How to spend five nights in the Great Sandy Strait
Hey there and welcome to the Fraser Coast! We happen to be very thankful of the place we call home and one of the reasons for that is a little (or big) area called the Great Sandy Strait. We want to show you how you could spend 5 days sailing the Great Sandy Strait. This area can be found in the waters between Hervey Bay (where the whales LOVE to play) and Fraser Island (the world’s largest sand island). The Great Sandy Marine Park also stretches all the way down past Poona and into our neighbours at Tin Can Bay.
So how you can you make the most of this epic place? First stop, book yourself a catamaran to charter and then read below to find out how to spend 5 days lapping up our piece of paradise.
Day 1 - Get comfortable on board your home for the next week
All aboard! Grab all your food, drinks and valuables and meet one of our team at the Great Sandy Straits Marina to begin your sailing adventure on board one of our vessels. Never sailed before? No big deal because we’ll give you an in depth briefing of the boat to make sure you are safe out on the water. Once the briefing is complete we’ll drive the boat out of its marina berth for you and then leave you to start an amazing next few days sailing our backyard. Your first day is a good chance to familiarise yourself with the boat and plan all the spots surrounding Fraser Island that you’d like to see.
Day 2 - Explore Woody and Round Island
Rise and shine! Now that you know your way around the vessel it’s time to start exploring. If you’re still close to the harbour, we’d suggest sailing around some of our local smaller island favourites - Round Island and Big Woody Island. Woody Island is home to a lighthouse that is heritage listed due to its contribution to the settlement of nearby town on the Fraser Coast, Maryborough.
Day 3 - Watch the sun set over Pelican Bank
Prepare for an epic view at sunset because today you can base yourself around the always impressive, Pelican Bank. Within an hour from the Urangan Harbour or Woody Island you’ll find this sand bank nestled between Hervey Bay and Fraser Island. We recommend getting in the tender and perching yourself here for the day to make the most of this epic spot. The front deck of our vessel, Cattitude, will provide the perfect spot to sit and watch the sunset and the pelicans gather on their favourite spot with a drink of champers in hand.
Day 4 - Sail along the western coast of Fraser Island
Say goodbye to Pelican Bank and venture further along the coast of beautiful Fraser Island. Don’t forget to keep a look out and see if you can spot our resident dingoes (Wongari) strolling along the beaches of the western side of the island. Just before you reach Bowarady Creek, you’ll find the Arch Cliffs which are filled with 72 different colours of sand which act as the perfect backdrop for the day.
Day 5 - Spot the marine life in Northern Platypus Bay
Famous for being the favourite spot for our visiting residents, the Humpback Whales, Platypus Bay is the final destination for our 5 days on the Great Sandy Strait. Sail through the striking blue waters alongside Fraser Island and past Triangle Cliffs and Wathumba Creek before you enter into Platypus Bay. Pick a spot, sit back and relax! Top tip: You might also be joined by some of the marine life that call our backyard home including dolphins, turtles, dugongs and if you’re lucky - whales.
Want to know how you get straight into 5 days sailing the Great Sandy Strait? Give us a call about chartering a vessel to make it happen!