K’Gari Island, or Fraser Island as you may know it, is one of the most popular backpacker spots on the East Coast of Australia, and for good reason.
A stunning remote island a short ferry ride from Rainbow Beach, it’s not a spot to miss.
Its secluded nature is a reason to check a few things before you head off on your trip though, and this blog will outline the key things to think about.
Choosing a Tour Provider
The most common way to experience K’Gari is to book yourself onto a 3-day trip that is entirely organised by a tour operator.
You can of course travel K’Gari without the tour, but you would need your own vehicle as well as extremely sound knowledge of the island. If you are at all unsure of your ability to get around on your own, it’s best just to go with a tour provider.
Make sure you check the itinerary and facilities list to make sure you are happy with what is being given to you.
Once you’re there, there’s no way of changing tour operators or deciding to go back so be absolutely sure of your choice.
Staying Connected
There is no phone signal and very limited signage so it’s not something you can just figure out when you get there. I went with a provider, and it was super easy and very nice to have everything organised for you.
There are several providers, each offering very similar packages so the choice is yours. Most of them provide all the food, the sleeping arrangements and the vehicle which is perfect.
What to Pack
There isn’t much in the way of a supermarket on the island so it’s best to overpack anything you think you might need. I brought a few snacks for myself because I knew I’d probably get hungry outside of mealtimes.
You will also most likely be camping so it’s a good idea to pack layers as it can get a bit cold at night and the bugs will also come out.
Dingo Safety
One of the attractions of K’Gari Island is that it is the native home of the dingo. It’s highly likely that you will see some dingoes roaming around the beaches during your stay, but it’s important to know how to behave around them.
The key pieces of advice are to stay big and never turn your back on them. If you start to run away they will be inclined to chase you like prey. If you stand tall and slowly back away the dingo will most likely just leave you alone.
We saw quite a few running along the beach during the day while we were driving, and it was amazing to see them.
Another important piece of advice is to avoid taking any food to the water’s edge while you’re on the island as it will attract dingoes.
Firstly, allowing the dingoes to eat the remains of our food is dangerous for the dingoes and secondly, you don’t want dingoes circling the water’s edge while people are trying to enjoy themselves. This includes lakes and the sea.
Dingoes are wild animals, and you should treat them as such. They are likely to be around but highly unlikely to harm you if you stay out of their way.
However, the risk of something happening can never be fully eliminated so it is essential that you have adequate travel insurance that covers you for this sort of venture and subsequent medical insurance should you need it.
Beach Driving
If you decide to go with a tour operator you will most likely be given the opportunity to drive if you would like to.
On the island, the beach is the highway so it’s a little different from your typical drive. If you have a license and feel confident in your driving abilities then it’s definitely worth doing. However, if you are at all unsure then maybe you can let someone else drive until you feel more confident.
Driving on the loose sand can make the car lose direction and can feel unnerving to drive. I drove across some loose sand and found it quite difficult to stay in a straight line. If you’re driving and you feel out of control, just slow down. It’s the safest thing to do.
In the evenings the beach can be a lovely spot to walk down to and relax for a while. But just remember that it’s not like other beaches and that there may be cars coming along at a high speed at any time.
If you’re going onto the beach, make sure to stay close to the dunes so as not to cross into the ‘main road’.
On both nights of my trip, I went down to the beach with the others to see the stars (which were amazing) and we made sure not to venture too far down. Sure enough, we saw a few cars go past on both occasions.
As well as beach driving there are areas of ‘off-road’ driving (although you can hardly call the beach a road) which is also tricky terrain to navigate.
You will be in 4×4 automatic vehicles which are equipped to deal with the conditions, but it can be a little daunting if you haven’t driven in those conditions before. Trust the car, it has done those roads several times, and try to enjoy the experience.
Some of the roads are extremely narrow and yet somehow classed as dual carriageways so be prepared to pull into the surrounding greenery to allow a tour bus (yes bus) to get by. This happened to us on a few occasions which was quite entertaining.
There is always a risk when driving and these risks are slightly higher on the island as the driving conditions are a bit unusual. Because of this, travel insurance is imperative.
Choose a comprehensive package that allows you to travel to places such as K’Gari without worrying.
Plan a Dream Trip to Explore Fraser Island
Overall, exploring Fraser Island was different to any other experience that I had on the East Coast, and I would definitely recommend it if you are planning a backpacking adventure or gap year in Australia.
It’s a beautiful place and the tours are a great way to meet people. Just be mindful of the above points and double check your travel insurance package before you leave the UK.
If you need some help deciding what travel insurance to get then head to the gov.uk website where there is extensive information about what to look out for in travel insurance policies.
Also if you are dreaming of a trip Down Under check out this article for how to get cheap flights to Australia.
By Amy Salmon