Where to Swim on Fraser Island, K’Gari?
Fraser Island, K’Gari, is a place where all the lakes and creeks call out to you to come for a swim in their clear, pristine waters. But where to swim? There are many places that are recommended you swim in but always read signs, if they’re available, before entering the water. Some of the best places to swim on Fraser Island include Lake McKenzie, Lake Wabby, Lake Boomanjin, Lake Birrabeen, Eli Creek and Champagne Pools. Planning your next adventure to Fraser Island and don’t want to miss out on some key swimming spots? Well, read on!
Containing only rainwater and is not fed by streams and does not flow to the ocean, Lake Mckenzie is one of the most visited sites on Fraser Island and is one of the best places to swim. The water is crystal clear due to the pure, white silica sand acting as a filter. Because of this, very little life can be supported which makes Lake McKenzie one of the safest places to swim in addition to little to no currents. While being one of the safest places to swim on the island, always swim with a buddy and children to be supervised at all times.
Lake Boomanjin is one of the quieter sites on Fraser Island with smaller crowds compared to Lake McKenzie and Lake Wabby which makes for a relaxing and peaceful swim. Lake Boomanjin is the largest perched lake in the world at 200 hectares and is known for its stained Tea Tree red due to the small creeks carrying the water discoloured by tannin from Tea Trees. While discoloured, Lake Boomanjin is safe to swim in and provides a unique experience. If you’re a plant lover, keep an eye out for exotic carnivorous plants that can be seen on the shoreline.
Lake Birrabeen is known as the sibling to Lake McKenzie but with smaller crowds. With crystal clear waters surrounded by pure white sand. Being a perched lake, the water is incredibly calm and clean as organic colloids are filtered out by the sand making it unable to maintain any sort of life within it. With no currents and beautiful water, Lake Birrabeen is a safe and beautiful site to swim at.
Another perfect swimming spot for families is Eli Creek which can be accessed via the Eastern Beach. It is a crystal clear shallow freshwater creek with a boardwalk where you can walk to the top and float back down the beach. Eli Creek pours up to four million litres of clear, freshwater into the ocean every hour which makes for a nice swim or float down while enjoying the view – a boogie board or alternative floating device is highly recommended at this location!
Lake Wabby is unlike most Great Sandy Strait National Park lakes as it does support life with 12 species of fish calling Lake Wabby their swimming hole including the rare honey blue-eye which will dart between your fingers and toes! The magnificent thing about Wabby is the deep green coloured water and bright white sand dunes which makes for a stunning contrast. One is to take caution regarding depth at the lake as it can get as deep as 11 metres however there is no underlying current that presents dangers. Another reason to go swim at Lake Wabby is that it is predicted to be swallowed by the westward spreading sandblows within the next century! How interesting is nature! To get to Lake Wabby – a hike of approximately 1.5km is required from the Look Out Car Park.
Champagne Pools are the best way to experience the salty waters on Fraser Island as 75 Mile Beach has string rip tides and sharks and is the only place on Fraser Island where saltwater swimming is allowed. Taking a swim at Champagne Pools can be a frothy experience as they do get their name from waves crashing over the rocks which creates pools of bubbling water. At low tide, the pools are sheltered by the rocks from the larger waves whereas high tide can create high swells so be sure to check the tides and what is the best time for you and your fellow travellers to visit.
Remember that the ecosystems in the lakes on Fraser Island are delicate and therefore if you do plan on swimming in them, please do not wear cosmetics such as sunscreen or bug spray.