The Landscape of Fraser Island

Written by: Cameron Ward

Published: 09/25/2017

Reading time: 3 mins

From impressive sand dunes to incredible beaches, the landscape of Fraser Island is a wonderland well worth the visit!

Fraser Island is one of Australia’s most unique landscapes of natural beauty. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1972, it boasts a landscape of undulating sand dunes and standing lakes.

The island itself has formed over thousands and thousands of years, thanks to the winds, waves, and ocean currents that have pushed sand from Antarctica and beyond in a zigzag pattern, which has left a string of sand islands that sit just off the coast of Queensland.

This collection of islands stretches from South Stradbroke Island, which lies off the Gold Coast, to Fraser Island, which can be found to the south of the impressive Great Barrier Reef. Fraser Island is the largest of them, and was formed as the sand filtered over a low, hilly terrain that was created millennia ago by volcanic activity.

The process began around 700 million years ago, when Antarctica had mountain ranges that were on par with the size of the Himalayas. They were eroded over time, with the sand accumulating on the continental shelf where Fraser Island can now be found.

This, combined with the changing temperatures of the earth over thousands of years have made changes in the sea levels, which have helped further in forming the island. It was during these times that dunes built up quickly thanks to the quick sweeping sand that bathed the continental shelf. The resident plants were unable to stabilise it, which meant that U and V-shaped parabolic dunes started to form.

Today, the island is made up of overlapping sand dunes that date back millions of years. It is one of the most unique landscapes in the whole of Australia and boasts an incredible amount of things to do amongst the natural scenery.

Activities on Fraser Island

  • Lake McKenzie

    Lake McKenzie is an incredible sight to see. Set amongst the sand dunes, its waters are impressively clear, giving you the chance to take a refreshing dip while admiring the surrounding scenery.

  • 75-Mile Beach

    Try your hand at fishing on 75-Mile Beach. Surf gutters along the ocean beaches mean that fishing is an ideal activity at all times of the year.

  • The Champagne Pools

    This natural Jacuzzi is one of the most popular watering holes on the island. The depth of the pools depends on the tides and weather.

  • Eli Creek

    Float down the cascading fresh water of Eli Creek as it surges onto the beach, admiring the impressive age-old scenery of the creek while you go.

Cameron Ward
Cameron Ward
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.

Previous article: