You’re guaranteed to catch a fish at Port Douglas – just as you’re guaranteed to get seasick on a game fishing boat. This is unquestionably one of the best sport and game fishing locations on the planet.
Port Douglas is nestled between the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. It offers hundreds of popular reef and estuary fish species for both sport and table fishing.
The best time of year for game fishing is between October and December. You can expect to see Tuna, Sailfish, Dolphin Fish, Wahoo, Giant Trevally and of course, the formidable Pacific Black Marlin.
Reef fishing is best around June to October. You can expect to catch Coral Trout, Red Emperor, Nannygai (Sea Perch), Cobia, Cod and Mackeral. The charter boats usually go out about 15 – 25 miles off shore for a full day at sea. (Note: some reef areas have fishing restrictions).
River/Estuary fishing has the longest season from October to April. Expect to pull in a barramundi or two (but be warned, there are bag limits). Estuary fishing is calm and relaxed which makes it more suitable for the inexperienced angler and kids.
If you still want more after a long successful day at sea you can fish from the shore. Just follow the locals to their favourite haunts and only use live bait such as prawns, squid and pilchards.

The Sights of Fraser Island; from the unique sand dunes to the vibrant island forests, visitors will want to spend several days enjoying their stay here. The variety of landscapes found on the island is stunning; many are in stark contrast to another.

Having had its natural resources exploited for a century, sand mining and logging have been stopped and the island is healing and emerging into an eco-tourism destination. Amazingly the dense rainforests with examples of towering 1,000-year-old brush box and satinay has managed to deeply entrench itself in the sand. Pile Valley, the most heavily logged area on the island, lays claim to the most magnificent of these trees in its sub-tropic rainforests.

Lake McKenzie has become a magnet for tourists. Located near the town of Eurong and fed by rainwater, this perched lake sits 100 meters above sea level on a bed of tightly compact sand and organic matter. The crystal clear water and pristine, white beaches of almost pure silica along the shoreline beckon invitingly. There are campsites with amenities near the lake.

While on Fraser Island, you must experience the Champagne Pools. Along 75 Mile Beach the ocean beats on the rocks, cascading water over them creating frothy, bubbling pools from which the Champagne Pools get their name. Strong currents in the ocean make swimming outside of the pools dangerous.

Just a few kilometers from Happy Valley to the north, the spectacular Eli Creek provides visitors with a place to have a icy dip on a hot day. Fed from a natural aquifer several miles inland, the creek spills some 80 million liters of water per day into the ocean where it empties onto the beach. Walking along the boardwalk along the creek’s banks allows you to watch the fish swim against the current as they fight their way upstream, the amazing array of birds that habitat the area, and the eels and frogs.

There are so many wonderful sights on Fraser Island that a day trip is simply not long enough. This natural wonder has in turn spawned other natural wonders that will have you coming back time after time.

About 300 kms north of Brisbane lays Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island. This island enjoys the company of such notable sites as the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru National Park (the former Ayers Rock), Shark Bay, Kakadu National Park, the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, Wet Tropics of Queensland, Heard and McDonald Islands, and Macquarie Island as a World Heritage listed site. Fraser Island is indeed a gem among gems.

Before you set off to Fraser Island, you will have to do some planning. How are you getting there? If driving any vehicle other than a 4WD, how will you get around the island? Are you going to camp there? If so, plan your camping so that you are booked into the campsites in the areas that you want to visit. Would a commercial tour better suit you?

Easily accessible by vehicle barge, the island has much to explore and experience. Be forewarned, vehicle access to Fraser Island is restricted to 4WD vehicles that must have a vehicle access permit displayed on the windshield prior to on the island. The permits must be bought in advance and are good for one year from the date of purchase. The barge does accommodate foot traffic. If you want, you can rent a vehicle when you arrive but book it ahead.

If you decide that you want to camp on the island, you must have a camping permit. For easy access, the permits are available at a number of outlets as well as online. There are specific areas where you are allowed to camp so make sure that you know where you will be camping and how to get there. Formal campsites have water and toilets, as well as cooking areas. Informal campsites have no amenities. Camps known as walkers’ camps are small areas for walk-ins that are along the fascinating Fraser Island Great Walk. All camping must be in designated camping zones and all campers must have a permit.

The rules for camping are enforced because this is a very sensitive island. Booking your stay in advance is a must otherwise you may find that you have no where to stay. If you intend to have a fire, you must bring your own firewood and it must be milled off-cuts so that there is no introduction of pests or disease onto Fraser Island. Gathering twigs and deadfall on Fraser Island is illegal. If you prefer better amenities than camping can provide, there are a few commercial establishments.

To ensure that you and your family will get the most enjoyment from your visit to Fraser Island, make sure that you have researched it and planned accordingly. Make sure that you take first aid supplies and plenty of drinking water. Neither is available on the island.

There is much to be expected if you plan to make a trip to the great Outback. You are surely bound to discover a huge array of astonishing surprises. Many of these surprises are quite hard to miss because of their size. Even from a distance these big things make an appearance.

There is a collection of ordinary objects that were built in gigantic scales making them easy to find. This collection is called The Big Things in Australia. They are usually located in quaint little towns here and there all over Australia and with their gracious size, they should be hard to miss. Here is what you can be expected to find amongst the Big Things in Australia:

When near Coffs Harbor, you can find the Big Banana. This structure serves as a highway landmark but was one of the first to be included in the Big Things in Australia collection.

You won’t be able to miss the Big Cow that is located on the left of the Eumundi Rd. north of Nambour, Queensland. Grab your camera and be careful as like you, most motorist slow down or stop to take a quick shot of this impressive structure. At one time, you were able to see the Big Egg, it used to sit on the top of the Happy Hen’s Complex when driving through Victoria. This was later removed after persistent protestors argued and won.

From Dodswell Bridge you will see an image often associated with Australia, the Big Koala. Yep, you guessed it; the figure serves as a focal point for a souvenir shop. It was a smart choice on the part of the owner because, this structure has caught the attention of both locals and tourist making business boom.

Now, on the northern entrance to Kingston in South Australia, you will find another of the earlier additions to the Big Things in Australia collection. That would be the Big Lobster. There has been a motel and café built around the structure to also draw in tourist. The Murray Cod is a local favorite in Australia. So, as you can imagine, you will find The Big Cod at Swan Hill on the northwestern side of Victoria.

The actually list of the Big Things in Australia collection is quiet long. But now that you know a few of the items, head out and see which ones you can find!

Most native Aussies will be readily able to provide you with a large number of the Big Things will little effort. The Australian population has taken quite an interest in these enormous objects. Have these structures taken anything away from Australia? Well, that is debatable amongst the locals here. Either way, the huge images demand attention and are an effective marketing tool for the small town shops that once were not so popular.