Great Sandy Strait | Pristine waterway protected by Fraser Island on Cooloola Coast

Nature's Playground
The Great Sandy Strait is an ideal area to begin a family tradition of spending time on and by the sea. Perfectly situated between Rainbow Beach and Hervey Bay, the Strait is protected by the world's largest sand island, Fraser Island. The wide open passage from the Wide Bay Bar takes you between the bottom tip of Fraser Island and the mainland at Inskip Point, Rainbow Beach. Mangrove-lined shores, sandy tidal flats, protected islands, beaches and a maze of tidal creeks and islands are characteristic of the area.

A Fisherman's Paradise
The Great Sandy Strait has many great areas to fish, especially the spots between Kauri Creek and Ungowa. Yabbies on the northern Reef Island are of good quality and quantity.

There are reef fish at Poona, Black Swan and Shark creeks fish well at times. The deep waters around Poona are best for winter whiting.
Camping areas up these creeks can also be found. Sand and mud crabs can be potted in most of the areas mentioned.

Spot playful dolphins, whales, turtles, dugong and shorebirds
The Great Sandy Strait is Ramsar Wetland of International Importance and is a valuable roosting area for migratory trans-equatorial shorebirds with almost 30,000 birds stopping annually. A designated dugong sanctuary - these majestic mammals may be seen as they surface from feeding on sea grass on the sandy bottom. The Great Sandy Strait is also a major breeding ground for endangered marine turtles and major transitory point for Humpback Whales on their annual southern migration. Playful dolphins are frequently spotted in the protected waters.

Exploring The Beautiful Waterways
By yacht, houseboat or other pleasure craft, the Great Sandy Strait invites a lifetime of exploration. Once you cross the Wide Bay Bar and pass through Hook and Inskip Point the world is literally your oyster.

Sheltered bays, creeks, mangroves, sandy beaches and abundant fish stocks make the waters near Tin Can Bay and Carlo Point a must-see spot. The waterways are serene with numerous locations providing safe anchorage inviting further exploration.

History Of The Strait

There is extensive history surrounding the Great Sandy Strait. Here you will find the Southern Hemisphere’s largest artificial reef, Fraser Island’s largest flowing stream, the remains of two of the oldest lighthouses in Qld, an island discovered and named by Matthew Flinders, the remains of an old logging camp and the site of the last Aboriginal mission encampment.

It is also the setting for some of the most breathtaking scenery of the whole journey north from Inskip Point and an angler’s paradise

Tinnanbar
Heading north from Tin Can Bay the first port of call is Tinnanbar.
Tinnanbar can be described as a sleepy seaside village with a small permanent population. The facilities include a caravan park and kiosk.

Here you will find one of the most beautiful beaches in Qld, boasting white sand, crystal clear turquoise water and views to Fraser Island.
It is sheltered from prevailing winds and has good sandy beaches at all tides suitable for swimming and sailing.

Poona
Right on the beachfront, with views towards the southern part of Fraser Island, the next port of call is Poona. It is a marine wonderland – fish, dugong, turtles, dolphins, mangroves, seagrass pastures and birdlife. There are many fish species in the area, along with crabs and yabbies.

Poona has a caravan park, a convenience store and units. Beside the caravan park is the boat ramp and a park complete with bbqs and public toilets. There are also many houses and units to rent along the foreshore.

Boonooroo and Tuan
After heading north from Poona the next mainland gems are Boonooroo and Tuan. Boonooroo has a range of general services and facilities for the visitor and is a wonderful place for a week of fishing and relaxation.

Included in the facilities are a licensed bowls club, a nine-hole golf course and a tennis court. The Boonooroo Caravan Park has a full range of amenities including a convenience store with bottled gas, EFTPOS,
fuel (unleaded only), newsagent and post office.

Maaroom

After Boonooroo is another gem, Maaroom – a small,
friendly fishing village on the waterfront with views to Fraser Island.
Down at the water’s edge is a pleasant spot to have a picnic with a sheltered gazebo and playground.

The Maaroom Caravan Park, in a bush setting 400 metres from the waterfront, has grass sites and concrete annex slabs, a pool, bbq area and small kiosk. Cabins and overnight vans are also offered.

Stewart Island and Garry's Anchorage
Between Boonooroo and Maaroom but on the other side of the strait near Fraser Island are Stewart Island and Garry’s Anchorage.

Garry’s, as it is known, is ideal for camping and a great place to moor your boat, houseboat or yacht. It is highly popular with yachties and house boaters because of its sheltered position and deep water. There are many other popular islands, some inhabited, some not. These include Dream, Moonboom, Bookar and the Turkey islands.

River Heads
River Heads is the major departure point for vehicles and has magnificent views of Fraser Island, the Great Sandy Strait and the Mary and Susan River estuaries.

There are public boat ramps from which boaties can set out for either a day out fishing or to take a 40-minute run up the Mary River to Maryborough. Enjoy stunning views along the river bank in Maryborough and lunch and a cold beer or wine Portside before the return journey.

McKenzie's Jetty

Between Woongoolber Creek and the next point of interest, McKenzie’s Jetty. Once at McKenzie’s it is well worth dropping the anchor and
doing a bit of exploration.

The jetty here is in an even more dilapidated state than Ungowa’s but there is a lot of history behind it. Lake McKenzie’s Jetty is almost within shouting distance of the only tourist facility on the western side of the island, Kingfisher Bay Resort and Village.

Discover an amazing area full of natural beauty

The Great Sandy Strait is part of the Great Sandy Biosphere - a unique area of outstanding natural beauty and biodiversity. The Great Sandy Biosphere boasts 7558 recorded species of flora and fauna including 49% of Australia's bird species. The biosphere also contains the tallest and most complex rainforests growing on sand in the world and the world's largest and highest perched dune lakes.
The Great Sandy Biosphere encompasses nearby Fraser Island, the extensive Great Sandy National Park, Rainbow Beach and Tin Can Bay on the Cooloola Coast and extends inland to include Gympie and Mary Valley.
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