Location
Fraser Island is located just off the mainland of Queensland, Australia. Approximately 250km north of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. Travel to the island is via a short ferry ride from Hervey Bay, with several ferries departing and returning to Fraser Island throughout the day. Fraser island is situated on the latitude 25.2167° S, longitude 153.1333° E. |
http://www.herveythewhale.com/fraser-island/
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Reasons to visit
Fraser Island is renowned for its vast white beaches, vividly coloured sand cliffs, beautiful freshwater lakes, unique flora and fauna and ancient rainforests growing in the sand. when whales are migrating there are lots of whale watching tours and there are also dolphin watching tours all year round.
The main attractions on Fraser Island include:
Fraser Island is renowned for its vast white beaches, vividly coloured sand cliffs, beautiful freshwater lakes, unique flora and fauna and ancient rainforests growing in the sand. when whales are migrating there are lots of whale watching tours and there are also dolphin watching tours all year round.
The main attractions on Fraser Island include:
Lake McKenzie –Fraser Island’s lakes give it the second highest concentration of lakes in Australia after Tasmania with over 100 freshwater lakes on the island. These lakes are also some of the cleanest in the earth. Lake Mackenzie is the most popular on the island. It is a perched lake situated 100 metres above sea level. Lake McKenzie is 150 hectares in area and a little over 5 metres in depth. Other Lakes you should visit while on fraser island are Lake Wabby, the deepest lake on the island, and Lake Allom, the home of the tortoises of the island.
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The Cathedrals – Towering cliffs known, as the Cathedral Cliffs are multicoloured sand sculptures that have been molded by the wind and rain blowing in off the Pacific Ocean into huge peaks. The red, brown, yellow and orange colours that make up the cliffs are best witnessed in early morning light. They’re on 75 Mile Beach, 18 kilometres south of Indian Head.
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Climate and Weather
Fraser Island has a maritime subtropical climate with warm, humid weather cooled by sea breezes. During summer (December until January) Fraser Island is hot, humid and wet, In winter (June to august) it is mainly warm and dry with the occasional shower. Fraser Island is breathtaking all year round but the best time to visit weather wise is from august to December. When it is warm and dry and all the wildlife is thriving. |
Flora and Fauna that can be found on the island
Fraser Island is home to one of the purest and most diverse range of animals in Australia.
Flora
Giant/King Fern (Angiopteris evecta) In the gullies of the central high dunes, which are protected from winds and have a plentiful supply of freshwater and greater amounts of nutrients is Fraser Island unique rainforest. This rainforest is home to the ancient and living fossil fern the Giant or King Fern (Angiopteris evecta). |
Pig Face (Carpobrotus glaucescens)
Pig face is a plant with fleshy leaves and bright pink flowers and can be found growing on foreshore dunes near and on the Beach of Fraser Island. The plant produces strawberry like fruit that turns deep red to purple when it ripens. The fruit tastes like salty strawberries and is highly sought after by Aboriginal people. The edible part of the fruit can be squeezed from the skin of the fruit. The leaves can also be eaten; their juice can be used for take the sting out of sand fly bites. |
Fauna
Dingoes (Canis lupus dingo) Dingoes were introduced to Australia around 4500-5000 years ago by South East Asian seafarers that took dingoes with them as a source of food and left them in remote areas they beached in. They did this so there would be a potential food supply in the future. Due to Fraser Island’s isolation it is home to the purest dingoes on the east coast of Australia. Estimates of dingo numbers on Fraser Island are around 150 and Under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 Sections 17 and 62 of the Act the dingoes are protected. |
Dugongs (Dugong dugon)
The Dugong are most commonly known as Sea Cows because of their diet, which consists of only sea grass. The Great Sandy Straits are the best place to see Dugongs due to its 6 varieties of sea grasses that grow there, making it a haven for Dugongs to feed and breed. As the population increases along the east coast of Australia their habitats are decreasing, putting them on the endangered species list. |
The Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops)
All the dolphins found around Fraser Island are listed as endangered, vulnerable or potentially vulnerable. The Bottlenose Dolphin is found in two conditions, deep oceanic and the shallow waters of Fraser Island. Their habitat in Fraser Island’s waters ranges from the open coasts to sheltered bays, waterways, lagoons, large estuaries and the lower reaches of rivers. These dolphins are usually in groups (called pods) of up to about 15 when inshore but out in open water they have been sighted in massive pods of up to 100. Dolphins are part of the cetacean family along with whales and porpoises and grow to around 2-2.5 metres in length. As they mature they start developing a spotted pattern on their bellies. They usually swim at around 5 and 10 kilometres but have been recorded at speeds up to 30 kilometres an hour. Dolphins must stay awake all day otherwise they stop breathing so when they sleep they only shut down a half of their brain. |
More about Fraser Island
- Fraser Island is the biggest sand island on earth, spanning over 123 kilometres along the south coast of Queensland, at its widest point it is 30 kilometres and has an area of 184,000 hectares
- The Island is home to the only rainforest that grows on sand on the planet and it has taken over 8,000,000 years to develop.
- The local aboriginals call Fraser Island, "K'gari", which means "paradise"
- Fraser island gets its name from Eliza Fraser who was shipwrecked on the island.
- There are less than 400 people living on Fraser Island.
- It is said that there is a venomous spider for every square meter of land on the island.
photo links: the wreck of maheno- central station- lake mckenzie- the cathedrals- the champagne pools- giant fern- http://www.artistwd.com/joyzine/australia/strine/m-2.php#.VPbA7ELv2fR pig face- http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-pigface-carpobrutus-glaucescens-fraser-island-queensland-australia-69161319.html dingoes- http://www.fraser-island.com.au/wildlife.html dugongs- http://www.britz.com.au/blog/Pages/animalencounters.aspx bottlenose dolphins- https://hoodr2943.wordpress.com