Is Fraser Island hiding dangers within its stunning scenery?
The popular Fraser Island is a utopia for travellers, home to stunning coastlines, lush bushland, and smooth sand dunes. But behind the picturesque beauty of this island is quite a few dangers. While travelling Fraser Island can be a traveller’s favourite adventure, being aware of the threats hidden within to take certain precautions.
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The Water Dangers
Despite Fraser Island’s stunning shores, some beaches are as deadly as they are beautiful. Swimming in the ocean on Fraser Island is not recommended in most areas, due to both the strong current and dangerous wildlife roaming the waters. The riptides of Fraser island are stronger than most, spotted all along the shores, and causing very dangerous swimming conditions. Sharks are also routinely seen in the shallow waters of Fraser Island, attracted by the large schools of fish nearby. As well as poisonous jellyfish, which can be seen dotted about the shallow and deeper beaches.
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The Animal Dangers
The wildlife is one of the key attributes that attract visitors to Fraser Island, but some of these natives can be actually quite dangerous. The Dingoes of the island may look like a regular domestic dog, but they are a lot more dangerous than they seem. Most of the time, as long as you stay your distance and don’t try interacting with the animals, dingo sightings can be a wonderful part of your tour. However, incidents have occurred over the years of dingo attacks, with even some leading to deaths. These attacks have usually only on small children, due to them being the same size as the dingo’s typical prey. Feeding them is against the law, and if camping, locking up your food securely will ensure no dingoes try to approach your campsite. This will not stop them from trying to get access to your food if you are camping.
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The Landscape
As the largest sand island in the world, Fraser has no shortage of sand dunes. One of the best tourist activities is zooming down the sand dunes at full speed. A lot of the time, travellers dive down a particular sand dune that heads straight into a pristine lake. However, this activity can be deadly on occasions, with some visitors breaking bones or becoming quadriplegic, who has run down the dune at full speed to dive headfirst into the enticing lake. Making sure you go at a proper speed and are aware of the shallow waters of the lake is crucial in participating in this activity.
Related article: How was Fraser Island Formed?
Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia
Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.