Thread: Accessories for Fraser Island?

Originally Posted by Celtoid

Another bit of good advice, if you go on the surf side beach.....

Watch those washouts!!!

Seriously, you can legally do 80KPH on sections of the beach and a Disco will do that very, very easily. The washouts change a lot and are often hard to see until you are right on them. Plenty...and I mean plenty of folks have been caught out when one just 'appears' in front of them.

I've talked to heaps of people that have seriously damaged cars on Fraser.

Cheers,


Kev.

Not just cars, far too many people killed and seriously injured over the years due to these.

Originally Posted by AnD3rew

Good point, the other must have is an up to date tide table.

But not sure I agree regards tyre pressures, the places people get stuck are where you have to get on and off the beach and some of the sandy bypass tracks, and then they are a PITA for everyone else trying to get through. Everyone gets stuck from time to time and mostly people are patient and helpful, but I must admit I would be cursing someone who blocks a main access track entrance for 15 minutes because they hadn't aired down.

Hi AnD3rew -
I didn't intend to dismiss entirely the need to air-down mate ...just point out that "basically" a soft-core visit to FI will remain that IF tides / travelling are factored in from the get-go.
The point relating to access through the various sand blows is indeed valid and bought back memories of almost "losing" a Suzuki LWB 4WD in the early 70's (with Wife, three kids and a weeks camping-gear aboard) just south of the rocks at Rainbow whilst trying to avoid back-tracking the odd 20k's through the Sand-track via "Running the Gauntlet" to Rainbow (coming up from Noosa) on a rising tide.
Getting out of that one was indeed a Minties-moment ...and from that point onward, The Tides booklet became my Bible whenever we ventured up that way.

I came close one day also in a Suzuki Vitara LWB, making the last 1 km dash in the soft stuff back to a track entrance, very very tight and I was sweating bullets the whole way, I thought we were done for when a freak wave hit the side of the car with a solid blow. That was my first trip and I learnt my lesson I have never contemplated cutting it that fine ever again very lucky to get away with that one.

Same here ...although I'd been up there a few previous times with mates, that was my first solo trip with the Family.
To this day I don't know how I got out of it - Vehicle down to the axles, tide coming in, just on dusk, waves lapping at the running-board, ...eeek!
Armed with only an Army-disposals folding Shovel ...and several Hail-Mary's, I'm sure providence intervened.
I made a few promises to God that eve - all of which I (of course) promptly broke within a week or so.
Consequently I'm not relishing Judgement Day one little bit AnD3rew ;-)
...so you're the bloke in the Suzuki on FI in the seventies? You owe me BIG TIME!

1 Fishing rod
2 cold drinks
3 Good 4x4 which you have
4 Enjoy the trip

Originally Posted by patoz

Same here ...although I'd been up there a few previous times with mates, that was my first solo trip with the Family.
To this day I don't know how I got out of it - Vehicle down to the axles, tide coming in, just on dusk, waves lapping at the running-board, ...eeek!
Armed with only an Army-disposals folding Shovel ...and several Hail-Mary's, I'm sure providence intervened.
I made a few promises to God that eve - all of which I (of course) promptly broke within a week or so.
Consequently I'm not relishing Judgement Day one little bit AnD3rew ;-)
...so you're the bloke in the Suzuki on FI in the seventies? You owe me BIG TIME!

Hah you might have a bit of explaining to do.

I don't think it's been mentioned as most folks know, the difference between being able to reverse back and choose another line or speed and getting bogged, is knowing when to 'call it'.

Last time I was on Fraser, I stayed at KFB too and used that as a staging point. It had been dry for months so the tracks were very, very soft and deep and extremely chewed up.

Just before we got there it rained. Often this helps improve the tracks but in this case it made very chewed up tracks worse as the sand just became very heavy and deep. Cars were getting bogged everywhere.

I never got boggod once but had to stop, back up and try again about a dozen times. I just watched my revs, speed and wheelspin. When that combo got ugly I called it and stopped before my 2.6+T and 600nm created 4 massive holes.

Another complicator for FI can be the width of the tracks...in places trees are strategically placed to prevent line change when trying to keep out of the ruts....

Hi Mattt
I'm sure you will love fraser.
The track in and out of kingfisher is often the hardest part of the trip. Its usually very chewed up by the buses and very bouncy as a result. Not good for wife acceptance factor. Ditto for the tracks leading up to Lake Mackenzie.
Airing down to 16-18 vital at the beach access points and the back of Indian Head. Knowing you have a long handled shovel, maxtrax, shackles and snatch straps is reassuring, even if you dont use it helps to decrease the anxiety factor. Tide times very important especially if the beaches have been chewed up. Agree that knowing when to call it and back off can save a lot of embarassment. Even if the tide times arent favourable there is so much to see in the middle of the island - central station, pile valley and the less visited lakes.
Feeling very envious- have fun.
Andrew