Fraser island trip

[Sas Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Sas]

hi .
just got my 2005 Prado and thinking to hit Fraser island around mid October.
i have few questions if anyone can advise

1.driving up from gold coast , what do you think on using inskip point ferry ? any difference from the others ?
2.do i need to buy any permit to go to the island ?
3. we thinking of staying at Eurong Beach Resort , any advise?
4.is there anything special i need with me, any recommendations
thanks
sas

[Brett1979 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Brett1979]

Go to npsr.qld.gov.au re the vehicle permit and other helpful information. It has plenty of Qld national park info. Just search for Fraser Is. It's a good start.
I think the Inskip Point barge is the way to go. It's only a 10 minute ride which is optimal and most direct for you. Approx $120 return. I don't know if you can still pay cash on the barge. The last few times I stopped in at the office for Manta Ray barges on the way into Rainbow Beach and bought the ticket there and also the vehicle permit.

if you can, buy a snatch strap and two either 3.2 tonne or 4.7 tonne bow shackles to go with it if your recovery points or someone else's require shackles to attach the snatch strap onto the recovery point. That way you don't need to rely on someone else for their strap. Take a shovel with you. Many people say long handled shovels, but I much prefer shorter handled shovels instead of long handled shovels because they take much less effort to dig with and are faster if you're in a rush to get a car unstuck.

Buy a Hema map of island from BCF or a fourby store and study it well in advance.

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

Start with tyre pressures of 18psi BEFORE you hit the sand on the way to the barge and be prepared to go down by 2psi if things get tough. This means you will need a GOOD air pump [ not a Kmart special] and a good pressure gauge. Do some research on sand driving and especially the traps on Fraser Island when you come accross creeks crossing the beach [they are hard to see].

[Sas Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Sas]

thank you

[Sas Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Sas]

thanks

[stevensr34 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close stevensr34]

Ah - Good fun going to Fraser...

(Been driving there over the last 35 years now)

Note that there's patchy (at best) phone reception - best coverage is Telstra, but even then, only on occasional parts of the eastern beaches.

Eurong Beach Resort is a bit "70's" to look at from the outside. Which is all I've done. Good thing though - there's a Bakery (only one on the Island) right next to the resort! Actually that's pretty much the main attraction of Eurong... (I could be wrong)

All travel on Fraser is tide-dependent - so choose your time based on when the tide is low.
High tide is for sitting in the shade with a beer! Not for ploughing through soft sand ruts filled with salt water (as any number of people seem to do)

These days, the only tricky 4WDing is getting through the Indian Head bypass (only if it hasn't been raining recently) and Ngkala Rocks. Ngkala Rocks is North of Ocean Lake - and Orchid Beach - and it tends to sort out the "keen" types from the day-trippers! Sometimes it is quite easy, other times it needs 36" lifted comp trucks to get through... depends on the weather...

Enjoy!

[Symo Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Symo]

Its my 9th year this year (I'm heading over Sep 2nd - can't wait) - boys trip.


I have taken everything from a Subaru to Patrol and now Prado (with and without trailers on all three) and had no issues. In fact, I haven't even looked to get stuck. I’m not a legend, just keep moving when it gets soft, read the surface ahead as best you can. It’s all fun anyway and after the first 20km on 90 Mile beach you will relax.


My typical MO is to go via Inskip (18psi in the carpark first) then line up and gauge what’s happening, the hardest part of the whole trip, (especially if you are new) is the first 50m on Inskip Point, after that you would have to be an inept goose to have any issues, but hey, we are only human.


Main points worth noting:
1. Hook Point is narrow, needs to be nearly dead low sometimes (see photos below)
2. Hook point wheel tracks can be in sets of three (middle track shared by both oncoming vehicles), jumping out of them fully loaded, nervous is a little confronting the first time a tour bus is gunning you down. Just be prepared to have a serious crack of the throttle to jump out and climb the beach
3. Washouts going north are easy to see, but be careful going south they are almost invisible until you get airborne
4. I have endless photos from the last 10 years, let me know if you want to see what anything looks like that concerns you.
5. Have fun damn it!

[Symo Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Symo]

Couldn't resist!

[BiLLz0r Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close BiLLz0r]

With those pics Symo now I wanna go back.

Sas: I live on the GC too.
1. Go Inskip ferry. The sand to the ferry can be very soft. Let your tyres down b4 you drive on the sand. Plenty of ppl get bogged 10-20mtrs in.
2. Yes. Buy online or at the office (first building on the left as you drive into Rainbow, last building on the right as you drive out)
3. Eurong is old but ok. It's quite south though so trips north to the good spots will take a long time. Happy Valley is more central, the cbains there aren't bad and there are houses to rent as well.
4. Recovery gear. Traction boards, snatch strap, bow shackles.

[Cant-Touch-This Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Cant-Touch-This]

I have been going to Fraser for the past 7 year with my partner and her family, they have been going for the past 40 years.

Best place to camp, we cross over to the western side and camp there, sometimes we are there for a month.

We always go Inskip Point, like every said a lot of pleas get stuck in the first 10 - 50m of inskip, it's very soft.

We drop our Tires to 16-18 to start, haven't really had any problems. Even through the tracks to get over the western side towing campers.

Make sure you do your research on tide times before hand.
Once you are on the Island it will be easy to get to camp and unload all your gear. You would be very unlucky to get stuck once unloaded and exploring the island.

Max trax, snatch straps and bow shackles front and tow bar would be ideal to have with you.

Keep and Eye out for the small sometimes big ruts caused by the fresh water creeks running into the ocean and the humps in the sand caused by the tide (not all the time)

On your way back run the car through Eli Creek give it a bit of a wash underneath.

We call up to book our camp site and 4x4 pass. Drop into the shell servo at Rainbow Beach for the Bardge pass.

I travel from the coast also, doing our trip over Christmas for 2 weeks.

Enjoy

[Borec Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Borec]

If towing you might need bit of momentum over the indian head, but not toooo much :-).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHb3S_L7MeQ

[Sas Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Sas]

thank you all ++

[Symo Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Symo]

I would have to that Prado going through Indian was ridiculous. No need to go that fast, could have crawled through that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gumboot Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close gumboot]

I have been through there quite a few times. You only need three things in my opinion
1. The right tyre pressures
2 Momentum
3. Common Sense

Cheers

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

Lots has already been said.

If you have never done any sand driving, get some experience and knowledge before you go. Get used to airing down and up and the feel of the vehicle on sand, what gear to use, etc.

There is an enormous amount of info available for Fraser. Follow all the common sense suggestions and you will have a ball and not become a statistic. I believe the vehicle recovery service charges $400 per hour now? Keep that in mind should be thinking of driving in the salt water at any time. Look up vehicles lost to the ocean on Fraser.

Don't speed or drink and drive. Fraser is policed.

Spray fish oil inside the vehicle chassis well before you go. Thoroughly wash the car with fresh water when you get home. There used to be an under body car wash at Harvey Bay. No idea if its still there. You will be forever finding sand in your car after a trip to Fraser.

It will become obvious why people get addicted to Fraser Island.