And 6 of them are free! Fraser Island is one of the few places on Earth where rainforest grows on sand. It’s one huge sand pit to explore. Stretching for 123 kilometres, Fraser offers fantastic fun along the beach, while inland you can walk along creeks or to huge rainforest timbers for some serious tree hugging.
I’ve been visiting Fraser Island since my eldest, now 26, was a toddler. We return every year as there is something about camping on Fraser with the sand as your floor that lures families like mine back. Whether you enjoy the silence of the forest or the whispering of the waves, the island should be included on any family camping wishlist at least once.
Nestled off the coast of Hervey Bay, around 300 kilometres north of Brisbane, Fraser Island is one of the few places on Earth where rainforest grows on sand. It’s one huge sand pit to explore. Stretching for 123 kilometres, Fraser offers fantastic fun along the beach, while inland you can walk along creeks or to huge rainforest timbers for some serious tree hugging. There’s fishing for the new or experienced fisherpeople in your camp, along with tranquil lakes to discover. Here are our top things to do with the brood on Fraser Island:
The boardwalk from Central Station, once a bustling logging community which supported a school, follows Wanggoolba Creek, where you can see the largest fern fronds in the world and minute fungi. My kids still believe there are fairies in this forest. Continue to Pile Valley, a four-kilometre circuit, where there are some of the largest trees saved from the saw by Fraser’s early loggers.
Gushing up to four million litres of clear, freshwater into the ocean every hour, Eli Creek is the largest creek on Fraser’s eastern beach. There is a boardwalk that follows the creek but, for some real fun, instead of walking back float your way toward the sea.
Many a ship has been wrecked along Fraser’s rugged coast. In fact, the island was named after shipwreck survivor Eliza Fraser. Today, the only shipwreck you will see is the S.S. Maheno, which came to rest on 75 Mile Beach after a cyclone in 1935. A note of warning – it is rusting and decaying so do not allow children to crawl over or through it.
A sure thing to wear out little campers with lots of energy is the short, steep walk to Indian Heads. The reward is magnificent views along the beach and out to sea where there are often dolphins, turtles and whales frolicking.
The trick with keeping Fraser enjoyable for younger ones in your camp is to plan your stops wisely, with one sure-fire winner being a swim at Champagne Pools. A set of steps leads down from the car park to the beautiful, naturally formed pools and the best time to visit is at low tide. Make sure you wear footwear as the boardwalk can become very hot.
Lake McKenzie cannot be missed. Fringed with white soft-under-foot, silica sand, the lake water is pure and changes from turquoise blue to green and into dark blue. It’s one of the many lakes on Fraser sitting 100 metres above sea level. There is a carpark, hikers’ camp and toilets. From the main entry area, follow the lake around to the left for a five-minute walk to a beach you may have all to yourselves. Look for the small fiery red carnivorous sundew plants along the way.
From July to November, the giants of the sea, humpback whales, swim by Fraser on their epic migratory journey from Antarctica. Platypus Bay, on Fraser’s western coast, is a renowned resting ground for mothers and their calves as they return south and is considered one of the prime viewing areas in Australia. Tours can be booked through Kingfisher Bay Resort. You can even swim with these giants of the deep – it’s a real-life science lesson.
Explore the extraordinary coloured sands of Rainbow Gorge.
Grab a boogie board to surf or slide down Fraser Island’s bone-white sand dunes. You have plenty of locations to choose from. Fraser is, after all, one big sandpit and that means there is a tonne of fun to be had for little (and big) kids.
Not many know that Kingfisher Bay Resort welcomes non-staying guests of all ages for its range of activities and restaurants. Some of the favourite things that we have done are the ranger walks, hiring a paddleboard or canoe, and visiting the Sand Bar, where you can eat awesome pizzas in between rounds of pool. Kids can learn about the environment in the Junior Eco Rangers program. The resort has a store, car-wash facilities, fuel and a gallery, making it a perfect day break.
You can’t go to a coastal playground like Fraser Island without indulging in an ice-cream or two. We all love a sugary holiday treat and the best place to take the kids is into the villages of Happy Valley and Eurong. While you are there, you may as well pick some extra camping supplies, such as sun cream and insect repellent.
There are 45 camping areas on Fraser Island and the best for families are the ones with dingo-deterrent fences. Central Station is set in the rainforest and has a 9pm curfew. Dundubara camping area is also top spot.; it’s set behind dunes in a coastal forest and also has a curfew. Lake Boomanjin and Waddy Point are another two to look at, with grass and sand sites, and large open areas for the kids to play.
This article appeared in Caravan & Camping with Kids magazine. To subscribe to the latest issue, click here.
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