There’s no better place to reconnect with nature, partake in cultural experiences and enjoy quality time with your loved ones than the stunning Fraser Coast. There are a wide range of World Heritage-listed gems for you to visit and appreciate in Fraser Coast but for now we’d like to showcase the one and only, K’gari (Fraser Island) and show you why it’s the ultimate destination to add to your bucket list!
Our team has put together the following camping guide for the first-timers as well as those looking to revisit K’gari and explore it in a different way. The campsites discussed in this guide are all accessible with our
ORCA FF camper trailer, and we hope that this guide will help you prepare for a stress-free and adventurous trip to one of the most remarkable places on Earth.
About K’gari (Fraser Island)
K’gari is the traditional home of the Butchulla people, and is found within the Great Sandy National Park. The word “k’gari” itself means paradise in the Butchulla language and there is truly no better word to describe this World Heritage site.
Holding reign as the largest sand island in the world, K’gari entails over 250 kilometers of clear sandy beaches, strikingly coloured sand cliffs, and spectacular sand blows and rockpools. Inland from the beach, you’ll be able to find remnants of lush rainforests and half of the world’s perched freshwater dune lakes.
The Great Sandy region, including K’gari, also contains heritage sites of spiritual, social and archaeological significance. Middens, artefact scatters, scarred trees and campsites are all part of the lives of present, current and future Butchulla people and we strongly urge all visitors to remain mindful and respectful of the traditional owners of the land. Please do not physically take any remnants or artefacts, the Butchulla people welcome you to only leave footprints.
For detailed information on how you can look after K’gari during your trip, please visit
here. Always check
park alerts prior to visiting for updated information on access, closure and conditions; and be sure to read up on
park safety so that you and your loved ones are aware of the wildlife at K’gari and what you can/can’t do. Please be dingo-safe.
GETTING TO K'GARI
K’gari is about 300km north of Brisbane and 15km off the coast of Hervey Bay and Maryborough. Its sand tracks are rough and only suitable for high clearance 4WD vehicles with low range capacity. If you have an all-wheel drive vehicle, it is not recommended for the trip. We do recommend that all visitors read up on how to drive safely on sand
here and watch this
video.
To get to K’gari, you will need to utilise the following vehicle barges:
- Inskip Point, 15 minutes drive from Rainbow Beach to Hook Point; these barges usually run from 6am to 5:30pm (trip time is about 10 minutes and no bookings are required).
- River Heads to Kingfisher Bay and Wanggoolba Creek (trip time is about 30 to 50 minutes and bookings are required).
You will also need to purchase a
vehicle access and camping permit and display it on your vehicle windscreen before driving and camping on K’gari. If you’d like more information on pricing and alternate methods of booking, please visit
this webpage.
Campsite Information
There are a total of 35 camping areas across the entirety of K’gari, 25 of which are accessible with our
ORCA FF camper trailer. We’ll be running through some of our recommended camping areas based on the facilities available and nearby activities, but if you’d like to browse through all 35 camping areas, you can do so
here.
Awinya Creek
This peaceful beach-side camping area comes with stunning views of the Platypus Bay sand cliffs. It's accessible by 4WD along the beach at low tide and you will need to drive across Bowarrady and Awinya creeks. GPS location: Zone 56J, easting—516842 and northing—7227069. Map location: latitude S25˚04'19" and longitude E153˚10'01".
Facilities:
- Tent camping / tent camping beside car / camper trailer camping
- Generators allowed (conditions apply)
- Canoeing and kayaking
- Fishing
- Boating
Activities nearby:
- Explore Awinya Creek by kayak. Keep an eye out for: Mangrove Jack, Bream, Mullet, Yabbies, Eels and Juvenile fish as well as Brahminy Kites, Whistling Kites, White Bellied Sea Eagles, resident Kingfishers and other bird species.
- Explore Platypus Bay (home of the world’s first Whale Heritage site) by boat or kayak. It’s the perfect spot for whale watching during Winter.
- CAMPERS NOTE: If you don’t feel confident with beach driving but would still like to be near Platypus Bay, we recommend setting up camp at the Woralie Creek campsite.
Beach camping zone 2 - One Tree, Cornwells, Gabala
This camping zone is close to beaches, drives, walks, lakes and picnic areas. It's generally, a great stopover along the
Eastern Beach scenic drive, and is also close to the feature-packed
Central Lakes and
Southern Lakes scenic drives. This camping zone is on the eastern side of the island between Eurong and Poyungan Rocks. Eurong is 35.5km north of Hook Point. The Eastern Beach scenic drive is only accessible 2hrs either side of low tide.
Facilities:
- Tent camping / tent camping beside car / camper trailer camping
- Generators allowed (conditions apply)
- Fishing
Activities nearby:
- Lake Wabby walk (4.1km one way; we recommend walking to the Hammerstone Sandblow and lookout for panoramic views!)
- Central Lakes scenic drive (27.2km one way; you can take a pit stop at the Lake Wabby walk and make a full day of it).
- CAMPERS NOTE: If you are travelling with children 14 years and younger, we recommend setting up camp at the Cornwells or Wongai camping area. These campsites have a wongari (dingo) deterrent fence and are still close to the above activities
Beach camping zone 3 - Poyungan and Winnam
The ideal coastal camping zone for those who want to sightsee and get adventurous. This camping zone is on the eastern side of the island between Poyungan Rocks and Happy Valley. Poyungan Rock is 47km north of Hook Point. The Eastern Beach scenic drive is only accessible 2hrs either side of low tide.
Facilities:
- Tent camping / tent camping beside car / camper trailer camping
- Generators allowed (conditions apply)
- Fishing
Activities nearby:
Beach camping zone 9 - Diray and Carree
This camping area is situated in the dunes on the Northern-most tip of K’gari, and is ideal for those looking to relax and explore cultural and historical sites. It is on the eastern side of the island between Browns Rocks and Sandy Cape. Browns Rocks is 129.7km north of Hook Point. The Eastern Beach scenic drive is only accessible 2hrs either side of low tide.
Facilities:
- Tent camping / tent camping beside car / camper trailer camping
- Generators allowed (conditions apply)
- Fishing
Activities nearby:
- Sandy Cape lighthouse walk (4.8km return; perfect way to tour Queensland’s second-oldest and tallest lighthouse, and you will also be able to visit a former WW2 radar station bunker and a lighthouse keeper’s grave nearby).
Dundubara camping area
This camping area has great access to scenic walks and brilliant beach fishing, and is also well-equipped with facilities. Both tent and trailer sites are available and there is also a dingo deterrent fence so we recommend this area for families with children 14 years and under! The Dundubara camping area is on the
Eastern Beach scenic drive, 41.4km north of the Eurong township and 26.9km south of
Waddy Point beachfront camping area. The Eastern Beach scenic drive is only accessible 2hrs either side of low tide.
Facilities:- Tent camping / tent camping beside car permitted in the tent site only
- Camper trailer camping and tent camping beside car permitted in the trailer site only
- Telephone (pay phone)
- Waste transfer station
- Toilets (flush)
- Hot showers (paid)
- Wheelchair access
- Campfires allowed (conditions apply)
- Fishing
Activities nearby:
- Lake Bowarrady walk (22.4km return; we recommend taking the right track to explore the Wun’gul Sandblow; and the left track for a walk through woodlands and rainforests before getting to Lake Bowarrady. We do recommend not swimming here due to the fragile lake edges).
- Take a short drive to see The Pinnacles and Red Canyon (stunning rust-coloured cliffs made up of 72 different colours of red, brown and yellow variants; we recommend going in the early morning or late afternoon).
ESSENTIAL PREPARATION CHECKLIST
Before you head on over to K’gari, you should make sure you and your loved ones are prepared. This way you can have a safe trip and also reduce any expensive costs that come with not planning ahead. We’ve put together a list of things you should do before your K’gari adventure:
- Ensure your 4WD is mechanically sound and registered. To protect your vehicle paint from salt air/spray exposure, we recommend getting a protective treatment as well.
- Pack the following for your vehicle to avoid any mishaps or break-downs: spare tyre, tool kit, tyre pressure gauge, air pump, tow rope, snatch strap, D shackle, traction mats (in case you get stuck in soft sand), shovel.
- Pack a well-equipped first-aid kit.
- Bring $2 coins for showers and 50c/20c coins for public telephones (mobile reception is not always stable; you can find public telephones at Euong, Happy Valley, Dundubara, Kingfisher Bay and Central Station).
- Be aware of marine stingers (especially in the Summer months) and dingos.
- Bring your own drinking water (our ORCA FF comes with 130L water tank storage capacity and two water filling points). If you need additional drinking water, you will be able to collect it from Central Station, Dundubara camping and day-use areas, Waddy Point camping areas and day-use areas, and Eurong—the tap is located on the beach in front of the QPWS ranger base and police station). All other drinking water must be treated before drinking.
- Fuel stoves as campfires are not permitted on K'gari except in the QPWS&P-provided fire rings in Waddy Point and Dundubara camping areas. Our ORCA FF camper trailer comes with a high quality 4-burner gas stove top so you won’t need to worry!
Ready for your K’gari adventure?
Book online now to secure your campsite spot ASAP as sites can be booked up to six months in advance and you will need to have paid for your campsite before arriving.
If you’re looking to get your hands on your very own ORCA RV to kickstart your free-camping adventures, you can find us at any of these Queensland camper dealers.
