Fraser Island beach is beautiful - great stretches of smooth sand - but you need to appreciate that there are no reefs around the island so although the water is lovely and clear, there is absolutely nothing to see in it. Dingos were no problem but knowing they are there stopped you venturing into the interior. Fishing tackle was well below par and my partner spent most of his time trying to get it to work (and he knows what he's doing). Snorkeling gear was a bit hit and miss and not much of it. Also pointless, as there's nothing to look at. A few kayaks were available but most people just used them for 10 mins or so as there is no particular place to aim for. There was a beach cricket set which was a hit with those with children. A small marquee was erected for shade (there's nothing on the beach at all) and a few chairs were available but not enough for the whole party. The crew worked hard with what little they had and the BBQ lunch back on the boat was very good.
Thanks for taking the time to review our Fraser Island Beach + BBQ cruise.
Such a shame you didn't appear to enjoy the cruise as most other people do. We certainly do our best to cater to everyone on the boat and their needs for the day. Sounds like it didn't happen for you though.
I'd like to address your concerns:
- Dingoes: the skipper always gives his 'be dingo safe' talk before disembarking the main vessel. As he says, there many be some present, but you're generally fine if you're with someone else. We emphasise that children shouldn't be left to run around on their own. Apart from that, it is highly unlikely you will even encounter a dingo, let alone be bit by one. It's a shame it deterred you from venturing off the beach to discover the beauty of the interior. Many of our guests have looked around there, without any incident.
Fishing tackle: As you would know, fishing tackle and sand don't mix well. Our equipment is perfect for just throwing in a line and having a go to catch a bit of whiting. No, it's not the best quality (we save that equipment for our optional fishing add-on which is not done on the beach) but serves it's purpose as a fun thing to do. As we provide ALL equipment for the trip (and it's not a specialised fishing trip), we cannot provide the highest quality equipment, for the price of the cruise. Also, we invite our guests to bring on their own equipment, if they wish. Some of our more serious fisherpeople do take us up on the offer and we're happy for them to have their own equipment on board.
Snorkelling: you're correct, being a sandy bottom, there's not much to see besides bait fish, whiting and the odd ray or parrot fish. If it's a dedicated snorkelling trip you're after, then you'd find more variety of gear for your use.
Kayaking: yes, there's no place to aim for. This whole experience is just about trying different things and having a go on the water. It's not a guided tour and our guests are able to do as much as they want or as little as they want (some take the kayaks out for a bit of fishing too...just a few whiting caught though).
Shade: definitely no natural shade on the island. We erect 3-4 shades of 3x3 metres, depending on the number of people on the boat. This ensures that everyone gets to have some shade whilst they're not doing activities.
In general, we provide enough decent equipment for the numbers we have on the boat. As we take up to 40 guests sometimes, we don't have 40 of everything on board...it would take us too long to transport it all to the island. This just means sharing with others and most people tend to understand that. Everyone gets to have a go at everything they want to and the crew is always there to assist. One of our crew has been fishing all his life, so would've helped you sort out the fishing equipment if he'd have known.
Glad to see you enjoyed your lunch back on the boat.
Right from the start the staff at Whalesong Cruises were so friendly & helpful.
The day was fantastic with a few activities in the beach to keep us / the kids entertained or just laze on the beach or just swim around.
The boat was comfortable & very clean & lunch was great - enough food for everyone.
Highly recommend this trip with this great company!
Thanks for the high recommendation! The entire team at Whalesong love what they do...showing off our backyard to everyone who visits. I'm happy to see there was enough to keep the entire family entertained. The trip is designed to enjoy on your own terms and it sounds like you do! Excellent!
Hope to see you all again sometime!
What a fantastic experience aboard Whalesong for their Beach & BBQ Cruise - with their professional, informative and friendly crew. Activities galore, fun, relaxation and wildlife spotting aplenty. A really easy 5 hour Tour to the magnificent Fraser Island! No crowds, no waiting, no stress = day of bliss Looking forward to taking your legendary whale tours too
Wow, thanks for the great review! You summed it all up so nicely. There are many things to do (or not do, if you don't want to) on our Fraser Island Beach + BBQ cruise. Such a relaxing and fun 1/2 day out...that's for sure!
We look forward to hosting you on a whale watch tour in a few months!
We thoroughly enjoyed our Sunset Cruise with Whalesong. The food was excellent. I am a very fussy eater but everything offered to us was delicious. The boat was comfortable and well set up for viewing the beautiful waters off Hervey Bay. Bec, our hostess, was a delight. I would highly recommend this cruise
Thanks for such a terrific review! Our Hervey Bay Sunset Cruise is definitely a great way to end the day....we're glad you think so too! We have such a great variety of delicious canapes (and can cater to any dietary requirements), so there's always something for everyone. Thanks for the recommendation! Cheers, Bec
What a super time we had do not book with anyone else!! Small group as out of season two man crew were fantastic. Doug picked us up, we had only booked the night before but the service was first class. Fraser Island lovely so many unexpected extras at no extra cost, kayaking, fishing, swimming and we had such fun on an inflatable sofa that we were pulled around on by a motor boat was excellent. The boat was modern clean and the food was delicious. Thank you so much for a memorable trip to a beautiful Island.
Wow! Thanks for the terrific review! We're so glad to see you enjoyed your time with us on our Fraser Island Beach + BBQ cruise. We think we're so fortunate to operate in this little slice of heaven...it's great the crew reflected this in everything they did. Thanks again!
