Planning a trip to K’gari (Fraser Island) and looking to find the must-do’s, great photograph spots, awesome swimming holes and beautiful, hidden destinations? Then look no further, here’s my guide of 26 Things to do on K’gari (Fraser Island). (Note: these are in no particular order)
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1. Visit Lake McKenzie
My favourite place on Fraser Island and one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen has to be Lake McKenzie. This huge, freshwater lake is perfectly clear and reflects the bright blue sky above, making it seem magical and almost unbelievable. It’s the perfect place to stop for a swim and the amazing thing about it is, the water is so clear you can see everything. It makes for an unforgettable experience. Find Lake McKenzie here.
2. Drive the Seventy-Five Mile Beach ‘highway’
Yep, it’s a highway that’s also a beach. It comes with road signs, police speed cameras and everything! Load up your 4WD and drive along this iconic beach highway that is, yep you guessed it, 75 miles long. It’s also a very popular spot for beach fishing and during peak season, you’ll find hundreds of keen fishermen and women lined up. Find Seventy-Five Mile Beach here.
3. Float down Eli Creek
Eli Creek is another favourite spot of mine and a place I can’t wait to visit again. Walk the boardwalk through the bush until you reach the end, then jump in the fresh, cool water and let it carry you along the gently winding path down toward the ocean. It’s incredibly fun and beautiful and a must-do when visiting Fraser Island. Bring a tube or floaty device for bonus points! Find Eli Creek here.
4. Catch a fish or two
Fraser Island is a haven for people who love to go fishing. The island swells with keen fishermen and women hoping to bag Whiting, Dart, Bream, Mackerel, Tailor, Trevally, Tuna and Flathead. Popular fishing spots to throw in a line include Indian Head, Middle Rocks, Sandy Cape and Waddy Point. Find Fishing on Fraser Island here.
5. Visit the Maheno Shipwreck
There’s a good chance you may have seen photos of the shipwreck before as it’s frequently photographed and easily recognisable. The wreck was bound for a Japanese wrecking yard when she came to her demise during a cyclone, washing ashore in 1935. Now, she’s rusty and majestic and a must-visit on Fraser Island. Find the Maheno Shipwreck here.
6. Take a scenic flight
Hop on board a GA8 Air Van with Air Fraser Island, you’ll take off and land on the beach and see some absolutely amazing things during your flight. Get a birds-eye view of the island most beautiful spots and keep your eyes peeled for marine life! Find Scenic Flights on Fraser Island here.
7. Spot Humpback Whales
If you visit between August and November, keep your eyes peeled for these gentle giants. The whales are on their migration during this period, seeking out the warmer waters in preparation for calving. Bring your binoculars and keep your eyes peeled for a puff of water on the horizon, spraying from their blowholes. Find the Humpback Whale migration here.
8. Play cricket on the beach
Pack your own cricket set, set up our stumps and have a good old fashioned game of beach cricket! You could also pack a footy, soccer ball or frisbee too. Just be sure to be sun smart out there in the harsh Queensland sun. Find Fraser Island Beaches here.
9. See Central Station and Wanggoolba Creek
Central Station was once a forestry camp and was established when there was still logging on Fraser Island. This area is now surrounded by gorgeous rainforest and a fantastic boardwalk that takes you past the clear, flowing waters of Wanggoolba Creek. It’s an easy way to explore a section of the rainforest, see some huge trees and absolutely stunning stag-horns nestling in among them. Find Central Station and Wanggoolba Creek here.
10. Visit the Stonetool Sand Blow
Take in the sheer size of the Stonetool Sand Blow. It’s an active blow which covered the forest but is slowly uncovering it as the sand moves across the island.
11. Stand on the world’s largest sand island
Ahhh, yep, that’s what Fraser Island is! It is the world’s largest sand island and is heritage listed too, which is pretty impressive when you think about it. It’s literally all sand, stretching over 120km, it’s huge! Find out more about Fraser Island here.
12. Forage for bush tucker
If you visit or stay at Kingfisher Bay Resort on the island, they run a few different tours that are fantastic. A really good one to take is a tour that teaches you about bush tucker and how to forage for food out in the bush. It’s a great way to learn newfound respect for what’s around you and how the Indigenous communities survived off the land. Find out more about Kingfisher Bay Resorts tours here.
13. Eat a fancy meal at the Seabelle Restaurant
While you’re there, stop in for dinner at Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Seabelle Restaurant. The food here is really delicious, taking its inspiration from the Indigenous Butchella tribe. The menu combines seasonal, local produce with fresh seafood and Australian bush tucker to create a modern, delicious and unique menu well worth sampling. Find Seabelle Restaurant here.
14. Be Dingo safe
Fraser Island is the unique home to a dingo population. There are dingo attacks each year but, as the locals will tell you, most are avoidable. It’s important you’re aware of the dingo presence and take steps to be safe, including not doing anything bone-headed like trying to take a dingo selfie or feeding them your food. They aren’t domestic dogs, they’re wild animals and it’s important to respect that. Find out more about dingo safety here.
15. Watch the sunset
The sunsets on Fraser Island are absolutely stunning and you should take in as many of them as possible. A great place to watch them is from the beach in front of Kingfisher Bay Resort. You get to see the sun go down on the horizon, setting the sky ablaze with bright orange, red, yellow and pink light. Find Kingfisher Bay Resort here.
16. Watch the sunrise
It’s no surprise that the sunrise here is pretty special too, so get yourself out of bed before first light, wrap a blanket around your shoulders and watch the day come alive. It’s a memorable experience. Find sunrise times here.
17. Sit on the jetty at Kingfisher Bay Resort
Head down to the Kingfisher Bay Resort jetty and pull up a seat for an incredible sunset. It’s also a fantastic place for fishing and also for great photographs too. Just be aware it’s not kosher to take beers/alcohol in general down there. Find Kingfisher Bay Resort here.
18. Have a BBQ
I’m not one to point fingers, but you pretty much can’t call yourself an Australian or a visitor to Australia unless you have a BBQ near the beach. It’s mandatory. If you don’t do it, our government will kick you out and make you wear the cone of shame. You’ll need a BBQ, an esky full of potato salad, regular salad, meat, seafood, buns, lots of sauce and lots of beer. Find key Camping Information here.
19. See the coloured sands
If you find yourself at Eli Creek, take the short trip up to the coloured sands, which are made up of some 72 different colours. The colours are caused by the leaching of oxides, which coat each grain of sand and create different colours, mostly tones of red and yellow. Find the coloured sands here.
20. Visit Lake Wabby
Visit Lake Wabby while you can, because over the next century or so it will be lost due to a sand dune moving westward across Fraser Island. This window lake was created when the ground level fell below the water table and formed a deep green pool of water. Find Lake Wabby here.
21. Take a trip to Indian Head
Possibly one of the best viewpoints you’ll find on Fraser Island, Indian Head is not to be missed. Walk up to the headland for insanely gorgeous views of the coastline at the most easterly point of Fraser Island, at the end of 75 Mile Beach. Find Indian Head here.
22. Sandy Cape Lighthouse
Take a trip to the heritage-listed Sandy Cape Lighthouse on the most northern point of Fraser Island. It is the tallest lighthouse in Queensland, built in 1870 ad is one of only two lighthouses in Australia of its kind. It’s also a great spot for photographs! Find Sandy Cape Lighthouse here.
23. See the Champagne Pools
Close by to Indian Head, along 75 Mile Beach, the Champagne Pools are an incredible set of swimming pools you just won’t find anywhere else. This must-do spot is the safest place on the island for saltwater swimming, as you’re protected in the pools, formed by volcanic rocks, while the waves crash over the rocks. The name Champagne Pools comes from the tiny bubbles that form, resembling a glass of champagne. Find the Champagne Pools here.
24. Learn the Dreamtime stories about K’Gari
I don’t want to spoil the Dreamtime story for you, but the story of Fraser Island told by the Indigenous Butchella tribe is absolutely beautiful. Hearing it will give you a newfound appreciation for the area. Read the story of K’Gari here.
25. Spot native flora and fauna
As you walk or drive through Fraser Island, switch your senses on high-alert and look out for native flora and fauna. There are some 230 species of bird that call the island home, include peregrine falcons, white-breasted sea eagles, kingfishers, brolgas and the very rare ground parrot. You’ll also spot native plants like Banksia, which look like hairy potatoes! Find out more about Fraser Island Flora and Fauna here.
26. Relax on the beach
Okay, so there are a million things you can do on Fraser Island but it’s also really important you slow down, relax and enjoy yourself too. Wake up at sunrise, go down to the beach and have a swim. Just relax, unwind and reconnect. Avoid the hottest/burny parts of the day and make sure you’re sun safe!
You might also like to read:
- Check out the Visit Fraser Coast website, it’s run by the Fraser Coast Tourism Board so you know it’s legit and full of great information.
- Read the Life on Fraser Island Blog, where visitors contribute posts of their adventures and photographs they’ve captured.
- Look at these incredible images from long-term Fraser Island resident, photographer and tour guide, Peter Meyer.
Best travel resources for your trip!
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