K’gari (Fraser Island)
The world’s largest sand island, a World Heritage site where rainforest grows on dunes, with clear freshwater lakes, a wreck and a beach that doubles as a highway.
- Region
- Fraser Coast, Queensland
- Length
- about 120 km
- UNESCO
- 1992
- Suggested time
- 3–5 days
- Best season
- Apr–Oct
Before you go
- Only high-clearance 4WD vehicles can be used, with a vehicle access permit and a camping permit. A guided tour is the easier option.
- Dingoes are wild and can be dangerous. Never feed them, keep children close and store food securely.
- Swim in the freshwater lakes and creeks. In the sea, rips and sharks make swimming unsafe, apart from sheltered spots such as Champagne Pools in good conditions.
Getting there and driving
Vehicle barges cross from Inskip Point, near Rainbow Beach, and from River Heads, south of Hervey Bay. The long eastern beach, known as 75 Mile Beach, is a gazetted road with a strict speed limit and tide-dependent passages, best driven within about two hours of low tide. Inland tracks are soft sand and slow.
What to see
Lake McKenzie (Boorangoora) and Lake Wabby are the swimming highlights. Along the beach, Eli Creek, the Maheno wreck, Champagne Pools and Indian Head are the classic stops. The Butchulla people are the Traditional Owners, and K’gari is their name for the island.
When to go
April to October is drier and cooler, with comfortable walking weather. Humpback whales rest in nearby Hervey Bay from about July to October. Summer is hot and humid with storms, and school holidays are busy, so book barges and permits well ahead.
FAQs
Can I take a normal car to K’gari?
No. The sand tracks need a high-clearance 4WD, and a vehicle access permit is required. Without one, take a guided tour from Hervey Bay or Rainbow Beach.
Is it safe to swim on K’gari?
Freshwater lakes such as Boorangoora (Lake McKenzie) are the safe choice. The ocean has strong rips and sharks, so avoid swimming in it except at sheltered spots in good conditions.
How should I behave around dingoes?
Keep your distance, never feed them, and walk in groups with children held close. Lock food away, and stay calm and face the animal if one approaches.
Places to see
Boorangoora (Lake McKenzie)
A perched freshwater lake of pure white silica sand and clear blue water, the best-known swimming spot on…
Lake Wabby
A green lake held back by a huge sand dune that slowly advances into the water. A signposted walk leads…
Eli Creek
A clear, cool freshwater creek that flows across 75 Mile Beach. A boardwalk follows it inland, and visitors…
SS Maheno Wreck
The rusting hull of a former hospital ship, driven ashore in a cyclone in 1935 while under tow and now…
Champagne Pools
Natural rock pools near the northern end of the beach where waves spill over rocks and foam, one of the few…
Indian Head
The island’s most easterly headland, named by Captain Cook in 1770. A short climb gives views over the…
Urangan Pier
A heritage-listed pier built between 1913 and 1917 to load ships, now used for strolling and fishing. Its…
Mary Poppins Statue, Maryborough
A statue honouring P. L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins, who was born in Maryborough in 1899. The town…
