Small kids and camping on Fraser Is

[Quigley]

We're planning our first camping trip since having children to Fraser Is for early September for 2 weeks. Our kids are 3 and 1 and we're starting to get lots of comments from friends about us being crazy taking our young kids there with dingo dangers, four wheel drive traffic zooming up the beach etc etc.
What do you all think? Would you take your babies camping on the beach (we were thinking around the Dundubara area)? Have you been there with young children? Where did you camp? We have a Subaru Forester so will be limited by track conditions.

Thanks so much

[Derek Bullock]

Hi Quigley

Fraser Island is the jewel in the crown for camping and fishing on the east coast.

Dingos ..... yes they are there and there are many reports of attacks on adults as well as children. The Rangers do a great job though in keeping things under control but like any wild animal they are unpredictable.

Common sense is the answer I think. You wouldnt let your kids play alone on a highway at home. Do the same on Fraser. If you were on safari in Africa you wouldnt let your kids wander off alone in the bush. Do the same on Fraser.

Dundaburra has a great Camping ground run by National Parks. All the facilities you need including hot showers.

Go and enjoy the place.


Derek

[Derek Bullock]

Quigley

Check out this site. It has a lot of good info on Fraser Island as well as Dingo Awareness and track driving conditions.

http://www.env.qld.gov.au/cgi-bin/w3-msql/environment/park/discover/resultframe.html?id=255

Cheers


Derek

[adrian]

my mates have kids and when the kid were the age yours are we started doing camping trips . we started with short trips brissie to jimma then started longer trips briss to rocky and longer . i think the the trick is not to fuss over them too much in the car . the younger might even sleep (hopefully) . when you arrive at the place you are going try to let the kids help or do something that makes them think that they are helping ie get the hammer for dad or tent pegs

hope you have a great trip

anzac

[Lucky_Phill]

Mate, I have taken the family to Fraser and have had no trouble at all.

The Waddy Point camp ground is now fenced. The camp sites nth of Waddy haven't seen a Dingo in ages. ( the rangers done a bit of culling, remember ).

Definately take the kids. take the boogie boards for the dunes. just make them dingo aware.

As for the 4 x 4's up and down the beach, that's a bit of a non-issue. swiming places are at Waddy, nth side of Indian, Champagne Pools and the inland lakes, in which all those areas are vehicle safe/.

And with a fulltime Police presence on Fraser, the drivers there have become a tad more " safe ".

Just re-read your post. Forrester hey !

That sort of rules out nth of Indian head. Your ground clearance is a prob. As for the inland tracks, the one to Knifeblow and Lake Allom is fairly soft in places and would advise against this one.

But, hey, 2nd gear low range, 14psi and Go Hard !

Suggest you take the Snatch-Strap and a "D" shackle for the front. I know the vehicle has a tow point, but it's small and sharp.

Dundaburra sound slike a good spot.

Make sure you get the Inskip Point barge as the tracks from Moon Point and Kingfisher can be ruggered and soft.

Cheers Phill