Ten Days Exploring Magical K’gari, Australia

Paradise on Four Wheels

At the top of the bucket list for every four-wheel driver, Fraser Island off Australia’s East Coast easily boasts the best beach driving in Australia. For decades many have referred to the island as paradise, and now that it has been re-named back to the Aboriginal name ‘K’gari’, it should be no surprise the name translates to ‘paradise’. K’gari is the world’s largest island made entirely from sand—27 cubic miles of the stuff. Much more than just sand, however, K’gari, like much of Australia, also boasts huge inland rainforests, unique wildlife, old-growth forests up to 1,000 years old, and more than 865 species of plants. This incredible island paradise was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992, and most importantly for us, exploring the entire island is possible in your own four-wheel drive.

Always on the lookout to include family, Katie and I meet up with my Uncle Ron, and together we load up on all the supplies we can carry in Hervey Bay, a few hours North of Brisbane. We have planned ten days on K’gari, including a criss-cross route from south to north with the aim of visiting all the highlights and out-of-the-way corners one of the most famous islands in Australia has to offer.

Ferry to paradise

K’gari sits barely half a mile off mainland Australia, and multiple barges and ferries make the crossing continuously, transporting an armada of well-equipped 4x4s and madly grinning people. Many of the decked-out vehicles could easily be on the cover of a magazine, and they’re all packed to the brim, ready for adventure.

The excitement is palpable as we join the lineup of vehicles before reversing onto the ferry. Loading the ferry in reverse means we’re ready to drive straight out on arrival, which makes life much easier. The crossing from mainland Austraila to K’gari takes barely twenty minutes, and we’re quickly off the ferry and onto the island. Driving on an island entirely made of sand means we need to air down our tires to 16psi all around. At this pressure, the contact patch has increased enormously and will provide plenty of grip in the soft sand. It’s reassuring to know I can still go a lot lower if the need arises, but for now, I’ll walk the line between traction, fuel consumption, and speed.

First Drive

While crossing the island, I’m impressed to see enormous eucalyptus trees forming a dense jungle. Very little light penetrates the forest floor. Tracks are rutted and crisscrossed with tree roots. Throughout, we cross washouts and rubber matting in place to prevent further erosion.

Ninety minutes later we arrive on the far eastern side of the island during a rising tide, almost the worst possible time to start our first beach drive. We need to travel a few miles south to our first of many beach campsites, and we’re all on edge as we race the incoming tide. Thankfully, we make it through with only one small splash of salt water. We’re elated to see we have our pick of the sites behind the dunes; there’s not a soul in sight.

Paradise on earth

From top to bottom, K’gari Australia is home to spectacular places to visit, each of which is a worthy destination in their own right. After just our first night camping behind the dunes, I wondered if ten days will be enough to see everything. To squeeze the most out of every day, we rise before the sun and eventually crawl into bed long after sunset.

The 75-mile beach runs along most of the east coast of the island and is designated as a main road complete with speed limits and police radar. The sand road is so consistently good it is also used as a runway for light planes, which makes for some interesting decision-making while navigating the beach. It’s not often I have to also concentrate on the sky while four-wheel driving.

The 75-mile beach runs along most of the east coast of the island and is designated as a main road complete with speed limits and police radar.

Sightseeing Tour

Halfway along the east coast of the island, we stop at the famous wreck of the luxury passenger ship, the S.S. Maheno. In 1935 the ship was caught in a strong cyclone about 50 miles off the mainland Australian coast while being towed to a scrap yard. The ship became beached on the east coast of the island where it has remained ever since, slowly rusting away in the corrosive salt water. The wreck provides endless photo opportunities, never looking the same twice with the changing tides.

Swimming in the ocean off K’gari is ill-advised due to the toothy locals and massive swell, but thankfully mother nature has provided the perfect alternative to combat the intense sun of Australia. A series of inland lakes boast white sand beaches and crystal-clear refreshing water, the ideal place to spend time during the heat of the day. Just north of the Maheno wreck on the east coast, Eli Creek flows into the ocean and provides not only a refreshing swimming hole, but also hours of entertainment for the whole family. The crystal-clear creek flows at a rate of 20 million gallons per day, which provides plenty of flowing water to float downstream on any kind of inflatable or pool noodle that can be imagined.

Cutting across the island to the West Coast we arrive at the breathtaking Awinya Creek campsite where paradise elevates to a whole new level. With white sand stretching to the horizon, and sunset painting the sky and sand every shade of red, orange and yellow that can be imagined, we’re immediately happy with our plan to camp here for consecutive nights.

Island Dunes

At sunrise, Katie and I hike inland to an enormous sand blow, a unique natural feature created by strong winds that endlessly blow sand inland where it accumulates into huge pristine sand dunes. In a constant battle with vegetation, these dunes grow and shrink each year, constantly shifting with the wind. It takes us almost an hour to walk up just a small part of the sand blow, and we’re in awe at the size of the enormous dunes.

Back on the east coast, we continue north, rounding Indian Head for a visit to champagne pools. This series of natural rock pools in the ocean provide a sheltered swimming area in the otherwise unforgiving ocean. When the tides are timed just right, the largest waves crash over the rocks into the swimming pools in spectacular fashion, creating plenty of foam and excitement for those swimming in relative safety.

Each night we tuck in behind the dunes to camp, and each and every night we are alone with just the sound of the crashing waves to lull us into a deep sleep.

Ngala Rocks

Carefully studying tide tables, we arrive bright and early at the infamous K’gari Ngala Rocks, one of the most notorious 4×4 obstacles in Australia. Immediately we are greeted by a scene of carnage. A group of young guys are standing around looking sheepish while they wait for a very expensive tow truck. It takes a good deal of coaxing to get the story out of them, which finally comes out in a flood:

Using a huge amount of right foot through the rocks, one of the drivers managed to tear a front wheel and hub off his Hilux, completely blocking the narrow rock canyon. With no better option, they used the other vehicles to drag it through the rocks, folding the wheel underneath and ripping the tire off the now severely battered and scarred rim. The tow truck is en route from the southern tip of the island and will cost upwards of $1,000, even before any repair work can begin.

Amateur Hour

Ron and I had already been thinking of skipping the rock section, and when we learn of another stricken vehicle at the far end of the huge sand climb our decision is easy. Wanting to see the entire sandy climb and descent for myself, I walk the length of the rough rock section and then the very long, soft and steep sand corridor. I’ve seen hundreds of photos and videos of vehicles hopelessly stuck to the frame in this very sand, and I feel a strong sense of Déjà vu despite never having been here before.

On the far side, I find another large group assessing the damage to an older Nissan Patrol. The clutch burnt out in the soft sand, and the team is devising a plan to use three vehicles to pull the dead Patrol up and over the sandy climb, which they do with plenty of engine revving and wheel spin.

Let the Pros Take Over

When our turn comes it’s straightforward to time the crashing waves and drive on the beach below the rocks, darting around just before the next wave crashes in. While we avoid the rocks, the extremely soft sandy section is mandatory. Lowering the Yokohama X-AT tires to 14psi increases the contact patch, and I have no trouble moving forward through the soft sand up and over the climb. Ron, on the other hand, is not so fortunate. Running cheap road tires, his Hilux doesn’t have the same grip as the Jeep, and I dash back with recovery boards in hand to help extract his bogged ute.

After lowering tire pressure to 12psi, Ron has no problem moving forward. Together we drive down the other side onto the remote northern beaches. Continuing north, the coastline becomes much more wild and remote. My jaw actually falls open as we round Sandy Cape at the northern tip of the island where enormous sand dunes drop right into the ocean. Just a small strip of beach sand remains for us to squeeze past at low tide.

My jaw actually falls open as we round Sandy Cape at the northern tip of the island where enormous sand dunes drop right into the ocean.

Family time

After exploring the remote corners of the Americas and Africa, I chose to explore Australia first and foremost so I could include family in my adventures. There’s no doubt my Uncle Ron had a huge influence on me growing up. I have fond memories of fishing, hunting, and camping with him as a teenager. Ron was my only relative with a four-wheel drive, and he always took me out on adventures when we spent time together. I’m certain my love of remote exploration is in no small part thanks to Uncle Ron, and I’m extremely happy to spend ten days together on an adventure. One of the downsides of being a global traveler is the lack of time I spend with my family, and so I try my best to soak in every minute we have together.

We find a stunning campsite just above the high tide line at the northern tip of the island, and the sense of relief that washes over Uncle Ron is clear to see. I pushed to get us above Ngala rocks, and he was a bit stressed racing the waves and driving in the extremely soft sand. We’re all happy we conquered the challenge with no damage, and so we cook a feast to celebrate at our stunning campsite.

After dinner, the skies open and let loose a torrential downpour. We scramble to set up our awnings to enjoy the night while staying warm and dry. We tell stories and reminisce late into the night, listening to the gentle swish of small waves while soaking in the incredible stars as they peek out from behind the retreating storm clouds.

Visitors in camp

After brewing a huge pot of extra potent coffee early the next morning, Ron tries to quietly tell me about unwelcome guests in camp overnight, hoping Katie won’t overhear. Of course she immediately overhears us, so we all sit down to get the story.

Dingoes are extremely common across the island, and sadly the three hundred or so resident animals have become quite habituated to humans. While driving the beaches, it is all but guaranteed you’ll see them prowling the shoreline searching for any tasty morsel they come across. In the later afternoons and evenings, they move up into the dunes where they inevitably come close to people; they have learned that humans and campsites mean food.

“A Dingo Ate My Baby”

Attacks on adults are exceedingly rare, though dingoes have attacked and seriously injured children on more than a few occasions over the years. In one of Australia’s most infamous tales, dingoes took and killed a nine-week-old baby from a tent near Uluru in 1980. The quote “A dingo ate my baby” from Mother Lindy Chamberlain went viral long before the internet, and the saga dragged on for decades. Lindy and her husband were originally found guilty of murder and imprisoned, only to be released and finally exonerated in 2012. The official record now states that a dingo was responsible for taking and killing baby Azaria.

During the daylight hours, the many dingoes that come towards our camp don’t scare us. Yelling, clapping, and shooing do the trick to move them along. A family of three dingoes prowls the northern tip of the island, and being in a pack apparently makes them bolder than usual. All afternoon one of the larger males followed Ron and me as we fished along the beach. It walked directly behind us like a pet dog. Try as we might, we couldn’t deter this one dingo, who we affectionately named ‘Dingbat’. While he looks friendly, it’s important to remember this is a wild animal, and I’m certain he would tear my arm to shreds if given the chance.

Stories to Take Home

To keep things simple, we are sleeping in traditional Aussie swags on the ground. While we slept soundly in our new campsite, Ron had a rude awakening. He explained he woke in the night to find the three dingoes standing over his swag growling and baring their teeth. Maybe they heard his snoring as a challenge, or maybe they just want us off their turf. Whatever the reason, Ron went from dead asleep to wide awake in a single heartbeat, and it took a lot of convincing to get them to move off. Not surprisingly, Ron explains he lay awake for many hours afterward.

Fish that bite back

K’gari Australia is famous for its superb fishing, especially along the eastern coastline directly into the South Pacific. Some of my earliest memories of fishing are with Uncle Ron when we would four-wheel drive along sandy tracks before continuing on foot into remote and seldom visited beaches like K’gari around Southern Australia. Ron is a master at reading the waves, tides, and beach to find the deep channels and gutters to fish, and more often than not we trudged home carrying a fish too heavy for me to carry alone.

Eager to relive past fishing trips Ron brought all his gear, and each afternoon we set up on the sand, throwing our lines out repeatedly into the crashing waves as we enjoy catching up on all the years that have passed. Try as we might, the days roll by without catching a single thing. In fact, they roll by without so much as a single bite.

One Final Cast

With pride on the line, it all comes down to our final night on the island. As Ron casts out our final strip of bait into the dark night, we both agree we have done everything we can. We’re both in shock when line starts screaming off the reel a few moments later—just like that the fight is on.

Over the next fifteen minutes, Ron plays the game of allowing the fish to run before winding in whenever possible. It’s a fine balance to avoid breaking the line, and he works hard at the fight. Using just the light of our headlamps we’re excited as we finally land a small shark, about three feet long. Catching the shark on our last strip of bait seems fitting, and we’re both happy we can call it quits while keeping our pride intact. Back at camp, we spend an hour carefully cutting up the delicious flesh before packing Ron’s freezer to the brim.

Using just the light of our headlamps we’re excited as we finally land a small shark, about three feet long.

All good things must end

I’ve seen countless photos and videos of K’gari over the years I’ve spent traveling Australia. In retrospect, I have no hesitation in saying not a single one did the island justice. From the very first minutes on the island, I was blown away by the breathtaking beaches, the enormous inland forests, lakes, rivers, rocks, and wildlife. Camping directly behind the beach dunes night after night is impossible to beat, and tackling the continuously shifting sand and changing conditions kept us on our toes behind the wheel.

I’ve seen countless photos and videos of K’gari over the years I’ve spent traveling Australia. In retrospect, I have no hesitation in saying not a single one did the island justice.

With bacon and eggs for breakfast, tales of world adventures, beach fishing, hiking, and plenty of laughs and smiles around the campsite, Uncle Ron was a welcome addition to our time in Australia, and I’m immensely happy we were able to spend so much time on K’gari together.

Naming an island ‘paradise’ might seem a bit over the top, though in this case, I think it’s completely justified.

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K’gari Australia facts 

Aboriginal Name: K’gari
(pronounced ‘gurri’)

European Name: Fraser Island
UNESCO World Heritage Listing: 1992
Coastline: 196 miles

Area: 710 square miles

Permanent Inhabitants: 182
Dingo Inhabitants: About 300

Editor’s Note: A version of this story previously appeared in the May/June 2023 print issue of Tread Magazine.

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