Fraser Island

Fraser Island is one of the world's most unusual islands. Not only is it the largest sand island in the world – 123 kilometres (76 miles) long and 22 kilometres (14 miles) wide – but it's the only place on Earth where tall rainforests grow on sand dunes at elevations of more than 200 metres (656 feet). It also has half the world's perched lakes – lakes formed when depressions in dunes fill permanently with rainwater.

Home to the most pure strain of dingoes remaining in eastern Australia, and one of the best places to see baby humpback whales and their mothers, Fraser Island also has superb scenery, with massive shifting sand blows, sensational swimming spots and thrilling 4WD tracks. A World Heritage-listed wilderness with lots of resort-style comforts, Fraser is the perfect place to go wild.

Must Try

• Explore the rainforest and swim in a rainwater lake
• Wave to a whale on a whale watching cruise
• Drive the length of famous 75 Mile Beach

Getting there

Fraser Island is about 300 kilometres (186 miles) north of Brisbane and 15 kilometres (9 miles) off the coast of Hervey Bay and Maryborough. Virgin Australia and QantasLink operate direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to the Hervey Bay Airport, Fraser Coast.

You can then hop aboard the ferry for the 50-minute trip across to Fraser Island. For 4WD access to Fraser Island, take a barge at Inskip Point on the northern end of Rainbow Beach (1 hour and 40 minutes south of Hervey Bay) or from River Heads (20 minutes south of Hervey Bay).