Visiting the K'gari Great Walk safely

Getting there and getting around

• K'gari Great Sandy National Park map (PDF, 503.3KB) (general)
• K'gari Great Walk topographic map (PDF, 7.3MB) (trip planner only).

You can access K'gari from either Rainbow Beach township or Hervey Bay travelling by vehicle barge, aircraft, commercial tour or private boat.

Dilli Village and Happy Valley, on the eastern side of K'gari, are the two main Great Walk start and finish points.

For visitors arriving on K'gari on foot there are access tracks from barge landing points to the Great Walk track.

Barge access

• From Rainbow Beach
• From Hervey Bay

Access from Rainbow Beach

Take the vehicle barge from the beach at Inskip Point—approximately 15km from Rainbow Beach—across to Hook Point on K'gari.

A taxi service is available to walkers from Rainbow Beach and Cooloola to the barge at Inskip Point—phone 0411 072 349.

There are no public buses that service this area.

Inskip barges:

Mantaray barges
Phone (07) 5486 3935 or 0418 872 599
Email: mantaraybargeqld@bigpond.com

Barges:

• run constantly, generally between dawn and dusk every day
• take approximately 10min to cross to K'gari
• allow walk-on passengers
• carry vehicles
• charge fees—no bookings necessary—pay onboard.

Access from Hervey Bay

Barges travel between River Heads and K'gari, taking visitors to Kingfisher Bay.

River Heads barges are approximately 23km from Hervey Bay along Booral and River Heads Roads.

A taxi service is available to take walkers from Hervey Bay to the barge at River Heads—phone 131 008.

There are no public buses that service this area.

River Heads barge to Kingfisher Bay:

Sealink K’gari (Fraser Island) Ferries
Phone: 1800 BARGES (1800 227 437) or (07) 4194 9300
Email: kgari.reservations@sealink.com.au

Barges:

• have scheduled departure times
• travel across the Great Sandy Strait to Kingfisher Bay 45min
• allow walk-on passengers.
• carry vehicles
• charge fees—bookings are essential.

Once on K'gari you can either:

• Drive to the Great Walk entrance points near the eastern beach townships of Dilli Village and Happy Valley

or

• walk from your barge landing area, using access tracks, to reach the Great Walk track.

Walking from barge landing points to the Great Walk:

Access tracks link island barge landing points with the nearest Great Walk track entrances.

• Access tracks from Hook Point
• Access tracks from Kingfisher Bay

Access tracks for walkers from Hook Point (southern K'gari):

• Disembark barge and turn right.
• Walk approximately 300m up the beach.
• Turn left into the Hook Point inland road.
• Take time to read the K'gari Great Walk interpretive signs on the left before you walk on.

Access tracks for walkers from Kingfisher Bay (western K'gari):

• Disembark barge and walk along the jetty.
• Follow the jetty road to the Kingfisher Bay Resort and Village roundabout.
• Turn right and keep walking past the tennis courts, store and petrol pumps.
• Continue up the driveway, crossing the Kingfisher Hill vehicle track.
• Follow this single-lane bitumen road to the right for approximately 100m to the access point.
• Take time to read the K'gari Great Walk interpretive signs before you walk on.

Driving

If you are planning to drive to a Great Walk access point, you will need a high clearance four-wheel drive vehicle—hire options are available in Rainbow Beach and Hervey Bay—as soft sand, tides and estuaries contribute to challenging driving conditions. No secure parking area is available on the island.

A Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service vehicle access permit must be purchased before driving on K'gari. Buy the vehicle permit and your camping permit before you go.

• Buy your vehicle access permit online.
• If you cannot book online, buy your vehicle access permit over-the-counter or by phone.

Also see:

• Driving on sand safety guide (PDF, 943.6KB) brochure
• Driving on Sand safety videos.

Staying safe

Refer to the visiting safely information for K'gari.

Planning your walk.

Photo credit: Queensland Government

Before you visit

Consider the challenges of a Great Walk

Mishaps on K'gari can be costly. Rescues are expensive, difficult and may impact on the island's fragile ecosystems.

• Get fit for the walk! Some sections are more challenging than others and sections of soft sand can make walking slow and tiring.
• Keep cool! Plan to walk in sunny, exposed areas early in the morning, never in the middle of the day.
• Keep together! Always plan to walk at the pace of your group's slowest walker.
• Plan for delays, rest stops, sightseeing and meal breaks. Distances and times shown for each section of the track are estimates only.
• North of Lake Wabby is remote! This section is suitable for experienced bushwalkers only, as distances between walkers' camps are greater, facilities are minimal and access to help is limited.

• Be dingo-safe! Never walk alone, plan to reach your camp site well before dark and keep your food in the storage boxes provided at walkers' camps.

Purchase a topographic map

Topographic map brochures contain vital orientation information and are essential for your safety. They can be purchased from a number of Great Walks topographic map sales outlets.

Essentials to bring

K'gari is remote and facilities are limited. Walkers must be fully self-sufficient.

Ensure you carry adequate equipment that covers the basics.

Navigation

• topographic map brochure
• compass
• waterproof map case.

Communication

• personal locator beacon (PLB)
• mobile phone and spare battery.

Personal protection

• first aid kit—know how to use it
• adequate clothing for all weather, especially rain and thunderstorms
• sturdy, enclosed footwear
• hat sunscreen and insect repellent
• dingo safety stick—to deter dingoes getting too close. Any object can be used such as a hiking pole, umbrella or a length of bamboo or conduit.

Personal hygiene, cooking and camping equipment

• strong, lightweight tent—no shelters are provided
• lightweight sleeping bag and mat
• nourishing lightweight food and high-energy snacks
• virtually no unnecessary packaging
• torch and batteries
• small hand trowel and toilet paper
• pocket knife
• lightweight cooking and eating utensils
• container for washing up
• water containers—enough to carry your day's water needs
• waterproof bags to keep clothing and bedding dry
• sealable containers with secure straps to store food and rubbish; bins are not provided, you must carry out all your rubbish and keep it and your food secure from dingoes.
• reliable fuel stove and fuel
• lighter and waterproof matches
• K'gari tide timetable for the time of year of your visit; print off a K'gari Conditions Report (PDF, 1.1MB) just before you head off.

Also take other QPWS brochures for K'gari:

• K'gari Visitor Guide (PDF, 3.7MB)
• Be dingo-safe! flyer (PDF, 8.5MB)
• Driving on sand safety guide (PDF, 943.6KB) (if you are taking a vehicle)

Vehicle essentials

• pack spares
• water
• tyre gauge
• air pump for tyre reinflation
• tow rope
• snatch strap
• traction mats
• shovel.

Permits and fees

Plan ahead—buy all your permits before you go. Camping fees and vehicle access permit fees apply.

Vehicle permits

If you're taking a vehicle to the island, you will need a current K'gari vehicle access permit, purchased before entering the island. Unregistered vehicles or conditionally registered vehicles, such as quad bikes, are not permitted on K'gari.

• Buy your vehicle access permit and camping permits online.
• If you cannot book online, buy your vehicle access permit over-the-counter or by phone.

Camping permits

Camping permits are required for all camping (except in commercially-run campgrounds) and must be prominently displayed at your camp. School and public holidays are very busy. Purchase permits well in advance.

Climate and weather

K'gari has a subtropical climate with moderate temperatures. Average coastal temperatures range from 22°C to 28°C in December and 14°C to 21°C in July, although temperatures can be more extreme inland.

Annual rainfall varies across the island, from 1200mm on the coast to 1800mm inland. The wettest months are from January to March, with drier months in winter and spring. Summer storms are common and severe storms occur occasionally.

Walking is recommended from April to September to avoid extreme weather conditions. Weather forecasts are available from the Bureau of Meteorology.

Fuel and supplies

Before you leave the mainland, you will need to be well prepared and stocked with supplies for your island trip. The nearest large shopping areas are at Hervey Bay, Maryborough and Gympie. Smaller supermarkets and fuel supplies are available at Rainbow Beach.

On K'gari: fuel, ice and some supplies can be purchased at Eurong, Happy Valley and Kingfisher Bay. These localities have:

• a restaurant and/or take-away food shop
• a general store
• petrol, diesel, propane gas
• ice.

Stores are:

• generally open 8am-5pm
• electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale (EFTPOS) is available only in some places. Bring enough cash.

Be aware that K'gari does not have a:

• bus service
• taxi service
• doctor's surgery
• big supermarket
• major mechanical repair station.

Public telephones are located at:

• Eurong
• Happy Valley
• Kingfisher Bay
• Central Station.

Mobile phone coverage is limited and unreliable.