Fraser Island Walks - 4-5 daysFraser Island is a precious part of Australia’s natural and cultural heritage. World heritage listed, it is the largest sand island in the world. Over 120 kilometers long and over 20 kilometers across at its widest point, the Island has developed over 700,000 years and is truly a unique natural environment.
Fraser Island is a place of exceptional beauty, with its long uninterrupted white beaches flanked by strikingly coloured sand cliffs, and over 100 freshwater lakes, some tea-coloured and others clear and blue all ringed by white sandy beaches. Ancient rainforests grow in sand along the banks of fast-flowing, crystal clear creeks.
Fraser Island’s Aboriginal name, K’gari appropriately means paradise. The heritage of the traditional Butchulla people is evident in archaeological sites, midden heaps, ceremonial bora rings and stone implements across the island.
Trip options:
Daily itinerary - Great Lakes 4 day walk
Total distance approx 37km - easy to medium
The 4-Day Great Lakes Walk visits five of the most beautiful lakes on Fraser Island including Lake McKenzie, Lake Boomanjin, Lake Birrabeen, Lake Wabby and Basin Lake. As part of the walking tour you will also have the unique privilege to camp by some of these lakes and swim in them all year round.
Also on the tour you will explore the rainforests of Central Station, Wanggoolba Creek and Pile Valley. The new campsite here is a treasure for walkers, being remote from the vehicular campsite it is set amongst the rainforest giants, vines and palms allowing us all to gain a deep feeling for the nature of this area.
Further on, the tour tramps through banksia woodland, tall open forest, melaleuca wetlands, the ancient dunes of the central highlands, developing dunes of the east coast and the famous Hammerstone Sandlow.
Day 1 - approx 4.5km/2 hours
Between 8am - 9am the morning of departure you will be picked up from your accommodation house in Childers or Hervey Bay before taking the Mary River barge across to Wanggoolba Creek. After a short drive the tour arrives at the beautiful and historic Central Station where we set up at the walkers’ camp amongst the giants of the vine forest.
In the afternoon we start the walking tour with a two-hour circuit walk to Pile Valley taking in the magnificent Satinay trees and wander along the banks of crystal clear Wanggoolba Creek. Here amongst the palms and vines grows the rare King Fern – Angiopteris evecta.
Day 2 - approx 14.7km (4-5 hours)
n day 2 we board the support vehicle for a drive out to the magnificent red lake (Lake Boomanjin) where we join the Great Walk track and head along the lake’s north-western beach where honey-coloured streams flow across the sand. Descend before climbing up a scribbly gum ridge and walking through open woodland and forest of Blackbutt and Brush box. Notice changes to the vegetation and the dominance of reforest plants such as kauri pine vines staghorns and mosses.
Follow the shoreline of Lake Benaroon fringed by melaleucas onto Lake Birrabeen for lunch and the possibility of a swim. Now we can join the old logging road and enter the tall forests on the high, central dunes. Here massive Brush Box and Satinay syncarpia hillii forests grow on the more protected dune slopes and valleys with blackbutt on the ridges. Descend back down into Central Station and our campsite for a second night.
Day 3 - approx 11.3km (3-4 hours)
Today we climb an old logging road out of Central Station past old plantations of magnificent hoop pine to Pile Valley and on through cool, shady rainforest before continuing through blackbutt forests to reach the shores of stunning Lake McKenzie.
Take a refreshing swim in its clear waters or a stroll along its magical white beach… this truly is one of the world’s most spectacular fresh-water lakes. It is here that we camp the night. What a privilege!”
Day 4 - approx 6.6km (2-3 hours)
Today, our last on the island, we complete the Lake McKenzie to Central Station Circuit. Leaving behind the dazzling white shores of Lake McKenzie we descend into tall open forest and banksia woodland passing by occasional melaleuca wetland.
Take a short detour to the protected shores of Basin Lake with its population of fresh-water turtles and perhaps spy a circling white-bellied sea eagle. Here we can take a short swim if we wish or just enjoy a break.
Back on the main track we pass through carrol forest dominated by grey myrtle trees Backhousia myrtifolia onward past a noble stand of flooded gum descending to Wanggoolba Creek and into Central Station where we shall meet up with the support vehicle for lunch and the short drive to the barge back to our accommodation on the mainland and final goodbyes.
Daily itinerary - Forest Giants 5 day walk
Total distance approx 56km - easy to medium
The 5-Day Forest Giants Walk also visits some of Fraser Island’s beautiful lakes – Lake Wabby, Lake Garawongera and Lake McKenzie, all of which we camp nearby. However, the focus of this tour is on the tall giants of Fraser Island. You will visit the spectacular Valley of the Giants and camp in the shadow of some of the most brilliant tree specimens on the island. We will see the famous arboreal monument that is the Giant Tallowwood with a girth of nearly 4metres.
This walking tour allows you to experience a myriad of landforms and vegetation types as they vary considerably from the closed rainforest, satinay and tallowwood, to the more open blackbutt forest of the ridges and central dunes to the coastal dunes and the spectacular Hammerstone Sandblow which encroaches on the famous Lake Wabby. The walks between campsites are a little longer, the area more remote and walking conditions slightly more difficult but still varying from easy to medium.
Day 1 - approx 7km (2.5 hours)
Between 8am - 9am the morning of departure you will be picked up from your accommodation house in Childers or Hervey Bay before taking the 40 minute trip across to Wanggoolba Creek on the Mary River barge. The first leg of the journey is a drive across the island to the east coast resort of Eurong. As driving on the beach is not possible within two hours of high tide, the itinerary may change to include a visit to Central Station and the rainforests of the interior.
Either route will take us to Happy Valley. Here, walkers have the option to take the 7 km or 2.5 hour trek to our first campsite at Lake Garawongera. The track heads west up the coastal dunes and onto the steep rainforest-clad ridge before coming out onto the lake’s shore. Here we set up at the walkers’ camp just a short stroll from the lakes edge. Take a refreshing dip in the lake or laze around the campsite until a delicious freshly prepared dinner is served.
Day 2 - approx 13km (5-6 hours)
Out of Lake Garawongera we have a short steep descent to cross over Bogimbah Creek. We follow the line of the creek through picturesque Piccabeen Palm forest, which is an area of some of the earliest logging camps and forestry trial plantations on the island.
The tour turns south away from the creek leading to a short, steep climb into areas of open forest and heathland. Thereafter you’ll find yourself entering the boundaries of the forest giants as you move through impressive stands of brush box, satinay and rainforest. Finally we reach what will be our home for the tonight, the walkers’ camp in the aptly named Valley of the Giants.
Day 3 - approx 16km (6-7 hours)
It’s a steady climb out of the closed forest of the Valley of the Giants as we head south. You’ll have the chance to enjoy more of the rainforest canopy before you reach the blackbutt-forested ridge of the central dunes. After a round trip of about 1.2 kms to the spectacular lookout over the desert-like Badjala Sandblow, you will once again descend into the cool valley and forest before heading towards the coast and more open banksia woodland.
Before arriving at the Lake Wabby campsite we can take the short side track to climb the Hammerstone Sandblow and descend again to the lakes shore. Cool off with a refreshing swim in this famous barrage lake.
Day 4 - approx 12km (3-4 hours)
Leaving the Lake Wabby campsite we head south through scribbly gum and other eucalypt forest. It’s a steady climb before we descend again into some of the most spectacular tall open forest and then rainforest in the island’s southern lakes area before you reach the shores of stunning Lake McKenzie. Take a refreshing swim in its clear waters or a stroll along its magical white beach… this truly is one of the world’s most spectacular fresh-water lakes. It is here that we camp the night. What a privilege!
Day 5 - approx 6.6km (2-3 hours)
Today, our last on the island, we take the Lake McKenzie to Central Station track. Leaving behind the dazzling white shores of Lake McKenzie we descend into tall open forest and banksia woodland passing by occasional melaleuca wetland. Take a short detour to the protected shores of Basin Lake with its population of fresh-water turtles and perhaps spy a circling white-bellied sea eagle.
Daily itinerary - Coast to Coast accommodated 4 day walk
Total distance approx 50km - easy to medium
The 4-Day Coast to Coast Walk enjoys the comfort of resort accommodation on the spectacular east coast just metres from beautiful 75-mile beach.
Starting day 1 on the ancient sands of the west coast we cross inland and thereafter take in the best features and the amazing variety of the Fraser Island Great Walk. You will visit 5 of the most stunning and interesting of the lakes including world-renowned McKenzie, Boomanjin (the red lake), Benaroon, Birrabeen and Wabby.
You will wander through the magnificent rainforests of Central Station, Pile Valley and the remote Valley of the Giants, stand in awe at the Giant Satinay with a girth of almost 4 metres and climb the desert-like sandblows Badjala and Hammerstone.
Read the cultural and environmental histories of the island at Central Station and wander along the boardwalk by crystal clear Wanggoolba Creek.
Day 1 - approx 10km (3-4 hours)
Pick up at your Hervey Bay accommodation Catch the 7.15am Mary River Heads barge to Kingfisher Bay Leave the vehicle here and with our guide we head off inland from the ancient west coast sand dunes (estimated at 700,000 years old) towards beautiful Lake McKenzie. We take the seldom-used Dundonga Creek track traversing coastal heaths, banksia woodland and wallum into the impressive blackbutt forest surrounding the lake.
Time for a swim in this magnificent lake or a stroll around the shore before our vehicle picks us up and delivers us to our accommodation on the east coast. Lunch is carried and we stop at a shady spot along the track or at Lake McKenzie
Day 2 - approx 15km (5 hours)
Following a 10 minute drive north along the beach then inland to the Lake Wabby carpark you will take a short stroll to the Lake Wabby lookout with spectacular views over the east coast beach, Pacific Ocean, the enormous Hammerstone Sandblow and across to the barrage lake, Lake Wabby. Lake Wabby is the deepest of the island’s lakes at 11metres and has the largest fish of any lake. It’s a short descent to the campground and we head south through some of the most spectacular tall open forest in the island’s southern lakes area including denser blackbutt forest (Eucalyptus pilularis) and the tiny palm forest of Piccabeen Palms.
Much of this trail is travelling along an old tramline track. Just before the M7 junction take a left turn, south-east, continue on through cool, shady rainforest into the spectacular satinay (Syncarpia hillii) forest of Pile Valley and descend to the banks of crystal clear Wanggoolba Creek.
Follow the boardwalk to enjoy the beauty of the creek, the majesty of the King Fern (Angiopteris evicta) and perhaps spy the gorgeous blue Azure kingfisher or the catfish eel darting amongst the shore plants.Out of the gully it’s a short walk to historical Central Station. Read about the nature, history and culture of the island before we join the support vehicle for the short drive to our accommodation.
Day 3 - approx 14 km (4-5 hours)
A15 minute drive south along the beach in the support vehicle to Dilli Village. Starting at the southern most end of the Great Walk we cross the boardwalk past coastal swamp. Melaleucas, banksias, sedges and ferns thrive along the swampy verges.
Slowly ascend the dune ridges through open forests and scribbly gum (Eucalyptus racemosa) woodlands before a short scramble up the side of Wongi Sandblow reveals spectacular views.
We then descend to the tannin-stained waters of Lake Boomanjin, the red lake, the largest perched lake in the world.
With your guide follow the track north west along the lake’s edge and continue inland through open woodland and regenerating forests of blackbutt and brushbox.
Note the changes in vegetation into rainforest plants such as kauri pines, vines, staghorns, palm lilies and mosses. We follow the shoreline of beautiful Lake Benaroon continuing along this lakes edge and a short walk onto the south bank of Lake Birrabeen. Either of these beautiful lakes offers the chance for a refreshing swim.
Day 4 - approx 11 km (3-4 hours)
Today we head north along the east coast beach just 6km in the support vehicle then inland a short distance to our drop-off point (M9) for a remote walking adventure north to the Valley of the Giants. Meandering along the track under the shaded closed canopy of the forest we will take a side track (1.2km return) to climb the vast desert-like sands of the Badjala Sandblow.
Here we have stunning views of the coastline, ocean and surrounding forests.We return to the main track along the blackbutt forest ridges and descend into a series of rainforest corridors between the high dunes eventually arriving in the area known as the Valley of the Giants which contains some of the largest known trees on the island. Our support vehicle will meet us here and we have a chance on the way out to visit the magnificent Giant Tallowwood (3.8m girth).
On further and we can stop at the crystal clear Poyungan Creek for a short and refreshing dip.It is about a one hour drive back to the barge at Kingfisher Bay for a 4pm departure and back to the mainland and your accommodation in Hervey Bay by about 5pm.
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