Backpacking in Australia promises fun and adventure – only if you are able to carefully plan for it. Since most backpackers plan for their trip prior to summer or their gap year, the Web is a main source of help. Thanks to the Internet, we enjoy a wealth of information for every topic. That includes backpacking on Fraser Island.

For this week, Palace Adventures did a round-up of all the backpacker websites we think are a big help for the clueless backpacker going to Fraser Island. Here they are:

1. About Fraser Island

This site looks a bit crappy because of the age-old design and site structure. But the mantra, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” works here! Let us not judge the design of the site because really, I haven’t read a website with content as complete and as reliable as this one. I have been to Fraser Island, and this site simply does justice to the description of each destination spot. Check this out if you wish to have a good idea of the best places to visit on the island.

2. Fraser Coast – Queensland Holidays

One special feature (or features) of this site that I like most are the sections on Experiences, Things to See and Do, and Travel Tools. It is not your usual travel and itinerary website because it targets right straight into what every backpacker is after> how to get the best Fraser Island experience. The page on “things to see and do” is equally a winner because it’s like a complete-all-in package of where to spend your Fraser Coast vacation. Design and navigation of the site is also easy and helpful for the online searcher.

3. Fraser Island Weather

For any last minute check on the weather, I log onto this site. This website is basically my key on what to do on Fraser Island or Hervey Bay. It lets me know if I should pack more sweaters or bathers once I go camping there. It pretty much gives me an indication of how the ferry ride will be like from Hervey Bay to Fraser Island. The local weather is still top information wanted by any backpacker.

4. AustraliaSara on Twitter

I love her tweets. They’re informative and always first-hand information. She tells of her experiences in such a way that you can almost see,touch, feel how it’s like on the place she is in at the moment. It may not be all about Fraser Island, but this girl surely knows how to enjoy Australia. She may have only a few followers at the moment, but then again it doesn’t reflect the quality of her tweets. So go add AustraliaSara on twitter!

5. Ben Southall’s Island Caretaker Blog

His blog is an indispensable value to Queensland Tourism, I must say. Their promotion of environmental protection is truly enticing because of his interesting blog posts about his travel experiences. Although the blog does not talk only of Fraser Island but the whole QLD, and that he highlighted a competition in this post, I just think he did justice to the truth of the place. Island facts not known to many are also mentioned in his post. It’s a gem of a site for backpackers planning to tour not only Fraser Island or Hervey Bay, but the whole of the sunshine coast.

So there goes our round-up of the Top 5 Backpacker Websites for Fraser Island travelers.We hope you enjoyed checking each of the links mentioned and got a handful of help to get you started on backpacking.

If you are planning for spectacular days of Fraser Island tours, Fraser 4wd trips, and seeking affordable Fraser Island deals, just keep coming back here and we’ll post our latest discounts and promos up for grabs!

Good news! If you have booked for a Fraser Island tour from Beaches Hervey Bay (which closed its doors this week), worry not because Palace Adventures has agreed to accept confirmed bookings from Beaches! We will honour all stand alone and package bookings confirmed for Beaches Hervey Bay and Beaches Fraser Island Safaris in order to give backpackers their chance to visit and explore the largest sand island in the world – Fraser Island!

According to thumbrella news, the owners of Beaches Backpackers will now focus on their Airlie Beach hostel and travel agency in the Whitsundays.

In the meantime, Palace is opening its doors to those who have confirmed bookings. Backpackers now have more choices in terms of camping style, adventure trips, etc. They can also get to experience the unique Palace Adventures product: the Stargazer Guided Tours. This includes our famous complete kitchen-camper trailer that offers you convenience in cooking and eating meals while camping on Fraser Island. We have also prepared a good set of itinerary for high-powered adventure backpackers, while giving you enough freedom to choose your own adventure on the island.

To experience the unique Fraser Island experience with Palace Adventures, Check out our Fraser Island tours, deals, and Fraser Island 4wd offers.

Did you feel a bit short of our previous post about the 10 Ways to Enjoy Fraser Island? Well, now here’s Part 2 for your benefit!

6. Do a Barbecue and Pasta for dinner!

You can have your barbecue on the island, thanks to the kitchen & camp trailer

Who says campers can’t get some gourmet food while on an island? Now, you can get your freshly-grilled barbecue hot and yummy for dinner. And if you remembered to shop for your pasta ingredients before heading to Fraser Island then you can have some nice spaghetti dish, as well! This is all because Palace Adventures has its complete kitchen-camp-trailer where you can actually cook food (including barbecue). It has a stove, sink & faucet, kitchen and cooking utensils, barbecue grill, plus covered tables! It’s really a perfect way to enjoy Fraser Island backpacking.

and you can eat your pasta too!

7. Gaze at the stars each night
The skies are wide and clear almost every night on Fraser Island. One of the best things we did as a group was to sit on sand near the beach, along with our flash lights (yes, it is not allowed to have camp fires there), and just look up to gaze at the milky way above us. You don’t often see too many stars and too wide a sky in your entire lifetime. Fraser Island stargazing simply offer s you that amazing experience!

8. Party and Get Drunk!

Party and Drinks on Fraser Island!

The authentic Aussie lifestyle involves some beers and cheers, isn’t? So get drunk and party! Need we say more? Of course, the key is to drink just enough so as not to throw yourself onto the beach or bury your face on the sand. Wines and spirits will also keep you warm on colder nights. When you travel with other people from different countries and cultures, partying together is a nice way to bond and know each other more. Just make sure your liquor is in cans not bottles. And have all your party litter placed in a trash bag to be disposed into designated trash bins the following day. Otherwise, get on with the party and drinks!

9. Drive a 4wd vehicle.
Driving a 4wd vehicle on the island is a unique experience. Most guided tours (except those in buses), allow backpackers to have a driver coming from their group. Before going on tour, you will be given orientation including how to drive through sand and near the water. Palace Adventures has radio communication to be provided to each driver, and the lead driver will initiate the convoy to lead you to the right driving paths. It’s a challenge to drive on sand but everything comes out to be an awesome adventure once you get the hang of it!

10. Swim at Lake McKenzie!

Lake McKenzie on Fraser Island

Oh there’s nothing like it, I tell you! Go swim and enjoy the cool blue-green waters of Lake McKenzie. It’s the best one that Fraser Island can boast about in the entire world! With its purely-white sand, safe waters, and blue-green colour, I’m not sure how you can resist it! On the first day of trip most people come here. Groups can only come in batches. Crowd control is quite a thing among rangers there. The tour guides in Palace Adventures know the best time to go there when everyone is busy with other places. With that, you can have all the lake to yourselves!

September has just begun. But you don’t have to wait until all tour and hostels are fully-booked. This is the best time to plan ahead for the summer. Get the best and most unique Fraser Island tours with our one-of-a-kind specialty offer:

• Stargazer Guided Tours. It has the complete Kitchen & Camp Trailer, plus a very versatile (and absolutely fun) tour guide.
• You can avail of the affordable Fraser Island deals with real value for the pocket here.
• Print out your own discount card here so you can have even more savings.
• From Hervey Bay to Fraser Island, Palace Adventures takes care of you. Check out your backpacker apartment units here with us.

Enjoy and experience the 10 ways to enjoy Fraser Island with our unique Fraser Island tours and deals!

Enjoy your barbecue and potato salad at Fraser Island!

Everybody loves a barbecue – especially when you can have one while you’re camping! Well, the good news is Palace Adventures allows you to enjoy your good ‘ol barbecue dish while boiling some potatoes and mixing salads on the sides! That is because we have this complete kitchen-camp-trailer for Fraser Island tours.

We call this the Stargazer Guided Tour package.

Here’s what one backpacker told us about having barbecue on camp!

barbecue equipment with Palace Adventures

Are you backpacking on Fraser Island? Before you book that four-wheel-drive guided safari, or scout some budget Fraser Island deals, make sure you will get the most out of your backpacking trip by knowing the 10 ways to enjoy a Fraser Island trip:

1. Pack light

Bring only light back packs. Travel Light!

Since normally, you would be sharing the vehicle with 8 people (group backpacking), eight large backpacks cannot possibly fit in. It simply makes everything so inconvenient once inside the 4-wheel-drive. So just take soft bags, put in what’s necessary and pack light. You would need:

• Food – bread, drinks (in cans not bottles), snacks like fruits, cereals, chips, cookies. If you booked for a complete kitchen-camp trailer, you can buy your chicken, steaks, sausages, and other cold cuts. Store them in a separate cooler
• Sleeping bags – this is usually for rent
• Shirts and shorts – the number depends on your length of stay
• Flip-flops and sneakers
• Swim wear
• Basic toiletries
• Sun block lotion/spray
• Flash light

2. Protect your camera from the sand!
The sand and water has taken the lives of several digital cameras. So take extra protection by sealing them inside zip-lock bags when near the lakes, sand, or beach.

Take photos only when you feel like it, lest this ruins the whole experience. You don’t want to miss out on some sight-seeing time or bonding with others if you’re too busy take pictures. Make sure you have extra batteries or you can alternate with your friend on who’s going to take photos on scheduled dates so you won’t run out of battery power.

3. Watch the sunrise near the beach.

Watch the sunrise near the beach!

Camp within Eurong where you have a splendid sight of the beach! You will be delighted to wake up every morning in close proximity to the beach. Watching the sun go up before day light is a grand experience. While everything’s quiet and you only hear the sea waves, you know it’s going to be a fine, fine day!

4. Dip and run around Eli Creek
A nice, shady creek with a trail of wooden bridges makes Eli Creek a fun site for friendly games. There are portions where the water seems shallow (but isn’t), though it’s not really a worry. Water level is not too deep. It’s perfect for some water and tug-of-war games.

Play Around in Eli Creek

5. Get washed out at Champagne Pools

Champagne Pools on Fraser Island

This place is something cool when you just want to relax and feel the refreshing water! Note that you would be able to come across swimming schools of little fishes! Nice ones for a foot spa

Stay tuned for more of the 10 Ways to Enjoy Fraser Island. Until our next blog post!
Book for a Fraser Island Tour

Fraser Island Tours are the top commodities in demand for backpackers. These Fraser Island tour operators and guides form themselves in Hervey Bay – the jump off point going to Fraser Island. Mostly catering to UK and US backpackers, Fraser Island tours come in various colours and value add-ons to entice people to book with them.

If you are a bit lost on your search for (1) a budget-friendly Fraser Island tour, (2) a safe and reliable tour driver, (3) and a unique, one-of-a-kind Fraser Island backpacking experience, then here are the tips to help you out!

Tip 1: Decide on your length of stay on Fraser Island.

This will determine not only your choice among a 1-day Fraser Island tour, overnight camping, or a 3-days/2-nights Fraser Island guided tour. Your decision on how long you plan to stay on the island will also tell you if you need extra nights accommodation in Hervey Bay. If you plan to stay longer, you would need to book for a quality hostel or apartment in Hervey Bay so you can leave some of your things (you can’t bring a large backpack since you will be travelling with others inside a 4-wheel-drive once you are on the island). Good thing tour operators offer hostel night-stay for campers so you can be sure you won’t miss the barge going to Fraser Island early morning, the next day.

Tip 2: Decide whether you’re backpacking alone, with a partner, or with a group.

Backpacking with a group of 8 is the norm!

Some people prefer backpacking alone, or with a partner/friend. But most backpackers come in groups. Normally, 8 people on a four-wheel-drive Fraser Island tour is the case. This way, you’re not only bonding with your own set of friends, but you are meeting other people from other places, as well. That makes your gap year more exciting as you become exposed to others’ cultures and ways. If you’re backpacking with a group, you can now have a good idea which Fraser Island tours to take, or which guide/tour operator you would have to hire. Tour guides like in Palace Adventures, give an orientation the day before about your food and shopping requirements, sleeping needs, insurances, etc.

Tip 3:  Think of your camping needs.

Some backpackers still like the old-fashioned “lets-camp-here-and-think-later-about-food-and-bath”. They stick with simply having a tent to sleep in, and some canned-goods for meals. Toilet and bath come later in the priority list. Now if you don’t wish to deal with this and camp-in-style, then you are among the modern backpackers of today! Without depriving you of camping adventure, Palace Adventures has come up with the idea of having a complete kitchen trailer where you can actually cook with a stove, and grill with a bbq griller! The camp trailer is only unique with Palace, no on has offered yet:

• a set of kitchen utensils, pots & pans, plates & cups
  
• condiments like salt/pepper, ketchup, oil
• gallons of water
• bbq equipment
• gas stove
  
• a working faucet
• and foldable tables and chairs with covered roofing
  

- All rolled-into-one trailer! What’s best? You have a portable toilet set inside an individual tent! It’s actually way beyond what you have expected (well, that’s how backpackers put it )

Note: No need to worry about bath time. Palace Adventures gets exclusive shower invitations from the designated shower areas because the group is known to keep our camps clean and neat

If you think you don’t need much hassle so you can focus on your adventure of visiting Fraser Island’s paradise-like lakes, beaches, forests, and other top destinations – then what you need is an all-in-one camper trailer! Go read about our backpacker stories here, and you’ll know why you need one.

Tip 4: Choose your own Adventure

With conventional Fraser Island guided tours, the trip comes more like an educational trip with less provision of roaming around and taking pictures with your friends. I’m sure you would want a good balance of a safely-guided tour + freedom to move around with your choice of destination spots and activities to do. That’s why our Fraser Island tours are unique. We give ample guidance and freedom to the group of young backpackers to do their thing while on the island.You can tell us which lakes you’d like to visit, which places you’d like to spend more time on, etc.

Remember, the freedom to explore is one of your main reasons why you are on travel. Yeah, and we get that

Tip 5: Pick your Snacks and Food Items

Since you will be camping with a complete kitchen trailer, that means you can buy sausages, steaks, bacon, eggs, and pasta ingredients for your Fraser Island trip. Bonfires are not allowed on the island, so cooking must be done with the trailer’s stove or bbq grill. You can bring along chips, breads, cookies, and other snacks in cans but not in bottles (they will break!). Always remember to practice proper garbage storage/disposal not only to protect the natural environment of Fraser Island, but also to keep away from prying dingoes.

Fraser Island tours could be a generic commodity for backpackers. Make sure you do the needed research so you can pick the one that suits your backpacking style. Not many of them offer the same kind of value-added service given by Palace Adventures’ Fraser Island tours.

BOOK A TOUR

Kat from Aquarius in Byron Bay has just done a Fraser Island trip with us, and this is what she has to say about the experience:

Note: Jess McCarthy of Palace Adventures was the one who organised her trip.

The group preparing their lunch on Fraser Island. Everything comes out convenient, thanks to the Palace Adventures Camper Trailer - no other tour operator has this!

Hi Jess,

Just wanted to say a HUGE thank you for organising my Fraser trip. It was amazing! We had so much fun. Worm was such a character – any backpacker that goes on that trip would absolutely love it! The trailer was ideal, lots of freedom for the group to camp where they want. Also, the Freedom Hire will sell itself I think!

Thanks so much again Jess, you’re awesome!

Kat 

BOOK A TOUR NOW!

Camping is really not my thing. Backpacking is something I’m not quite ‘game’ about – mostly because of the expected inconveniences and imagined dangers of attacking dingoes and irritating insect bites. However, my first 3-days/2-nights adventure on Fraser Island proved rather unique and amazing. It is not what I expected; in fact it is beyond imagination.

Tip:

Group Orientation starts at 6.30am. Shopping for food and goods happens the night before. Shop for what you need because shopping on the island means island prices as well. Bring only what you need. A soft/small backpack will do as  8 large backpacks cannot fit into a van of people.

Bush Walking

We  had an early-morning bush-walk. That is simply good exercise for everyone. While the crowd is heading to Lake McKenzie and all the other sort-of-lakes, we were trekking the rain forests of Fraser Island! Truly, it is the largest sand island in the world. It has lots of flaura and fauna to check out, plus a good distribution of bodies of lakes all around.

Lakes and Lakes!

During the bush-walk we made a stop at Basin Lake. It’s a black water-perched lake. The surroundings are green, very peaceful it tempted all of us to take a dip! But then, there are a lot of beautiful lakes to check out first. My favorites are Lake Birrabeen, Eli Creek, and Lake McKenzie.

Basin Lake

I must say that driving around Fraser Island is a real challenge as the road is sand not concrete. There are also a few parts with water so one has to be extra careful. Good thing Palace’s four-wheel drive vans are reliable and safe.

The Beach and Cliffs

One of the highlights of the trip was the tour to Champagne Pools. It is called as such because the water waves from the sea crashes to the rock formations, forming a white splash of water onto the inside of the champagne pools. It looks like champagne flowing through! I had a swim there while other backpackers enjoyed beach games. It is prohibited to catch wildlife like small fishes or even hermit crabs. I did spot some medium-sized fishes and a cute school of tiny fishes near the shore!

Champagne Pools

cute little water enclosure at Champagne pools serves as tiny fish pond

We also climbed one of the cliffs in Fraser Island. Overlooking it was the long shoreline of Fraser Island. We spotted whales as it is the whale watching season in Australia, plus a couple of dolphin (who are actually mating!). We also spotted a tortoise, an endangered sea creature.

one of the cliffs in Fraser Island

Camping

To start with, we camped far too away from everyone else, hence the privacy and the beach all to ourselves! Palace Adventures’ main specialty is its camper trailer! It is a complete kitchen camp trailer with shelves for

(1) individual tents

(2) condiments and kitchen utensils

(3) a gas stove

(4) pots, pans, spoons, forks, knives, cups, etc.

(5) a sink with working faucet

(6) gallons of water

(7) bbq equipment!

(8) foldable tables, chairs

(9) tarpaulin roofing for tables; and

(10) a portable toilet facility – which we set up inside one tent so people can actually use it

Palace Adventures Camper Trailer

The nights were spent drinking wine and beer, playing games, and waiting for the sunrise. I must say that it was a safe stay, and we all were able to sleep well.

All-in-all, I believe my Fraser Island experience is unique because we opted to visit the most beautiful spots at a time when not much people are there. It is not some sort of an informational/educational tour, but more of the freedom + fun + adventure tour. Thanks much to our complete, all-rolled-into-one camper trailer by Palace Adventures! Truly Fraser Island backpacking and guided tours are unique with Palace!

Palace Adventures 4wd for Hire for Fraser Island Guided Tours | Ph: 1800 063 168

Book/Call us direct for best rates and instant confirmation!
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Every Tuesday, expect a series of backpacker stories and testimonials from your fellow Fraser Island backpackers! Here’s what they think about Palace Adventures’ top-class camp trailer. Comments follow after the pic!

Whale-Watch With Us! – Humpback whales travel the east coast seas of Australia every year starting July. They came from winter Antartica seeking solace in the warmer waters of Australia. The whale migration season makes Hervey Bay the whale-watching capital of Australia!

The whale doing a "Spy" trick - it lifts up its head to spy on watchers

Book for a Whale-Watch Tour + 2 Nights quality hostel stay with us for only $120!
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There is so much wonder, adventure, and sight-seeing to experience once you go whale watching in Hervey Bay. Tasman adventure, a professional whale-watch guided tour brings people onto their ferries to introduce everyone to the amazing life of whales See pictures below to see what they’re like…

Note: There were 2 lovely humpback whales who keep coming back near our boat. Obviously, they love the attention and applause of the crowd. Sweet dolphins are also in sight – the whales got jealous of them when we started taking notice of the dolphins

Nala is the official humpback whale of Hervey Bay. Last year, she came with a calf. Today, she is still seen in migration.

July to November is one season you can’t miss in Hervey Bay. Hop onto a whale-watching tour + 2-nights quality accommodation at the Palace Adventures Hostel starting today. Originally priced at $155, now it’s only $120! Great $35 savings for you! Promo runs until November.

So go and get your family and friends witness a worth-it adventure… Whale Watch with Us Now!

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