Your Fab One Stop Guide To Visiting K'gari Fraser Island

Have you been dreaming about visiting the world’s largest sand island, K'gari Fraser Island, but don’t know where to start? Look, you will be forgiven for being overwhelmed by all the diverse ways you can experience the island. Your Flight Centre Travel Expert will be sure to plan a trip that meets your needs. Whether you want a completely guided holiday, a flop and drop style trip with the odd day tour, or if you don't like your hand held, they can help you with planning a self-drive trip. In this article we';; will go over all the must-knows before embarking on a self-drive on K'gari Fraser Island as there is a lot to keep in mind.

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If you are travelling from interstate, the closest airport to K'gari Fraser Island is Hervey Bay. From here you can get transferred to the barge or pick up a 4x4 hire from Aussie Trax and make your own way to the barge. The barge leaves for the island (Kingfisher Bay Resort) at 6.45, 9.00, 13.00, 15.30.  Your travel agent will be able to pre-book the barge for you. On return the barge options include- 7.50, 10.30, 14.30, 17.00.

There are also transfers from both Brisbane and Sunshine Coast Airport, however it's advisable to fly directly into Hervey Bay.

Kingfisher Bay Resort has everything you need and more. You can do as much or as little as you like when staying there.  The resort has plenty of accommodation options, ranging from standard resort rooms, interconnecting rooms, 2 and 3-bedroom villas right through to a suite of holiday houses. Kingfisher Bay Resort has it all, with a number of restaurants, cafes, swimming pools, tennis courts, water sports, a massage and beauty centre, a general store, bottle shop and a petrol station. Being on the western side of the island, Kingfisher Bay Resort boasts some of the most spectacular overwater sunsets, which you seldom find on the East Coast of Australia. Ensure you head to the Sunset Bar for an afternoon beverage or jump on a sunset cruise. 
 

If you are on a self-drive, I would recommend spending at least one night at K’Gari Beach Resort over on the Eastern Side of the island at Eurong. K’gari Beach Resort has less amenities than Kingfisher Bay Resort, however, it offers road-trippers the chance to see more of the island with less time constraints. Be sure to wake up early and head down to the beach for sunrise.

In the main lobby at Kingfisher Bay resort, as well as on their website, there is a “what's on” section for visitors to see what tours are running and at what time. This is fantastic as you won't miss an experience! The timetable is like clockwork. It’s important to pre-book the tours in advance during peak periods such as school holidays and long weekends, however, we would recommend pre-booking even outside of these times just so you can relax knowing you won’t miss out.
 

There are several tours and activities on offer, from whale watching (during the winter months), canoe paddle tours, and 4x4 tours, which take you to K'gari Fraser Islands renowned spots such as Lake Mackenize, Maheno Shipwreck, Eli Creek and so on. One thing is for certain, all the rangers are extremely knowledgeable and proud to be working on the island. Their love and passion for their job certainly shines through. 

Yes! There really is something for everyone on K'gari Fraser Island. If you are the type of traveller who prefers everything to be taken care of, then ask your Flight Centre Travel Agent to tell you about K’gari Explorer Tours. The most popular guided tour is the 3-day Getaway (2 nights) which offers one night at Kingfisher Bay and another night at K’gari Beach Resort. This enables guests to see all of Fraser Island’s most iconic places in the comfort of an air-conditioned 4x4 coach. The K’gari 2-day tour won't get you as far north as Champagne Pools or allow you to trek into Lake Wobby, so if these are on your bucket list, then you will need to book the 3-day Getaway. 

If time allows, I recommend finishing your guided holiday with a few extra nights at Kingfisher Bay Resort to relax and unwind at the end. 

Your Flight Centre Travel Agent will be able to book a 4x4 hire from Aussie Trax which will include all the below:

• Vehicle rental
• Return transfer on vehicle barge
• National Park Permit
• Standard Insurance
• Maps of Fraser Island
• Tide times
• Suggested travel itineraries
• Comprehensive pre-travel briefing

There are a few extras I would highly recommend buying, such as the app HEMA maps. Download this onto your phone, pay the yearly subscription and have peace of mind that you won't get lost. There is extremely limited phone reception over on the island, so please ensure you have pre-downloaded the actual map on the HEMA app. The tracks are clearly labeled on the island; however, some tracks are only one-way, and this can (and often does) cause confusion and lost tourists. In addition to this, I would also buy comprehensive insurance for the 4x4 rental, this can be arranged through Aussie Trax. 

In addition to this, please ensure you hire a recovery kit from Aussie Trax. This will have items such as a snatch strap, shackles, a shovel and recovery boards (commonly known as MaxTrax). If you are unsure how to use any of these items, don’t fret. You will need to complete a compulsory 2.5hr briefing prior to picking up your 4x4 hire.

When driving on the beach, you will need to be mindful of the tides. High tides have been known to wash away cars or cause them to get stuck in the soft sand. The best beach driving is at low tide, or two hours either side. It's common etiquette to give way to tour coaches and downhill traffic on the in-land tracks.

As K'gari Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island, the tracks are soft sand. If there has been limited rainfall the tracks can be incredibly boggy and hard to drive through. It is advisable to have your tyre pressure around 20psi, however, if it’s boggy you might need to drop them down to 15-17psi. Please visit the Queensland Parks and Wildlife website for more details on tyre pressures and updated track conditions.

Below is a list of our favourite places to see on K'gari Fraser Island

Fraser Island's most iconic swimming spot - relax along the pristine white silica shore and immerse yourself in the crystal-clear fresh water.

Wade through the shallow waters or float downstream towards the Coral Sea!

Trek across Hammerstone Sandblow with your expert guide and be rewarded with a dip in this emerald-green freshwater oasis. (Please note: this is a 4km return walk through bushland and across soft sands - a moderate fitness level is required. The Lake Wabby walk is an optional activity).

Keen for an adventure to K'gari Fraser Island? Book yourself a break here.

Experience this amazing natural jacuzzi, as crashing waves meet the volcanic rock pools along the shore.

Visit the famous rustic ruins that was once a luxury cruise liner. Washed ashore in 1935 it is now a photographer's paradise!