Almost every traveller to Australia will have heard of the largest sand island in the world. A wild island full of pristine lakes, unique wildlife and beaches for roads. But you may well be asking, where is Fraser Island? Followed swiftly by, crikey that’s a long way! what is there to see along the way?
So, Where is Fraser Island? & What to See Along the Way
Fraser Island sits almost slap bang in the middle of the east coast, around 350km north of Brisbane and almost equidistant between Sydney in the south and Townsville in the north. This perfect location has meant the island has been a popular stopover on the east coast route for many years, this coupled with a World Heritage-Listed status, stunning landscapes, unique wildlife and the chance to drive your heart out along a 75mile beach has made it a top destination. Equally, the reason we have had the pleasure of running our tours on Fraser Island.
What is there to see along the way?
Naturally, this depends on which direction you’re coming from. Most travellers tackling the east coast usually head north from Sydney, hitting Fraser Island a few days or weeks later. There are three jumping off points to the island, namely Noosa, Rainbow Beach and Hervey Bay. All are gorgeous towns with a laid back tropical atmosphere.
Where is Fraser Island? Well, potentially your next stop after Noosa!
Noosa is a great place to kayak among the Noosa everglades so if you’re heading to Fraser Island from Noosa, be sure to hang out for a day or two to enjoy the beautiful environment around the town. Other places not to be missed on the route north from Sydney are Byron Bay, a bohemian beach town famous for its perfect surf breaks and alternative lifestyle scene, and the Lone Pine koala sanctuary just outside Brisbane where you’ll come face to fur with Australia’s iconic bear. Brisbane is also a vibrant city with great nightlife and a top foodie scene!
Heading South
Conversely if you’re heading south from Cairns an absolute must see is the Whitsunday Islands, a collection of 74 idyllic paradise islands surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef and probably one of the most rewarding cruises you’ll ever take! Airlie Beach is the place to stop to join a boat tour for a night or two. Another worthy stop over is Mission Beach. Just a couple of hours south of Cairns, Mission Beach is actually a collection of four villages which all face a 14km stretch of pristine golden sand beach. It’s a great place to hang out for a night and chill out on the beach, or if extreme sports are more your bag it’s also one of the top places in the state to skydive.
So now you know where it is and how much there is to see along the way, what’s stopping you!
Written by Kate Moxhay at katemoxhay.com