• Friends of Fraser is a group of quite ordinary Australians who love the open air and the experiences gained, on Fraser Island in particular. Many of the members have holidayed on Fraser Island for many years. A few have property on Fraser Island. All are united in their desire to see Fraser Island kept OPEN  for ALL families to enjoy.

• In our organisation we have a number of retired executives with broad experience in commerce and industry. These people also have wide experience of Fraser Island in all its moods. Friends of Fraser is an organisation of sensible well-informed people most with a commercial interest in the way Fraser Island is managed. In short, the organisation is made up of responsible people who simply want to see the Island maintained so that their children and their children's children can enjoy similar times to those they enjoyed on the Island.

• As a group, we have an enormous base of knowledge and experience of Fraser Island. Not one of our members is on the Community Advisory Committee on World Heritage Fraser Island even though our newly elected President was the founding Chairman of the CAC.

• There is a fear amongst members that Fraser Island will be sacrificed by the Government to appease the small very noisy Green movement. Those of us who have traditionally holidayed on Fraser Island are now somewhat concerned the Green Juggernaut will roll on over Fraser Island, closing down a significant part of the Island. It is acknowledged that the large tourist ventures such as the giant Kingfisher conglomerate, now the largest tourism venture on the island in Australia, will continue and probably expand. Likewise other Island based tourist ventures will continue. What we believe is the danger is the family oriented tourist who enjoys a wilderness and somewhat remote experience on Fraser Island. Because of the growth of tourism and the closure of many tracks and beaches the wilderness experience on Fraser Island is becoming quite scarce for family groups.

mission statement

• We are critical of the small irresponsible minority who cause damage to dunes and foreshore areas by indiscriminate vehicle use. We are equally critical of that minority that camps in a dirty and uncaring fashion. We are in favour of quality camp areas not necessarily providing all the luxuries of mainland campgrounds but at least providing clean toilet facilities. Like others, we want our beloved island looked after. It is in this field that we come into serious conflict with those driving the current Management Plan agenda. We do not believe that by closing the many inland tracks and beaches, anything associated with Fraser Island is being protected correctly in the long term.

• The very poor fire control policy for example is one of great conflict between the Management and us. There is an absolute necessity for there to be controlled burning of especially the heath and dry eucalyptus areas of the Island. These burns should only occur during the winter and never when the under brush is so dry that it causes massive hot burns. Burning in the spring or early summer simply destroys all new growth and the nesting birds and other newly born small animals. In short, the policy we see being implemented now is destroying wildlife and desecrating large tracts of land.

• The closure of tracks is seen as an example of a policy going wrong. Most of the tracks in question, whilst being used regularly, were good firebreaks. Now with their closure to normal traffic they are becoming very overgrown and useless as firebreaks.

• Similarly, the closure of the western beach from Wathumba Creek to the Lighthouse benefits who or what? In the Whale Season folk used to be able to watch the antics of the giants from the beach off Rooneys Point. In late spring the turtles could be seen mating and in summer they could be seen as they came ashore to lay their eggs. All these experiences were great for children who learnt to have respect for the environment by experiencing these delights. NO MORE! 

• So, who benefits? The whales were not worried, the turtles were not worried, maybe some commercial fishermen were embarrassed by their own actions but the environment was not violated by those families who journeyed there. Now, to see whales up close, one has to go on a commercial whale watch tour that is monitored by Parks and Wildlife. To see the turtles one has to go to Mon Repos near Bundaberg and be further monitored by Parks and Wildlife.

• It is all this control and invasion of privacy that irks members of Friends of Fraser who do not see all the control as a positive for Fraser Island but as a sop to the whim of that small group of killjoys who would lock everyone out of Fraser Island unless they travelled on a conducted, controlled tour.