K’gari (Fraser Island)

Hello from Queensland, Australia! I left beautiful Fraser Island less than a week ago after volunteering for a month. Fraser is a remote island that is 76 miles wide, and 14 miles wide. It’s the world’s largest sand island, which is evidenced by the fact that sand will be in every single crevice of your personal belongings by the time you leave, no matter how hard you try to avoid it!

It’s rich in aboriginal and European colonial history. It is also rich in biodiversity, and part of the excitement of exploring Fraser is learning about the history, flora and fauna. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992, and much of the island is protected from overdevelopment, pollution, and other man-made harm.

Natural History + Flora & Fauna

The sand that makes up the island has been accumulating for roughly 175,000 years old and has created almost 40 sandblows and formations like the Pinnacle sands and the Knifeblade Sandblow. It’s also the only place in the world where rainforest grows in sand.

Because it’s isolated from the mainland, a rich and biodiverse ecosystem has developed. There are an estimated 350 species of bird that live on the island, and several populations of rare plants and animals, such as the elf skink and ground parrot. It’s incredible that you can spend the day swimming in the saltwater champagne pools, then drive down 75-mile beach, then through lush rainforest, swim in one of the 40 perched freshwater lakes before getting back in time for dinner!

It’s common to see dingoes (the purest in Eastern Australia), goannas (a type of large lizard), and flying foxes (large fruit bats that look like flying chihuahuas) on the island, and humpback whales, manta rays, and sea turtles in the ocean. Once I even saw a sea snake on the beach!

My Volunteer Experience

I volunteered for Fraser Dingo, a fabulous eco-friendly 4WD tour company. In exchange for cooking and cleaning, myself and another volunteer got free accommodation, free food, and got to tag along on all the tours in bright pink cars! We lived simply in Happy Valley and while we didn’t have luxuries like wifi, I had one of the greatest experiences in my Aussie adventure so far! We worked with wonderful people who truly felt like family by the time we left and made so many new friends! Being away from distractions forced me to be conscious and appreciate the beauty of life every day.


We saw the famous Maheno shipwreck, Eli Creek, the colorful pinnacle sands, Champagne Pools, Indian Head, tropical Central Station, Lake McKenzie, Birrabeen, Garawongera, Allom, and Wabby.

Here are my favourite places!

Eli Creek

Although Eli Creek was the most frequent stop, it became one of my favorite places on the island. It reminded me of being on the Chattahoochee in the summertime. We floated (or walked) down the crystal-clear freshwater creek almost every day and then played volleyball or sunbathed, always enjoying a cider at some point! The water is clean enough to fill your water bottle!

Champagne Pools

No, sadly, these pools do not produce actual champagne! They’re named the Champagne Pools because of the tiny bubbles formed when waves crash over the ancient volcanic rocks into the natural rock pools. The Aboriginal Buchella people used the pools as natural fish traps, and you can oftentimes see tropical fish swimming around the shallower and rockier parts of the pool!

Indian Head

I could spend hours and hours up here! I came here once a week and almost always saw big fish (including sharks), sea turtles, whales, eagles (like the one in this pic) and once even a manta ray! The climb up could be a little strenuous but the views are oh so worth it!

Lake McKenzie

Crystal-clear water that looks azure from a distance and powdery white silica sand are the things that make McKenzie Fraser’s most popular lake. It’s also a perched lake, which means it is fed only by rainwater. Over thousands of years, organic matter collected and formed an impermeable layer, preventing the water from draining into the ground. Pretty spectacular hey?

Fraser will always hold a special place in my heart, not only because of the beauty but because it’s the place I went to heal after a not-so-great experience in Perth. I looked up to the stars, saw the milky glow of the galaxy, came thisclose to dingoes in the night and realized it would all be okay. I felt at home for the first time in Oz. Every day was a new adventure and I realized that living simply with a single pub in town, having no washing machine, plenty of books to read, and being surrounded by good people was a truly wonderful way to live. This was why I came across the world to Australia!

But, all good things must come to an end so I’ve headed north to Mission Beach for work! I’ll write all about it soon 🙂

Ciao,

Christina