Fraser Island conditions report - Queensland Government

Updated 2 January 2014
Everything is protected – plants, animals, natural and cultural features.
Visit: www.nprsr.qld.gov.au
Western Beach Closed to vehicles from
Wathumba to Sandy Cape lighthouse.
Platypus Bay Road Closed to vehicles.
Turtle rookery seasonal vehicle restriction
Vehicles prohibited on beach South Ngkala
Rocks to Sandy Cape Lighthouse 6pm to 6am
15 November 2013 to 31 March 2014
Browns & Ngkala Rocks Conditions
change daily - may be impassable.
Wathumba Road Very soft and rough. No access to Western Beach.
Western Beach Danger boggy sand & exposed rocks
Towoi Creek to Moon Point.
Deep holes on beachfront.
Very soft and rough.
Altered toilet & parking conditions.
No parking on bypass.
Very soft and rough.
Awinya Link Road Traverse creek crossing with caution.
Woralie Road Traverse with caution.
Caution: Deep - do not cross on beach.
Northern Road Very soft and rough.
Moon Point – Happy Valley Road
Traverse with caution.
Kingfisher Hill Traverse with caution.
Kingfisher to Lake McKenzie
Very soft and rough.
Very soft and rough.
WARNING – Look and listen for aircraft landing
and taking off along the eastern beach.
Eurong to Wanggoolba Road Very soft and rough.
Southern Lakes scenic drive Very soft and rough.
Western Beach
Closed to vehicles
Hook Point to Moon Point.
Inland Road Firm and rough.
Closed due to wildfire

Updated 2 January 2014
Your safety is our concern, but your responsibility.
Visit: www.nprsr.qld.gov.au
Dingo warnings (Amended 4 October 2013)
Areas with increased dingo activity:
Be careful: Between Yidney Rocks and Cathedral Beach and around Eurong —areas of particular concern due
to dingoes linked to aggressive incidents. Visitors, particularly those with children, are urged to walk in groups
and be extra vigilant in these areas.
Aggressive activity has also been reported at Wyuna, Burad, Maheno, Eli Creek, Winnam, Govi, Wongai, One
Tree Rocks and Cornwells camping zones and Dundubara beachfront.
TIDES
Waddy Point
(Fraser Island)
JANUARY
Time m
Dingo safety (Amended 27 November 2013)
Let young dingoes grow up wild—not reliant on hand-outs. Summer is a particularly important time for
juvenile dingoes to test their strength, learn essential survival skills and to avoid habituation towards people. Do
not feed dingoes. Juveniles will quickly learn bad habits such as stealing food around camp sites instead of
learning natural hunting skills.
Stay vigilant: Everyone, including children, must stay alert to wandering dingoes. Avoid interaction with dingoes.
Camping with children: Families with children are strongly urged to camp in fenced campgrounds at Central
Station, Dundubara, Waddy Point, Lake Boomanjin or private campgrounds at Dilli Village and K’gari.
Dingo-safe fishing tips: Keep bait and catch secure on your person, in a closed vehicle or in a strong, sealed
container. Bury offal, fish scraps and unwanted bait at least 50cm deep just below the high tide mark. Don’t let
dingoes see you bury this, to avoid teaching them to associate people with food.
Report negative dingo encounters: Tell the nearest ranger or phone 13 QGOV (13 74 68), mobile phone charges
may apply, or email Dingo.Ranger@nprsr.qld.gov.au . Take note of ear tags and other identifying features.
Camping & facility closures (Amended 2 January 2014)
Coolooloi Creek camping area: Due to a wildfire, Coolooloi Creek camping area is closed until further notice.
Middle Rocks (Champagne Pools): Works to upgrade the Middle Rocks (Champagne Pools) toilet facilities will
occur from 14 January to approximately 7 April 2014, weather dependent. During this time limited toilet facilities
will be located on-site in the northern car park. Toilets can also be accessed via the boardwalk from the southern
car park. Altered parking arrangements will be as follows: * CTO bus parking in existing area (southern car park)
* Tag-along tour parking on beach (south of access ramp) * All other visitors – parking will be limited in both the
northern and southern car parks. Alternate toilet facilities at Eli Creek, Dundubara, Waddy Point and Ocean Lake.
Beach erosion: Be careful when entering and exiting beach camping areas and camp back from the foredune
areas. Exposed sand dunes and sand cliffs are unstable and can collapse without warning. Serious injury or death
can result. Don’t assume this won’t happen when you or your children are there.
Great Walk partial reopening: The following sections of the Great Walk have reopened:
*Central Station to Lake McKenzie (via both Basin Lake and Pile Valley)
*Kingfisher Bay to Lake McKenzie (via both McKenzie’s Jetty and Dundonga Creek)
*Access tracks from Wanggoolba barge landing and Eurong
Lake McKenzie and Central Station walkers’ camps have also reopened. All other sections of the Great Walk and
associated walkers’ camps remain closed due to high fire danger. For your safety, do not enter closed tracks and
please obey all signage and directions provided by QPWS staff.
Track closures: The Lake Bowarrady walking track and Wungul Sandblow circuit are closed.
Road & track conditions or closures (Amended 2 January 2014)
Inland roads: Recent dry weather and increased traffic has resulted in very soft and boggy road conditions.
Inland roads are only suitable for high clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles. Ensure you carry appropriate recovery
gear and allow extra travel time. All-wheel drive vehicles, vehicles with low clearance and vehicles towing trailers
may have serious difficulty and may become stuck.
Sandy Cape turtle rookery seasonal vehicle restriction: Vehicles are prohibited on the beach between South
Ngkala Rocks and Sandy Cape Lighthouse between the hours of 6pm and 6am, from 15 November 2013 to 31
March 2014. This beach is an important nesting area for threatened marine turtles. Protecting nesting and
hatching turtles from vehicle disturbance will help these turtle populations to recover.
The following roads are CLOSED:
* Southern Road south of Buff Creek, including access to Buff Creek and Garry’s Anchorage.
* Lake Garawongera scenic drive south of Lake Garawongera.
Caution needed:
* Happy Valley – Moon Point Road has areas of inundation which should checked for depth before traversing.
* Eastern and Western Beaches have areas of exposed coffee rock, eroded beaches, fallen trees, and beach
conditions are changing daily—remain alert!
* Awinya Creek crossing on the Awinya Road should be traversed with caution.
General alerts (Amended 17 December 2013)
Fire Prohibition: Until further notice, open fires must not be lit anywhere on Fraser Island, including in fire rings at
Dundubara and Waddy Point camping areas. The fire prohibition is in place due to increasing high fire danger
conditions and will remain in place until the risk of wildfire moderates.
Storm season: Keep abreast of weather forecasts – tune your car radio to Regional ABC stations for updated
forecasts and alerts.
Large high tides: From 1 to 4 January 2014 large high tides may result in poor and/or dangerous driving
conditions along Fraser Island beaches. Drivers are advised to exercise caution and be alert for changing beach
conditions including wash outs and debris.
While this information was prepared with care, it is based on the best available information at the time and is indicative only.
Visitors are reminded that conditions change constantly due to climatic fluctuations and other factors. No liability is accepted
by the Queensland Government for any decisions or actions taken on the basis of this information.