Fraser Island
Fraser Island is a 3 hour drive north of Brisbane. If the tides will permit we turn off the highway at Noosa, cross the river by ferry at Tewantin and travel along a magnificent surf beach to Double Island Point. A detour is made around the point through the cool and dark rainforest to reach Rainbow Beach, famous for its high cliffs of coloured sands. Another short drive up the beach takes us to Inskip Point where we catch the ocean going barge to Fraser Island. Then the adventure begins!
As soon as we leave the barge and travel north along 75 Mile Beach you realise just how big this island is. It is the world’s largest sand island, some 124 km in length and 168,000 hectares in area. A photographer’s paradise, soon you will discover and record its wondrous beauty, and come to understand why it has earned its world heritage title. The traditional owners, the Butchulla people called the island K’Gari (Paradise) some 5,500 years ago. Its present name came after the shipwreck of the Stirling Castle in 1836 and the notorious adventures of Elisa Fraser.
There is no better way to start each day photographing the sunrise at Eurong Beach just a 2 minute walk from your hotel room. It is awe inspiring and you can’t help but spend the rest of the day smiling. Then off to explore and photograph the endless expanse of surf beaches with their high dunes and coloured sand cliffs. The many creeks that flow over the beach towards the sea, exposing multi coloured sands rich in mineral. The beautiful crystal clear waters of the numerous perched lakes. The stark sandblows that slowly and silently engulf the forest creating landscapes of wooden monuments. The fauna and flora of magnificent rainforests with their age old ferns and plants that each day, compete for a few minutes of sunlight. The magnificent eucalypt forests that remarkably soar forever skywards straight and tall out of the sand is a sight to be believed. And if you are visiting between August and November humpback whales visit and great shots are guaranteed.
There are plenty of opportunities to put the camera away and enjoy a swim in either the surf or the still fresh water of a perched lake.
Accommodation is in two apartments at the Eurong Beach Resort. You have your own room with a beach view and share a bathroom and lounge room with one other. A full hot breakfast and a la carte dinner is provided in the resort dining room. A picnic lunch is enjoyed each day in a different picturesque setting.
Brian Morris is a retired television documentary Producer/Director. He is the winner of 22 national and international awards including a TV Week Logie and a United Nations Media Peace Prize. His career has taken him around Australia many times which enabled him to become a highly proficient driver of a 4WD. He has traversed the notorious Simpson Desert three times, but finds the ever shifting sands of Fraser Island a constant challenge and demand of his skills.
Owing to its geographical position goods and services at Fraser Island are quite expensive. Everything has to be transported by 4WD and ocean going barges. However to make your tour very affordable, Brian is only taking a very small remuneration for his invaluable time. He gets great enjoyment in giving you the opportunity to discover and record this magnificent paradise as economically as possible without forgoing comfort.
The Fraser Island 5 day tour starts each Monday morning and concludes in Brisbane on Friday evening. Times are flexible to suit your schedule. Four and Three day tours are arranged to suit your shedule. There are no scheduled tours during the Australian School holidays as the island can get rather overcrowded. However if you can only make it during a school holiday a tour can be organised if plenty of notice is given. As accommodation is more expensive a 10% surcharge is added.
For further information on what to wear, what to bring etc. Please contact us at e-i-p@tpg.com.au
