Winter in Australia? Lake McKenzie, Fraser Island

Photo: 13 August 2008 Posted 5 Nov 2009

Winter doesn't bring much snow to the north of Australia, but the next best thing is the white sand of Lake McKenzie on Fraser Island. If you're after a pristine beach with soft silicon sand that leads to a freshwater lake clean enough to drink, then Lake McKenzie is perfect. An added bonus is that its usually warm enough to go swimming, even in the middle of the Australian winter. Unfortunately there's no surf.

Lake McKenzie is just one of several freshwater lakes on Fraser Island, which is a large sand island off the Queensland coast in the northern part of Australia. The island has a number of sand tracks and can only be accessed by four-wheel-drive vehicles.

If you've ever been backpacking on the east-coast of Australia, chances are you've seen this lake! A Fraser Island 4WD camping tour is one of the "must-do" activities when traveling on the well-trodden backpacker trail up or down the east coast. Despite the backpacker numbers, its a beautiful island and well worth visiting.

Tip: If you plan to avoid the backpacking masses and organise your own 4WD trip, the lakes on the island are the only places you should swim. The east coast of the island is a well-known tiger-shark breeding ground!