Fraser Island Western Beach Camping
Fraser Island Western Beaches and Lakes including Woralie Creek, Coongul Creek, Awinya Creek, Lake Allom and Knifeblade Sandblow.
In this post we take you through the Western Beaches at Fraser Island and how to get there including all the campsites and which ones we recommend. The Western Beaches of Fraser Island have to be the best spots on Fraser Island in our opinion. There are always less people (at the moment that is), the sand is amazingly white and clean, the sea is flat, calm and crystal-clear blue, and some of the campsites isolated and away from others. Woralie Creek and Awinya Creek campsites are usually busier than Coongul Creek due to access.
To access the Western Beaches, you need to take the inland track, Woralie Awinya Creek Road, not far after the Maheno Wreck, with the track starting at The Pinnacles fenced campground.
To read our Fraser Island trip diary stories check them out here:
- FRASER ISLAND TRIP DIARY OCTOBER 2019 – PART 1
- FRASER ISLAND TRIP DIARY FEBRUARY 2020 – PART 1
- OTHER FRASER ISLAND STORY POSTS.
To look at the Queensland Parks Fraser Island map while reading this story, check it out here.
How to Get to the Western Beaches Woralie Awinya Inland Track (Road)
Woralie Awinya inland track takes you from the Eastern side of Fraser to some of the Western beaches and lakes. The Woralie Awinya track starts just after the Maheno Wreck on the Eastern side of Fraser. This starts at The Pinnacles fenced campground.
This inland track takes anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes to complete depending on your final destination. The track takes you past Knifeblade Sandblow and Lake Allom, and then on to Woralie, Awinya and Coongul Creeks. It will take longer to get to Awinya and Coongul Creeks. It is a fairly long and bumpy track and can take some time depending on conditions and traffic. Like most tracks on Fraser this is mainly one track requiring you to pull over for other 4WDs. Drive slowly and pay attention to oncoming 4WDs as there will most likely be another 4WD going in the opposite direction. There are sections where there are multiple tracks so be aware of these and try and keep to the left. Some of the tracks on the left-hand side heading east to west can be fairly rough, so drive to the track conditions. The track on the left-hand side not far after The Pinnacles fenced campground can be fairly rutted with lots of tree roots. Many other 4WDs are towing either campers or boats so don’t drive too fast and look out for others. We handle this track easily towing our off-road camper trailer DOT373 with our 76 Series Land Cruiser.
Fraser Island Western Beach Camping
Now that you know what track to take to get to some of the best Western beach camping spots at Fraser Island, let’s get into the main ones. We will cover Woralie Creek, Coongul Creek, Awinya Creek and Bowarrady Creek campsites. There are a few other campsites on this Western side of Fraser Island with some only accessible by boat such as Moon Point. For more information on any of the other campsites check out the Queensland Parks website here.
Woralie & Coongul Creek Camping
One of the best options for camping or even a day trip are the Western beaches of Fraser Island and particularly Woralie Creek. The water is much calmer than on the Eastern side of Fraser Island and combined with the powdery white sand, the azure sea dotted with yachts gives the area an exotic postcard feel.
There is the pretty high chance of spotting a dugong as well as all manner of other sea life. If you somehow manage to tire of the ocean the creek which runs along the beach provides a great rinse. If you bring a tube along you can enjoy an almost Eli Creek like drift along without the masses. Woralie Creek is shallow along the beach at low tide. It can get fairly deep at high tide where it meets the ocean and if driving through to Coongul Creek, be prepared for a fun water crossing at high tide.
The camp sites at Coongul Creek are a bit more challenging to access than those on the Eastern side, except maybe Sandy Cape which requires you to navigate through Ngkala Rocks. Woralie Creek campsites are not difficult to access as these sites are at the end of the Woralie Awinya inland track starting just after the Maheno Wreck. This inland track to Woralie Creek takes anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes to complete. It is fairly long and bumpy and can take some time depending on conditions and traffic. Like most tracks on Fraser this is mainly one track requiring you to pull over for traffic. Along the way you pass a massive sand blow, Knifeblade Sandblow, with a viewing spot about a 5-minute walk from the road. This is definitely worth a stop for its impressive size alone not to mention a break. Lake Allom is not far after the sand blow.
After Lake Allom there is the turn off to Awinya Creek, Awinya Creek Road, on the right-hand side when travelling west. You continue straight to Woralie and Coongul Creeks. At the end of Woralie Creek Road there is an amazing entrance to Woralie Creek, trees framing bright white sand and a crystal-clear blue sea. You do not get tired of the entrance to Woralie Creek. Once on the Western beach this is Woralie Creek with the campsites close to the entrance, near the creek. You continue South to find Coongul Creek. The more Southern spots are not always accessible depending on the tide and how high your lift is! Just make sure you are running the right tyre pressure and you won’t have a problem at all.
Given the slightly more challenging access this area is often not as hectic as other spots on Fraser Island which is a big benefit. If driving to Coongul Creek at low tide then it is fairly simple. At high tide this becomes more challenging but not difficult. We can do this with our camper trailer to give you an idea. Our week at Coongul Creek in spring passed with hardly another soul being seen! As well as calmer water it’s more sheltered nature also means less wind than the Eastern side. This can be a plus but combined with the creek means that spring and summer bring bugs galore. Midges, sandflies and mosquitoes will all want a piece of you and have no worries about eating you alive! Bushman’s lotion with a high percentage of Deet and strong mossie coils are a must. My own chickenpox like appearance after our last stay speaks to the fact that another well know brand of repellent does sweet Fanny Adams against these bugs…Despite the bites though it is such a great spot that we will certainly be back soon.
One of the great things about the Coongul Creek camping spots is the creek that runs parallel to the ocean. This creek is freshwater and is great to jump in with a blow-up tube. The water is awesome and cold, and you can float here for days. As the creek is constantly running though be prepared for a long walk back to camp if you decide to float down the creek. You will have to navigate through thick bush to get back to the beach to walk back up to camp. But it is definitely worth taking a cold beer and have a float and seeing where you end up.
Awinya Creek Camping
Another excellent option on the Western side is Awinya Creek. You can access Awinya Creek either from the inland track we mentioned above, or alternatively from Woralie Creek along the beach. Be warned that the beach is both rocky and boggy and not a good route at high tide. Given how isolated it is it would also be a long while before anyone could come to the rescue if you got stuck and weren’t prepared with the correct recovery gear. On the way along the beach, you’ll find some very picturesque multicoloured sand cliffs with tiny caves worn away in them.
Awinya Creek is wide and can be shallow or deep depending on the rains and tide. When taking the inland track to Awinya Creek, you will need to cross the creek to get to the campsites and beach. Once again, your floatation device is a must. You can drift downstream towards the ocean and make friends with the armies of soldier crabs along the way. The local dingos do seem to like hanging out at Awinya Creek so take care if you have kids around – we got a silent but intense surprise visit from a large male dingo who poked his head around the doors of the 76 Series Land Cruiser to watch us applying sunscreen!
The campsites at Awinya Creek run along the creek between the creek and the ocean. They are stunning camp spots with amazing views of the white clean sand and crystal-clear blue sea. Awinya Creek is one of the more popular camping areas, so there is the chance there will be a few other campers here.
Bowarrady Creek
Bowarrady Creek is situated between Woralie and Awinya Creek and has to be accessed via the beach from either Woralie or Awinya creeks. There are campsites here and is a regular spot if you are a keen for a fish. The camping area here is fairly small but is not usually busy due to access.
Lake Allom (No Camping)
Lake Allom does not have any camping but is a great spot to stop on your way in our out when visiting the Western beaches of Fraser Island.
Lake Allom is another hidden gem. It is a little more out of the way – it can be found off the inland track that runs from the Eastern to the Western beaches. The turn off to the lake takes you down a steep and narrow track through the rainforest terrain. The lake itself is surrounded by truly majestic towering trees that would be worth the drive alone! Access to the water is via a wooden boardwalk with stairs to where the water’s edge can be presumably when the lake is full. Otherwise, there can be quite a drop off so it’s wise to keep an eye on any toddlers. Lake Allom’s best feature is actually its inhabitants – lots and lots of terrapins! These guys can be a bit shy but with patience on a quiet day you’re likely to spot more than a few. They do also have a tendency to pop up unexpectedly nearby as you float or splash and startle the unsuspecting!
Fraser Island Western Beaches Tips
Here are a few tips when exploring the Western Beaches of Fraser Island.
- On the inland tracks drive slowly as there will be traffic coming in the opposite direction.
- Keep to the left tracks when there are multiple tracks even if the left-hand side track is rough. There will be others coming in the opposite direction and sometimes towing, so think about others.
- DO NOT LEAVE RUBBISH!!! Clean up after yourself. Make sure you check your spot and pick up any other rubbish idiots left behind or washed up on the beach as well as all your own litter. Keep it clean so that we can always enjoy the beauty of Fraser Island. Leave your spot cleaner than when you arrived, it is a good habit to get into and others will learn from you. There are many rubbish bins on Fraser Island so there is no excuse in leaving litter. DO NOT BE THAT PERSON.
- Allow more time than you think on the inland tracks as they can be slow going at times. Weekends will always be busier.
- Campfires are NOT allowed on the Western Beaches of Fraser Island. No one is above the law and just because these sites can be more isolated doesn’t mean you can get away with having a fire. There are rules in place for a reason. Bushfires on Fraser Island are exceptionally difficult to deal with due to access and the sand. DO NOT be that idiot that causes a bushfire and not only destroys the island’s forests and wildlife, but also residents homes, businesses and their livelihoods.
- When driving to more isolated spots like Coongul Creek it will be far easier at low tide. At high tide make sure you are running close to 15 PSI to ensure you don’t get bogged.
- There is mobile phone reception on the Western Beaches of Fraser Island but it can be intermittent. So be aware of where you can get reception in the event of an emergency.
We hope you have enjoyed this post on the Western Beaches of Fraser Island and the different camping options. If you would like to read more posts about Fraser Island then check these out here. To keep up to date on future posts and become apart of the 4WD Adventurer community then please join up here.
Thanks for reading legends. Any comments or questions please comment below this post.
The thoughts of Peter & Shayne.
