Beauty spot
A visit to K’gari’s Kingfisher Bay is an immersion in nature
It’s not often you holiday a couple of hours from home and feel like a tourist, genuinely impressed by the experience and adventure. We’ve lived in Brisbane for more than 15 years and this was our first trip to K’gari (pronounced gurri). We were in that group of Queenslanders you often hear say: “Oh, I’ve always wanted to go to Fraser.”
Well, we’re glad we finally made it. It’s no surprise they renamed the island in 2021 to the local Butchulla word for paradise.
We journey to Kingfisher Bay Resort via ferry from River Heads, an easy 45-minute trip. The sheer size and height of the ancient sand dunes is the first thing that blows you away.
K’gari was World Heritage listed in 1992 for its incredible ecological and biological values. It stretches more than 120km long and 22km at its widest point, and is the world’s largest sand island.
The ferry pulls into the jetty at Kingfisher Bay Resort late on a Sunday afternoon, and the place is a hive of activity without feeling busy. Families are fishing off the pier, couples are walking along the beach and the Sunset Bar is serving margarita slushies as people settle in ahead of sunset. Our itinerary suggests we drop our bags at the resort and head back to Sunset Bar for a drink, and we’re so glad we do. There’s a little pinch-yourself-moment as we sit on the beach, watching the sun melt into the horizon over the glass-like waters of the Great Sandy Strait.
It could have been the margaritas, but it’s the perfect way to start our stay at the four-star eco resort.
Kingfisher Bay, built within the treecovered dunes along the western bay of K’gari, has 152 hotel rooms, 109 two- and three-bedroom villas and eight holiday houses. The hotel rooms have undergone a series of renovations and there are new restaurants and bars.
For those curious, the resort site has a secure dingo fence around its 5km perimeter. We stay in a two-bedroom villa – the beds are clean and comfortable, aircon in all rooms is a blessing in early December and there are two TVS with Foxtel. But the real experiences await outside.
On the first morning of our three-day trip we’re off early for the Beauty Spots Tour. We join 40 others from all over the world – England, Germany, South America and the US – on the blue bus that will be our transport for the day.
Ranger Martin is our tour guide, bus driver, comedic relief and star of the show. His passion for the island and knowledge of its history is incredible.
He takes our group to stunning Lake Mckenzie, Central Station and Wanggoolba Creek, Pile Valley’s satinay and brush box forests, the Maheno shipwreck and Eli Creek.
The Beauty Spots Tour is exactly that. But Martin’s storytelling and interaction with guests makes it truly memorable.
He reminds us of the great tour operators in Hawaii who leave you with a deeper understanding and respect for the sites you visit.
That night we dine on soft shell crab bao buns, sizzling black pepper beef and penang duck curry at Kingfisher Bay’s new Asianfusion restaurant, DUNE.
A day on the water awaits us on the second full day, with a guided west coast tour thanks to Ranger Ellen and skipper Mitch from Sea Explorer, followed by a sunset cruise.
From July to October, Kingfisher Bay runs whale watching tours when the western bay is heaving with humpbacks.
The sunset cruise is a major highlight. We get to know a German couple we met on the Beauty Spots Tour the day prior and enjoy wine and a cheese platter on Picnic Island as the sun slowly disappears over the mainland.
Kingfisher Bay offers a diverse range of tours all over K’gari. It pays to book ahead but also ask reception when you arrive for the weekly experiences schedule.
Staff throughout the resort are incredibly welcoming, and all have their city or country of origin on their name badges, which makes for an easy conversation starter.
It’s easy to see why K’gari and Kingfisher Bay have gained a global reputation, and why it remains a bucket list item for Queenslanders.