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-   -   Fraser Island Trip Report (https://www.ausjeepoffroad.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152503)

Stavros 01-04-2018 08:26 PM

Fraser Island Trip Report
 

Hey, thought it would be useful for some to put up a trip report for my recent trip to Fraser. Conditions have probably changed significantly with the 1.5 million people island this weekend...

We were a solo trip from 10 to 17 March. To be honest, save for the backpacker tag along tours, out of holiday season is the best way to go. Little to no crowds which means a little peace and tranquility and no traffic getting around the island.

Unfortunately for me the wind was pretty much blowing all week (south east) and hard so didn’t get the rods out to fish in any meaningful way.

The tides were kind with low high tides at the start of the week and good times which made it great for morning and half day exploring.

The weather looks like it had been pretty brutal over the summer. The beach was a road, literally like a highway.

On the way up (we stayed in a house at Orchid Beach) we were three going on four hours after low so it was a bit slow. But two or three hours each side of high tide was sublime.

We went over from Rainbow.

Inland tracks were mixed. The highly trafficked tracks were all okay. Some of the more remote ones were a little rougher. Nothing worth worrying about in any capable 4wd.

There were some usual stupid sections eaten to death by the big tour buses going into and out of Mackenzie.

Had plenty of time so hit all the highlights including a few of the less visited places which we had to ourselves.

Was really glad to get up to Sandy Cape and the lighthouse. Sensational drive up there. And maybe only a handful of vehicles up there for the day. The rocks were all straight forward. Sand was a little soft but the JK ate it up.

Had a good chat to some volunteers up at the lighthouse who where there on turtle hatching duty.

Fuel was $2.10 at Eurong, $2.20 at Happy Valley and $2.20 at Orchid Beach. Same price for diesel. I’m sure it was a bit more this weekend [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

For those that recall, there was a cyclone that ended up as a tropical low as it went past the island some 300 km away. Some epic surf around Indian Head and Waddy Point. Nice and clean given the south easterly swell. Hadn’t seen it like that before which was pretty cool.

Almost as much fun as watching the backpackers getting cleaned up and washed onto the rocks in the Champagne Pools during 5 plus metre swell. Those tag along tours have some hide to put them in those conditions...

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I’ll see if I can swing you an answer.

By the way - there was plenty of dingoes around so keep an eye out if you have kids.

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Krump_7 02-04-2018 06:26 PM

Diesel or petrol jk?

What was your fuel usage in the sand, be it high range or low range. What range did you get and what range can you get?

Lol im obsessing over peoples fuel figures off road atm sorry.

Cheers.

Stavros 02-04-2018 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krump_7 (Post 1631601)
Diesel or petrol jk?



What was your fuel usage in the sand, be it high range or low range. What range did you get and what range can you get?



Lol im obsessing over peoples fuel figures off road atm sorry.



Cheers.



Hahahahaha.

I didn’t keep specific figures but.

On the beach. Not much different from the road. 16 l per 100km or thereabouts.

On inland tracks, closer to 20 l per 100km.

I have the 3.8 l petrol.

Didn’t use 4 low except for one track to a western beach. The rest 4 high.

My Jeep has stupid fuel economy. You don’t buy it for that.


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billbo90 03-04-2018 11:35 AM

Sounds like you had a great weekend
Now im living in toogoom theres no reason to not be able to test the wj out over there as ive never been to fraser. Cheers for the write up!!!

Stavros 03-04-2018 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billbo90 (Post 1631625)
Sounds like you had a great weekend
Now im living in toogoom theres no reason to not be able to test the wj out over there as ive never been to fraser. Cheers for the write up!!!



I’m not sure about the Hervey Bay ferry but the Rainbow Beach has Sunday specials if you just go over for the day. Coming across from Hervey Bay you could pack a fair bit in one day if it’s a full day.


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Jeeper6 12-07-2018 05:42 PM

Just thought I'd add...camped at Marloo camping area north of Orchid Beach a couple of weeks ago.
Beautiful conditions as few people around. The beach was ok up to 2 hours either side of low, but after that you are in the soft stuff.

For the reader chasing fuel consumption...I love my Jeep WJ 4.7 HO, average in low in the soft stuff 4k's to a litre of fuel. Fuel at Orchid Beach $2.18 per litre...Eurong $2.20 per litre.

In the 7 days we were on Fraser with a trip to Sandy Cape, Champagne Pools and up to Waddy a couple of times as well as some fishing expeditions through Ngkala Rocks i spent $200 on fuel on the Island...but that last fill at Eurong on the way back got me back to Brisbane. Came back via Rainbow Beach.

humdingerslammer 12-07-2018 10:30 PM

Great report... altho' I don't really get the attraction of Fraser Island. I guess it is just one of those places to go.

Re the tour buses on Fraser Island. I went on one about 3 years ago and the trip with them was most unpleasant. The driver was a bit of a prick and smart arse who drove the vehicle flat out as if it were a tank. He could not be bothered really taking to anyone and did not even help out one of his teams drivers who could not work out how to add water the radiator. The "buses" r actually 4WD trucks with all of the lack of comforts that this means.

The "bus" and the trip was as uncomfortable as all hell and I ended up lying in my camper van for 2 days not being able to move with a badly jarred back. All the tour company was interested in was packing in as many as possible into the "buses" and not very much else.

I think that while some tour operators do the right thing, some think they have right of passage to use community resources such as the island as if it were their own, to take what they can from it, and to give very little back. Most of the poorness of the roads was due to these goliath trucks using them rather than because of other factors that can affect them.


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