Australia’s 'Nature Coast' boasts highly diverse wildlife and includes two UNESCO World Heritage listed destinations: Fraser Island and Lady Elliot Island at the south end of the Great Barrier Reef.
Here you can enjoy some of the world’s finest marine biodiversity at the southernmost point of the famed Barrier Reef, far from Queensland’s crowded mainland resorts and with the flexibility that comes from a self-drive holiday. Fraser Island – the world’s largest sand island – offers chances to see humpback whales, minke whales and bottlenose dolphins, and some of Australia’s weird and wonderful indigenous creatures, such as the distinctive but elusive dingo. Meanwhile, trails through the dense tropical rainforest of Kondalilla National Park in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast provide opportunities for walking and seeing birds and wildlife such as echidna, possums, wallabies and goannas.
Suggested Itinerary
-
Day 1:
Depart UK
Overnight flight to Brisbane via Singapore
-
Day 2:
Arrive Brisbane
Arrive in the evening and overnight in Brisbane, to allow you to recover from the flight.
Accommodation: Novotel Brisbane Airport or similar, 1-night
-
Days 3-4
:
Drive to Kondalilla National Park & explore the vicinity
In the morning collect your hire car before heading north-west for just over an hour to the gorgeous property you use as a base for exploring Kondalilla National Park. During the two days you spend in the hinterland of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast you can walk in the national park (self-guided) which has 56 kilometres of trails, natural pools and waterfalls, and offers great birding opportunities. The 107 or so bird species you can see here include king parrot, peregrine falcon, whipbird and cockatoo, but you may also come across echidna (spiny anteaters) and reptiles such as the goanna, a type of monitor lizard.
Accommodation: Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat, 2-nights
-
Day 5:
Drive to Hervey Bay, ferry to Fraser Island
Take a leisurely drive (roughly 3.5 hours) to River Heads ferry terminal, near Hervey Bay. After dropping your vehicle in the dedicated compound belonging to Kingfisher Bay Resort, take the ferry (around one hour) across to Fraser Island.
Aim to arrive after lunch as you won’t be able to check in before two o’clock in the afternoon. You can then spend a relaxing afternoon getting your bearings. That same evening you can do a guided nocturnal walk in the grounds of the lodge to spot possums, spiders, frogs, and down by the jetty; sting ray, sea turtle, barracuda and many other fish species.
Accommodation: Kingfisher Bay Resort, 3-nights.
-
Days 6-7
:
Explore Fraser Island
Over the next couple of days you go whale watching to watch humpback whales migrating along the west coast of the island with their calves (August to October only). While out at sea you may also catch sight of dugongs, minke whales, bottlenose dolphins and sting rays. You also take a guided four-wheeled-drive tour of the island to explore its scenic highlights, such as 75-Mile Beach, Lake McKenzie, Lake Wabby, the headlands, or Eli Creek, where – if lucky – you may spot the elusive dingo, swamp wallaby, and short-eared-mountain possum.
On a one hour guided night walk with a spotlight you may see insectivorous bats socialising and feeding around the resort’s lakes, pick out sugar gliders (a type of marsupial possum) as they move from tree to tree, and learn about the stars in the southern sky. You'll also hear the rare acid frogs of Fraser Island and learn how they have adapted to survive.
-
Day 8:
Ferry to the mainland & fly to Lady Elliot Island
Today you take the ferry back to River Heads, collect your car and drive to Hervey Bay. After grabbing some lunch, head to the airport where you drop your hire vehicle and board the 30-minute flight to Lady Elliot Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef.
That evening you join a night tour by glass-bottomed boat (weather permitting, this trip only operates at high tide). Watch the Great Barrier Reef come alive at night, and see the multitude of coral polyps awaken. With ultraviolet lighting you can see an entirely different perspective of this fascinating ecosystem. On this trip you may also see whale sharks, sea turtles and manta rays.
Accommodation: Lady Elliot Eco Resort, 2-nights.
-
Day 9:
Explore Lady Elliot Island
Enjoy a full day exploring the island, with various options. Join one of the reef walks at low tide, and venture into the lagoon from the beach to the edge of the reef. You'll see a multitude of marine life as your experienced guide introduces you to the complexities of the reef ecosystem. These walks run every day, tide permitting. Alternatively take a guided snorkelling safari to look for reef sharks, whale sharks, mantas and turtles by day, or head off on a nature walk around the island (guided and self-guided options).
-
Day 10:
Fly back to Hervey Bay, drive to Brisbane airport & depart
Early this morning you head off on a 45-minute guided birding walk to enjoy the huge variety of seabirds, land birds and migratory waders that are found on island. Crested terns lay their eggs out in the open, while bridled terns and silver gulls prefer to nest under shrubs. Black-naped terns are also common on the island, along with brown boobies, lesser frigate birds, and a small colony of red-tailed tropicbirds.
Catch a late morning flight back to Hervey Bay, where you collect your hire vehicle and enjoy lunch in this lovely coastal town before driving south for around four hours direct to Brisbane International Airport. Return your hire car and board a late evening flight back to the UK via Singapore.
-
Day 11:
Arrive UK
