She’s big, old and a little rough around the edges – but don’t tell her we told you so!

Fraser Island is rich in both Aboriginal and European history:

K’gari

The Butchulla people – the Fraser Island Aboriginal clan – aptly named the island ‘K’gari’ which means ‘paradise’. The Aboriginal history of the island is strong, with evidence of campsites, stone tools and bora rings leading anthropologists to believe Fraser Island was inhabited at least 5000 years ago. The indigenous population once fluctuated between 400 and 3000 inhabitants depending on the seasons and food available. However, by 1904 introduced disease, enslavement, conflict and relocation, none of the original Aboriginal people were left on Fraser Island.Today, the importance of the rich Aboriginal heritage is acknowledged.

Discovery

Destruction

The War

Fraser Today

Fraser Island is a World heritage listed site and an internationally famous nature destination. Today we acknowledge the importance of the island’s Aboriginal heritage and no logging, sandmining or other commercial activities take place on - except for an intensive tourism industry. There are still only a couple of hundred permanent residents living on Fraser Island, although the yearly number of visitors is phenomenal.