Fraser Island camping: Which campgrounds are best?
On a Fraser Island camping trip, the campgrounds with dingo fences tend to have the best facilities. Good options include Central Station, Dundubara and Waddy Point.
Camping on Fraser Island, Queensland, is all part of the experience. There are other accommodation options on the world’s largest sand island. Indeed, the Kingfisher Bay Resort is rather plush. But the traditional way of seeing Fraser Island, now renamed K’gari, is on a multi-day tour, camping out on one of the island’s many campgrounds.
Pick the best K’gari/ Fraser Island tour for you
- HIGHLIGHTS PACKAGE: One day coach tour from Hervey Bay.
- FROM THE SOUTH: One day 4WD tour from Rainbow Beach.
- PACK MORE IN: Two day tour, staying at K’gari Beach Resort.
- BEACHY: Boat cruise with west coast beach stops.
- BACKPACKERS: Three day, drive-yourself camping adventure from Hervey Bay. Or similar from Rainbow Beach.
- MORE LUXURIOUS: Three day adventure, staying at the Kingfisher Bay Resort.
Fraser Island camping: Permits and ferries
If you book on a tag-along tour, then the precise locations you camp at will be organised for you. But if you’re going the DIY route, there are a few things you need to organise before your Fraser Island camping experience begins. Australia Travel Questions has a full guide to Fraser Island permits – both for vehicles and camping.
You’ll also need to arrange the ferry transfer. The Fraser Island ferry leaves from River Heads, south of Hervey Bay, but you may prefer the cheaper Manta Ray barge from Inskip Point near Rainbow Beach.
Fraser Island camping areas
There are 45 camping areas on Fraser Island. On a single visit, you might choose to stay in more than one campground. The Queensland Parks and Forests site has a breakdown of these camping areas.
Several of these Fraser Island camping areas are designated as remote camping areas, with no defined sites, and very few facilities. They are designed for self-sustaining travellers who are happy to rough it.
Remote camping on Fraser Island
On the western beach, for example, there are seven camping areas. Coongul Creek, Woralie Creek, Bowarrady Creek, Awinya Creek and Bowal Creek are all accessible by land, but very simple. The Moon Point and Teebing camping areas are only accessible by boat. There are also facility-free remote camping areas in the south of Fraser Island.
The eastern beach of Fraser Island has nine unfenced camping areas, stretching from Dilli Village to Sandy Cape. There are sites close to key tourist attractions such as the Maheno Wreck and Eli Creek.
Provisions vary by site, so check in advance which is suitable for your party
Fenced campgrounds on Fraser Island
For most people, the Fraser Island camping experience is going to be at a fenced camping site. These fences keep dingoes out, and fenced sites are highly recommended for anyone travelling with children. For everyone else, these are simply the Fraser Island campgrounds with the best facilities.
Theses fenced sites are dotted around the island, with the most popular being at Central Station. In the rainforest, with good walking trails nearby, the Central Station campground has flushing toilets, picnic tables and hot showers.
Similar facilities are available at the Dundubara and Waddy Point camping areas further north along the eastern beach.
The other fenced camping areas have varying facilities, and again, it’s best to check before you book. These areas are the Cornwells, Eli, Lake Boomanjin, One Tree and Wongai camping areas.
Other good places to go camping in Queensland include Inskip Point, Lake Moogerah in the Scenic Rim region, Dunk Island near Mission Beach.