A Dive Into The Fraser Coast's Marine Mecca

Discover the Fraser Coast, a marine mecca that beckons with tales of adventure, where majestic oceanic beings compete for attention with the timeless beauty of one of Australia’s most treasured islands.

“We’ve got two males without a calf, let’s go!" Captain Grant McCaffrey shouts just as lunch is served onboard M.V. Arcadia, Hervey Bay Dive Centre’s whale swim vessel.

I drop my sandwich and start running from the upper deck to the back of the boat where the other passengers are already plunging into the water. They’re drifting out into the open ocean, holding onto a rope that’s attached to the port side of the boat. Just as I throw my snorkel on, our instructor Mathew Bradley says the rope has reached capacity, but I can hold onto the ladder on the starboard side instead.

After diving in, I’m underwater when I hear muffled yelling. I can’t quite make out what they’re saying, so I lift my head out to hear Matt say, “They’re right there! Two of them! Quick!" I put my head back under just in time to see a huge, majestic humpback swimming to the left of me and then another, right behind it. They are gone as quickly as they came, and I am beaming as I emerge from the water.

an aerial view of a whale watching tour, Hervey Bay Dive Centre

Swim with whales in the world’s first Whale Heritage Site. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

To my complete surprise, no one else had seen the whales underwater. As is the way with nature and wildlife, you can’t pinpoint exactly where the whales will go or when they’ll come – and much to my delight, and my fellow passengers’ dismay, they had only passed by the side of the boat I had chanced my luck on.

The whale swim usually finishes by early September when more calves arrive in the bay. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

The world’s first Whale Heritage Site

Hervey Bay on Queensland’s Fraser Coast is the world’s first Whale Heritage Site. The whale season here runs from July to October, but the whale swim usually finishes by early September when more calves arrive in the bay (it’s a Great Sandy Marine Park requirement that you can’t swim with calves). I am here right at the end of the peak swim season. And while we see plenty of glorious humpbacks and their babies, we only get one opportunity to swim with them.

a whale spotted swimming in the waters of Fraser Island

The Fraser Coast is the whale-watching capital of the world.

Swim with whales from July to September at Hervey Bay Dive Centre; $225 for adults and $150 for children. Or go on a whale-watching tour from September to October; $185 for adults and $120 for children.

We see plenty of glorious humpbacks and their babies. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Exploring K’gari

Beyond being the whale-watching capital of the world, the Fraser Coast is a destination bestrewn with marine experiences. After a short ferry ride departing Hervey Bay, I arrive on K’gari (pronounced gah-ree) and am instantly welcomed by the warm, golden hues at Kingfisher Bay Resort’s aptly named Sunset Bar.

At 123 kilometres long and 22 kilometres at its widest point, K’gari is the largest sand island in the world. This haven boasts misty rainforests, rugged wilderness, more than 40 stunning freshwater lakes and abundant wildlife, including its famous wongari (dingoes).

K’gari is the largest sand island in the world.

A K’gari highlight reel

There are myriad ways to experience K’gari. Whether you’re camping and driving around the World Heritage-listed site or staying at one of the resorts like I am, there’s a way to explore. I only have one day to see the sights, so I jump onboard Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Beauty Spots Tour – a highlight reel of K’gari.

As I approach the humongous 4WD bus I know it’s going to be a bumpy ride. “Sit at the back if you want to be thrown around," our guide Ian ‘Butch’ Butcher says with a laugh. Our group comprises a largely older demographic, so I trudge towards the back end of the bus with my coffee in hand (first mistake) to take one for the team. I set myself down five rows from the back (I’m only human) and hope for the best.

As soon as Butch starts the journey my coffee is shooting out of the spout and I’m desperately trying to drink it without scalding my mouth. Every time we go over a huge bump, we erupt into fits of laughter. I am astonished at how fast it feels like Butch is fanging this monstrous bus through rough, sandy terrain, but I know experience is on his side.

The Beauty Spots Tour is a highlight reel of K’gari. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

75 Mile Beach

Our first stop is K’gari Beach Resort for some lunch before we start the drive on 75 Mile Beach, a sand highway that runs the length of K’gari’s east coast. We see an alpha male dingo on the beach near Yidney Rocks and watch the whales out at sea as Butch flies along the shoreline.

We see an alpha male dingo on the beach near Yidney Rocks. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

The bus makes a couple of stops along the beach; the Pinnacles – 700,000-year-old unique sand dunes that have formed into spires and towers; the iconic Maheno shipwreck; and Eli Creek, where visitors float down the tree-lined waterway.

We stop by the iconic Maheno shipwreck. (Image: Emily Murphy)

Scenic flight over K’gari

When we arrive at Eli Creek, an Air Fraser scenic flight has just landed on 75 Mile Beach and has availability for some extra passengers. I put my hand up and within minutes am onboard and ready. Pilot Hugh Weber gives us a quick safety briefing and we are off. I’ve never been on such a small plane, and I can’t take the smile off my face. The whirlwind flight takes us over Butterfly Lake – so named because of its shape from above, Boorangoora/Lake McKenzie, Eli Creek and the ocean.

scenic flight over Butterfly Lake on K'gari Fraser Coast

The scenic flight takes us over Butterfly Lake. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

The 15-minute scenic flight is only $100 per person.

an Air Fraser scenic flight above K'gari

See K’gari from above on an Air Fraser scenic flight. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Boorangoora/Lake McKenzie

Finally, we stop at the unmissable Boorangoora. The perched lake is recognisable by its gradient of blues that reflect the depth of the water. The pure, white silica sand acts as a filter, creating water so pure it can’t support any marine life.

Boorangoora/Lake McKenzie is recognisable by its gradient of blues. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

I sit in the lake with my friend, and we lather ourselves with the sand, scrubbing away any impurities. Butch laughs at us and says it won’t do anything, but I tell you, my skin has never felt so smooth.

Boorangoora/Lake McKenzie’s pure, white silica sand is the perfect exfoliant. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

The Beauty Spots Tour that takes you to K’gari’s highlights starts at $249 for an adult and $169 for a child aged between four and 14.

Explore K’gari and you will not only discover the rainbow-coloured cliffs sacred to the local Indigenous people, or a coastline that swoops and soars, or the astonishing turquoise waters of a lake so translucent you want to stay immersed in it forever.

For the world’s largest sand island, there is a surprising number of things to do on K’gari (formerly Fraser Island). From wandering through thick rainforest, to spending the whole day hopping from lake to pool to lake, to experiencing the island’s ancient and modern history. It’s clear that a trip to K’gari is more than just a day trip.

Whether you’re looking for a relaxing holiday or a natural adventure, buckle up. Here are 12 things to do on K’gari, appropriately named by the local Butchulla tribe to mek’gari an ‘paradise’.

1. Explore the rainforest

pile valley on k'gari fraser island queensland

Find yourself in the middle of lush rainforest, like Pile Valley. (Image: TEQ)

Fraser Island is the only place in the world where rainforest is found growing on sand dunes at elevations of more than 200 metres. The low-lying shrubs and heaths on the island are of great evolutionary and ecological significance as they make up the most complete age sequence of coastal dune systems anywhere in the world.

The diverse vegetation on the 184,000-hectare island also includes towering kauri pine and piccabeen palms, flora-rich shrubland and heath and subtropical rainforest. Don’t miss: The magnificent wildflower displays in spring and summer on the island, which is about three and a half hours’ drive north of Brisbane.

2. Lake McKenzie

aerial of Lake Mckenzie on k'gari queensland

Relax on the silica sand shores of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Sit and watch the way young children approach Lake McKenzie/ Boorangoora: they advance at speed, arms pinwheeling, and propel their bodies into the water again and again. This is the way to do it. The crowds that converge around the lake make this a top spot for people-watching. Choose your tribe: dreadlocked hippies sitting in the shade of an eucalyptus tree; flashpackers with their selfie sticks prodding the sky; and families advancing and retreating from the water.

The white sandy beach tinged with a turquoise swirl of water is one of the most visited natural wonders in Australia. Lake McKenzie is a ‘perched’ lake, meaning it contains only rainwater, and it is set into the landscape like a precious stone.

It’s accessible by 4WD or on foot when following a 20-kilometre return loop trail from Kingfisher Bay Resort.

3. Indian Head

people walking on Indian Head Headland at one end of Seventy Five Mile Beach opn k'gari

Walk to Indian Head. (Image: Mark Fitz/TEQ)

Located on the eastern side of K’gari, Indian Head is a rocky outcrop said to have been originally created by volcanic activity up to 80 million years ago.

Captain Cook first caught sight of the Butchulla people in 1770 and named the eastern beach after them; the term ‘Indian’ was used to describe Indigenous people centuries ago. Known to the local Indigenous people as tuckee (stone), the distinctive head shape of the rocky cliffs made it one of K’gari’s most notable attractions.

It’s both an iconic landmark and a natural lookout for spotting sea life: look out over the ocean for manta rays, dolphins, sea turtles and whales.

4. The Cathedrals

Aerial shot of 4WD driving along the beach at The Cathedrals on k'gari

Drive passed the rusty-coloured Cathedrals. (Image: Kyle Hunter/ TEQ)

These cliffs of coloured sands are permanently stained in various shades of rust and ochre and are one of many sacred sites on the island for the local Butchulla people. According to Dreamtime legend, the cliffs were formed long ago as a result of a love story gone wrong.

Watching The Cathedrals change colour as the sun moves across the sky and the first rays of dawn paint the pinnacles is like watching the final touches being applied to an artwork. Over time, the elements have clawed at the cliffs and resulted in this breathtaking construction.

5. Champagne Pools

aerial of champagne pools on k'gari queensland

Enjoy the natural fizz of the Champagne Pools. (Image: TEQ)

Why Champagne? Because of the pleasant fizzing sensation that happens when waves crash into the water of the pools. Sit back and relax in the blue-green water of this natural spa bath – or we should say, baths. The Champagne Pools are a series, hemmed in by rocks and polished smooth by the sea. Soak in the gorgeous ocean views while you do.

The pools are about 2.2 kilometres north along the 75 Mile Beach from Indian Head. Go at low tide when the sea is calm – while they are relatively safe, caution should be taken at high tide.

6. 75 Mile Beach

a dingo walking along the water on 7r mile beach on k'gari fraser island queensland

Spot resident wildlife, curve off to explore more sections of the island, or stay to fish. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

75 Mile Beach is long, surprisingly long despite its very obvious name. Yes, it is 75 miles long – or over 120 kilometres – but it’s not until you’re standing on this straight, sandy stretch that you realise the reality of those numbers. Looking out onto the horizon here makes you understand why people once thought the world was flat: it’s all straight lines of blues and yellows, from the sand between your toes to the cloud-spotted skies.

This spectacular stretch of sand traces the eastern side of K’gari, and is officially a national highway and runway – it’s one of the few beaches in the world where light aircraft can actually land and take off.

You’ll spot plenty of 4WDs pulled over along this beach, its occupants trying their luck catching a fish or two. It’s a great place to pass a few hours, or to carve off a trail to places like Eli Creek or stop at the famous shipwreck (more to come).

7. Eli Creek

Mother and daughter enjoying Eli Creek, as part of the Beauty Spots 4WD tour on k'gari

Ride the tide along Eli Creek. (Image: Courtney Atkinson/ TEQ)

Speaking of Eli Creek pours up to four million litres of clear, fresh water into the ocean every hour. The result? A pleasantly steady – but not scary – current that will also carry humans on floatie devices along it. I don’t care how old you are; it’s surprisingly fun.

Even if you don’t want to ride the tide, it’s a popular picnic spot with a boardwalk following the creek inland. So you can still have a gander at it, and the surrounding banksia and pandanus.

8. The Maheno Shipwreck

aerial of the ss maheno on 75 mile beach k'gari fraser island queensland

Drive by the SS Maheno. (Image: TEQ)

The SS Maheno is a beacon for visitors to K’gari because it’s a bit of lingering evidence of history: a cyclone devastated parts of the Queensland coast in 1935. The ship was on its way to a Japanese shipyard to be turned into scrap metal when its tow line snapped; it is now better known for being washed ashore on Fraser’s Eastern beach than for being the fastest ship to cross the Tasman between Australia and New Zealand.

Formerly a First World War hospital ship, the skeleton of the SS Maheno has a broken hull that looks like cracked ribs. It’s worth seeing, especially with that backdrop of waves, dunes and tangled trees.

9. Lake Wabby & Hammerstone Sand Blow

aerial of Lake Wabby & Hammerstone Sand Blow on k'gari fraser island

See striking sand dunes and a crescent-moon lake. (Image: TEQ)

As the deepest lake on the island (it’s 11.4 metres deep at its lowest point), the half-moon shape and dark green water of Lake Wabby is a popular sight on K’gari. It’s what know as a barrage lake, meaning it was formed when sand dunes shifted over time, blocking a body of water before it could reach the ocean. Brush box, satinay, tallowwood trees and more form a striking, thick green border around the lake.

Perhaps even more striking than the lake is the massive collection of sand dunes right next to it, creating Hammerstone Sand Blow. Walking along here feels like you’ve stepped right onto a desert moon out of Star Wars.

There are two ways to get here. The most common way is to park on 75 Mile Beach (where signs point to Lake Wabby) and walk 1.5 hours (return) along the bush track. The secret way is to park at Lake Wabby Car Park off Cornwall’s Break Road, and walk a steep but short 15-20 minutes.

10. Central Station

Couple with a guide at Central Station things to do on k'gari

Discover the boardwalks of Central Station with a guide. (Image: TEQ)

Central Station was originally home to a community of more than 100 people during its days as a forestry camp when timber logging was the thing here in the 1920s. Thankfully, chainsaws are a thing of the past on World Heritage-listed K’gari.

Lace up your boots for a walk along the boardwalk that hugs the curves of Wanggoolba Creek as it snakes through the rainforest. The creek was used for Secret Women’s Business before the land was cleared for forestry operations. These days, the picnic area sits amid a botanical garden.

11. Indigenous history

Bush Tucker Talk and Taste at kingfisher bay resort things to do on k'gari

Try native ingredients. (Image: Sean Scott/ TEQ)

The original inhabitants of K’gari were the Butchulla people, who occupied the land for about 5000 years. There are around 500 Indigenous archaeological sites located across K’gari, which are rich with Dreamtime stories.

It is also equipped with ingredients from the original Indigenous pantry. You can taste some of these native Australian flavours during a Bush Tucker Talk + Taste session at Kingfisher Bay Resort. See, touch and taste native ingredients in their raw state before the chef turns them into a tasty meal.

12. Kayaking through the mangroves

Kayaking near Bowarrady Creek things to do on k'gari fraser island

Explore mangrove systems on a kayak. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

Another brilliant way to get out on the water (and get a very good workout) is taking to a kayak and exploring K’gari’s beautiful mangrove system.

Hire one (or a canoe or stand-up paddle board) from Kingfisher Bay Resort to explore on your own. If you’re not so comfortable with a paddle and would like extra support, or you’d just like to learn more about the ecosystems you’re adventuring through, join a tour led by Kingfisher Bay Resort’s rangers. Check at the resort’s front desk for timings.

Still want more K’gari tips? Let the experts guide you on one of our picks of top K’gari tours.

Whale tales: A dive into the marine mecca that is the Fraser Coast