I'm not the melodramatic type nor a tree hugger but visiting Fraser is a life altering experience for many. It is a pristine environment desipite the large number of visitors annually but in my view is managed admirably by the Rangers based on the island. There are a couple of resorts and small townships scatted over the island with good facitilies for camping or 'roughing it' in a luxury villa at Kingfisher Bay while taking in the views from the spa on the verandah... Ha I digress. If you don't have a 4WD then your loss ! Well no not really; there are many 4x4 tour buses that can show you the island and all its attractions or simply hire a 4x4 on the island itself.
Track conditions vary depending on weather and season. Its certainly not 'hard' 4x4 driving in most places; I took a Daihatsu Terios there a few years back with no problems apart from the belly scraping the sand on some soft tracks. Most 'soft roaders' such as RAV4's, CR-V's etc should cope fairly easily on the main tracks and the main eastern beach though the track aound the back of Indian Head on the north of the island (on the way to Eurong, Waddy Point etc) can be powder soft and many do get stuck. However being a well travelled piece of sand help isn't far away.
Lake MacKenzie is probably the main attraction to the island and the track can become rough and a little steep for smaller 4x4 not equipped with low range or reasonable clearance. Low range isn't essential but it does make life easier crawling through the bumps and holes in the track and can cause damage to the unwary. The Lake Wabby track is the same with some soft, bumpy and steep sections and while once again accessible with most 4x4's a little clearance and low range will help. I've seen a Subaru Forester with major underbody, suspension and panal damage up at Lake Wabby because of the lack of clearance and driver care.
The only water crossing is Ely Creek but in most cases won't be any higher than wheel height. Follow other 4x4 tracks through or better still follow another 4x4 through so as to see water depth and the best path through. Better safe than sorry. Oh its fresh water flowing out of Ely so don't panic though the flow can be deceptively quick. Engage low range if you have it and take it slow keeping rpm's up and keep moving. Easy.
to Japan to be broken up for scrap when the tow line snapped during a cyclonic storm. It was obviously never salvaged but is still easily recognisable despite 70 years of wind, wet, weather and oh...tourists !
