Camper trailers & Fraser Island

Get to your camp and leave the trailer as soon as possible.

Are you planning on using an established campsite or beach camping??

Do you have a real 4wd or a toy??

Unless you are planning on going a long way off the beaten track, there is no real problem with traveling on your own (I'm assuming you know how - not just read about- driving in sand).

Drop your tyre pressures before leaving the mainland, only use the beach within a couple of hours of low tide and have a ball

Forget the reservations ... it's like Queen St. most of the year ... more's the pity.
That's the reason I have avoided it for a few years now. Been there more times than I can remember. Last Sept. returned and enjoyed it immensely ... CT in tow.

First went there in 1960 as a wee lad. Returned on a regular basis in the 70/80's then gave it a miss for a decade or so due to the yobbo brigade. Found Moreton more to our liking.

No probs with a trailer .. you see full-on vans there. Common sense and 20psi are a good mix.

Stick to the hard sand at low tide and you'll not go wrong. After a while you'll get a feeling for the beach and how to best tackle it.

Get there and enjoy .... just try to avoid the high times ... school hols etc. But if you can't ... what the hell ... go anyway.

Cheers and Merry Chrissie !!!Fidei defensor

Rosco

Hi Noddy:

I towed my mate's Kimberley Kamper behind my 1991 80 series Landcruiser diesel in May without any dramas. They are also pretty heavy. The run up the beach (at low tide) was effortless. We went to Dunduberra where we set up camp and I got through the soft sand leading into (and out of) the camping area with no trouble at all. That is where we camped for the week ... taking our day trips from Dunduberra.

We deflated the tyres on the Landcruiser and the trailer shortly before getting on the barge. My memory tells me 20psi on both the car and the trailer. They did not need any further adjusting after that.

I do not think I would want to haul it much further north than that though .. things get a bit hairy further up.

We were also mindful of the speed .. keeping it a tad under the allowable 80km. This proved to be a good idea, because on our way out we were passed by some "mental gelding" travelling at well over 100k. About 5 minutes later we came past him with his camper upside down in the ocean and heading out to sea. Didn't stop - I don't waste my time with fools.

But go and do it .. you will be visitng the best place on the planet, in my opinion.

Safe travels and Merry Christmas

JackNo trees were harmed in the making or sending of this message.
However a great number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

Hi Noddy
I agree with Dave. I went on from River Heads last year with my Prado towing a Jayco Outback Eagle camper(about 1.5t laden). The trip to Central Station was a breeze. However, the trip in from the Eastern beach to Central was a different story. Glad I didn't try that with the camper in tow.
Tessa

Gidday Noddy. You've received enough responses that should allay your concerns, but I'll add my experience, just to help out.

We towed an 1,100 kg off-road campertrailer behind a Pathfinder onto Fraser in July.

We lowered all six tyres to 20 psi on the dirt at Inskip Point. I was a little concerned as it was my first time towing such a heavy trailer onto sand. The sand on Inskip was very soft but a bit of go juice, and following existing tyre ruts (compressed sand), we made it out without drama. The hardest bit was getting off the barge on the Island - we had to reverse off. You can read that part of our story here

We had no other dramas towing on the Island. Whilst I would have been happy to tow the trailer almost anywhere we went, including over the Indian head by-pass and most of the inland tracks, I'd suggest a camp-site somewhere between Eurong and Dundaburra on the eastern beach.

Don't worry about getting stuck, except below the high-tide mark, there will be so many people around, help will be readily at hand. Just remember to carry your own recovery gear. One little piece of "trailer" advice - take something you can use as a ski/sled for the front of the trailer in case you do need to un-hitch and haul it out separately.

Other than that, if you have some 4x4 sand experience, follow all the same basics, trust in your fourbie, and have a great time.

Other than that, trust that allSmile, you're on ExplorOz
Rohan (Sydney - on the QLD side of the Harbour Bridge)