Member - Crazie (VIC) replied:

Hi Henry

I cannot comment on the barge from Hervey bay, but I have always taken the barge from Inskip point. Support the Mante Ray barge!!! Once landed on the island you can take the sand mining road up the middle of the island or drive around hook point. Hook point is much easier, just ensure you land around low tide

cheers

Ads

glenno(qld) replied:

There were some white pointers around a few years ago.

hopscotch replied:

I don't know about the safer bit but personally I prefer to go Rainbow Beach (Inskip) and drive the beach.
Care is needed getting from the road to the barge and again when rounding Hook Pt immediately after you leave the barge but if you plan your beach driving to be in the hour or so before low tide there is seldom any problems on the beach. Watch the wash outs where the creeks run out and remember that deep water is blue. Last trip we helped extract a Rodeo from Eli Ck crossing. Tried to go down the beach to wave line and ran into 900mm deep water. We got him out with two 4.2 Nissans only to have another clown in a brand spanking new Tojo follow the Rodeo tracks and go into the same spot while we (about 100 people) were standing there. We got him out and as we were leaving 11 backpackers in a hired Troppie went in at speed and that was quite a mess. Both Troppie and passengers. The main 'traffic line was quite clearly defined but they knew better.
For mine the Hervey Bay trip lands you on the western side (the Inside ) of the Island and means that you have to drive right across the island - soft sand two wheel tracks - to reach the eastern side (the Outside) where the best of Fraser is to be found.
Enjoy

Kevin J

Mr Fawlty replied:

Henry,
No questions are stupid. If more people thought to ask even the most inane questions less people would get into strife that requires others to have to respond to their requests for "roadside" assistance...

signman replied:

Henry
There's no probs on the barge from Inskip Point. You will have to deflate tyres before boarding as there as about 100m of sand to the barge. (and the 'trip' across is only about 100m)..The Inskip Point is drive on drive off- the last time we took the barge from River Heads it was back on drive off- a hassle with a c/trailer especially if the barge is moving with the tide.
Mate- really, don't be too worried with your trip.....stick on the hard stuff, get a tide chart, watch for the small creeks running across your track, watch for aircraft landing in front of you....and have a great time.
As far as your previous concern about 'Remoteness' ....if it's a peak time the beach is as busy with traffic as the Hume Hwy...but like all situations where you are not familiar, keep your wits about you/ and avoid the d#@ick heads.

robak (QLD) replied:

Henry,

If the Magazine had any ads for Kingfisher bay resort then I'd be very sceptical. From what i know the only barge not owned by kingfisher is the manta ray at inspkip point. Barges from harvey bay are also a lot more expensive.

R.

spak replied:

Greetings Earthlings'
The barge from River Heads( Hervey Bay) cost us 110/vehicle + 5 or 10 dollars/ passenger last time we went via R/Heads to Fraser.( with no camper trailer)

We went to Fraser over New Year and went down to Rainbow from Maryborough (QLD) to check out the Manta Ray + we had never seen the bottom end of Fraser before. The guy's on board were great and easy to talk to.
If you are taking a C/T, go via Inskip. Drive on/ Drive off, Can't get better than that.
Plus it's alot cheaper. I just talked to the guy's then.

Manta Ray-Now and the foreseable future,
4wd's (F250 included)-$70 return.
Camper trailers/Boat trailers of any size-$40 return.
Motor bikes $30 return.
One Way-4wd's-$45+ $20 for your trailer.

(BUY YOUR TICKET ON THE BARGE AS THEY HAVE CREDIT CARD FACILITIES)
The service station going into Rainbow Bch is owned by Kingfisher and they will sell you a ticket on their barge. Don't be tempted. Go the Manta Ray!!!!!

Kingfisher Bay Barges- Up to 31st March
4wd(Patrol Etc)-$120 return
Camper Trailer-$85 return
??F250-$240( yes that is correct, straight from the salesperson)

As from 1st april-Patrol etc $130 return/ Camper trailer $90 return
??F250-$$260!!!

Spak

rocketsalad replied:

I know its been done to death but I dont mind posting this stuff at every chance I get.
KingfisherBay Resort = Mostly Japanese owned by http://www.rcg.co.jp/cosmosinfo/com/corp_eng/index.html (its a wopper of a company bigger than any aussie company I think.)
Manta Ray = locally owned

Kingfisher also own Eurong Beach resort as well as ALL the other barges that service the Island.

Kingfisher have a simple bussiness plan. Buy it all and up the prices.

REMEMBER THIS.
Get your last fuel at the BP in Rainbow Beach and get your ticket ($70) on the MantaRay Barge when you get there.
http://www.fraserislandbarge.com.au/default.htm <---mantarays webpage

An easy way to remember this is think....Green and Gold for BP and Green and Gold for the barge.

RS- of the soap box.

Member - Brian (Gold Coast) replied:

Rainbow Beach, Inskip Point and the Manta Ray Barge is the way to go!!
As said before, plan to cross at or near low tide and Hook Point won't be a drama.

I like the post above that says "Green-and-gold for the BP, Green-and-gold for the barge!!!"

dags666 replied:

just a quick reply if you go from inskip just get on the barge which is cheapest some time the cut each others throat to get your business which takes about 10 min to get across just drive straight on . from hervy bay [river heads] you have to reverse on good, entertainment watching the ship get loaded and straight off at kingfisher and the other way going home which takes just over 1 hour to get there river heads kingfisher you dont have to worry about the tides but at inskip you do dags

wheeler replied:

I would disagree with the above post and say that if you can support the manta ray barge. (the green one). They are their providing competition which keeps the other bastrds honest. We would all be complaining if there was only one barge operating and charging over $100 (which is what happened a few years ago) and all because we went the cheaper option.

As posted above the drive around hook point is fine provided you pick the tide. The inland road (track) is horrible....really rough and broken up bituman with huge pothholes and not good whilst running on lowered pressures, which you shold do before you get on the barge. If the tide times dont work and you do take the inland track, just take your time.

Use common sense (very rare on the island due to inexperienced backpackers driving at full speed in fully laden troopies in 2wd becuase they dont know to lock the hubs in) and you will have a great time. Its a great place.

dags666 replied:

it was not that long ago a man who owned eurong lets say his name was syd m and two business man decided to buy a barge and go into competition against syd because he had monopoly and had was starting to charge what he liked.ah ha said syd when the competition came along, I will make my barge cheaper till it was free to regain his little grip on paradise .he has since sold all his kingdom on Fraser but alas it inherited a million dollar fine for unfair trading. You can’t run a business at a loss to send someone out of business good bye syd from all the people you ripped off over the years dags