Seventy Five Mile Beach On K'gari (Fraser Island)
75 Mile Beach is one of the main attractions on the breathtaking island of K'gari (Fraser Island)! Whether you are visiting K'gari for just one day, or you're exploring the island for three to five days, you will surely make a stop on this iconic stretch of sand.
Spanning the length of K'gari's east coast, 75 Mile Beach is not only beautiful to look at, but it is also thrilling to drive on! One of the main reasons why travelers come to K'gari (Fraser Island) is for the excitement of beach driving, and 75 Mile Beach is the place to do it. Let's dive into all the fun facts and driving tips about K'gari's famous Sand Highway!
Seventy Five Mile Beach on K'gari (75 Mile Beach)
Seventy Five Mile Beach (or 75 Mile Beach) is the sand highway that runs the length of K'gari's east coast. Driving up and down this beach is a classic K'gari experience that every traveler should have! If you don't have your own 4WD, you can hire one or book a tag along tour that allows you to participate in the driving.
While 75 Mile Beach may not have lines or road dividers like a regular road, it still maintains the rules of the road and functions under the same laws as any other highway in Queensland. It is only suitable for 4WD and must be used with caution: the tides and winds cause changes, hidden bumps, dips, and washouts that can be hard to spot on the road. Despite all of this, 75 Mile Beach is known as one of the most fun 4WD treks in the world!
75 Mile Beach Accessibility
Even though 75 Mile Beach is technically a highway, it is first and foremost, a beach! So its accessibility is determined by the tides. At certain points in the day, some of the highway is inaccessible and covered in water. There are many places you cannot drive at high tide, nor two hours before or two hours after.
If you are planning to drive your own vehicle on the island, it's important to take this into consideration and do your research before heading out. If you are on a guided or tag-along tour, your tour guide will take care of this for you and let you know where you can go and when as you follow them around.
If you're self-driving it's recommended you download a pdf of the tide times, as K'gari has limited mobile coverage. The highway is also used as a landing strip for scenic flights and those flying to and from the island, which can also hold up traffic. It is certainly not your typical highway!
Highlights Of 75 Mile Beach
Driving along the sand highway of K'gari (Fraser Island) is a must while spending time in Australia. The scenery is unbeatable as you have the open ocean on one side and island views on the other as you make your way around. Along 75 Mile Beach, you will also find Indian Head Lookout, Champagne Pools, and the Maheno Shipwreck, among others, which are all highlights of the island.
You can also spot some iconic K'gari wildlife during your treks up and down 75 Mile Beach. Dingos often make an appearance, particularly at sunrise or sunset. Just remember that these Australian wild dogs can potentially be dangerous, so only admire these creatures from a distance! And during the winter months, be on the lookout for migrating humpback whales breaching offshore!
Swimming In K'gari's Oceans
It should be noted that while the beach is a great place to drive and explore, it is not ideal for swimming. Even though the water may look tempting, K'gari's oceans are not safe for swimming. There is a large shark population that hangs out in the oceans around K'gari. Also, the currents here are too strong for swimmers to handle.
K'gari does, however, offer amazing fishing, and you will often see many fishermen along the beach as you drive around. If you are in a protected area, such as Champagne Pools, you can safely swim in the ocean. But even up here, these rock pools are subject to big swells so it's only recommended to swim here at low tide! Otherwise, K'gari is home to lots of beautiful freshwater swimming locations inland.
