Fraser Australia. Fraser island and sand dunes. Fraser Island fauna

Fraser is one of Australia's resort islands, it is made entirely of sand, and this is its uniqueness.

Located along east coast across the strait from Hervey Bay.

In Aboriginal language, Fraser is called "Kgari-rai".

This is true - wide and clean sandy beaches, rainforests and flowering heather meadows under clear blue skies make just such a comparison.

Fraser is considered the largest in the world sandy island... In length it stretches for more than 110 km, in width - up to 23 km, and sand dunes the island is its attraction. These natural structures are almost 250 meters high. In addition, they are completely white and look almost like snow against the green background of the forests covering the island.

Fraser got its name thanks to a couple of Europeans who were wrecked off the coast of this island, lost in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. I must say that in those days - 1836 - relations between the aborigines and the Europeans were quite aggressive, so the local tribes were not too happy about such a neighborhood. As a result, the Fraser couple were held captive by the Aborigines for some time. In 1992 Fraser became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and received the status nature reserve... Despite this, it is very popular with tourists and travelers.

Surprisingly, on this island, washed on all sides by a salty ocean, there are quite a few fresh lakes. They are called "hanging" because they seem to hang between the salty waters of the Pacific Ocean. There are more than 100 of them. One of them is Lake Mackenzie, located in the forests 100 meters above sea level. This is the most beautiful freshwater lake. Water in it is formed only from precipitation. It is almost distilled, so no freshwater organisms can live in it. But around the lake there is a white beach of the purest quartz sand.

The largest of them is Boemingen, about 200 hectares in size. The water in the lake is cool and fresh, which contrasts sharply with the Australian climate - mostly hot. For this feature, Boemingen is so popular among tourists.

Palm trees, mangroves and bamboo, and a rainforest grow on the shore of the lake.

Today the indigenous population of the island is only 400 people, 11 of whom are descendants of the very tribes that held the Fraser couple captive. It should be noted that a few years after the capture of the shipwrecked Europeans, colonialists from European countries raided Fraser and formed many new settlements. Of course, the natives were against such interference, and war ensued. The unequal forces of the enemy simply exterminated the small and weakly armed army of the Australian tribes. Almost the entire local population was destroyed. Now Fraser is just a place of entertainment for tourists, where tourist complex: hotel, motel, pool, bar, shop and cafe. You can get to the island by small plane, but it is better to rent a car on the mainland and cross by barge. With your own wheels you can get to know the island much better.

Fraser differs from the rest of Australia in a milder climate, the nature of the island is rich and varied due to the large amount of moisture. In the western part of the island there are mangroves and marshes, in the east there is a string of beautiful sandy beaches, and in the northern part of Fraser lies national park Great Sandy.

Insofar as vegetable world Fraser is quite diverse, and the animals are very different. For example, there are several types of turtles in freshwater lakes. In the forest, you can see bats and foxes, as well as representatives of the classic Australian fauna: possums and wallabies, echidna and dingo dogs. In order to observe animals in their natural habitat, tourists are offered canoeing. In addition to the wildlife, electric rays, sharks and dolphins are easy to spot in the water surrounding the boat. The migratory paths of humpback whales swimming in also pass by Fraser Island - these animals can be observed from August to October.

The bird world will not disappoint bird watchers either. Fraser is home to about 354 bird species, 18 of which are considered predators. You can also see such birds that are rare species - a needle-legged owl and an earthen parrot.

Insofar as tourist infrastructure Frazier is quite developed, tourists, in addition to comfortable beach holiday, various sports activities are offered, some of which are extreme. For example, surfing or bodyboarding on the sand dunes followed by a noisy dive into the lake. To the program active entertainment also includes a four-wheel drive car ride along the coast, where you can admire the Cathedral Rocks - amazing and majestic heaps colorful sand... Mini planes fly over multi-mile beaches, and small boats float tourists down the turbulent Eli Creek River straight to the ocean. Many travelers come to Fraser Island just to sail and observe marine life in their natural environment.

Sightseeing tours conducted on the island usually include the Happy Valley, where the wreckage of the Makhino ship is located. This whopper was built in 1905 and served at first transatlantic liner, and later, during the First World War, a floating hospital. The ship was later washed ashore at Fraser during a cyclone.

To preserve the ecosystem of the island, the people of Fraser actively promote wild or green tourism, which involves spending the night and living under open air or in a tent and travel around the island in an off-road jeep. This way of traveling allows you to admire the unspoiled beauty of Fraser's nature without harming the ecology of one of the most amazing islands in the world.

Fraser Island is located in the state of Queensland, north of Brisbane, and is a 123 km long sandbar, separated from the mainland by a wide strait. You can get there only by a double-decker ferry, with upper deck which opens unforgettable view to the world's largest sandy island. To preserve the nature of the island was created here, covering its entire territory. There are no permanent settlements on the island. In 1992 it was added to the World Natural Heritage List.

The island got its name from the name of the captain of the British cargo ship "Mobile Castle", which crashed off the northern tip of the island in 1836. Local Badtjala aborigines rescued the captain and tried to do everything possible to heal him. But, despite their efforts, the captain died soon after. His wife lived with her saviors for about six months, after which she was found in good health by the British and taken home.

And the island owes its formation to ocean waves and their tidal regime. By the way, it is the last factor that is felt first of all when driving along the ocean coast. Under the wheels is absolutely smooth, without the slightest potholes and potholes, but not asphalt, but sandy road. Rather, not even a road, but just a wide, several tens of meters shore. Closer to the ocean, there is sand with water, and closer to the center of the island - dry and crumbling. Tidal fluctuations of the ocean, as you know, occur twice a day -. And most importantly, every day has its own schedule. And to make it easier in it, tourists are given special leaflets indicating the time and height of the maximum and minimum sea level marks.

Another treasure of Fraser, unique not only in shape and color, but also in composition and animal population, is freshwater lakes lying among the dunes. There are more than 40 of them, which is half of all the inner-junction lakes of the planet! Among them is the largest lake of this type in the world - Bumanyin (200 hectares) and the highest - Boomerang (120 m above sea level). All lakes are completely different. Some are surrounded by dense forests with rich undergrowth, for example, a lake, kutsa, tourists especially like to come around Christmas. On the shores of other lakes, on the contrary, there are areas of outcropped dune sands. However, both of them are poor in nutrients, and therefore life.

If you wish, you can find a lot of amazing things right next to the path on seemingly bare ground. From time to time you notice small, two centimeters in diameter, green circles. If you gently pick up one of them with a knife, it rises and turns out to be ... a lid that folds back, like on a good "loop", and closes the entrance to the hunter spider's house with smooth inner walls. The spider itself is most likely not to be found in the house: sensing that the “prey” is too great, it will quickly crawl through the “back door” into the burrow, further into the ground, before prudently slamming the “door”.

Royal parrots and yellow-tailed black cockatoos can be found in tree crowns. On the ground, an emerald dove feeds on fallen fruits. And also the brush-tailed possum and the sugar glider live here (however, you can see them only on a specially organized night excursion).

Dingo, these amazingly beautiful lean dogs of red color, with white paws and a narrow "fox" muzzle, are found everywhere. These dogs are very attractive, and their puppies, as, indeed, any puppies, are also very touching. Therefore, the simple human desire of tourists to give dingo something from their supplies in response to their pleading look is understandable. Some dogs constantly live in the vicinity of tourist camps and have already forgotten how to get their own food. Such dingos, if denied a handout, become aggressive and even capable of biting. They become especially demanding during the period of feeding the puppies, that is, in winter (in Australia it is June - August). It is for this reason that they disturb the Rangers. The most aggressive dogs have to be caught and destroyed.

In this regard, at all the parking lots of tourists (and there are several thousand of them coming here every year - mainly in the Australian summer) special posters are displayed: "Btgoe8". They educate visitors about the importance of preserving the dingo population on Fraser Island. Indeed, in all this is practically the only absolutely pure community of dingoes that do not have contact with domestic dogs. It also explains why it is so dangerous to feed the dingo: dangerous for visitors.

Catching aggressive dogs is the responsibility of the National Park Rangers. They are responsible for the entire information and environmental service. In addition, they must be able to provide first aid and, if necessary, quickly evacuate the victim. Rangers regularly monitor the state of the parking lot and ensure that tourists comply with the established rules of behavior. They are engaged in supplying campfires with firewood, showing slide films in the evenings, holding various holidays, etc., etc. coffee rocks, tree ferns and orchids in bloom, emerald doves and the wild dingo dog.

When translated from language local residents Fraser translates as "Kgari-rai". Indeed, there are not many places in the world with sandy beaches, clear water, flower meadows and blue skies overhead. Isn't it heaven?

Most recently, Fraser Island was recognized as the largest sandy place in the world. Coastline stretches for a distance of 110 kilometers. The main highlight of the island is its sand dunes. Some of them reach heights of up to 250 meters. In combination with emerald forests, they are very similar to snow.

The name of the island was given by a family of Europeans, wrecked off its shores. It should be said that at that time the relations between the population of the island and civilized Europeans were hostile. And of course, few people were happy with this addition. For a long time, Frazers were even held captive by local residents.

In 1992, the island was added to the list world heritage and created a nature reserve on its territory. But regardless of such important events in Fraser's life, the island has always been popular with tourists.

The surprise is that, despite the ocean surrounding from all sides, the island is replete with fresh water bodies. Scientists called them "hanging", because they seem to hang between the salty ocean water. In general, there were 100 such reservoirs on the island. The most famous is Lake Mackenzie. It's all his fault extraordinary beauty and fresh waters. The lake feeds only on moisture from precipitation, and the water in it is practically distilled, which affects its animal composition. It is completely devoid of organisms, even microbes and bacteria. But most importantly, it is surrounded by snow-white sand beach.

The largest freshwater lake is called Boemingen, and it stretches over 200 hectares. Despite the tropical hot climate, the water here is always pleasantly cool. This lake became famous among tourists. The numerous eucalyptus trees growing on the coast give a special zest. There is also a small rain forest nearby.

Throughout the history of the island, the population has been constantly changing. Currently, there are just over 400 people living on Fraser, of which only 11 are descendants of the Aboriginal people holding the Fraser family captive. After that crash, some time passed and colonizers poured into the island to establish settlements here. Naturally, the local residents opposed this, and the war began. There were much more Europeans, so the aborigines were almost completely exterminated. Today the island is tourist place with numerous parks, hotels, entertainment programs etc. You can get here by plane, but the best option would be to cross a barge with your own car.

Fraser Island is very different from the continent of Australia, first of all, by its comfortable warm climate. That is why it has such a rich flora and fauna. Due to the wide variety of vegetation, the island is rich in animals. In fresh waters you can find turtles, in the forest - bats, as well as endemic species - kangaroos, possums, etc. To get closer to the animals, tourists are encouraged to take a canoe tour. Well, how can you do without birds. The island is a paradise for bird watchers. More than 350 species live here, among which you can find rare specimens.

Since Fraser Island is considered completely tourist center, in addition to excursions and recreation on the beach, there is a wide selection of sports and extreme entertainment: surfing, bodyboarding and many others. Some even come here to simply ride a yacht around the island and look at the marine life.

Well, of course, if you don't want to think over the route yourself, you can use different sightseeing tours... Each of them necessarily includes a visit to the Happy Valley, where the remains of a liner washed ashore during the First World War are located.

Since there are a lot of tourists, the population is very worried about the ecological situation on the island. Therefore, in our time there is an active promotion of tourism in the open air in tents or campsites. It is assumed that in this way the well-being of the environment can be maintained.

Welcome to Australia. The edge of eternal summer and warm ocean... Many islands surround this unique continent. One even has a surreal Pink Lake. The islands are reminiscent of white beaches and tropical vegetation. Now you will find out about one of them. This is Fraser Island.

It is unique in that it consists entirely of sand, and this is as much as 1840 km2. Fraser is recognized as the largest sandy island in the world.

It is located off the coast of Queensland in the Coral Sea.

Fraser Island on the map

• Geographic coordinates -25.295827, 153.134729
• Distance from the capital of Australia, Canberra, about 1170 km
• Distance to the nearest airport Brisbane approximately 230 km

According to scientists, sand dunes appeared here about 400,000 years ago. The sandy hills can reach 240 meters in height. On the island you will find over 40 so-called "hanging lakes". But these lakes do not hang in the air, and do not even look like Lake Sorvagsvatn. In this case, the name is associated with the fact that all these lakes are fresh, and the island is surrounded by salty sea water. It turns out a kind of metaphor - fresh lakes as if hanging in the salty ocean. And besides, the lakes feed only on rainwater, there are no springs in them.

The largest lake, Boemingen, covers an area of \u200b\u200b200 hectares. You can swim in the lakes, the water is warm, and the depth is shallow. The deepest lake Webby has maximum depth 12 meters. But now, due to the influx of tourists, some of the hanging lakes are slightly polluted.

Fraser Island in numbers

• Length 120 kilometers
• Width from 7 to 25 kilometers
• Area 1840 km 2

The name of the island comes from the name of the courageous lady Eliza Fraser. In 1836, a ship sank off the coast of this island. James Fraser - Eliza's husband, was his captain. Full version you can hear this story from the lips of local aborigines or tour guides. In short, it is as follows: after surviving the death of her husband and newborn child, Eliza was held captive by the local residents for 6 weeks, but she survived and was able to tell about it later (it is necessary to clarify that at that time the relationship between the aborigines and the colonialists was, to put it mildly far from friendly). In honor of her, the island began to bear the name Fraser. But long before these events, the aborigines of the Batchulla tribe, who lived here, called him K'gari, which means “paradise”. That is, these people actually lived in paradise.

Pet the whale

And how else to call this unearthly corner on Earth. Sand dunes and magnificent rainforests perfectly coexist here. Seemingly incompatible natural areasbut not on Fraser Island. Tropical thickets with eucalyptus and palm trees, bamboo and mangroves coexist with beautiful beaches, desert dunes and an attractive ocean. A stunning place to relax and unwind. The island has become a home not only for the aborigines, but also for many species of plants, animals and birds. Here you can find kangaroos, wild Australian dingo dogs, possums, echidnas and even mustangs. The island is home to over 350 bird species. Whales, which usually swim nearby from August to October, give special joy and delight to travelers.

In 1992, Unesco included Fraser Island on its World Heritage List.

Fun on Fraser Island

• In local national park "Great Sands" you can see a giant eucalyptus of 70 meters growth. This is the real pride of the park and the island
• Visit passenger liner "Makhino", washed ashore in Happy Valley in 1935 during a storm
• Jeep rides along the sandy hills
• A flight on small planes along a 100 kilometer paradise beach will fill you with special delight
• Rafting enthusiasts will love rafting down the Eli Creek River directly into the ocean
• Sailing on yachts will allow you to see marine life in their natural habitat, and if possible, giant but graceful migrating whales

Fraser Island photos

The largest sandy island in the world is the Australian Fraser. It stretches along the eastern coast of the country and covers an area of \u200b\u200babout 1840 square kilometers. Translated from the Aboriginal language, "Fraser" means "paradise" and as proof of this on the island you will meet over 40 freshwater lakes, dunes and others natural monuments, many of which are under the protection of UNESCO.

Flora and fauna

The western part of Fraser Island in Australia is occupied by mangrove forests and swamps. In the east, there is a huge sandy beach, which is about 100 km long. Pristine equatorial forests are the hallmark of Fraser's north coast.

It is not surprising that a variety of animals live in such different natural conditions. The shallow lakes are inhabited by turtles, and the wild dog Dingo has chosen areas of land. Going for a canoe trip, you can see electric rays, and in the surrounding forests there are about 350 species of birds, some of which are protected (earthen parrot, needle-footed owl and others). A sea voyage along the shores of Fraser Island will allow you to see dugongs, turtles, dolphins, sharks, humpback whales up close. If you decide to explore the territory of the island at night, you can observe the life of bats and foxes, sugar possums, frogs. In addition, kangaroos, wallabies, and echidnas can be found on Fraser.

Things to do?

Travelers who find themselves on Fraser Island will hardly be bored, because it is literally littered with interesting and memorable places... The best way to start exploring the island is to observe the herbs and flowers, which will help trace the evolutionary paths of plants over 700 years. Fraser's sand dunes will tell about the centuries-old climatic features of the region, giant hills of household waste, fishing nets and tackle, notches in trees, temporary dwellings testify to a person's stay in these places.

The best place telling about the life of the first settlers is the Arched Rocks, here tourists will see a platform where men gathered and played the ancient instrument of the didgeridoo to attract good luck on the upcoming hunt. Lunar Piglet is hidden in the depths of colored rocks - sacred place, in which new members of the tribe were born. And history lovers will find the Happy Valley, which stores the wreckage of the ship "Makhino", which sank off the coast of the island during the First World War. No less interesting is the walk to the abandoned pier "McKenzie", which served as the stronghold of the assault squad "Zed" during the Second World War.

Accommodation and meals

After long walks and interesting discoveries worth a little pampering. An unforgettable vacation awaits guests of the eco-friendly boarding house, where you can enjoy a relaxing massage session, try cool cocktails and delicious and healthy food. In addition to him, on the territory of Fraser Island there are many hotels, individual guest houses, which are located in scenic spots, but only daredevils who decide to spend a vacation in a tent camp can feel the unity with nature. The best hotels on the island are considered Kingfisher Bay Resort, Cathedrals on Fraser and Orchid House.

You can try authentic dishes at Seabelle Restaurant Kingfisher Bay Resort, Fraser Island Retreat and Maheno Restaurant.

How to get there?

To visit this wonderful corner of the planet, tourists will have to overcome a difficult path. First you need to get to international airport and buy a flight ticket to the town of Hervey Bay. Once in the latter, it is enough to find the marina, from which ferries depart to Fraser Island. Flights are carried out daily, with small intervals in time.