Lake Wabby

The deep green water and bright white sand dunes of Lake Wabby make for a startlingly beautiful contrast in the southern half of Fraser Island. Unlike the majority of Great Sandy National Park lakes, Lake Wabby’s waters come alive with 12 species of fish, including the rare honey blue-eye, which dart between your fingers in this secluded locale. Touching your toes to the silky sand below the water will be difficult in some spots—at 11.4 metres, Lake Wabby is the deepest dune lake in Fraser Island. An early morning walk or drive through the lush rainforests and steep sand dunes will take you to the lake ahead of the crowds. This gives you time to see mist rise up from the lake’s surface and maybe a couple of dingo paw prints in the sand. One way to access this spot is from Lake Wabby Lookout, which has breathtaking views over Dulingbara and Hammerstone Sandblow, the lake, and even the sparkling blue waters of Coral Sea. The westward spreading sandblows will swallow Lake Wabby within the next century, so it’s best to swim now before it disappears. The delicacy of the Lake Wabby ecosystem means that cosmetics such as sunscreen or bug spray should not be worn if you plan on diving in.