Fraser - sandy island east coast Australia, separated from the mainland by vast swampy areas. The natives who inhabited this island before the arrival of Europeans called it Kgari, which means "paradise". And they can be understood - the place is truly heavenly: snow-white sands, mangroves, lakes and exotic flora and fauna.
Modern name the island received by the name of Captain Fraser, who was wrecked off these coasts and, together with his wife, was forced to settle there.
Fraser is the world's largest sand island. He is on the list world heritage UNESCO as a unique natural site.
How to get there
The closest international airport to Fraser Island is in Brisbane. There are no direct flights from Russia, a round-trip flight with one transfer costs from 1017 USD per person. Coming from Brisbane - to small town Harvey Bay on the coast. There are many ways: an airplane, several trains, buses or a rented car.
The fastest way is by plane. The journey will take just over 2 hours, the ticket price is from 110 USD per person one way. You will spend about the same amount on a train ticket, which takes 4.5 hours. A slower train (6.5 hours one way) will cost half as much. Most a budget option- this is a bus, a one-way ticket costs from 30 USD per person.
There are piers in Harvey Bay, from which barges leave for Fraser several times a day (approximately from 6:00 to 18:45). A ticket costs about 60 USD per person, you can buy them at the pier.
A barge ticket alone is not enough to get to Fraser Island. You also need a special permit - "permit". It is issued by default if you rent a jeep at the Harvey Bay resort, or if you have a reservation at any of the hotels on the island.
Find flights to Fraser Island
Hotels
The island has several hotels and guest houses for tourists. The average cost of a night in a hotel is about 100 USD per night for a double room. Hotels are usually located in a picturesque place, on the territory there is a swimming pool, garden, gazebos and other amenities. Guest houses a little cheaper: from 70 USD per night for a double room, the location is also great, but there may not be a pool and a garden area.
The beaches of Fraser Island
The Fraser Coast is over 100 km of sandy beaches. Most of them are wild, but even on popular beaches there is practically no tourism infrastructure. Swimming in completely deserted places is not recommended, since they are deserted for a reason: there can be sand dunes, dangerous currents, jellyfish, dingo dogs and other not very pleasant neighborhood. The most popular beaches among tourists are Orchideyny, Indian Head (it is so called for its intricately indented coastline), Cathedral, quartz sand beach and Happy Valley beaches.
It is much safer to relax on the shores of freshwater lakes. There are more than 40 of them on the island, the most famous of them is the bright blue Lake Mackenzie. No one lives in it - the water in the lake is distilled. There are always a lot of people here (a lot by local standards - on any European beach resort the beaches are uncommonly crowded), and if you want to enjoy absolute silence, you should arrive before 16:00, when the buses with tourists are already leaving.
Entertainment and excursions
People go to Fraser primarily for relaxation on white sandy beaches and observation of wildlife. In the west - mangroves and swamps, in the east - sand, and in the north - impenetrable equatorial forests (there is also located national park Great Sandy national park).
Diversity is not only found in vegetation, but also in animal world. Sea turtles live in local freshwater lakes, and the wild dingo dog lives in large numbers on land. She is not wild in the full sense of the word: once she was already domesticated, but after that she became wild again. Dingoes can be found almost anywhere on the island, they live peacefully in their flocks and are never the first to attack people. But it’s better not to disturb them: they will certainly defend their territory. About 350 species of birds live in the local forests, many of which are protected, such as the ground parrot and the needle-footed owl.
Directly at the hotel you can book day and night excursions to get to know the nature of the island. Another option is to go to boat trip and look closely at sharks, dolphins, humpback whales and other marine life. At night you can see bats, foxes and many colorful frogs.
From August to October, humpback whale migrations can be seen on Fraser Island.
There are no cultural and historical attractions on the island, but tourists are usually impressed huge pyramids household waste, consisting mainly of fishing tackle and boat wrecks. In Happy Valley, you can still see the wreckage of the Mahino, which sank off the coast of the island during the First World War, and visit the abandoned McKenzie Wharf, where the Zed Assault Squad was based during the Second World War. On Lunar Cape preserved sacred place where Aboriginal women gave birth.
Most of the entertainment offered on the island is active. You can ride a jeep along the sandy Cathedral Rocks or fly over them in a mini-plane, raft down the Ely Creek and go out into the open ocean, go sailing and fishing. You will probably have to dig the worms yourself, but this is very easy: after low tide, they lie right on the shore.
Traveling on Fraser Island
This is the second week of our trip to Australia. Having explored the Western part of Australia and then, having got acquainted with Sydney and its main attractions, we flew north to the town of Hervey Bay, located almost in the center of the East Coast. From there we took a ferry to famous island Fraser and for the first acquaintance flew around him in a helicopter.
The island is famous for being the largest sand island in the world. We will spend three days on it and see how the Australians meet New Year. Tourists arriving on the island settle down there overnight in different ways. Some of them, who, as a rule, have rented jeeps on the mainland, prefer to travel in these vehicles and live in campsites. For those who love comfort, the island has several different hotels. We stayed in one of the largest and most comfortable - Kingfisher Bay Resort. It had two pools which was great as swimming in the ocean is unpleasant due to the poor muddy shore.
The hotel administration did everything so that tourists would not get bored and offered tourists several excursions. The most worthless - to see the "night" and "morning" animals. Their cost is 5 AUD, the duration is an hour and a half. Bought on the "night". The guide walked with us after dinner through the wild territory of the hotel without even going beyond it (the hotel is surrounded by a metal fence from wild Dingo dogs). She showed some spider bugs and on that everyone went to sleep.
We didn’t go on the morning tour (they didn’t return the money to us), because we had to get up at 4 in the morning. And what to watch? Can you surprise us with some spiders? Birdsong could be heard in the thick foliage from the window of the room. In general, there are no special animals on the island. So, one little thing - different mice.
True, there are also the famous Dingo wild dogs on the island, but we never managed to see them. True, I remember that in the years of my youth there was a film of the same name by Julius Karasik about pure, but bitter first teenage love.
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Dingoes are like domestic dogs. Actually, they are secondarily feral domestic dogs. But they are not tame at all, and therefore you need to be careful when meeting with them. We were advised to follow the basic rules of behavior - do not go outside the hotel alone and do not feed anyone (for this a fine of 1500 aud!), Do not run away and do not turn your back on them, but wait until they leave. In general, they advised not to go outside the hotel alone, day or night.
After the helicopter flight, the other most educational excursion offered a trip on a four-wheel drive 4WD bus through the most interesting places islands (70 AUD/person).
Overland tour of Fraser Island
Early in the morning we gather at four-wheel drive buses and distribute to cars. Each car is driven by two people - the driver and the guide, who change in turn. The guide is constantly talking, throwing in figures and facts from the history of the development of the island. It turns out that before the European colonization of Australia, several thousand natives of the Butchulla tribe lived on the island and in their language it was called K`gari. Which in translation into ours meant "Paradise".
And its modern name is associated with the name of Captain Fraser, whose ship "Stirling Castle" was wrecked here in 1836. The captain, along with the crew, were killed and eaten by the natives, and his wife Eliza was taken prisoner. After her release by runaway convicts, from whom she also suffered, Eliza ended her life in a psychiatric hospital from everything she had experienced ...
This case gave rise to enmity and aggressiveness in the relationship between Europeans and aborigines for a long time. Such is the sad history of this island.
Regarding the formation of numerous lakes on the sandy island, the guide noted that all lakes are replenished by rainfall, which falls up to 1,500 millimeters per year. Water flowing out of lakes or seeping through sand forms streams (here they are called Creek), which, draining, disappear into the ocean.
The bus makes its way along a broken sandy road, made many years ago by timber trucks. Now this road has gone into the sand for more than a meter. Once upon a time, wood was cut down on the island and wood was delivered to the continent. On both sides of the road there is a dense forest cover. And if two cars meet on such a road, then the drivers look at who is more comfortable to slide onto specially made patches or turn back even 100 meters. Everyone disperses politely and thanks those who gave way. The "steepness" of wheelbarrows does not count here.
After half an hour of such a ride, after driving about 10 km, we stop at Lake McKenzie. This is the most famous lake of the island. A large turquoise spot against the backdrop of green jungle. Crystal clear water! I saw the same clear water only on the famous Shatsky Lakes in Ukraine.
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And although it is large, people hang out only on one beach. Everyone lies in the coastal zone of the water on the white sand and go crazy. Almost no one swims. It feels like taking a bath. The lake is deep - it can be seen from the dark blue of the water about 20 meters from the shore, but no one was already visible there.
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All the women are in bikinis, and the men are all in long, knee-length and below, underpants. In swimming trunks, customary in our countries, no one bathes. We also had to pull on the same pants, otherwise, they say, they may perceive us incorrectly by our orientation. To be honest, it’s an uncomfortable form of clothing for swimming (I completely forgot - they don’t swim!). I'm not talking about leaving the water in this form in cold or windy weather. Various inflammations are 100% guaranteed. Fortunately, it is hot here, and the water was +30.
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After an hour of relaxation on the lake and tea and coffee with traditional Australian buns and cookies prepared by our attendants, we drive further inland. After a few kilometers, we arrived at the Central station, the former base of lumberjacks. Now here is a scientific station for the study of the flora and fauna of the island.
A short excursion with a story about these places. Usually the forest does not grow well on sand. But here, thanks to the abundance of moisture, there is a lot of greenery. Fraser Island is one of the few places on earth where lush forests have grown among the sand.
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Indeed, once the forest was so dense that for 100 years lumberjacks were in charge here. Some trees, such as syncarpia, were even harvested for the construction of the Suez Canal.
We pass through a dense forest with its prehistoric ferns and huge silk trees along the clean Wangulba Creek.
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Here we saw how tourists are loved in Australia. And not only healthy, but also with the so-called. "limited capacity". There are no disabled people in Australia - there are just people whose physical abilities are somehow limited - someone does not see, someone does not hear or does not walk. Think! Everyone is just happy to see such a person and help him!
Here, in the forest, there were signs and descriptions of trees everywhere!, made in Braille for the blind! This is what Australians care about people!
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After a few kilometers, another stop. We crossed the island and arrived on its Pacific side - in Eurong Beach Resort. There is a hotel, a shop, a car repair shop and a small runway strip for communication with the mainland by small aircraft. By the way, they can also land on the surf.
After lunch, we get back into our cars and drive out onto the ocean surf. There is a barrier at the exit, and a grate is laid along the ground with strings of wire stretched over it under the electric. electric shock - this is from wild dogs Dingo. The entire territory of this hotel, as well as ours, is surrounded by a high mesh fence.
The oceanfront is amazing! Amazing spectacle! A strong wind raises whirlwinds of sand, and they mix with the foam that breaks from the oncoming waves. The mist of the ocean surf hangs in the air. And then thousands of kilometers Pacific Ocean! Leaving cars are visible along the surf. A real training ground for thrill-seekers! In both directions - to the left and to the right - a sandy strip 70-80 meters wide goes and hides far beyond the horizon.
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However, it’s too early for lovers of high speeds to rejoice - on the coast regularly, especially during low tide, there are policemen with radar pistols and catch everyone for exceeding the limit of 80 km / h. Moreover, they measure alcohol at the same time. Fines as on the mainland - for exceeding the limit even by 1 km - a fine of $ 133 + 1 penalty point! For exceeding 20 km - a fine of $ 333 + 4 penalty points, for exceeding 40 km - $ 933 + 8 penalty points. Each fine is entered into the computer and the policeman can clearly see how many times this driver violated the rules.
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Exceeding 40 km / h is considered "outrageous" and for this, rights (including foreign ones) are taken away right in the middle of the bush. Moreover, the unpleasant thing is that if there is no satellite or he does not have rights, the car is arrested and delivered to the rental office on a truck, which is paid by you. Maybe that's why, having driven hundreds of kilometers on the roads of Australia, we have not seen a single, even the smallest, accident!
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We were lucky - the weather was great. Our route was towards the northern tip of the island. To the right, the ocean rolled steadily long turquoise waves, but almost all the way, and we drove about 50 km, there was not a soul on its shore.
Only occasionally, near small streams flowing from the forest, there were parking lots with tents and jeeps in the shade of trees. Single daredevils who want to plunge into the ocean went into it no deeper than knee-deep. Everywhere, when driving along the coast, left-hand traffic was observed.
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To meet us, right along the surf, moving away from the oncoming waves and, as if playing with them, jeeps raced. On the way back, our driver did the same. An hour later, having traveled about 50-60 km, we stopped approximately in the middle of the island at Colored Sands - colored sands and turned back.
Along the way, in two places, the line of the beach was crossed by stone ridges. These were Pinnacles weathered rock formations of the type we saw in Western Australia. Of course, they were not so interesting and similar to the phalluses of the Pinnacle desert. But they are interesting in their own way. We drove around them from above, and on the way back - when the ocean receded - we calmly drove along the sandy surf itself.
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While we were standing, a small airplane flew over us, almost touching the roof of the bus, and deftly landed on the sandy surf.
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There were a couple of the same aircraft and their handsome pilots in snow-white shorts and shirts with ornate epaulettes offered everyone who wanted to fly over the island. Well, we flew yesterday and saw everything.
On the way back, we stopped to inspect the remains of the Maheno ship that sank in 1936. The hull of the ship is corroded to the limit by rust. Frames sticking out of the sand look like the ribs of a whale thrown ashore. Everyone wants to be photographed against this background.
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Serene beach holiday- the main attraction of Fraser Island, the world's largest sandy island, located in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland.
– Fraser Island, Queensland, Australia
Vacation Ideas
Fraser Island
Islands Queensland leading the way as the coolest vacation ideas. They make it possible to spend holidays like in paradise, and at the same time acquaint us with nature. queensland, of course, has exciting natural resources, which he is ready to reveal to the traveler, but this development costs a pretty penny. Therefore, the ideas I propose for recreation should be well calculated. not an exception, but we will try to minimize costs.
Fraser Island located at south coast Queensland, about 200 kilometers north of Brisbane. Stretching for 120 kilometers in length and approximately 7 to 23 kilometers at its widest point, it is considered the largest sand island in the world (area 1840 km²), because. arose as a result of centuries of erosion.
– Low tide, Fraser Island
– Shore, aerial view, Fraser Island
– East Coast, Fraser Island
Turquoise waves, long golden beaches, virgin nature, just heaven. By the way, translated from the language Butchulla, aborigines who lived in these parts before European colonization, the name Fraser Islands was - K'gari, which meant "paradise" or "heavenly".
For a short period, the island was known as "Big Sand Island". The modern name of the island is associated with the name of the legendary captain James Frazier, whose ship "Stirling Castle" in 1836 crashed off the coast of the island and the surviving sailors landed on the shore.
The island has exceptional natural beauty with rainforests, eucalyptus trees, mangrove forests and peat swamps, dunes and coastal heathlands. There are over 250 kilometers of sunny sandy beaches with long, unbroken stretches of ocean, including more than 40 kilometers of strikingly colored cliffs. In the depths of the island are the majestic remains of a tall rainforest growing on high dunes, this phenomenon is unique.
– Lake McKenzie, Fraser Island
– Wanggoolba Creek
Sand on Fraser Island accumulated over approximately 750,000 years on a volcanic base that provides natural drainage for precipitation. These dunes move across the island, often covering forests and other vegetation. The rate at which the dunes move each year depends on various factors such as the strength of the wind, the amount of humidity, and actually the plants themselves in the sand. These dunes gradually stop moving when they reach areas sheltered from the winds.
The dunes that make up the island were formed about 400 thousand years ago and have a height of up to 240 m. There are more than 40 fresh "hanging" lakes, which is one of geographical features islands. This is unusual for a sandy island, which is washed by the waters of the ocean on all sides. The largest lake covers an area of about 200 hectares, its name is Lake Boemingen. West Coast Fraser is occupied by mangrove forests and swamps, the eastern (facing the ocean) is a beach of fairly white sand about 100 km long. The most popular and accessible lake for swimming (you need to walk three kilometers through the forest and dunes) is the lake Webby (Wabbi), the deepest on the island (12 meters).
– Dunes, Fraser Island
Most of the island, which has preserved intact tropical rainforests (about 1645 km² in area), is part of Great Sandy National Park. Freshwater turtles are found in well-heated lakes, and the wild dog Dingo is found on land. Dingo, on the island, is strictly forbidden to feed (a fine of $ 3,000) and you must follow certain rules when meeting, which guides will tell you about or read on the park's website.
– Wild dingo on the beach at sunset, Fraser Island
– Dingo on the beach
Excursion opportunities on the island are small, but quite interesting. In the Happy Valley you can explore the wreck of the Mahino, a luxurious trans-Tasmanian passenger liner built in 1905 in Scotland. During the First World War, it was turned into a floating hospital. The ship was sold to the Japanese for scrap in 1935, and while being transported, it got into a storm that washed it ashore on Fraser Island. All attempts to save the ship failed and it was decided to leave it on the island.
- "Makhino" (S.S. Maheno)
– sand dunes or Sandblows, Fraser Island
The abandoned McKenzie Wharf was originally used by lumberjacks to connect with the mainland, and was used by the famous Z Force during World War II. Today, deforestation is prohibited on the island.
You can get to the island by ferry connecting the mainland and Moon Point. The island is separated from the mainland by a series of narrow, ever-changing straits that together form Great Sandy Strait and you can get to the island from three main points - the main stream floats on ferries from the town Hervey Bay- official gates Fraser Island, there is a crossing from River Heads and the southernmost route is the ferry from the sandbar Inskip Point in the vicinity of the town rainbow beach.
IN Hervey Bay you can use the services of the company Fraser Island Barges and ferry Kingfisher Bay Ferry for $175 (car and 3 passengers, peak season price)
The west coast of the island is not very suitable for driving a heavy SUV, but east coast just a real highway. If you go inland, the roads turn into viscous sandy tracks, where getting stuck in bad weather is a matter of minutes.
- "Pools with champagne" (Champagne Pools) - in this place the reef forms protected stone niches, where the wave bursts, rolling over the edge of the cliff, forming clouds of foam. This is the only place on Fraser Island where you can safely swim in the ocean water.
- Indian Head - a rock sticking out of the sand at the northern end of the 75-mile beach
Swimming on the eastern beaches is not recommended. The thing is that the dominant direction of the wind and, as a result, the waves create very insidious underwater eddies that begin to be pulled into the ocean - reflux. There are no lifeguards here. Besides, Fraser Island- this is the place where the two largest tiger sharks were caught. You can swim in the ocean only in one single place in the north of the island - Champagne Pools.
Fraser Island is the world's largest sandy island (1840 sq. km), located in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland, 200 km north of Brisbane.
Length amazing island- 120 km, width - from 7 to 25 km. You can get to the island by ferry connecting the mainland and Lunar Cape.
Geologists believe that Fraser Island is about 750,000 years old. The natives who once inhabited it called the island "Kgari", which means "paradise". The island got its current name in honor of Eliza Fraser, who survived a shipwreck off the coast of the island in 1836. For 6 weeks she was held captive by the local Aborigines.
The landscape of Fraser Island is unique: here you can see huge sand dunes up to 240 meters high and many lakes - there are more than 100 of them - the largest of which, Lake Boemingen, covers an area of 200 hectares. Eucalyptus and palm trees, mangroves and bamboo grow here, and the center of the island is covered with tropical rain forest. The main attraction of the forest and the pride of local residents is a giant, 70-meter eucalyptus, which is under protection. national park"Great Sands" (Great Sandy National Park).
The fauna of the island is no less diverse: kangaroos, wallabies, opossums, flying foxes, echidnas. Purebred Australian dingoes and mustangs over the years of life here have adapted to moving on the sand, and island green parrots nest right in the thickness of the lakeside peat. The island is home to 354 species of birds, including such rare species as the ground parrot, great needle-footed owl and 18 species of birds of prey. In the waters surrounding the island, migratory whales can be seen from August to October.
In 1992, Fraser Island, with its unique and pristine nature, was included in the list of World Heritage Sites. natural heritage UNESCO.
For lovers active entertainment- A 4WD drive along the sandy Cathedral Rocks or a mesmerizing mini-plane flight over the 75-mile beach. Rafting on the turbulent Ely Creek will take tourists straight to the ocean. A sailing trip will allow you to watch dugongs, turtles, dolphins and sharks in their natural habitat.
Excursion opportunities on the island are small, but quite interesting. In Happy Valley, you can explore the wreck of the Mahino, a luxury trans-Tasman passenger liner built in 1905. During the First World War, it was turned into a floating hospital, and in 1935 it was thrown ashore during a cyclone.
On Lunar Cape, a sacred place of the aborigines, women once gave birth to children.
The abandoned Mackenzie Wharf was originally used as a link between lumberjacks and the mainland, and was used by the famous Z Force during World War II.
A serene beach holiday is the main attraction of Fraser Island. One of the most popular places among tourists is Orchid Beach, from which you can make trips to Cape Indian Head, nicknamed so for the bizarrely indented sea coast, or Cape Sandy. On south coast islands you can admire the white-pink rocks of Poyungan. Other favorite beaches include Cathedral Beach, the 75-mile quartz sand beach, and the Happy Valley beaches.
You can swim not only in the ocean, but also in one of the many lakes of the island - Lake Mackenzie, Lake Allom, which is home to freshwater turtles, Lake Webby, the deepest on the island (12 meters), Lake Boemingen, the world's largest "hanging lake" , or in the so-called "champagne pools".
The largest sand island in the world is the Australian Fraser. It stretches along the eastern coast of the country, and covers an area of about 1840 square kilometers. Translated from the language of the natives, "Fraser" means "paradise" and as proof of this on the island you will meet over 40 freshwater lakes, dunes and other natural monuments, many of which are under the protection of UNESCO.
Flora and faunaThe western part of Fraser Island in Australia is occupied by mangrove forests and swamps. To the east is a huge sand beach, which is about 100 km long. Distinguishing mark north coast Fraser became untouched equatorial forests.
It is not surprising that in such various natural conditions inhabited by a variety of animals. Turtles inhabit shallow lakes, and the wild dog Dingo has chosen land areas. Going for a canoe trip, you can see electric stingrays, and in the surrounding forests there are about 350 species of birds, some of which are under protection (earth parrot, needle-legged owl and others). A sea voyage along the coast of Fraser Island will allow you to see dugongs, turtles, dolphins, sharks, humpback whales up close. If you decide to explore the territory of the island at night, you can observe the life of bats and foxes, sugar possums, and frogs. In addition, kangaroos, wallabies, and echidnas are found on the Fraser.
Things to do?Travelers who find themselves on Fraser Island will hardly be bored, because it is literally dotted with interesting and memorable places. The best place to start exploring the island is to observe the herbs and flowers, which will help trace the evolutionary path of plants over 700 years. The Fraser sand dunes will tell about the centuries-old climatic features of the region, giant mounds of household waste, fishing nets and tackle, notches on trees, temporary dwellings testify to the presence of a person in these places.
The best place that tells about the life of the first settlers is the Arched Rocks, here tourists will see a platform where men gathered and played the ancient didgeridoo instrument to attract good luck on the upcoming hunt. In the depths of the colored rocks, the Lunar Piglet is hidden - a sacred place in which new members of the tribe were born. And history lovers can expect the Happy Valley, which stores the wreckage of the Makhino ship, which sank off the coast of the island during the First World War. No less interesting is a walk to the abandoned pier "McKenzie", which served as a stronghold of the assault squad "Zed" during the Second World War.
Accommodation and mealsAfter long walks and interesting discoveries worth a little pampering. Unforgettable vacation awaits guests of an environmentally friendly boarding house, where you can visit a relaxing massage session, try cool cocktails and tasty and healthy food. In addition to it, on the territory of Fraser Island there are many hotels, separate guest houses, which are located in picturesque places, but only daredevils who decide to spend their holidays in a tent camp can feel the unity with nature. The best hotels on the island are Kingfisher Bay Resort, Cathedrals on Fraser and Orchid House.
You can try authentic dishes at Seabelle Restaurant Kingfisher Bay Resort, Fraser Island Retreat and Maheno Restaurant.
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To visit this wonderful corner of the planet, tourists will have to overcome a difficult path. First you need to get to international airport and buy a ticket for a flight to the town of Hervey Bay. Once in the latter, it is enough to find a marina from which ferries depart to Fraser Island. Flights are carried out daily, with a small interval in time.
