The stunning ‘Paradise’ that is home to deadly dangers

K’gari Island, formerly known as Fraser Island, is located almost 220 north of Brisbane off the east coast of Queensland, Australia and home to Butchulla people, who have lived there for tens of thousands of years. The island stretches for over 76 miles and covers more than 710 square miles and has an evolving dune system that is nearly 790 feet tall at times.

It’s covered with pristine freshwater lakes, creeks and subtropical rainforest it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site 1992. The largest sand island in the world has stunning beaches bathed by iridescent water providing perfect material for Instagram posts. But there are dangers lurking in this paradise that can be deadly.

One of the deadliest beaches in the world

The striking beauty of K’gari Island draws half a million tourists every year, but they are warned to be careful as there are a number of dangers that await them. It’s beach has been named one of the deadliest in the world.

Whether it’s on land or in the water, visitors looking for rest and relaxation need to be on their toes.

Driving on K’gari is not for novices

Unsealed 4x4 published an article in 2016 asking if the island is a “silent killer.” With the exception of Kingfisher and Eurong Resort, there are no paved roads. To access the rest of the K’gari you must use a 4WD vehicle.

The outlet relates a number of dangers and accidents that result from them as people drive on the beaches like misjudging the tides, getting caught by a rogue wave or falling into a washout.

But the dangers of K’gari don’t end there. The island is home to several critters that you should watch out for and avoid.

Wongari: wild dingoes

The wongari, wild dingoes that are heavily intertwined with the island’s cultural history, are one of the attractions for tourists to K’gari. But Butchulla ranger Tessa Waia warns. “They are wild, and this is their territory, this is their country, and we’ve got to respect that.” She told ABC News that those who want a picture of them show use a zoom.

There are estimated to be between 160 to 200 wongari on the island according to the Department of Environment and Science. In recent years there have been reports of more and more incidents of the wild dingoes unique to the island attacking tourists and some of them have been fatal.

Rangers blame the rise in poor visitor behavior like feeding them which can result in a $11,500 fine. Another no-no is interacting with the animals like taking a selfie with one, which can earn an offender a big fine as well.

People are warned to keep small children close to them. A nine-year-old boy Clinton Gage was killed near a campsite on the island after tripping and falling in 2001, the last reported fatal attack.

Dangers in the water

Visitors are cautioned about going for a swim in the waters around K’gari. Conditions can change quickly, especially on the eastern side of the island, and there are strong currents that can be challenging even for strong swimmers.

Additionally, swimmers need to watch out for stingers in the water like one little critter in particular, the Irukandji jellyfish. One of the smallest and most venomous jellyfish, they are found all along the coast of the northern half of Australia. People have had to be flown off the island to receive treatment for stings.

The deadliest spider in Australia

K’gari is home to a spider with one of the most lethal venoms in the world. K’gari funnel-web spider (Hadronyche infensa), known by the Butchulla as the ‘long-toothed spider’, it has a big black body and large fangs. It has been isolated on Fraser for about 20,000 years and developed a venom that is six times more powerful than that of the deadly Sydney funnel-web spider.

It was only discovered in 1995 when a visitor got bit. They were lucky and survived thanks to the antivenom which was invented in 1981. There are believed to be another 300 spider species on the island that still haven’t been discovered.

Venomous snakes

K’gari is also home to several species of snakes known to be venomous and others that are potentially venomous.

These include:

Queensland government parks service provides a cheat sheet to be able to identify these slithery dangers.

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