How to take the edge off a Fraser Island 4WD trip
“Cruisy” is not a word to describe driving Fraser’s inland tracks … exciting, yes. Fraught, possibly.
Sunshine Coast
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OPINION:
HAVING day-tripped on Fraser Island before, "cruisy" is not a word to describe four-wheel-driving on its inland tracks. Exciting, yes. Fraught, possibly.
But the cruise we took to Lake McKenzie with resort ranger Kaylee Whitmore was punctuated not by lurching but by laughter.
Her hilarious anecdotes from wildlife work and bubbly personality were so endearing, I found myself daydreaming about joining her inspiring profession.
As we moved through the forest and peered in, gnarly old eucalypts with huge girths emerged. The bush seemed to change markedly with every turn - heathland one moment, rainforest the next. The world's largest sand island has more than 100 freshwater lakes, as well as coastal heaths, tall rainforest and long beaches.
More than 350 bird species have been recorded, and it's a resting place for migratory birds, acting as a transition zone between tropical and subtropical environments.
Between 220 and 300 dingoes live on the island, fascinating visitors. Learning to respect and protect the dingoes is part of all visitors' experience, and strict protocols are followed at popular spots like Lake McKenzie, where food can only be consumed in a fenced-off picnic area and dingoes are commonly seen.
Whales stop in the protected waters of Hervey Bay as part of their annual migration, with more than 5000 individuals sighted as well as dolphins and dugongs throughout the year.
In November 2018, the resort made world headlines when the Duke of Sussex Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited, dedicating the island's forest to the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy: a network of forest conservation initiatives. Signs now proclaims its traditional name K'gari and a message: "This is for you guys from us, from the Commonwealth". "It's really cool, because that's the traditional name, which means 'paradise'," Kaylee said.
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