Fraser Island Tagalong

Hi Alan,

I have been on Fraser Island many times. I have driven it, been on Tours, and walk approx 250kms.
If you are confident in driving on sand and as you have said you have a few days, I would personally have an adventure and do it yourself it really isn't that difficult driving and if you look at the maps they give you when you get your permit you will surely have a great time with seeing much of the sites.
If you get bogged and you have recovery equipment then you would only have to wait maximum half an hour before someone comes along.
Make sure you let your tires down and away you go. I have found, in the past it is easy driving and as long as you follow the rule, do not drive 2 hours before or after high tide you will be ok.
Some places you need to book camping but generally on the eastern beach you can camp in designated areas without bookings.
you can explore alot of the island in 5 days including having a relaxing day fishing......
You will have a magic time and have loads of fun.
Personally I would just go and explore
Peter

Hi Alan.

We currently live in Hervey Bay. We have done Fraser several times. The hardest thing about the trip is having to folk out the money to get there.
The maps you can get locally have lots of information about the level of 4wd of the tracks. Most tracks are fairly good.
I would use the barge from River heads. easier on and off.

You will have a ball

Rob

Alan,

Geeeeessss..... if I had the time off work, I'd be tempted to take you over there myself!!!!! LOL...LOL....

Anyway,

If you are in a capable vehicle, have your recovery gear under control and know what you're doing.... Fraser Island won't be a drama. Drop tyres to about 25psi, or down to 18 if you need to or are comfortable with that. Make sure you reduce speed with deflated tyres and do not make sudden turns of the steering wheel. Drive nice and leisurely, 2-3 hours either side of low tide and you will be fine. We were there in January and the tracks and soft sand area's were very soft, so keep momentum up when entering/exiting beach. If you start to bog down...... stop, reverse and go a bit harder and you should get through. If you do get stuck deep..... start shovelling! (You do have a shovel don't you?) The few rocky points have bypass tracks, if the waves are coming up...... use the bypass track! The extra minute or so could save you a hefty recovery bill!!!!!

With your Parks Permit comes an info kit, read it thouroughly and stick to it. There are do's and don'ts about rubbish, food, and the wildlife.... dingoes, monitors etc. The dingoes are not in plague proportion, we didn't see any in January, although some club mates did.

Places to visit??????? Well, just about everywhere! Lake Mackenzie is the tourist attraction and can often be almost as popukated as Bondi Beach, but it is worth the visit.... Other lakes that we have been to on more than one occasion are Birrabeen, Boomanjin, Wabby, Garowongera, Allom, Ocean Lake. Eli Creek is worth visiting although it is not as deep as it was few years ago. Wathumba Creek is a paradise but remember the western side of the island is home to sand flies and midgies....... in massive quantity!

There is fuel available at Eurong, Cathedral Beach and Orchid Beach.... I think Eurong was the cheapest..... about $1:75/litre for diesel.

Take STRONG insect repellent..... the March flies can drive you crazy!!!!!

Hope this helps, you will have a great time over there, make sure to post a trip report here so we can all drool in envy!!!!!

Cheers

Brian

What date are you going? I'm heading up on the 1st April for a week.

Hi Alan,

Like the advise from others. Do it yourself, you don't want to be on a tag along tour.

Something you way wish to consider. Don't book anything important immediatly after the Fraser trip. You say your only going to camp a couple of nights, part of your around oz trip. Looks like your from WA, you may not be back anytime soon. If I were you, stay at least 5 nights.

There is so much to see and do. I was there in Jan 07 with 10 mates and 6 nights and that was perfect. None of us were fishing folk, so if you are and want to fish too and explore you'll def need more time.

If you consider the cost of getter over on the barge and prep work with permits etc, an extra couple nights camping shouldn't worry you.

Have a great trip.

Cheers,
Alex

There aren't any Tag-along tours to Fraser (at least officially anyway) there were a few companies trying to start them, but Government red tape and other factors prevented them from taking foothold. (It has been a few years since we last investigated it, so maybe someone has fought their way through it, but I don't know who they are...

We have had a few customers who have come to us "to get ready for Fraser", we are based in Hervey Bay. All the above info is good and useful.

The most important thing about Fraser is that it needs time. Slow down and enjoy it. If you are in a rush, or getting worked up by being held up by someone, you don't have your priorities in order....

Have fun

hi allan here is a few sites you might need to visit to give a head start Tide Charts http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/tides/MAPS/waddy.shtml#form Fraser Reports http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/publications/p01663aa.pdf/Fraser_Island_conditions_report.pdf permit booking https:// Site Link Weather Forecast www.bom.gov.au/weather/qld/ Sand Driving Hints http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/publications/p01605aa.pdf/Driving_on_sand.pdf Dingo Awarness http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/publications/p00517aa.pdf/Be_dingosafe_Fraser_Island_World_Heritage_Area.pdf Hope these help youin the right direction If you go to lake mckenzie and central station go to mckenzie first so you dont back track take a beer and have lunch at eli creek and watch the tourist have good holiday heading up there end of april dags

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Very helpful.

As we are on our round-Oz trip, we are fairly well loaded up - both car (all the gear plus family of 4) and camper trailer (which also has dinghy, outboard and collapsible trailer). Car is more than capable. C/T is full off-road so more than capable. On this trip (ie as it is currently loaded), we have done beaches down Esperance way no drama - but this was car only and fairly firm but no problem with soft spots. Extra load of C/T is the question mark. I guess it is only getting off barge and as long as it takes to find a camp spot (then explore in the car) - and back again.

Would you all be comfortable taking this over to Fraser? Alternative is I try to find somewhere to store the C/T and then just go over in the car and stay in some accom over there. Would prefer to take the whole lot though if reasonable.

Also - question about dingoes. I have read some of the material on this. We have 2 small kids (8 and 10). They sleep on floor of C/T. If we follow the keep safe rules (food storage and keeping them close etc), would you all be comfortable re the kids?

Thanks again for all of the responses - much appreciated.

Cheers

Alan

Should have no trouble with van let tyres down,lots of vans there and big boats on trailers as well,the van will be much more comfortable to live in than a tent for sure.You will really appreciate the van if marsh flies are about.
Be careful but dont worry about dingoes and your kids.I take a corromal van it weighs approx 1100kg empty and my 3litre patrol has no trouble with it on fraser.

You will be fine.
Some of the roads on Frasier are better than some bitumen roads in Queensland
Easiest Barges are River heads to Wanggoolba, Short trip Or River heads to Kingfisher longer trip.
When we do day trips over we Get off the barge at Wanggoolba and return via Kingfisher.

Moon point can be a little soft, same as Inskip point.

Time table: www.fraserisland.net/pg12.html

Enjoy.

Rob

My preferred entry onto the island is from Inskip Point as the barge is drive on and off. Have only done the Hervey Bay one once and reversing the trailer on was a big pain especially when the trailer in is the air and you have to fit in between a line of cars. You should have no problems as long as you let tyre pressures down and keep the momentum going to get to the barge. We use low range and try to get the speed up to third gear before we start so that we can quickly downchange if needed. We have been going to the island every year since 1988 and towing since 1990. Enjoy the island and 3 days is not enough go for at least 5 days and if you like to fish 7 to 10 days. Looking forward to my yearly visit in June.
Enjoy Qld just liked I enjoyed WA in 2005
Cheers

Hi everyone

Well...after my post on 22/3 above, I thought I would let you know the outcome.

We are now in Hervey Bay - after spending 4 nights on Fraser - with CT towed.

Feedback was quite right (no surprise) - no tagalong required.

Went over on Manta Ray from Inlet Point (nice guys) at high tide due (went earlier due to changing weather) - and had to take inland road. Yuck. High tide (ie short run up), tight turn, and badly chopped up soft sand = bog number 1 (it's ok - there only was one for our trip over). Not a bad one, but still quicker to do a recovery. Quick snatch out thanks to a passing Landrover - straight out. As people say, the getting off the barge landing is probably amongst the worst bit of the island.

Anyway - weather coming in that nigh was looking ordinary (30-40 know winds) - so we had booked Central Station site.

So hard to judge when no idea of what to really expect. Anyway, bounced along inland track and made out way to Central Station - only to find that the rangers had just shut the site due to the potential winds.

Everyone was moved to the picnic area. With CT, we had to set up in the parking area of the picnic area. They only opened it the day before we left, and allowed to stay where we were for the last night.

Still have to be careful towing - on one of the nights a group arrived after dark. They had been up the Eastern Beach - and had been blown away due to the winds. They had a young child, so drove back down to Eurong hoping to get a room and stay there. No such luck - booked out. So drove to Central Station and on way managed to snap tow hitch clean off CT (not treg - just traditional). Limped in - found main site closed, and came to picnic site. Let's just say they had had enough at that point. We cleared some room amongst the cars - and they got some sleep. They set off next morning in search of welding. I think Fraser will hold very mixed memories for them.

Over the next few days, saw the tourist bits like Lake MacKenzie, Eli Creek, Maheno Eurong, walks from Central Station, and various tracks etc.

Fuel at Eurong - was $1.82 from memory - most expensive of our trip so far.

Dingo count:
- 2 in campsite on second night.
- Approx 4 at Lake MacKenzie (wandering car park and one on beach)
- 1 in campsite on third night
- 1 outside shop in Eurong this morning
.......as long as you didn't have food, seemed not really interested. Actually glad to have seen them (and kids were too).

Both car and CT performed very well - no drama on the sand at all - only a few soft spots managed easily with tyre pressure and momentum.

Even was able to return the favour of recovering someone from soft sand at beach entrance at Eurong. He was very appreciative and was amazed at how many people had just driven straight past him until we came along.

Drive back along beach from Eurong to ferry this morning was great - sun shining - breeze dropped (our last night was the only one without rain). Typical - last day often ends up being the best.

Weather was main negative - but we saw a bit in its prime. Glad we went, glad we took the CT. Thanks to all for the advice and suggestions.

Other negative was the number of backpackers in hired 4wds- who appeared (hope I am wrong) - to not care at all about anyone around them, the tracks they travelled on, or the rubbish they left.

Could have spent some time fishing if weather was right - otherwise happy with amount of time spent.

Cheers,

Alan