51 Fraser Island Facts To Understand Its Heritage And Importance

Fraser Island is home to more than 100 freshwater lakes.

Fraser Island also has almost half of the world's perched lakes or perched dune lakes to be precise (40 being located here). It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 and its popularity has been increasing ever since, not only in Australia but across the globe.

Fraser Island is home to a large number of bird species, and some mammal and amphibian species, and all of these are protected by Great Sandy National Park. Great Sandy Strait separates Fraser Island from the Australian mainland.

Fraser Island is also popularly called Great Sandy Island for being the largest sand island and its sandhills are around 820 ft (250 m) tall.

Since this place receives plenty of rainfall, it has a large number of wildflowers that can be found all over Fraser Island and attract tourists with their beauty and unique aroma.

Bats are also pretty common on this island and around 12 species of bats visit this island frequently. Here in this article, we will be talking about more interesting facts about the world's largest sand island, Fraser Island.

Fraser Island's History

The island's history in itself is a story with great ups and downs. Some of its famous past events are mentioned below:

• Fraser Island developed over hundreds of thousands of years when sand drifting began and started to flow off the east coast of the Australian mainland and created what is now the largest sand island.
• Fraser Island's creation took over 800,000 years to become what it is today and it is still developing as you read but at a very slow pace.
• Fraser Island was initially inhabited by Butchulla people for more than 5000 years.
• Butchulla people used to call it K’Gari, which means 'paradise' until foreigners and tourists started visiting.
• In 1770, Captain Cook discovered this island and called its native people 'Indians'.
• One of the most famous spots in Fraser Island is 'Indian Head', which is used even today.
• Fraser Island is named after Eliza Fraser, a Scottish woman who reached the island after her ship, the Stirling Castle, got destroyed in a storm along with her husband Captain Fraser and other crew members.
• People loved and still love watching the famous bird, the kingfisher, flying and there is a world-famous resort called Kingfisher Bay located here too.
• Kingfisher Bay is famous because it has all modern facilities while giving off exotic vibes.

What wildlife can be found on Fraser Island?

On Fraser Island, there are a number of different wildlife species including vivid species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and many more. In this section, we will be discussing the distinct flora and fauna of this island.

• So far, 18 species of snakes have been identified on Fraser Island and one of them is considered very dangerous.
• 350 different species of birds are found on this island, with one of them being the world-famous kingfisher.
• 74 species of reptiles have also been found on Fraser Island.
• Over 900 floral species are found here.
• Some species of dolphins, sharks, and humpback whales are also sometimes spotted from the beach.
• Around 25 types of freshwater fish species reside in the island's lakes.
• Dingoes, an ancient lineage of dogs, but wilder than dogs, are found on Fraser Island in more than 30 packs and roam throughout the island freely.
• Echidnas are also found on this island, but due to their shy nature, they are not spotted as often as dingoes.
• Fraser Island supports the life of both freshwater turtles, as well as seawater turtles, and both of them are spotted in the coastal area or near the lakes on the island.
• Logging began in 1863 on the island and has greatly affected the flora and fauna there.
• Logging slowly started to grow and reached such a high pace that some of the trees, like the Kauri Pines, almost became extinct in the region.
• The trees that were logged from Fraser Island were even transported to Egypt to help as construction material for the Suez Canal.

Fraser Island's Tourism Facts

The upcoming Fraser Island facts are going to make you want to plan your next trip there!

• Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island with an area of around 638 sq. mi (1,655 sq. km).
• Fraser Island is home to more than 100 freshwater lakes, which include famous lakes such as Lake McKenzie and Lake Birrabeen.
• Fraser Island is 186 mi (299 km) north of Brisbane and 9 mi (14.48 km) off Harvey Bay's coast and Maryborough. It is situated along the southeastern coast in the Wide Bay-Burnett area, Queensland, Australia.
• Fraser Island receives rain for around 150 days a year.
• Boomanjin Lake, present on this island, is at the top of the category of the world's largest perched lakes.
• The island is surrounded by a large number of eucalyptus trees which have an aroma of their own that spreads throughout the island.
• Its beach runs for around 75 mi (120 km), mostly on the eastern coast of Fraser Island.
• Fraser Island is made up of sand dunes. Sand dunes are basically the gathering of sand in huge amounts as a result of wind actions.
• The Kauri Pines, which are long-height trees, are also one of the things unique to Fraser Island as they survived vast deforestation during the colonization.
• Fraser Island does not face extreme temperatures as the temperature neither goes above 95 F (35 C) nor does it drop below 41 F (5 C).
• The temperature is balanced because of land-sea breezes flowing all day long.
• To reach Fraser Island, you can take a ferry from River Heads, which goes to Kingfisher Bay, or there is another option to take a chartered flight from Maroochydore Airport as Fraser Island has its own landing strip.
• If you bring a car of your own, then you are going to need a permit which is available in some outlets at Rainbow Beach. There is also always the option of tour buses which are easily available and some firms also have four-wheel vehicles available for hire.
• Dingoes roam around almost all of the island, and there are some strict laws related to them.
• No tourists are allowed to give any food to dingoes or perform any actions that could attract them.
• After an incident involving dingoes and a child, 120 dingoes were killed according to official records, however, locals say that the real number was way higher than that.
• Patrolling was also increased throughout the island after the aforementioned incident.

Best Places To Visit On Fraser Island

There are a number of places that are tourist spots on Fraser Island. Some of them are explained in detail here:

• On the east coast of Fraser Island lies its famous 75 mi (120 km) beach and it is listed among the best beaches in Australia.
• Out of 200 freshwater lakes on Fraser Island, Lake Mckenzie is one of the most visited ones.
• The water in this lake gets filtered by the silky-soft silica sand and is so pure that visitors can see some of the aquatic life supported by it.
• The rich variety of wildlife on this island is what attracts a lot of tourism to it. It is really easy to spot flying foxes, dingoes, snakes, and birds like kingfishers on this island.
• Some cruises even take tourists for whale and dolphin seeing and people recommend it as one of the best things to do in Hervey Bay. If seeing whales from the boat is not enough for you then you can even book a package where swimming with whales is included.
• About 6.2 mi (10 km) north of Happy Valley, there is a wrecked ship named Mahito that was destroyed in 1935 by a cyclone.
• The west coast although less popular has a shorter ride to the beach than the eastern side.
• One of the most attractive spots in Fraser Island is Eli Creek which is situated along the 75 mi (120 km) beach. The creek has fast-flowing water.
• Many visitors, and kids especially, love sitting on inflatables and flowing with the water.
• At the northern part of the beach, you can visit Indian Head. This place has amazing panoramic views and if you decide to go for this 20-minute hike, then you can capture one of the best views on Fraser Island.
• Kingfisher Bay's resort gives you access to a four-star resort while still providing nature's vibes because you can explore throughout Fraser Island and return back here to have a sound sleep.