The largest sand island in the world with an area of ??1,630 km2 -although technically it could be said to be a huge sandbank-, it is a dream for nature lovers due to its biodiversity: reefs, tropical forests almost feet of coast, forests, more than 100 freshwater lakes, colorful vegetation with enormous ferns and a diversity of flowers, 350 species of birds and the possibility of seeing dingoes -wild Australian dogs-, walking along the beaches at sunset, sharks swimming near the coast and ineffable kangaroos.
The archipelago, which the natives called K’Gari (paradise) for obvious reasons, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1992. Its current name was received after, in 1836, an English ship, the Stirling Castle, sank in the Great Barrier Reef. Among the survivors of the shipwreck were Captain James Fraser and his wife Elizabeth. He succumbed a few days later on the same island from his injuries, while Elizabeth was rescued and returned to her native England, where she achieved some fame by telling of her vicissitudes.
Only their name remains from the Fraser’s passage through the island –and the story that Mrs. Fraser upon his return, reviled by the aborigines-, but on its coast there are still vestiges of another ship, the Maheno. This ship was a hospital during the First World War and the remains of it washed up on a beach, about 10 km north of Happy Valley, pushed by a cyclone in 1935. And there it continues, deteriorating due to saline action in full view of the curious . Contemplating the rusty remains of this enormous ship is one of the stops included in the tour dubbed 75 Miles Beach.
What is actually a virgin beach, without any buildings along its entire length, 75 miles long, has become one of the main attractions of an island that can be traveled by driving on a sandy track. On white sand and with the turquoise of its waters next to it and, obviously, on board a four-wheel drive, the only feasible vehicle on Fraser Island since that stretch of sand is the only road on the island. In addition, Champagne Pools and the volcanic rock of Indian Head are mandatory stops on the tour.
The pools are shallow natural pools in which the constant waves of the sea cause the bubbling effect that gave them their name. Indian Head is a rock that serves as a high observation point for whale watching -between June and November is the best time to see them- and dolphins and for some the viewpoint with the best views on the island. In addition to these cetaceans and dingoes, you can also enjoy the pleasure of seeing kangaroos and possums.
If you prefer fresh water, the offer is endless, but the transparent waters of Lake Mckenzie stand out. It is a completely clean space that the authorities in the area strive to maintain; therefore, it is totally forbidden to bring food or drinks other than water. The ancient inhabitants of the island, the Butchulla, reserved the lake for their most important ceremonies and protected the area from human action. Today, in addition to continuing to preserve it, the visitor is only alerted to the presence of dingoes, the wild dogs in the area.
