Which 4wd to live on Fraser Islnad

Defender.

Whatever you buy, you will be replacing fairly often due to rust (3-5 yrs to a wreck, given the heat/humidity/salt air). Perhaps you need to factor this into your "cost of living" equation too before you make the decision to move.

Apparently lots has changed on the Island, and it may not be the quiet, isolated place you remember so fondly.

Hire a 4WD (or go with a tour) and check it out first before making any life changing decisions on moving there based on a 30 yr old memory of your youth.

Landrover Defender TDi – aluminium body panels and not too many electronics – an economical go anywhere vehicle.

Cheers

Reckon an older suzuki (small and light) with 31x10.5/15s.
Cheap to buy, run.
It is small enough you could almost dip it in old oil for rustproofing, but I would prefer tectil or something similar. Redo every 6 months with the oil change.
You are never going to going much faster than 80k any where on the island anyway.

Hi Shane,

I would ring and talk to the hire companies at Rainbow and Hervey Bay, They have tried every combination.

What was said above is pretty right too. Rustproof every 6 months, replace every 3-5 years.

Having said that, you could keep buying say for example 1990 Suzukis from the country every 3 years so your accessories like big wheels and roof rack can be swapped at nil cost.

I first went to Fraser in 1978, about the same time you went. It is absolutely and completely different now. Do some careful homework, especially go there during holidays, Easter and Christmas are the worst.

Watch the backpackers in hired troopys. Watch the donut kings tear up and down the beach. See the breathalyser at the beach roadblocks. Check out the tour busses on such tight schedules they race everywhere and demand right of way.

Mike.

Shane, I have friends who live at Orchid.... (lucky buggaers)

What they have is two vehicles; one is a Toyota ute and the other is a little Suzuki. The ute is used for their regular runs off the island to Gympie for shopping, which includes a couple of 200LT drums of diesel for generators and vehicles and a drum of petrol occaisionally for the Zuk. Fuel's too expensive for the locals to buy on the island... (so's beer...)

Diesel's better cause it's cheaper in the long run.

Both vehicles get a regular going over with sump oil. Both have standard suspension and normal sized off road tyres.

Do you plann on living in a house or a tent .
If a house then prolly a porsche 4x4. Stay away from the tourist rif raf .

Hi Shane,

You can drive from Rainbow Beach to Noosa, subject to the rocks just south of Rainbow being passable. At times they can be impassable or only trafficable at low tide.
This our preferred way home from Fraser, better than the blacktop.
You can drive the length of North Straddie's surf beach, entering just south of Point Lookout and finishing at Swan Bay/Jumpinpin.
Mike.

Pretty much most 4wd will do fine there... But Prado 4.0l Petrol
rules in sand! ;) Can use it there In pretty much stock standard shape/tyres
2" suspension lift will be all that needed...

Been there alot myself, land cruiser seems to the popular choice. Just keep it soaked in sump oil. I hear sump oil in the area is actually a bit of a sought after comodity lol. All the houses there are totally self sefieceint solar, sand spear for water, septic tank etc. My kind of living but no way I can afford it:( Not much work there of course, unless you dont mind alot of fishing, but only a couple of locals up there make a living from it. They have a SES hall up there which is the local hangout which is a pub every second friday night open to locals, and state of origin nights. Also footy grand final nights they do love their footy up there. There are 38 propertys and most of them get together each public friday night to put together their shopping list order and someone with a plane flys from their local landing strip back to maryborough for their supplies. I imagine it would have some problems sometimes taking off at maryborough:P The local Orchid beach shop does operate the local generator for the shop and hall and does some vehicle repairs and will order some parts, but dont expect him to save the day when your brand new rangie stops:P There is no rubbish collection you have to take it down the local island pick up point a few kms from town. I think there are quite a few of the locals that live there now that use the NExt G network and internet to invest money on the share market to help pay for their living expenses. Sounds like the life to me:)

back in 2001 I was told by word of mouth that there was 38 or so, but just having a look at google earth at the area from the air it looks like there is a few more than that. Have a look for yourself you'll see that most of them are just sheds and bush shacks with a solar on the roof and a water tank. There are however a few mansions:P