K’GARI (FRASER ISLAND) BEACH AND BBQ CRUISE

Summer Fun On The Fraser Coast

Visit the remote West Coast of K’Gari (formerly Fraser Island) and splash into summer fun with Whalesong Cruise’s Beach and Barbecue half-day tour.

Departing daily at 9am, this cruisy tour allows you the time and freedom to explore, play and unwind on your own terms amidst the pristine aquatic playground of the Great Sandy Strait and the World Heritage-listed splendour of K’Gari – the world’s largest sand island.

Cruise across the sheltered bay teaming with magnificent marine life, enjoying a delicious morning tea enroute. Then drop anchor alongside the stunning and secluded beach on K’Gari’s remote west coast – where few people have had the privilege of visiting. Here you can choose your own adventure – from swimming and snorkelling to kayaking, tubing, assorted beach activities, or simply relaxing on the warm, soft sand.

A freshly prepared Aussie barbecue lunch perfectly rounds out the experience, before you begin your cruise back across the sheltered waters to the laid-back coastal holiday hotspot of Hervey Bay.

This tour is the only half-day cruise to K’Gari, and includes everything you need to enjoy the perfect summer’s day out on the water, including courtesy bus transfers, low passenger numbers, extra wide decks, comfortable seating and expert audio commentary. Along with your included morning tea and barbecue lunch, you will also have access to complimentary filtered water, tea, coffee and milo, free onboard Wi-Fi, kids activity sheets and a fully licensed bar offering a well-stocked selection of drinks, snacks, souvenirs and merchandise available for purchase.

On the island, you’ll have two hours of free time on the beach, with all equipment provided to maximise your enjoyment. This includes kayaks, snorkelling gear, beach activities, shade umbrellas and inflatable tube rides, to name a few.

Escape the everyday, embrace your sense of adventure and cruise to an exquisite and untamed island paradise with Whalesong Cruises.

Welcome Aboard Our Boat

The MV Whalesong 2 is a 16.4 metre long, purpose-built vessel with extra wide decks for great viewing and accessibility, four ballast tanks for added stability, and plenty of comfortable seating indoors and out.

You will board the boat via a ramp leading from the jetty to the rear (or stern) of the boat’s lower deck. This area affords great water-level viewing of marine wildlife and the breathtaking beauty of the Great Sandy Strait and K’Gari (formerly Fraser Island). This rear deck also features an accessible toilet for your convenience.

The lower rear and side decks wrap around the main indoor saloon area, which features comfortable upholstered seating and a licensed bar with snacks available for purchase. The entrance to the saloon is in the centre of the rear deck. Stairs leading to the second level are located to the left of the saloon entrance.

As you travel along the side decks of the lower level, you will come to several stairs (with a handrail) which lead to the elevated front deck, providing a third viewing level and extra space to spread out.

The top level boasts rear and side viewing decks, which wrap around a small indoor upstairs lounge area. These decks allow you to enjoy an elevated view as you cruise the calm waters of Hervey Bay. A second toilet is located on the right (or Starboard) side of this upper level.

Cruising to K’Gari

The cruise across to K’Gari is an adventure in its own right, as we travel across the sheltered waters of the bay, teaming with marine life and fringed with unspoilt natural beauty.

As we cruise out from the marina, we’ll enter the pristine waters of the Great Sandy Strait – the relatively calm stretch of ocean which extends between Hervey Bay and K’Gari. The Strait features shallow bays and sheltered channels, seagrass meadows, mudflats and mangroves. This environment creates an important habitat for resident marine life such as dugongs, Australian humpback dolphins, grey nurse sharks and a huge variety of fish, as well as migratory species such as shorebirds, marine turtles and our famous humpback whales in winter.

These waters form part of the expansive Great Sandy Biosphere, which was designated as a reserve of cultural and ecological significance by UNESCO in 2009. The Great Sandy Biosphere contains almost half of all Australia’s bird species and is a critical habitat for more than 7000 species of flora and fauna. Your tour guide will endeavour to point out some of these species during our cruise to K’Gari.

Examples of marine animals commonly sighted during the summer include dolphins, dugongs and turtles. Nine species of dolphins have been recorded within the Great Sandy Marine Park, but only two species – the threated Australian humpback dolphin and Indo-Pacific (inshore) bottlenose dolphin, are considered to be permanent residents of the area. Playful Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins are common in the shallow waters of Hervey Bay, and can often be spotted playing in the calm waters or riding the bow waves of passing boats.

Dugongs are large herbivorous mammals that are also often referred to as sea cows and resemble the North American ‘manatee’. These vulnerable, sausage-like animals can live up to 70 years, feasting on a diet of up to 30 kilograms of seagrass daily.

Six of the world’s seven turtle species also reside in or visit the Great Sandy Marine Park, with some travelling thousands of kilometres to nest here.

K’Gari = Paradise

On the far side of the Great Sandy Strait stretches the remote western coastline of K’Gari, the world’s largest sand island. It is 122 kilometres long and 14kilometres from West to East coast, at its widest part (where we anchor for our Beach + BBQ cruise).

K’Gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) is the Traditional Land of the Butchulla people, who have inhabited the area for thousands of years. In the native Indigenous language K’Gari translates to ‘paradise’, and it won’t take you long to discover how this island got its name. Prior to reverting to its traditional name in 2023, European settlers called it Fraser Island, after a Scottish sea captain who perished on the island in 1836.

K’Gari is renowned for its stunning natural beauty and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Area in 1992 in recognition of its internationally significant natural features.

This ancient landscape boasts a surprising variety of vegetation, from coastal heath and mangrove forests to towering subtropical rainforests sprouting in pure sand. Across the island, the complex dune systems are still evolving, with the tallest peaks stretching up to 240 metres above sea level. Half the world’s perched dune lakes can be found here. The spectacular crystal-clear freshwater lakes are formed by the build-up of organic matter that forms a waterproof barrier in depressions in the sand. Several are surrounded by the softest, whitest silica sand, creating postcard-perfect settings for a refreshing swim.

The island also protects a range of unique flora and fauna, including more than 350 species of birds. The wild dingo population on the island is considered the purest bloodline remaining in eastern Australia, and these native animals are protected by law.

The eastern (or far side) of the island features long stretches of golden surf beach interspersed with rocky headlands and edged by coloured sand cliffs. On the remote western shoreline where we’ll anchor, the calmer waters of Hervey Bay gently lap endless soft sand beaches, creating a tranquil backdrop for our day’s adventures.

Beach Fun and Barbecue Lunch

As we anchor in the shallow turquoise waters just off the K’Gari shoreline, the next chapter of your adventure begins. Here you’ll have two hours of blissful beach time to relax or play your own way on the western edge of the world’s largest sand island.

Board our tender for a ride right to the island’s soft sand beach, or jump off the boat and swim across, as we anchor within 20 metres of the shore. The relaxed island ambience is immediately evident, and it only takes mere moments to feel your body and mind surrendering into a sublime state of relaxation. Cool sea breezes caress your face, and the warmth of the sand seems to permeate your soul, soothing your worries and melting your tension. Sit beneath the shade of an umbrella and allow the soft sand to work its magic on sore, tired muscles. Listen to the carefree laughter of children building sandcastles, or join in an iconic game of Aussie beach cricket. Take a wander along the shoreline to see what natural treasures you’ll discover, as you explore this uncrowded island paradise.

Take a refreshing dip in the calm, clear waters lapping the golden shoreline, or grab some snorkel gear and explore the underwater world. If you’re feeling adventurous, take an exhilarating ride in an inflatable tube behind our motorised tender boat for some splash-tastic fun the whole family can enjoy. This cruise is ideal for all ages as there is something to do, for everyone on board.

All this excitement in the sand, surf and sunshine is sure to have helped you work up an appetite. Back onboard the boat you’ll be treated to a hearty, freshly prepared Aussie barbecue lunch consisting of steak, sausages, Hervey Bay King Prawns, three fresh salads and fresh breads. You may choose to accompany your lunch with a cold drink from our fully licensed bar, or help yourself to a complimentary cuppa or filtered water at any time throughout the cruise.

After lunch, it’s time to return to the marina on the mainland to continue your Hervey Bay holiday.

Accessibility

At Whalesong Cruises, we are committed to delivering exceptional customer service and making our experiences as accessible as possible for everyone, irrespective of access needs. Wherever possible, our goal is to deliver an accessible, inclusive and enjoyable experience for all.

While our main boat, MV Whalesong 2, is accessible for wheelchair users and guests with limited mobility, we presently do not have the appropriate infrastructure to enable guests using wheelchairs to disembark or manoeuvre on the island. Therefore, we generally recommend our Whale Watching Tours for guests with limited mobility, as they do not require transfers to a tender or beach boarding. Please refer to our Whale Watching Tour audio guide for further details on this fully accessible option.

Registered assistance animals are welcome aboard. We offer complimentary tickets to carers travelling with registered Companion Card holders. For further details, please speak to our friendly team.

Given sufficient notice, we can cater for a range of dietary requirements such as vegan, vegetarian, gluten or dairy intolerances and allergies.

Comprehensive details about our accessibility offerings, including access maps and videos are available via our dedicated accessibility page link on whalesong.com.au. We also invite you to come familiarise yourself with the boat and its access. Please feel free to contact us to arrange a suitable time, or to discuss any questions or concerns you may have ahead of your cruise. Please email info@whalesong.com.au or phone (07) 4125 6222.