TrackMuncher
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 45
  
|
| Fraser Island recommendations |
|
Hi D3-ers,
I'm planning a trip to Fraser Island and as a number of people have mentioned their experiences I'm hoping to get some advice.
I'm heading up from Sydney and will have a 5-6 days spare to spend on Fraser with 3 small kids. We'll take things slow, unwind and have some fun. This will be my first time driving on sand.
1. What's the best way onto the island (coming from the South)?
2. Where would you recommend for camping (fenced and facilities)?
3. Is it worth camping a few nights inland (say Central Station) and a couple nights up at Dundubara or Waddy to vary the experience?
I've taken on board the suspension height, DSC and tyre pressure discussions but assume I'll get stuck at some point.
Thanks
Scott
|
 1st Apr 2007 1:33 pm |
|
|
d3syd
Member Since: 04 May 2006
Location: Scamander, Tasmania, Australia
Posts: 168
|
Hi TrackMuncher,
The best place to get onto the island from the south is at Inskip Point, that way you start at the very bottom of the island. Central Station is a good place to camp. Good facilities there. Can't remember where Dundubara is but if it is on the west coast, I'd avoid it as there are heaps of nasty sand flies there that will make you itch for weeks!
Let you tyres down to 16psi and you should be right. Get a compressor so you can adjust your pressure if needed. The suspension height is going to be an issue as you will find yourself going way above 40kph on the beaches - more like 80kph at lot of the time. '06 TDV6 SE AUTO BUCKINGHAM BLUE
'98 Volvo V70
'87 Mecedes 420 SEL
'08 BMW 135i Coupe Twin Turbo
|
| 1st Apr 2007 1:50 pm |
|
|
LeighW
D3 Decade
Member Since: 31 Jan 2006
Location: Brisbane, AUS
Posts: 920
|
Scott, Fraser Island map is here for you...
Haven't camped but did drive the back roads in another 4WD. Sorry d3syd, might not recommend tyre pressures down to as low as 16 as the D3 is a heavy vehicle and it would be very easy to break the seals when turning abruptly on the sand.
I would try 18-20 psi; it is easier to lower the pressure if required in them than to add air. I drove all over inland tracks with 22 psi in a Pajero petrol LWB without problems except when catching up to slower vehicles like Troopys as they climbed tracks with tree roots. Watch out for other inland track users at all times as the island is overrun with hire vehicles and drivers with limited offroad or sand experience. Be ready to reverse up a fair bit if you are there in school holiday times as the tracks are narrow and with blind corners in many places.
Central Station is a great spot to camp with children but don't feed the dingoes and never let the children out of your sight.
BTW, as the D3 doesn't have a great travelling range with the LR tank, fuel is available at Kingfisher, Eurong and Happy Valley. Also, the Sand Bar near the Kingfisher Bay jetty has a children friendly place to eat when you grow tired of camp cooking.
Enjoy,  you lucky devil - Leigh LeighW
The old girl is on her third engine...
* first ran a bearing (design failure in original engine)
* second had a failure of the water outlet on top of the engine (pls check yours)
|
| 2nd Apr 2007 12:46 am |
|
|
Desert Traveller
Member Since: 06 Aug 2006
Location: The Gabba - QLD
Posts: 420
|
With 5 days / nights. My recommendations are Central Station, Dundabura and Waddy. I would avoid overnighting on the west coast. See the link below for the latest conditions.
[url]http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/park/index.cgi?parkid=1
I wouldn't go below 20psi. The only really chopped areas are at Eli Creek and Indian Head. Using momentum, you will not have a problem especially in the cooler weather as the sand is not as powdery as on hot dry days.
Now days if you see a dingo you will be lucky. The National Parks camping areas are secure.
Just veg out. [/url] 06 TDV6 SE with many LR and after-market extras. Used only on weekends and trips out west.
Audi TT Roadster (Daily and around town drive)
VW Eos TDI For Sale
Previously 01 TD5 and 94 TDI
|
| 2nd Apr 2007 10:30 am |
|
|
Jamo
Member Since: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Esperance, Western Australia
Posts: 1170
|
Switch off DSC, switch off DSC, switch off DSC, oh, and switch off DSC! Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
|
| 2nd Apr 2007 11:10 am |
|
|
TrackMuncher
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 45
|
Thanks everyone. I'm looking forward to seeing Fraser as everyone raves about it. And looking forward to getting the disco off the bitumen....
|
| 2nd Apr 2007 11:19 am |
|
|
Jamo
Member Since: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Esperance, Western Australia
Posts: 1170
|
Trackmuncher, I've never been to Fraser, but..
If you are running the 255/60R18's and you do get bogged, you may have to lower the pressures down below 16psi to get any real flotation.
Have a great trip! Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
|
| 3rd Apr 2007 4:35 am |
|
|
LeighW
D3 Decade
Member Since: 31 Jan 2006
Location: Brisbane, AUS
Posts: 920
|
Jamo, I think that Scottwould have the 17s on his D3 with a bit more floatation as they are 70 profile. I would still be wary of dropping the pressures too much below 18 psi unless absolutely necessary and only with due care afterwards to minimise the risk of rolling off the rim.
Leigh LeighW
The old girl is on her third engine...
* first ran a bearing (design failure in original engine)
* second had a failure of the water outlet on top of the engine (pls check yours)
|
| 3rd Apr 2007 7:00 am |
|
|
Jamo
Member Since: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Esperance, Western Australia
Posts: 1170
|
Depends on what you're doing I suppose, and more importantly how fast you intend to hoon.
I drop my 245/70R17's down to 16psi on occasion for the soft, fine beach sand here (20psi willl stop you dead in places) and have never rolled a tyre off a rim. If you want to do rooster tails then I suppose it's a risk, but I don't do that. When I have to lower pressures significantly, I drive accordingly, and then raise them again when back on harder sand.
Maybe our beaches are more treacherous than Fraser. As I said, I've never been there.
I was only providing anti-bogging advice. With the 18's I had to go down to 10psi one one occasion. Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
|
| 3rd Apr 2007 10:59 am |
|
|
LeighW
D3 Decade
Member Since: 31 Jan 2006
Location: Brisbane, AUS
Posts: 920
|
Point taken Jamo.
Leigh LeighW
The old girl is on her third engine...
* first ran a bearing (design failure in original engine)
* second had a failure of the water outlet on top of the engine (pls check yours)
|
| 3rd Apr 2007 12:05 pm |
|
|
Jamo
Member Since: 18 Jan 2006
Location: Esperance, Western Australia
Posts: 1170
|
I think it helps to have a really good compressor, though.
There are lot of blokes around here (mostly yota drivers  ) who run their tyres at 20psi permanently so they don't have to lower them for the sand. Hopefully they'll never have to brake in a hurry when on the bitumen!
I actually got laughed at once for stopping to put mine back up to street pressures when I left the beach.
When I first took my Suby on the beach here about 7 years ago, I had never driven on such soft sand in anything other than a tracked APC. I was told about lowering tyre pressures to about 22psi and when I got stuck, I spent an agonising hour or more digging myself out whilst the tide came in. No-one told me at the time that I should continue to lower my tyre pressures. Months later I got stuck again, lowered the suby's little tyres down to 12psi, drove straight out, raised the pressures again and went fishing! Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
|
| 3rd Apr 2007 12:15 pm |
|
|
d3syd
Member Since: 04 May 2006
Location: Scamander, Tasmania, Australia
Posts: 168
|
I drove around Fraser for a week with 16psi in my D2 and never got bogged. Got pass the notorious Indian Head without a problem.
As for my D3 I thought I'd drive onto a local beach shortly after I took delivery of the car and promptly got bogged. I figured that I wouldn't have a problem as I'd been on the same bit of beach in my D2 without deflating the tyres 
After some deflating I floated out without any problem. It wasn't until I was back home that it dawned on me that I left the DSC on all along '06 TDV6 SE AUTO BUCKINGHAM BLUE
'98 Volvo V70
'87 Mecedes 420 SEL
'08 BMW 135i Coupe Twin Turbo
|
| 3rd Apr 2007 4:11 pm |
|
|
d3syd
Member Since: 04 May 2006
Location: Scamander, Tasmania, Australia
Posts: 168
|
Trackmuncher, I forgot to mention that you just drive onto the beach at inskip point and a barge will see you and come and pick you up. You pay for the ride once you get on board. Have fun you lucky  ! '06 TDV6 SE AUTO BUCKINGHAM BLUE
'98 Volvo V70
'87 Mecedes 420 SEL
'08 BMW 135i Coupe Twin Turbo
|
| 3rd Apr 2007 4:17 pm |
|
|
Desert Traveller
Member Since: 06 Aug 2006
Location: The Gabba - QLD
Posts: 420
|
Use the Green ferry, the Mantaray. It is locally owned. The white ferrys were formerly owned by a person who in the end ran foul with the ACCC. Anyone with a history of visiting Fraser (I first went over a quarter of century ago) will know of unlawful and dishonest business practices associated with the ferry operators. 06 TDV6 SE with many LR and after-market extras. Used only on weekends and trips out west.
Audi TT Roadster (Daily and around town drive)
VW Eos TDI For Sale
Previously 01 TD5 and 94 TDI
|
| 4th Apr 2007 10:19 am |
|
|
MarkTaylor
Member Since: 28 Dec 2006
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 185
|
Hasn't Fraser changed.
My first trip was in Easter 1974 in my brand new Series 3 SWB. I had the factory option of 750x16 tyres instead of the 600x16. We caught the Ferry over at 06:00 Hrs and made camp at Eli Creek. You could do that then. I carried 5 in my SWB while an accompanying Series 2A LWB carried all the provisions. No Waecos.. just an ex army hot box that we filled with dry ice to keep our stuff cool. I was all of 20 and thought we were all pretty cool. We even had 2 trail bikes in our party. Night 3 (Sunday) we all camped at lake mackenzie. Not where the car parks are today, but right down on the water line. Just magic. The next morning my Rover wouldn't start for some reason so we towed it with the LWB for around 200 metres or so before it fired.
Great Days of the past.
Can't wait to get the Disco up there before the years out. Have still got some 8x10 black and white shots of me and a girl called Dianne Anyway (long story) posing on the bull bar of the Series 3 at lake mackenzie
Oh to be 21 again.
Cheers
Mark T Nothing of any value is ever achieved without some sacrifice.
|
| 4th Apr 2007 11:19 am |
|
|
