Fraser Island is situated on the eastern coast of Queensland just offshore of the tourist resort City of Hervey Bay.

The city of Hervey Bay takes its name from the bay of water called Hervey Bay, actually formed by Fraser Island.  Travelling north from Brisbane along the Bruce Highway the City is about three and a half hours drive away.  From there, Fraser Island can be reached by a barge or variety of ferries.

The western shores of the island form a boundary of the Port of Maryborough, once a major immigrant and industrial port encompassing much of the area now marketed by tourism authorities as the Fraser Coast.

Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island, 123 km long by 15 km wide, it was World Heritage Listed in 1993 after a bitter struggle between conservationists and sand mining interests. It is composed almost entirely of vegetation covered sand, with over 40 freshwater lakes and dense rainforest. There are no paved roads outside of resorts, but a 4WD will allow you to experience the island's beaches, forests and lakes.   There are several ferry crossings from Hervey Bay and nearby, some allowing you to take your 4WD !

The area map at right shows Hervey Bay, Fraser Island, and the Fraser Coast in relation to other nearby places and was prepared by local cartographer Ian Donaldson, phone (07) 4129 0001, fax (07) 4129 0891.