K'gari (formerly Fraser Island)
There is no bridge and no sealed road. Every vehicle arrives on a barge – from Inskip Point near Rainbow Beach to Hook Point in about ten minutes, or from River Heads near Hervey Bay to Kingfisher Bay and Wanggoolba Creek in 30 to 60 minutes – and once ashore the only surfaces are sand tracks and the beach, which is a legal highway with speed limits, road rules and police. A high-clearance 4WD with low range is required, a Queensland vehicle access permit is compulsory and number plates are read by camera, and the tide decides when you can drive at all. Most visitors skip all of that and take a guided 4WD coach day tour from Hervey Bay or Rainbow Beach, or fly in and land on 75 Mile Beach. Walkers can come on the same barges, but dingo rules mean never walking alone.
- Researched
- 22 September 2026
- Reviewed
- not yet
- Ways of moving
- 8, 31 sources
- Not confirmed
- 9
- Fares seen
- 2026
K'gari, also known by its former name Fraser Island, is a World Heritage-listed sand island along the south-eastern coast in the Wide Bay–Burnett region of Queensland, Australia. The island lies approximately 250 km (160 mi) north of the state capital, Brisbane, and is within the Fraser Coast Region local council area. The world heritage listing includes the island, its surrounding waters and parts of the nearby mainland which make up the Great Sandy National Park. In the 2021 census, the island had a population of 152. Up to 500,000 people visit the island each year.
Adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The place page has what to see, do and eat, and every way there from the planner.
8 ways of moving, each with its rule
We confirmed eight ways of moving to, from or around K'gari: three by water, two hired or on demand, one by air, one by road and one under your own steam, from 31 sources. One of them runs only on demand or when the seats are full, so there is no timetable to show; the rule is written where the timetable would be. Two need a phone call or a message before you turn up.
The fares were seen in 2026; a fare from an older year is a floor, not a price. We rate 7 of the 8 high confidence, our own judgement of the sources. The entry was checked on 22 September 2026, and ends with nine things we could not confirm.
By water
Inskip Point vehicle barge to Hook Point
Inskip Point, near Rainbow Beach, to Hook Point at the southern tip of K'gari
Drive to the end of the bitumen on Inskip Point Road, about 15 minutes from Rainbow Beach, drop your tyre pressure, engage 4WD and drive roughly 500 m onto the beach to the barge ramp. The barge nudges onto the sand and you drive straight on; there is no jetty. Buy tickets first at the Mantaray Barges office at 1/66 Rainbow Beach Road or online – the card machines on board are unreliable and cash is preferred. Walk-on passengers pay the deckhand. Hook Point is the start of the Eastern Beach drive.
- When
- On demand, continuously during daylight, daily 06:00 to 17:00, 365 days a year. Last barge across is 17:00. Times are cut back on king tides – the operator posts revised windows such as 05:45–08:00 then 10:00–17:00
- Takes
- 10–15 minutes
- Fare 2026
- 4WD AUD 140 return, AUD 105 one way; 4WD with a small trailer AUD 240 return; motorbike AUD 70 return. Seen January 2026
SeasonYear-round. Service is affected by king tides and cyclones. Queensland Parks has had a severe erosion alert on the Inskip barge landing beach access tracks running to January 2027. BookingPreferred but not required – it runs on demand. Buy online or at the Rainbow Beach office before you arrive at the ramp. Run byMantaray Barges, Rainbow Beach (07 5486 3935).
River Heads vehicle barge to Wanggoolba Creek and Kingfisher Bay
River Heads, about 20 minutes south of Hervey Bay and 10.6 km along River Heads Road, to Wanggoolba Creek and Kingfisher Bay on the west coast of K'gari
Follow the signs off the Bruce Highway through Maryborough or Torbanlea to River Heads; you end up in the ferry ramp car park with the ticket office on the right. Check in with the crew and line up in lanes 1, 2 or 3 about 20 minutes before departure. Unlike the Inskip barge this one runs to fixed times and bookings are needed, because crossings shift on extreme low tides. Kingfisher Bay Resort grounds are reachable by 2WD, but everything beyond them needs a 4WD.
- When
- Fixed daily sailings. SeaLink's designated resort services leave River Heads at 09:00, 13:00 and 15:45 and return from Kingfisher Bay at 08:00, 10:15, 14:30 and 17:00. The 08:30 River Heads sailing is the one the day tours use
- Takes
- 30–45 minutes to Wanggoolba Creek; 45–60 minutes to Kingfisher Bay
- Fare 2026
- Standard 4WD up to 6 m from AUD 135.30 one way, plus AUD 5.00 per extra passenger; trailer or caravan from AUD 89.40; motorbike from AUD 65.75. Seen 2026
SeasonYear-round; crossing times can change on extreme low tides. BookingRequired. Book online or on 1800 227 437; all guests must have a ticket before arriving at River Heads. Run bySeaLink K'gari (Fraser Island Barges), vessels Fraser Venture and the Kingfisher Bay ferry.
Walk-on passenger ferry to Kingfisher Bay
River Heads to Kingfisher Bay Resort on the west coast
You do not need a vehicle to cross. Walk-on tickets are sold online or at the SeaLink mainland reception at 54 Ariadne Street, River Heads, and there is plenty of car parking at the ramp if you are leaving a vehicle behind. Queensland Parks also confirms the vehicle barges take foot passengers. Kingfisher Bay is the only landing with a resort, shops and onward tours at the wharf, so it is the practical foot-passenger arrival point. Luggage that cannot stay with you is charged separately.
- When
- Daily, on the same sailings as the vehicle ferry; resort transfer services leave River Heads at 09:00, 13:00 and 15:45
- Takes
- About 45–50 minutes
- Fare 2026
- Adult from AUD 50.00 one way, AUD 85.00 return; child 4–17 from AUD 30.00 one way, AUD 48.00 return; infants free. Oversized luggage AUD 15 one way or AUD 25 return. Seen 2026
SeasonYear-round. BookingCompulsory – every guest, vehicle or walk-on, must have a pre-purchased ticket before arriving at River Heads. Run bySeaLink K'gari.
Hired, booked and on demand
Guided 4WD coach day tour from Hervey Bay or Rainbow Beach
Hervey Bay via River Heads, or Rainbow Beach via Inskip Point, to Central Station, Lake McKenzie, 75 Mile Beach, Eli Creek and the Maheno wreck
This is how most visitors actually see the island, because it removes the permit, the barge booking and the sand driving. K'gari Explorer Tours (formerly Fraser Explorer Tours) collects from selected Hervey Bay addresses between 07:00 and 08:00, or you check in at its mainland reception at River Heads by 08:00 for the 08:30 ferry. From Rainbow Beach you meet at 36 Rainbow Beach Road or take a courtesy pick-up, and reach Inskip Point at 07:45. The vehicles are high-clearance 4WD coaches, not minibuses.
- When
- Daily from both towns, year-round
- Takes
- Full day – back in Rainbow Beach or Hervey Bay between about 17:30 and 18:00
- Fare 2026
- Adult AUD 279 low season, AUD 299 shoulder, AUD 319 high; child 4–17 from AUD 199; family of four from AUD 799. Two-day tours from AUD 549 dormitory or AUD 645 hotel. Includes ferry transfers, national park fees and lunch. Seen 2026
SeasonYear-round; low season 1 June to 18 September and 13 October to 11 December, high season early April and late December to early January. BookingOnline or by phone; enter your pick-up point when booking. Some black-out dates apply. Run byK'gari Explorer Tours (Fraser Explorer Tours); other operators run from Noosa, the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.
Driving yourself – 4WD, the beach highway and the tides
Hook Point or the western landings to Eurong, Happy Valley, Cathedral Beach, Orchid Beach and Sandy Cape, on sand tracks and 75 Mile Beach
There is no sealed road anywhere on the island. A high-clearance 4WD with low range is required and all-wheel drives are specifically not recommended; engage 4WD and lock the hubs before you touch the sand. The beach is the main road and all Queensland road rules apply on it – police run speed and breath checks. Speed limits are 80 km/h on the beach, 30 km/h on inland tracks and 40 km/h at the Maheno wreck. Inland tracks are one-lane with passing bays, so give way to coaches. If you do not own a 4WD, hire in Hervey Bay or Rainbow Beach from a Fraser Coast 4X4 Hire Association member; new Queensland rules now apply to 4WD hire vehicles.
- When
- Self-paced, but driving windows are set by the tide: plan to drive around low tide and avoid the beach for two hours either side of high tide. Allow at least three days to see the main sites
- Takes
- Hook Point to Eurong is roughly an hour on the beach in good conditions; the island is about 120 km long
- Fare 2026
- The vehicle access permit is AUD 61.80 for a month or less and AUD 311.00 for up to a year; a combined K'gari and Cooloola permit is AUD 99.25 for a month, a 20 per cent discount. Barge fares are extra. Seen 2026
SeasonYear-round. Sand is hardest and easiest to drive after rain and can turn to powder in dry weather. Check the K'gari conditions report and park alerts before every trip. BookingThe vehicle access permit is compulsory and must be bought before you arrive – number plates are read by 24-hour cameras and a penalty notice is posted to the registered owner if there is no valid permit. Buy online through the Queensland National Parks Booking Service or over the counter. Run byQueensland Parks and Wildlife Service issues the permits; independent hire companies in Hervey Bay and Rainbow Beach supply the vehicles.
By air
Air taxi landing on 75 Mile Beach
Hervey Bay Airport or Sunshine Coast Airport to a marked landing strip on 75 Mile Beach, usually paired with a 4WD hire for the day
Light aircraft land on the hard sand near the water's edge at signposted zones marked with orange cones along the eastern beach – drivers on the beach must give way to them. Air Fraser Island meets Sunshine Coast passengers at Grinders cafe at the arrivals end of the terminal for a 07:00 departure; from Hervey Bay you check in at the hangar. After the beach landing a groundsman hands over the hire 4WD with a briefing on current beach and track conditions, and you meet the plane at the same spot in the afternoon.
- When
- Daily, weather and tide permitting – aircraft can only land at low tide. Sunshine Coast departures 07:00, returning about 16:15
- Takes
- About 10 hours door to door for the fly-drive; scenic flights from the island are 15 minutes
- Fare 2026
- Fly/drive from Hervey Bay AUD 550 per person, from the Sunshine Coast AUD 750, both about 10 hours and including the 4WD. Scenic flights AUD 80 for 15 minutes from Hervey Bay, AUD 120 for 15 minutes from the island, AUD 250 for an hour. Seen 2026
SeasonYear-round, tide and weather dependent. BookingOnline or by phone; the fly/drive has at times included the vehicle access permit, quoted by the operator as worth AUD 53.65. Run byAir Fraser Island (1300 172 706), plus other charter operators.
By road
Getting to the mainland departure points
Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast or the Bruce Highway to Hervey Bay and River Heads, or to Rainbow Beach and Inskip Point
Hervey Bay is the bigger gateway: Hervey Bay Airport (HVB, also branded Fraser Coast) is about 4 km from Urangan with QantasLink flights to Brisbane and Virgin and Jetstar to Sydney, plus airport shuttles and taxis into town. Greyhound and Flixbus coaches on the Brisbane–Rockhampton corridor stop in Hervey Bay, and a connecting coach meets the Tilt Train for Pialba and Urangan. River Heads is then about 20 minutes further south by road. Rainbow Beach has no airport or train – it is about 3 hours from Brisbane, 2 hours from the Sunshine Coast and 1.5 hours from Hervey Bay by road, with Inskip Point 15 minutes beyond the town.
- When
- Several flights a day into Hervey Bay; long-distance coaches run daily
- Takes
- Brisbane to Hervey Bay about 3.5 hours by road, Sunshine Coast about 2.5 hours; Brisbane to Rainbow Beach about 3 hours
- Fare 2026
- Not recorded – airline, coach and rail fares vary by date and none was captured from a fetched source
SeasonYear-round. BookingBook flights and coaches ahead in Queensland school holidays and the July–October whale season. Run byQantasLink, Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Greyhound Australia, Flixbus, Queensland Rail.
On foot, by bike, or otherwise
Walking – the K'gari Great Walk and the dingo rules
Dilli Village to Happy Valley, up to 90 km one way, with shorter access tracks from Lake McKenzie and Wanggoolba Creek
Walkers board the same vehicle barges as everyone else, or fly in. From the landing, the Fraser Island Taxi Service can run you to the trailhead, or you take one of the access tracks at Dilli Village, Lake McKenzie or Wanggoolba Creek. Wongari (dingoes) change how you walk here, not just where: never walk or sit alone outside a fenced area, always walk in groups, never run or jog because it triggers a chase response, and keep children within arm's reach. Camping areas suitable for families with children under 14 are the fenced ones.
- When
- Self-paced. Queensland Parks suggests eight days walking time for the full route
- Takes
- Up to 90 km one way, grade 4 track
- Fare 2026
- Camping permits are required and booked through the Queensland National Parks Booking Service; no walker fee was published separately. Feeding or disturbing a dingo now carries an on-the-spot fine of AUD 2,763 and a maximum of AUD 28,495. Seen 2026
SeasonYear-round, but check park alerts – the Great Walk carried an alert covering 1 March to 31 October 2026, the Tukkee Wurroo (Indian Head) walking track was closed to 18 November 2026, and 1 September to 30 November is the dingo rearing and emergence season with extra restrictions. BookingCamping must be booked in advance; check the K'gari conditions report before setting out. Run byQueensland Parks and Wildlife Service; Fraser Island Taxi Service for trailhead transfers.
What we could not find out
9 things the researcher looked for and did not find, in their own words, with where to ask instead. None of this goes into the planner; it stays here until someone confirms it.
- 01
Where the River Heads barges actually land is inconsistent between sources. Queensland Parks and the Great Walk page both still describe River Heads services to Wanggoolba Creek (30–45 minutes) and Kingfisher Bay (50–60 minutes), but SeaLink's current fleet page says its services run River Heads to Kingfisher Bay and describes the Fraser Venture as landing at Kingfisher Bay too. Confirm the Wanggoolba Creek landing with SeaLink on 1800 227 437 before relying on it.
- 02
SeaLink publishes the three designated Kingfisher Bay Resort house-guest sailings but not a full public timetable on its timetable page; the remaining public departure times were not captured. The 08:30 River Heads departure is confirmed only through the day-tour operator's itinerary.
- 03
Mantaray Barges blocks automated requests, so its times and fares here come from a 16 January 2026 archived copy of its own site. The tide-adjusted operating windows quoted are examples from that snapshot, not a standing timetable – the operator posts current ones on its site and Facebook page.
- 04
Fire history: no bushfire closure was listed in the K'gari park alerts fetched in September 2026. The 2020 fire that burned much of the island is still referenced on Wikivoyage. The only fire-related item found for 2025 was a November 2025 fine issued to a visitor for lighting an illegal campfire, seen as a headline in a Google News search rather than fetched in full. Camp fires outside official campsites are not permitted.
- 05
Current closures instead of fires, all listed on the Queensland Parks K'gari page in September 2026: Northern Forests scenic drive closed with a detour to September 2027; Moon Point Road partly closed to January 2027; Beach camping zone 9 (Diray and Carree) closed to January 2027; severe erosion on the Inskip barge landing beach access tracks to January 2027; Ngkala Rocks to Sandy Cape beach conditions alert; Tukkee Wurroo (Indian Head) walking track closed to November 2026; Happy Valley beach access ramp rebuild to December 2026.
- 06
Dingo management appears to have tightened after a fatal incident in January 2026 – Google News headlines from ABC, the Guardian and the BBC describe the death of a Canadian backpacker on K'gari and a subsequent cull, with a coroner's finding reported in March 2026. None of those articles could be fetched, so nothing from them is used above; the walking rules cited come from the Queensland Parks dingo-safe page.
- 07
No fare was captured for 4WD hire in Hervey Bay or Rainbow Beach, or for the Fraser Island Taxi Service on the island. Ring the Fraser Coast 4X4 Hire Association members directly.
- 08
Flight, coach and train fares to Hervey Bay and Rainbow Beach were not captured from any source fetched, so the feeder-transport option carries no fare.
- 09
Air Fraser Island quotes the vehicle access permit it includes at AUD 53.65 while Queensland Parks lists AUD 61.80 for a month or less. The operator figure may be an older price or a shorter permit class.
What the planner can route today
The options above live on the place page, not in the departure board: a boat that comes when you phone has no time to show. What the board can do for K'gari is this.
- N
- Scheduled flightsnearest airport MCY is 154 km away
- F
- Trains and coaches34 feeds listed in the Mobility Database, not compiled yet (Translink Magnetic Island, TransLink Maryborough-Hervey Bay, TransLink North Stradbroke Island)
- Y
- FerriesKingfisher Bay Ferry, 22 km, Fraser Island Barges; sailings estimated
- Y
- Driving and taxiOpenStreetMap roads; cab fare from the country band
- N
- Bike and scooter shareno share feed known
- N
- Cruisesno open itinerary source anywhere
Y routable now · F found, not yet implemented · N no source known. Nearest place with more: Hervey Bay, 37 km.