| The visitors to Fraser Island On any evening the dining room at Kingfisher Bay Resort, on Fraser Island, is occupied by people from all parts of the world. They have been drawn by the fame of Fraser Island as a destination that offers something for any kind of traveler.The resort guests have probably enjoyed different activities during their day, but at night they are bonded by that camaraderie that a shared experience creates. |
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Visitors
to Fraser Island might be:- Eco-Travelers
Honeymooners
Families
Explorers
BackPackers
Campers
Fishing enthusists
Conference delegates
&
Journalists
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| The Island Kingfisher Bay Resort is arguably the islands best known man made feature, but it cannot compete with the work of nature. For millions of years, sandstone from the ranges near Sydney eroded and sand grains were swept into the Pacific Ocean during floods. Coastal currents flowing up the Eastern coast of Australia, carried the gold colored sand past Brisbane until it was caught off the mainland on the remnants of pre historic volcanoes near Hervey Bay. Quantities of sand that defy accurate estimation, built up to form a long thin island with a central spine of high sand dunes running North to South parallel to the Australian mainland. Minerals, plants and animals followed as evolution took place on our planet. Today, the island has become a place where any traveler can spend many days without seeing or doing all that is on offer. |
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| Honeymooners. Bus travel in large groups of tourists may not suit every one. Kingfisher Bay has 4x4 tours where small groups can see a selection of the island's features in privacy and comfort before returning to seclusion at the resort. Nearby, many lakes and a ship wreck are capable of being distractions for a few hours. |
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Eco-Travelers Fraser Island has lakes that exist on high sand dunes and they do not soak away! Travelers visit these lakes in huge numbers every day. Bus loads, car loads & by light aircraft ( they land on the hard Eastern beach ). Centuries of evolution produced tropical rainforests growing on sand. Try to imagine a Sahara desert with jungle. Logging stopped in the 1970's and there is plenty of prime forest left to find unique Australian fauna & flora. From the famous dingoes to black cockatoos to ancient trees, Fraser has enough to keep eco-travelers busy and comparing sightings during dinner. |
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Families The island has many features that make it special, but Eli Creek is one of the focus points for local and visiting families. The sand hills are like a sponge, they soak up and hold huge quantities of moisture until gravity and volume cause the water to be expelled. Eli Creek is on the Eastern coast of Fraser Island and it flows constantly with clear chilled fresh water. Luckily, the creek is deep and starts well up into the sand dunes. Nature has created a natural water course where travelers launch themselves upstream and float downstream at walking pace to the sea. Families can spend a whole day here watching the ocean, with passing whales on the way North and later on the way South. Stay a few hours and you can watch the light aircraft land on the beach. Everyone arriving by vehicle comes in a 4x4, bus or car. The beach in front of Eli Creek is a real highway....sand but two lanes and there is always traffic. On the way home, family groups can stop for a picnic in the rainforest or on the beach. |
| Explorers Fraser is a big island with a lot to see. High volcanic rocks poking out of the sand provide lookouts to watch the whales, stingrays, dolphins and sharks swimming past. Rock pools at the base create safe swimming holes. Walking tracks disect the island creating long, short, easy and difficult walks for those who want to explore the remote parts where vehicles cannot reach. There are a few locations of historical interest to cater for "explorers". A now dormant timber industry village has become a tourist information center. During WW11 the war came to Fraser Island with the establishment of a Commando training base. It is long gone, but the location is still worth a look and it creates a chance to fathom the deeds of men who sailed off to the Far East to sink enemy ships with mines. |
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BackPackers Just as Kingfisher Bay Resort attracts travelers, Hervey Bay is irresistable to determined enthusistic backpackers looking to explore. Every day...Yes! Everyday, the car ferries bring Toyota Landcruiser loads of visitors who pack into these "TroopCarriers" for a few days "doing Fraser". There are a few formal camping grounds, but the rangers allow camping in some beach and rainforest reserves and this is often where the Toyotas spend the night. It is a happy experience for group travelers as they see the island and enjoy each others company. Costs are shared and it becomes an inexpensive island experience. We marvelled at the different accents and languages coming from one convoy containing a United Nations of backpackers. |
| Fishing The Eastern coast is rough and barren with about 100 miles of beach. Swimming is not a good idea for a number of reasons, including, sharks, undertows and the lack of lifeguards. Fishing is therefore a largely uninterupted activity and hundreds get involved all year round and on special fishing tournament days. Fishing on Fraser has its own hazards, crossing the beach "highway" means watching for Toyota's, planes and buses while rock fishing means being careful not to be washed into the sea by the unpredicable swells. |
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KingFisher Bay Resort conference
delegates. Day time may mean business for these travelers, but both night and early morning provide time for visits to the nearby lakes, the jetty or beach. Nightime nature walks conducted by the rangers from Kingfisher Bay Resort often result in an exciting experience for otherwise "busy" delegates. |
| Journalists If you are a travel write you should arrange a visit. The story options are almost endless. Fraser Island is a place where the people are part of the story as they interact with nature. It is a place where travelers meet and share their thoughts on what they have "discovered". Just have a meal in the dining room or bar at Kingfisher Bay Resort and you will learn a lot about travelers, nature and some "secrets" of Fraser island from your fellow guests. |
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Getting there: Plane from major Australian cities to Jet Airport at Hervey Bay then ferry to Fraser Island. Bus to Hervey Bay. Train to Maryborough then Link Bus to Hervey Bay. Car along Bruce Highway to Maryborough then right turn to Hervey Bay 4x4 option to Rainbow Beach then ferry to Southern end of Fraser Island. To Fraser Island by ferry from Hervey Bay or River Heads, helicopter or light aircraft. |
| Where to Stay Fraser Island's premier accommodation facility is Kingfisher Bay Resort. see www.KingfisherBay.com |
| Tour Guides Kingfisher Bay Resort & other operators such as "The Fraser Island Company" have bus & 4x4 tours to & around the island. There are one day and up to three day options. |
| Summary Fraser Island is a destination which fulfills the needs of every traveler... get there! This FAXTS outline could not reveal more than a fraction of the reasons to visit. |
| Recommended KingfisherBay Resort & The Fraser Island Company For more information on travel to & around Fraser Island, ask FAXTS by email to editor@FAXTS.com. |
| Further Research KingFisher Bay Resort's award winning architecture. Dingoes & their sometimes tragic interaction with people. Whale Watching. Ferry options. 4x4 rentals & beach driving safety ! The saga of ship wreck survivor Eliza Fraser. The wreck of the Maheno. Tailor fishing on Fraser Island. BackPacking options in Hervey Bay. |
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( www.FAXTS.com -
Travel & LifeStyle - visited Fraser Island without sponsorship and
anonymously )
Some images courtesy of Kingfisher Bay Resort
Some images courtesy of Kingfisher Bay Resort
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