Fraser Island camping

If you are self sufficent,and camping on the beach most spots are suitable for trailers. We have camped on the beach each year for the last 14 years. Ranging from January, May, June-July, September. September would be the busiest. Went there Sunday of the middle week of the school holidays this year and the Ranger said they did 150 permits on the Saturday and 100 permits on the Friday before. We always camp between Dundaburra and Indian Head anywhere from where you can camp 11 ks north of Dundaburra till where no more camping is allowed. We found a great spot but had to look. It usually takes about 1hr and a bit staight going till the camping area. We always try to arrive about 1 hour before low tide as sometimes you have to wait a while for the barges.
If you are not fully self sufficent you can back track to Dudaburra for showers.
If you want to camp in camping areas you would have to book before hand Dundaburra does have a trailer area but is not really big unless they have changed it since we last camped there a long time ago. Dundaburra now has a dingo proof fence going completely around the camp ground. We have never had a problems with dingos on the beach over the years, have seen them but no problems always keep food in the trailer.
With regards to tyre pressures on the trailer yes they must be let down as well. Soft sand in September and went we came back saw at least 5 cars and trailers bogged trying to get to the barge. Take something in the car for shade in January cant get really hot and the march flies are around. Enjoy the island but dont take a few nights Fraser needs at least a week if you are really going to enjoy it.

Cathedral beach is about half way up Fraser and I think its got camper trailer sites Dilli Village is also a lovely camp site with CT access as has waddy point.

Take a look at this page to see where I am talking about. If it were me I would stay two nights at Dilli and take a look around there and then two at Waddy Point or Dundaburra and take a look around that end. Of course if I had two weeks then all the better, theres so much to see and experience there. Dont take your CT on the inland roads cause theres always oncoming traffic and reversing is required and a CT would be a pain not only for you.

Have a great one

Don't forget to turn your trailer brakes completely off as well, to stop any chance of it anchoring. Not sure about letting it's tyres down, have had conflicting reports, will be trial and error.

John C

Depends on how civilzed you want to live. As previous resonse said, camping on the beach is brilliant, just gotta look around for a while to find a spot that suits. Central Station is a top camping area ..hot showers are the main atttration, but the neighbours can get a bit noisy. Lots of CT's set up there - tour during the day and return at nite. We shifted our tent every day, just set up where we happened to be when the mood took us. Took me 3 weeks to settle down when we got home. I just wanted to go and sit around a campfire.

IMHO the best beach/dune camping is on the beach just up from Orchid beach, this gives you good access to the lighthouse, Watumba, Ocean lake, and can be more quiet than camping on the main thouroughfare beach.

We also spent alot of time driving the beach and the river banks at low tide at Watumba, while there was no one there,a nd it was well worth the effort.

Dunduburra is a good spot to set up... we were there a year ago, they were/are improving the already good facilities there. You can access some great area's from there, Wathumba, Champagne Pools, Eli Creek and from there do the inland tracks without your camper trailer.

I believe you should lower your trailer tyre pressures to the same as your car tyres.

If you haven't been there before, and ESPECIALLY if you have kids, read the Dingo info from the rangers station and stick to it!!!!!!

We ALWAYS stick to the info, and have not had a problem with them.

Thanks for the responses everyone, i will bear that all in mind, hopefully i can return the favour some time soon
nick

Nick,
Was up there last week and camped on the beach just north of Orchid Beach. Great spot. Be aware there is a lot of seaweed in the water at the moment, making fishing a PITA, allthough we did manage to get amongst some tailor up at Sandy Cape. January can be very busy on Fraser, the beach will be like the South East Freeway!!
Most of the official campsites are not very good for trailers. They are marked out with CCA logs to designate the camp areas from the tracks and that means you can't get your trailer into the campsite :--(
If I was you i'd just get a permit and camp on the beach somewhere.
Regarding trailer tyres, do this simple test. At home, try pushing your trailer a few meters with the tyres pumped up, then let your tyres down and push it again. You'll find it much easier to push with inflated tyres, which means your car will find it much easier to drag with inflated tyres (less rolling resistance) As the trailer is getting towed in the cars tyre tracks, which have allready been compressed, the extra flotation of low pressures is not so benificial. I find the extra drag causes the tow vehicle to work harder and indeed can make it bog easier through losing traction to overcome the drag.
Have a great holiday.

We go every year for the Toyota Fishing Comp and camp on the beach north of Orchid Beach. Best spot around I reckon - anyway I tow a trailer that's laden to the hilt (read very heavy) and I don't let the tyres down on it at all and have never had any problems with it as yet. As mentioned the trailer tracks in my wheel tracks and doesn't bog down at all.