Why you should visit Lake Birrabeen

There’s no better way to spend a day relaxing than by a gorgeous crystal blue water lake.

There shouldn’t be any questioning on why you should visit Lake Birrabeen on K’gari (Fraser Island). The crystal clear waters and the pristine white sand of the lake will make the visit worth it.

Read on to find a couple of reasons why you should visit this beautiful lake on K’gari.

A stunning lake and not as well-known

A great thing about Lake Birrabeen is it’s not as popular as Boorangoora (Lake McKenzie), so there is a chance you would be here on your own! The lakes are both similar, so why wouldn’t you want to be at the one with fewer people?

Have a few hours to yourself to relax

Of course, you can spend hours around Lake Birrabeen, relaxing on the soft sand or going for a swim. The water is very calm, easy to swim or to just sit in the water to cool down.

Lake Birrabeen is a perched lake

There are quite a few perched lakes on K’gari and Lake Birrabeen is one of them! A perched lake only gets its water from the rain. The water doesn’t come from rivers or even from the sea, which makes sense as to why the lake has the clearest water you’ve seen.

How to get to Lake Birrabeen

Your best chance of getting to the lake is by car, which needs to be a high-clearance four-wheel drive. There are tours available but they often don’t stop at Lake Birrabeen and go to more popular lakes and swimming spots.

Go for a walk

Walk through the lush rainforest with all different kinds of trees and along the white sand surrounding the lake. You can do just a short walk or take on the challenge and walk all around Lake Birrabeen and Lake Jennings.

What else to do on K’gari

There are plenty of other things you can do and see on K’gari, making the most out of your one-day or multiday trip.

• Boorangoora (Lake McKenzie)

This lake is more popular and similar to Lake Birrabeen with its soft white sand and glistening clear water. You can easily spend a day or a few hours here relaxing and chilling on the sand and in the water. It feels like a mini paradise when you’re around this lake!

Boorangoora is also a perched lake, meaning the water in the lake is only from the rain.

• Maheno Shipwreck

The Maheno Shipwreck is a famous attraction that now sits on K’gari’s 75 Mile Beach. The SS Maheno used to transport passengers from Auckland to Sydney and was also a hospital ship during WWII.

In 1935, Japan bought the ship for scraps but during transportation, there was a cyclone that broke the chain. This led the ship to slowly be washed up on 75 Mile Beach.

• Lake Wabby

Lake Wabby is a green lake where you can enjoy a refreshing swim with fish in the water. Nothing to be alarmed though, as they won’t hurt you in any way!

There are trees fringed along the lake with white sand that leads you down towards the water.

K’gari is the largest sand island in the world and sits off the east coast of Australia. It’s filled with all the amazing swimming spots. Don’t forget to visit Lake Birrabeen during your trip to K’gari.

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.