Jetsettersblog

Australia’s Kingfisher Bay Resort, Fraser Explorer and Cool Dingo tour programs are designed to provide enjoyable nature-based tourism experiences on Fraser Island, while creating minimal impact on the environment. Interpretive expert rangers take guests to explore Fraser Island’s significant natural and geographical features and Aboriginal and European histories whilst the resort’s own grounds provide the basis of ranger-guided nature and eco walks.

Eurong Beach Resort, on the island’s eastern side, provides instant access to Fraser’s natural wonders and the Australian beach lifestyle.

EVERY PIECE OF AUSTRALIA’S ON FRASER

Whether you’re drawn to the brilliance of Fraser Island’s rainforest with its great, green canopies growing in sand; to the Aussie beach lifestyle and those 75 miles of beach riddled with coloured sands, desert-like sand blows and shipwrecks; to sparkling fresh water lakes perched in dunes or the prospect of exploring the world’s largest sand island by four-wheel-drive – Fraser Island delivers all of Australia in one action-packed destination.

This World Heritage-listed island lies off the Queensland coast, at the start of the Great Barrier Reef, and is a ‘must do’ on any Australian tour. And Kingfisher Bay Resort is just the place to combine breath-taking scenery and four-wheel-driving adventure with a holiday pampering.

The award-winning resort is a fully-integrated ecotourism getaway, designed to whet the appetite for natural adventures. Guests can take part in numerous island and resort based activities, all of which are based around the natural beauty of the destination and are generally hosted by Kingfisher’s interpretive rangers, and or they can just chill out by the pool or on the beach.

And when the day’s exploring is done, indulge in a great Australian food and wine experience with all the creature comforts.

Fraser is home to one of Queensland’s finest restaurants, Seabelle, which artfully combines natural bush food and local produce.

Explore the stunning, natural surrounds with a Fraser Island Adventure Package including a two-night bed and breakfast package at Kingfisher Bay Resort, catamaran transfer from Hervey Bay to Fraser Island, airport transfers from Hervey Bay Fraser Coast airport and a full-day Fraser Island tour. This popular package is brochured with most international wholesalers and can be easily booked with them or a local travel agent.

WHO PUT THE ROO IN THE STEW

Each day Kingfisher Bay Resort gardeners collect lemon myrtle, from a small native garden on Fraser Island, as indigenous Australians have done on the mainland for thousands of years.

Whilst Aboriginal people traditionally used lemon myrtle, both in cuisine and as a healing plant, Seabelle Chef Cort Assenheim serves his to resort guests with local crab meat in handmade pasta with warm saffron.

Kingfisher Bay’s chefs have long led the bush tucker charge – using native ingredients such as bunya nuts and pepperberries to great effect in their signature restaurant Seabelle.

They add wattle seeds to their jus and bush spices to couscous, garnish with nasturtiums, and serve barramundi baked in paperbark. Their white chocolate and lavender parfait with a crushed meringue and glazed strawberries is drizzled in rain berry syrup and is a real crowd pleaser.

After a short absence, less emissions-intensive low-fat meats such as kangaroo, emu and crocodile steaks are also back on the menu at Seabelle – providing a healthy, environmentally friendly meal for diners.

Bush foods are sourced from the resort’s native garden and herb farm in season and from wholesalers specializing in Australian bush foods.

The small, native garden also produces a selection of 16 herbs for Seabelle’s kitchen as well as native bush foods such as warrigal greens, lemon and aniseed myrtle. From the resort grounds sour currants, midjim berries, lilypillys, lemon tea tree, banksias and paperbark are used when in season.

Add this to the prodigious use of bush fruits and herbs and you have a uniquely Australian dining experience.

MAKE QUEENSLAND’S HIDDEN WONDERS A DRIVING AMBITION

Three of Southern Queensland’s most unique and idyllic holiday properties have joined forces to unlock the region’s Hidden Wonders to the quickly-accelerating drive tourism market.

Peppers Hidden Vale in South East Queensland Country, Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island and O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in the Gold Coast Hinterland have created the ultimate package for travellers to experience the rare gems of this celebrated tourist area at their own pace.

Combining World Heritage wilderness, lush rainforest encounters, the natural paradise of the world’s largest sand island and a taste of the authentic Aussie outback, the six night adventure offers something fresh and new around every corner – all within three hours drive of the Queensland capital, Brisbane.

Priced from AUD $1221pp twin share, the package includes two nights accommodation at each property, breakfast daily and a range of exciting tours and extras such as Ranger-guided 4WD excursions; a rainforest canopy walk; mountain bike riding; Ranger-guided wilderness experiences and much more.

Kingfisher Bay Resort has also teamed up with O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat and Noosa Blue to produce a ‘Southern Gems of Queensland’ six-day self-drive tour.

KINGFISHER BAY TO LAUNCH NEW INTERNATIONAL WEBSITES

Watch this space! In the coming months Kingfisher Bay Resort will launch dedicated international websites in Japan and the UK.

WHALE OF A TIME

Kingfisher Bay has teamed up with the pioneers of whale watching in Hervey Bay – Brian and Jill Perry – to run Whale Watching tours out of the resort during the season. From August 1 guests will head out with Skipper Brian to watch as the Humpback’s rest and play in the warm, calm waters of the Great Sandy Strait.

ON THE BEACH AT EURONG BEACH RESORT – (SELF DRIVE)

For self-drivers Eurong Beach Resort’s absolute water front position on the eastern side of Fraser Island allows instant access to the island’s famous sand highway, is just a short drive from the island’s famous fresh-watering holes and is undoubtedly one of Queensland’s most scenic resort locations.

Set just a few metres back from Fraser’s golden beach, the resort’s beach-style motel and apartment style accommodation offers more than just rooms with great views – its casual, relaxed atmosphere is a draw card for the families, four-wheel-drivers, budget travellers, friends on safari and fishing enthusiasts who return World Heritage-listed Fraser year-upon-year.

While Lakes McKenzie, Birrabeen, Basin, Allom and Boomanjin are just a short drive down Fraser’s sandy pistes,

Eurong is right on the action for some of the best beach fishing in the world, with surf gutters along the beach providing all-season angling.

And if the call of the wild appeals, a sun rise over 75-Mile Beach, just a short walk from the resort, with the chance to spot a migrating humpback on its migratory journey is one not too be ignored.

Several accommodation styles are on offer at Eurong Beach, from seaside units and one or two bedroom apartments. The spacious, self-contained motel or apartment units have double or twin beds and island or pool views that are second to none, whilst the aptly named Tradewinds wing offers south-east facing balconies overlooking the windswept dunes and down to the stunning 75-Mile Beach.

For holiday-makers wanting a holiday on the surf side of Fraser, Eurong Beach Resort’s On The Beach package offers value for money.

Return barge transfers via River Heads (just south of Hervey Bay) or Inskip Point, two night’s motel room accommodation as well as daily buffet breakfasts and dinners are included.

For more information visit www.eurong.com.

COOL DINGO TOUR NAMED “BEST EXPERIENCE” IN QUEENSLAND

For the second year running Fraser Island’s iconic Cool Dingo Tour has been named the Best Experience in Queensland by some of the toughest travellers on the island’s sand tracks – international and domestic backpackers.

The TNT Golden Backpack awards, announced late last year were, according to TNT Magazine, designed to reward those companies who work hardest to make backpacking around Australia and New Zealand that extra bit special.

Cool Dingo Tours scooped top honours in its category, the only Fraser Coast operator to take out a prize, after a national campaign saw consumers vote in more than 40 categories.

“Forget fidgety nights with tents and sleeping bags… our fully guided and all-inclusive Cool Dingo Tours promise a good night’s rest on Fraser Island, with comfy lodge accommodation, hearty buffet meals, 4WD tours and return catamaran transfers,” International Sales and Marketing Manager Stephanie Siebert said.

“These tours really are a great way to experience World Heritage-listed Fraser Island and to meet like-minded travellers from all over the globe.”

The Golden Backpacks are Australia and New Zealand’s only dedicated awards for the independent travel sector. For more information on Cool Dingo Tours visit www.cooldingotour.com

FRASER EXPLORER TOURS – FULLY GUIDED DAY AND TWO-DAY TOURS

Bring your camera and a sense of humour as you explore Fraser Island with an eco-accredited guide who lives and loves Fraser Island. On a Fraser Explorer two-day tour you’ll stay on Fraser Island’s famous 75-Mile Beach at Eurong Beach Resort and explore the island’s beauty spots including Wanggoolba Creek and the Teewah coloured sands in air-conditioned comfort.

Guided 4WD tours depart daily from Hervey Bay and Rainbow Beach. Start in one location and end in the other if you are travelling along the coast. Day tours are available. Two and three-day tours include accommodation and meals. www.fraserexplorertours.com.au

FRASER ISLAND IS NOW MORE ACCESSIBLE

The Fraser Coast and Fraser Island are very accessible for international visitors heading to Queensland.

The launch of V Australia has seen a new major player offering services from LA to Brisbane, Qantas continues to offer direct LA to Brisbane flights and Delta Airlines will enter the market, with direct flights from LAX to Sydney air-marked to start soon – giving a huge capacity boost for the North American market. Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Korean Air, Etihad Airways and Emirates Airline amongst others continue to provide strong direct services.

Once travellers arrive in Australia, domestic access to Fraser Island is hassle-free, with Virgin Blue operating direct jet services daily from Sydney, with other major city connections.

QantasLink operate services daily from Brisbane to the Fraser Coast.

Regular road coach and shuttle services operate to Maryborough and Hervey Bay/Fraser Coast from Brisbane or from the north of the state and QR’s electric Tilt Train service is a comfortable four hour journey north from Brisbane to Maryborough West Station, with coach connections to Urangan Boat Harbour.

There’s also secure parking for self- conveniently located at the Urangan Harbour terminal.