Fraser Island and the Fraser Coast - Queensland, Australia

Fraser Island called K GARI by the Aboriginal people that have lived there for over 5500 years means paradise and is rich with Aboriginal culture. Heritage listed Fraser Island has evolved over 80,000,000 years and is a unique natural environment where rainforests grow in the sand.

This Island, is a pristine world heritage listed island and is the largest unconsolidated land mass or sand island in the world and is situated off the Fraser coast, a three hour drive north of Brisbane the capital of Queensland.

Fraser Island stretches over 123 kilometers in length and is approx 22 kilometers wide, with an area of approx 184,000 hectares. An amazing natural wonder.

An island of exceptional beauty, with long uninterrupted white sandy beaches, strikingly colored sand cliffs, and over a hundred fresh water crystal clear lakes, some so blue that the white sand stands out as a feature.

Ancient rainforests grow in sand along the banks of the clear fresh water streams of sand filtered water so pure and magical in taste.

This is the only sand island in the world to boast tall rainforests growing in the sand dunes some over 200 meters high, while the heaths on the low lands are of major ecological significance, providing magnificent wildflower displays during spring and summer. This sand island is also home to a pure strain of Australia's native dog the DINGO.

Getting to Fraser Island is an adventure in itself. Leaving Brisbane on the Bruce Highway heading north you pass through some beautiful country interspersed with cane and pine apple plantations, North of Noosa you have the opportunity to travel along the beach for approx eighty kilometers to Rainbow beach which gets it's name from the magnificent colors of the sand in the sand dunes and sandy cliffs.

From Rainbow Beach a short barge trip takes you across the sandy straits, which separates Fraser Island from the mainland. Once on Fraser Island all of your driving is done on sand so make sure you have the correct tyre pressures for sandy driving conditions. Fraser Island offers the traveler some awesome scenery and numerous bush camping sites are available.

If you are travelling during the Tailor season, which is in spring, Fraser Island becomes a bevy of activity with tailor fisher men descending on this tranquil destination for the tailor fishing season, making camping areas crowded.

The wet lands of Fraser Island are a must see for the bird and flora lovers as this is home to over 40,000 migratory birds and to rare and vulnerable species such as dugongs, turtles, illidge's ant blue butterflies and the eastern curlews. Some of the flora include patterned ferns, mangroves and various types of grasses.

By : Brian_D_Norton