Thread: Been to Fraser Island? Please help us plan our trip

Hey,
I too will be going to Fraser Island at the same time as you as I am also a school teacher. Weather wise it is a great time to go.
It has been a while since I have been there. Central station is great for walking around.
Lots of lakes which are good for swimming. The main place for tubes I think would be Eli creek as it is moving water.
Lake Mckenzie is the main lake and will have lots of tour buses there. If you choose to go to some of the other lakes they can quite often be quite empty with people.

The Ho Hars alerted me to this thread. Give me a bit of time and I'll put together some ideas for you. You've got a good amount of time on the island and moving around can also benefit. There are normally lots of people on the island so should be able to pull you out if you happen to get stuck. There are a couple of places that lots get stuck. When we go with the GCLRO club we alternate between Dundaburra and Waddy Point fenced areas. We try and see as much of the island as possible. I've spent quite a bit of time based at Waddy Point.

There are always going to be tourist buses, back packers, tag along tours - you just can't escape them, however the further north you go on the island generally the less people, but if its school holidays/long weekends it's going to be busy - normally.

I aim to travel 2-3 hours either side of low tide.

The last 10km or so before Indian head and between Indian Head and Middle Rocks can be tricky for beach space on the top half of the tide.

I normally run 18psi in the tires - this can be dropped further if required.

Fuel/limited supplies is available at Kingfisher Resort, Eurong, Cathedrals and Orchid Beach.

The Beach conditions report is updated fortnightly:
https://www.npsr.qld.gov.au/parks/fr...ons-report.pdf

Fraser Island Itinerary (tide times based at Waddy Point) (updated due to date corrections in original post)

Monday 24/9 – 6.45am Ferry from River Heads to Kingfisher - Drive to Cathedrals via Lake Wabby look out (can walk down to the lake for a swim) – L 1.21pm – setup camp, relax

Camped at Cathedrals

Tuesday 25/9 - H 8.12am L 1.55pm – Sandy Cape – walk up to the light house, then to the graves, bunker, climb the sand dunes, Ocean Lake on the way back time dependent. South Ngkala Rocks bypass can be soft if there has been no rain. Couple of other rocky outcrops depending on sand coverage.

Wednesday 26/9 - H 8.43am L 231pm – Woralie Rd at the Pinnacles, Knifeblade Sandblow, Lake Allom (circuit walk around lake), continue to the West coast, come back via the same road. There is a loop that can be done, however it means crossing both Bowarrady and Awinya Creeks which can be deep, and the beach on the west coast can be soft (only do this if you have another vehicle as its quite remote should you run into issues. But the drive straight across and back is fine. The west coast is lovely.

Thursday 27/9 - H 9.18am L 3.08pm – Indian Head, Champagne Pools (Middle Rocks), there is another decent fresh water creek just south of Indian Head which is generally quieter than Eli Creek

Friday 28/9 - L 3.27am, H 9.57am, L 3.50pm, - Drive down to The Pinnacles and do the 2 tourist drives, coming out at Poyungen Valley, then head back to camp on the outgoing tide, stopping at the coloured sands etc along the way.

Sat 29/09 – H 10.39am L 4.39pm - Drive to Central Station , you’ll probably have to wait for the tide to drop in order to cross Eli Creek, tubes are great for Eli Creek, Maheno Wreck, Central Station Boardwalk

Camped at Central Station

Sunday 30/09 – L 4.36am, H 11.27am, L 5.41pm Southern Lakes drive towards Dilli Village, then head north west on Dillinghams Road to Ungowa (the west coast). There are 3 more wrecks on the west coast that many are unaware off – some searching might be required. Also the old log dumps/logging loading points, before returning to Central Station.

Monday 1/10 - L 5.20am, H 12.26, L 7.20pm - Lake McKenzie, Pile Valley

Tue 02/10 – L 6.21am, H 1.44pm – Drive to Waddy Point - watch the sunset from Waddy Point headland. There is a walk from behind the upper campground through the dunes – check with the rangers.

Camped at Waddy Point Beachfront

Wed 03/10 - L 7.43am H 3.02pm – Waddy Point and South Waddy headlands. Orchid Beach. Orange Creek/Ocean Lake – if you didn’t see it on the Sandy Cape Trip day. There is a circuit walk and lookout at Ocean Lake. (I’ve removed Platypus Bay and Wathumba Creek as you have already seen the western side of the Island if you did Woralie Road.)

Thu 04/10 – L 9.21am, H 4.08pm - Drive to Dundubara

Camped at Dundaburra

Fri 05/10 - L 10.37am - Wangul Sandblow walk leaves from the camp ground, Eli Creek

Sat 6/10 – L 11.25am, Drive to Kingfisher for 2pm barge back to River Heads

I see one of your campsites (waddy?)is a trailer site, are you towing??

Central doesn’t doesn’t get much sunlight if you have a trailer

Originally Posted by weeds

I see one of your campsites (waddy?)is a trailer site, are you towing??

Central doesn’t doesn’t get much sunlight if you have a trailer

No - slide on with roof-top tent - this is us...

Slide on camper (closed).jpg Slide on camper (open).jpg

Originally Posted by weeds

Central doesn’t doesn’t get much sunlight if you have a trailer

This is good to know. We'll be unloading the slide-on at camp and will be reliant on solar to keep the fridge going. I wonder how that will go????? Anyone know the sun/shade situation at Cathedrals?

Cant help much with the trip prep, but we may cross paths on the island. Ill be getting there later this week and coming back onto the mainland for the 70th get together on the 27th

Originally Posted by GuyG

Fraser Island Itinerary (tide times based at Waddy Point)
Monday 24/9 – 6.45am Ferry from River Heads to Kingfisher - Drive to Cathedrals via Lake Wabby look out (can walk down to the lake for a swim) – L 1.21pm – setup camp, relax

Camped at Cathedrals

Tuesday 25/9 - H 8.12am L 1.55pm – Sandy Cape – walk up to the light house, then to the graves, bunker, climb the sand dunes, Ocean Lake on the way back time dependent. South Ngkala Rocks bypass can be soft if there has been no rain. Couple of other rocky outcrops depending on sand coverage.

Wednesday 26/9 - H 8.43am L 231pm – Woralie Rd at the Pinnacles, Knifeblade Sandblow, Lake Allom (circuit walk around lake), continue to the West coast, come back via the same road. There is a loop that can be done, however it means crossing both Bowarrady and Awinya Creeks which can be deep, and the beach on the west coast can be soft (only do this if you have another vehicle as its quite remote should you run into issues. But the drive straight across and back is fine. The west coast is lovely.

Thursday 27/9 - H 9.18am L 3.08pm – Indian Head, Champagne Pools (Middle Rocks), there is another decent fresh water creek just south of Indian Head which is generally quieter than Eli Creek

Friday 28/9 - Drive to Central Station - L 3.27am, H 9.57am, L 3.50pm, - you’ll probably have to wait for the tide to drop in order to cross Eli Creek, tubes are great for Eli Creek, Maheno Wreck

Camped at Central Station

Sat 29/09 – H 10.39am L 4.39pm - Lake McKenzie, Central Station Boardwalk

Sunday 30/09 – L 4.36am, H 11.27am, L 5.41pm Southern Lakes drive towards Dilli Village, then head north west on Dillinghams Road to Ungowa (the west coast). There are 3 more wrecks on the west coast that many are unaware off – some searching might be required. Also the old log dumps/logging loading points. Then continue back to Central Station.

Monday 1/10 - L 5.20am, H 12.26, L 7.20pm - Drive to Waddy Point - watch the sunset from Waddy Point headland. There is a walk from behind the through the dunes – check with the rangers.

Camped at Waddy Point Beachfront

Tue 02/10 – L 6.21am, H 1.44pm – Platypus Bay (does have a possibly steep wombat holed hill on the track) or Wathumba Creek both accessed from the northern end of Orchid Beach. Orange Creek/Ocean Lake – if you didn’t see it on the Sandy Cape Trip day. There is a circuit walk and lookout at Ocean Lake.

Wed 03/10 - L 7.43am H 3.02pm - Drive to Dundubara

Camped at Dundaburra

Thu 04/10 – L 9.21am, H 4.08pm - Wangul Sandblow walk leaves from the camp ground, Eli Creek

Fri 05/10 - L 10.37am - Drive to Kingfisher, walk to McKenzie Jetty

Staying at Kingfisher?

Saturday 6/10 - 1400 Kingfisher Bay to River Heads

This is brilliant - thank you so much for taking the time to put this together for us. Your note made me realise I'd stuffed up the days we transition between camp sites in my itinerary - I've edited the original post.

I think the most tricky day is going to be

Tue 02/10 - Low tide 6.42am - Drive to & camp @ Waddy Point beachfront (Trailer Site)

As we'll have to make a real early start to get through Eli Creek at low tide (6.42am). Can anyone give me some specific guidance re travel times and how long after low tide we'll have to get through Eli Creek and get up to Waddy Point?

I was thinking on Sat 29/09 (Low tides 4.11am and 4.49pm - Drive from Catherdrals to Central Station - Camp @ Central Station) that maybe we should pack up camp and make our way to Eli Creek in the morning before the high tide at 10.39am - park up, spend the 'high tide' playing in Eli and then once the tide drops (low tide 4.49pm) head for Central Station. Is that a reasonable plan? Fingers crossed for good weather!

Thanks again GuyG (and Carolyn for putting you onto it)

Originally Posted by SSmith

Cant help much with the trip prep, but we may cross paths on the island. Ill be getting there later this week and coming back onto the mainland for the 70th get together on the 27th

Come and introduce yourself if you see us. Enjoy your trip.