2022 Best Beach #17: Lake Wabby, K’gari Fraser Island, Queensland

Our daughter enjoyed her visit to K'gari and Lake Wabby this summer Image by Max Clarke
Our daughter enjoyed her visit to K'gari and Lake Wabby this summer Image by Max Clarke

K’gari is world heritage listed wonderland, and part of the Great Sandy National Park.

The Lake Wabby walk starts a few minutes drive north from the village of Eurong, off the beach. We were astounded one of the kids spotted an echidna at the start of the track – and it stayed put while we all had a chance to look.

We ditched our thongs for bare feet – it was sand all the way, and lots of steps!

Lake Wabby is very different from Lake MacKenzie. We approached it from the Hammerstone sandblow track- with magnificent views over the Pacific, just as amazing as Carlo Sandblow in Rainbow Beach…with a bonus lake attached!

It is Hammerstone Sandblow, that makes it unique – the lake was a coastal creek from a natural spring. The dunes moved and blocked it, forming the only barrage lake on K’gari.

Even today, migrating sands are blowing down the east-facing dune advancing about a metre a year. It is slowly filling the lake. In one hundred years – it may not be here!

Lake Wabby is said to be the deepest lake on the island, and is also known as a window lake due to a valley in the sand exposing the water table.

Unlike some of the other more acidic lakes, fish live here. We loved our paddles in the shallows of this ethereal place. It has a very steep shoreline. There have been serious spinal injuries here from people running, diving or jumping into the lake or boarding and sliding down the dunes.

We didn’t need towels, everyone dried off on the return walk. And were treated with sunset vistas…and sadly, but not suprisingly, the little echidna had moved on…

The walk is 4.1 km one way, and the Queensland Parks website says to allow 2 hours walking time on this grade 4 walking track.

This lake is just one on the Fraser Island Great Walk, with a walk-in campsite near the lookout.

If you’re not on the Great Walk, the closest camping is in the dunes at One Tree Rocks or Cornwells camping area. Both are fenced, which is recommended for families with young children.

You need a high clearance 4WD, permits and a barge ticket to cross to K’gari Fraser Island. You can either drive here from Rainbow Beach in the south via Inskip Point or Hervey Bay.

Lake Wabby, K'gari, Queensland

It is important to be dingo safe on Fraser Island:

  • Always stay close (within arm’s reach) of children and young teenagers.
  • Always walk in groups.
  • Camp in fenced areas where possible.
  • Walk with a stick
  • Do not run. Running or jogging can trigger a negative wongari interaction.
  • Never feed dingoes.
  • Lock up food stores and iceboxes (even on a boat).
  • Never store food or food containers in tents.
  • Secure all rubbish, fish, and bait.
  • No food to lakeshores.

Finally stick to the lakes and creeks, and not the ocean for swimming on Fraser Island.

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