Are you excited? Are you scared? Are you absolutely certain there is no way anyone will convince you to do it? No matter what you think about driving on Fraser Island, there’s no doubt it’s an essential part of the K’gari experience.[vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”4605″ img_size=”full”]For many visitors, offroad driving on an island where all the roads consist of sand is one of the main reasons to look forward to Fraser Island. Others are apprehensive, yet exhilarated once they’ve negotiated their first island track. Others again are quite happy to take a back seat and let others chauffeur them across the island. There’s no denying it’s an unusual way to get around, but driving on sand in Fraser Island is part of the adventure and partly what makes a trip to K’gari so much fun.[vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″]However, it’s only fun if we all get back in one piece! While it may be fun to get stuck in a bit of soft sand, a rollover on the beach is an entirely different matter. Thanks to our safety precautions and our excellent tour guides, there’s never been a serious accident on any of our tours, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t aware of the possible dangers of driving on Fraser Island. Passing through Rainbow Beach, you can see for yourself what can happen when drivers underestimate the challenges of driving on Fraser Island – pictures of their wrecked 4WDs line the “wall of shame” at the local petrol station.
For visitors, especially from overseas, who have no experience driving on sand, a tag along 4WD tour of Fraser Island is the only way to go. You get to drive on Fraser Island yourself, but under the expert supervision of a certified guide who knows all the risks of offroad driving – and can make sure you don’t take them.
Drop Bear Adventures get you off to a good start with the Queensland Parks and Wildlife service safety video, which we watch together before heading off to the island on day one. If you want to do even more preparation, you can also find lots of information on safe driving online.[/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”4609″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner]On the island:
- Always follow your lead car and stay in its wheel tracks.
- On the beach, drive on the hard sand between the waterline and the high tide mark.
- Choose your tides right and steer clear of obstacles on the beach, as well as lapping waves.
- Don’t swerve or make any other sudden movements.
- Fraser Island can seem like a million miles from civilisation, but the laws apply here, too (yes, there is a police station on Fraser Island!)
- The speed limit on the “Fraser Island Highway” (the Eastern Beach) is 80 km/h and lower speed limits apply on other island tracks.
- Drunk driving, speeding and not wearing a seat belt is dangerous and will incur a hefty fine.
- Always pay attention to your tour guides and follow their instructions.
- Last but not least: Having fun, enjoying driving on Fraser Island and STAY SAFE!