Camping on Fraser Island
Submitted: Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 09:59
ThreadID:
71202
Views:
3305
Replies:
8
FollowUps:
4
This Thread has been Archived
Tars
Hi All
We are looking to head up there in about a months time. Just wondering if anyone has any hints and tips on where the best place is to
camp with regards to having to ankle biters aged 2 and 4. Also do you have any reccommendations or could point me in any directions on brochures and books or piccies of the camping areas?
Any other hints and tips on what or what not to do?
We have heard there are a few tailor around at that time of year as
well - also just wondering what bait/lures to use and where to fish for them.
Thanks heaps
Tara
Reply By: BenDiD - Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 11:48
Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 11:48
Hi Tara,
The best place to
camp is along the Eastern beaches. You can
camp amongst the dunes or in the National Parks campgrounds. Both have to be pre-booked. You can pre-book at the NP office in
Rainbow Beach (on your right as you come into town) or at the Cooloola office which is on the Noosa side of the river, on your left a few hundred metres before the
Noosa River Ferry.
As you have little ones you may like to use a
camp as they all have
dingo proof fences and gates. I have never had a problem with Dingoes, but have seen plenty trotting past my
camp when set up in the dunes.
The further north you go, the fewer noisy and annoying backpackers you will see, the less crowded the campsites will be. If you go north of
Indian Head the driving is a little harder (softer sand, but really only difficult for the completely inexperienced). If you hire a 4WD most prohibit taking it north of
Indian Head.
The best book I've found is
Fraser Island the Essential Visitors Guide which sells for about $20. Throw in a Hema map for ~$8 and your sorted.
Let your tyres down to 18psi before you drive onto the sand at Noosa or
Rainbow and buy everything you need before you go (sand pegs, beer, fuel, gas mantles etc) as the Island prices are massive. Take a shovel, a snatch strap and some RATED shackles (ie big ones stamped with a safe working load of at least 3 tonnes - or as appropriate for your vehicle) and you're in business.
Tailor usually go for whole pilchards on a gang of 3 hooks.
Good Luck!
AnswerID:
377497
Follow Up By: BenDiD - Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 11:51
Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 11:51
You can also pre-book via the Qld Govt website or over the phone. It helps if you have had a look at the map or a guidebook first, as the website doesn't give much useful info.
FollowupID:
644829
Follow Up By: dazza62 - Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 12:34
Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 12:34
And I thought the
Dingo got a pardon many years ago!!!!!!
Silly Me
FollowupID:
644839
Follow Up By: BenDiD - Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 13:10
Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 13:10
Hi Dazza,
It certainly should be pardoned! I have never had trouble and my favourite
places are around
Waddy point, where that
young boy was tragically killed a few years ago.
I think between the rangers shooting those dingoes that had become habituated (by idiots feeding them and not securing their
camp), and visitors finally realising you can't feed them or treat them like a dog that things are finally better for everyone.
I just like to mention it to first timers to Fraser, because I never know how sensitive they will be to the issue. My wife and I happily take our toddler (almost 3) to
Waddy Point,
Orange Ck etc, BUT we watch her like a hawk and we are not scared of dingoes / dogs (we have 2 cattle dogs) but are respectful of them.
cheers
Ben
FollowupID:
644855
Reply By: MrBitchi (QLD) - Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 12:46
Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 12:46
You need to pre-book. If you want to use one of the fenced campsites like Cathederal Beach or
Waddy point you book for the
campsite. If you book for
the beach you can
camp at any of the designated beach camping areas.
Waddy would be my pick if you want a secure
camp. They also have a
camping area down the front on
the beach. Just be warned, many of the designated fenced sites are not camper trailer friendly. They all suffer from an outbreak of Bollards.. :-( If you have a camper you're best in a general beach
campsite. With the tin lids, read and follow the brochures they'll give you an
Dingo's. They can be a pest but are easily managed.
You'll find Tailor in any beach gutter. They'll take just about any bait but pillies are the most popular. Good on pippies too, and you can get plenty of those on
the beach at low tide.
AnswerID:
377506
Reply By: Member - Daniel M (QLD) - Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 19:02
Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 19:02
Hi Tara
Yeh we're heading over towards the end of next month also. We found it literally impossible to book a trailer site at either dundaburra or
waddy point as they were all full. My wife is a first timer to the island and is a bit sketchy of the dingoes with our kids, (2 and 3 years ) , so we ended up getting in at Dilly Villiage which is down the southern end. Access is good and easy, hot showers if you need them, and of course there is that fence surrounding you,( I have been to the island a few times camping in the dunes and haven't had a problem with dingoes to date). I found a good book by Hema called Fraser island atlas and guide. Good read with plenty of maps and a bit of history about fraser. Cost somewhere around twenty bucks. Don't forget to factor in cost of Barge and beach permits. Staying at Dilly gives you a discount on one of the barges from
rainbow beach, don't know how much yet but i reckon anythings better than nothing. Have fun.
Dan
AnswerID:
377549
Reply By: rumpig - Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 21:26
Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 21:26
just
camp on
the beach somewhere and keep an eye on your kids. we go to Fraser every year for 2 weeks with both our kids, aswell as 3 or 4 other families with
young kids. last year we had 8 kids in our group, ranging in age from 4 months old as the youngest to 6 years old for the oldest.
just watch your kids all the time and you won't have any dramas, we've never found the dingos to be a problem, but we keep an eye on our kids.
AnswerID:
377575
Follow Up By: rumpig - Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 21:29
Tuesday, Aug 04, 2009 at 21:29
as for where to
camp, we usually
camp somewhere between The Maheno and Dundaburra
FollowupID:
644943