate plant life.
We landed back on Rainbow Beach with one more great adventure under our belts, and parted ways with the people who had been our friends for the three days on the island.
If you’re travelling on the East Coast of Australia, I’d highly recommend camping on Fraser Island, or at least going on a guided day trip. Boats depart from both Hervey Bay and Rainbow Beach.
From Rainbow Beach we took a bus back to Brisbane to meet our friend Dan, who had been on a study abroad year in Melbourne, then it was on to Byron Bay to meet more friends!
Check prices for the best Fraser Island tours
Check out all Fraser Island accommodation options
Find accommodation in Rainbow Beach, the gateway to Fraser Island
We used the Lonely Planet guidebook to plan our Australia trip
Like While I’m Young on Facebook to keep up with all my adventures, follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and twitter,and subscribe to get new posts straight to your inbox by entering your email address on the right!
Pin this
Practically Perfect Mums says
What an amazing colour the water is and such beautiful scenery. Hope you managed to enjoy it despite a slightly fuzzy head!