Fraser Island
Fraser Island or Great Sandy Island is the largest sandy island in the world, located off the east coast of Australia. The island has an elongated shape along the coast; it is about 120 km long and 7 to 23 km wide. The island has an area of 1840 km². Since ancient times, this picturesque piece of nature has been called “K’gari” by the Aborigines, which means “paradise” in Butchulla.
.In 1992, the paradisiacal Fraser Island was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a unique natural monument. The dunes that make up the island were formed about 400,000 years ago and rise 240 meters high. There are more than 40 freshwater lakes on the island – the so-called Hanging Lakes. The largest of these, as well as the largest hanging lake in the world, Boemingen covers an area of 200 hectares.
Video: Fraser Island
Flora and Fauna
The west coast of the island is occupied by mangroves and swamps, while the east coast facing the ocean is a white sandy beach about 100 kilometers long. In the northern part of the Fraser, untouched humid equatorial forests remain. The animal world of the island is also interesting. In small well-warmed lakes there are freshwater turtles, on the land there is a wild dog Dingo. And this is not all the flora and fauna of Fraser Island.
.Under the guidance of a ranger, tourists can observe raptors and stingrays during a canoe trip, and on the island itself, more than 354 species of birds. There are rare bird species such as the ground parrot, great needle-nosed owl, and 18 species of birds of prey. Sailing around, you can see dugongs, turtles, dolphins and sharks. While cruising the beaches and Cape Indian Head, from August through October, you can witness the migration of humpback whales. And on a night trip, you’ll encounter a bat, flying fox, sugar flying possum and a frog. Kangaroos, wallabies, possums and echidnas are also a must-see on the island.
.Name of the island
This charming island got its name from married couple James and Eliza Fraser. In 1836, the ship Sterling Castle, captained by James Fraser, was wrecked off the coast of the island and the surviving sailors went ashore. The relationship between the natives and Europeans was hostile and even aggressive. Even today, travelers listen with interest to the stirring story of Elise, a strong woman who survived the death of her husband and newborn child and was captured by the Aborigines.
>Tourists
On Fraser Island, history literally hangs in the air. You can trace 700,000 years of evolution through the wildflowers, and centuries of climate change through the huge sand dunes. Travelers will be interested to see with their own eyes the hills formed by the household waste of primitive people, fishing gear, notches on trees and sites that are at least 5,000 years old.
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Visiting the colored Arched Rocks, you will see the place where men – the ancestors of the Aborigines played didgeridoo to migrating humpback whales, as well as the Moon Patch – a sacred place for women, where they gave birth to children. For true explorers, Happy Valley is home to the wreck of the steamship Mahino, built in 1905 and which served as a luxury trans-Tasman passenger ship, later a floating hospital during World War I, before being washed ashore during a cyclone. Visit the abandoned McKenzie Wharf, originally used to connect loggers to the mainland and during World War II used by the famous Z Force. So, step by step, the rich history of the island will be revealed.
.After all the amazing discoveries, you can stay in an eco-friendly pension and treat yourself to a wellness massage, exotic cocktails and gourmet meals, or enjoy the privacy of a house overlooking the coast. There are many hotels and individual cottages on the island with luxurious views of the ocean and surrounding area. And for a complete reconnection with nature, you can pitch a tent at one of the following locations: the tourist camp at Central Parking Lot, Lakes Bumanjin, McKenzie, Dundubar, Waddy Point, Watumba, Dilly Village, Cathedral Beach, or East Beach.
.Having been to Fraser Island for even a day, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind why it is called “paradise”. Hundreds of freshwater lakes with turquoise and clear waters, ancient rainforests, white quartz beaches – all this creates a unique magical landscape, looking at which you can forget about everything.
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