No licence is needed, and you don't need previous sailing experience. Aqua Days is a bareboat (self-drive) charter, which means before you head out we'll run through a full safety and operational briefing covering everything you need to know - navigation, anchoring, the sails, the systems onboard. Most of our guests are first-timers and do beautifully. We're also just a phone call away once you're out there if anything comes up.

Aqua Days sleeps up to 10. There are four double cabins (each with their own ensuite) plus two single beds attached to the two forward cabins. For most groups, the sweet spot is 8 — four couples or two families with kids — which gives everyone a double bed and their own bathroom. If you're a group of 10, the two singles work well for older kids or teens.

Yes, and this is one of the reasons groups choose Aqua Days specifically. She has four ensuite bathrooms, one attached to each cabin. It makes a real difference when you're living onboard for several nights.

Your rate covers the boat, all bedding and bath towels, kitchen and cooking gear, crockery and cutlery, and your safety briefing. You just bring clothes, toiletries, beach towels, and your food and drinks. The only additional cost from us is fuel and gas, charged at $30 per engine hour at the end of your charter ($15 each for port and starboard).

Yes and there are a few options. You can do your own shop and load it on at check-in, or we offer a click-and-collect service where we'll pick up your Woolworths order (and Dan Murphy's if you'd like alcohol) and have it loaded on the boat ready for you. Food only is $100, food and alcohol is $120.

You've got the entire Great Sandy Strait to play in — from Rooney's Point and Wathumba Creek in the north, all the way down to Gary's Anchorage near Tin Can Bay in the south. That's roughly 100km of protected water with dozens of anchorages, creeks, beaches and snorkelling spots in between. We'll go through our favourites with you at the briefing, and you can have a look at our interactive anchorage map beforehand.

Really good. The four-ensuite layout means parents and kids each have their own space, the saloon and back deck have generous seating for meals and downtime, and the protected waters of the Great Sandy Strait are calm and protected. There's a swim ladder, a hot-and-cold deck shower for rinsing off, and you can hire our inflatable pontoon for an extra $50 per night — it doubles as a netted swim area when the middle insert comes out.

The Great Sandy Strait offers something genuinely different. The waters here are calmer and more forgiving, making the Fraser Coast one of the best bareboat destinations in Australia for first-timers or those who want a relaxed, confidence-building experience rather than a white-knuckle sailing trip.

You'll share the water with dolphins, dugongs, turtles, and humpback whales in season (without the crowds). And with K'gari (Fraser Island) as your backdrop, a UNESCO World Heritage listed island right on your doorstep, the scenery is world-class.

On a practical level, a bareboat charter on the Fraser Coast is also significantly more affordable than comparable destinations. The region is also easily accessible with a 3.5 hour drive from Brisbane alongside direct flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

Fraser Island Boat Charters is a local, family-run operation. We know these waterways intimately, and that knowledge makes a real difference to your charter experience. Scott has spent years on the Great Sandy Strait and brings that expertise to every pre-departure briefing, every vessel recommendation, and every piece of advice we offer our guests. We're not a booking platform or a broker sitting somewhere else - we're on the ground, genuinely invested in making your charter exceptional. When you book with us, you get honest advice and reliable support.