Fraser Island 5 Day Great Walk Adventure tour
Duration:
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Bushwacker invites you to explore the world’s largest Sand Island on
this Great Walk.
The 5 day camping safari will guide you through
Fraser Island’s unique ecosystems.
Daily trips by 4WD, support the most extensive walking tour on Fraser
Island. Visit ‘off the beaten path’ wilderness habitats, or simply
relax.
With nearly 30 years experience and the most extensive permits, your
local friendly tour guide and driver will allow you to see more and do
more than any other tour company.
Travel in small groups (less than 10) and see more wildlife, and
explore off the trail remote wilderness habitats.
While on the island, you can cast your line into the surf or swim in
tranquil fresh water lakes, relax and stroll on moon-lit beaches,
explore the vast desert-like sand blows, and breathe in the fresh air of
the world’s largest sand island.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
SUITS
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Complaints about the tour:
- one bottle of water for a group of 5 people all day in the summer heat (and no availability to buy water) to the point I felt unwell
- low quality and old equipment, most of which didn’t fit the tour group.
- very disengaged and absent tour guide with no knowledge of the island. Rude and offensive comments made about our nationality.
- unsafe and uncomfortable van used for transportation.
- lack of prioritisation for health and safety, particularly in the water with very strong current and jellyfish.
Complaints about the tour:
- one bottle of water for a group of 5 people all day in the summer heat (and no availability to buy water) to the point I felt unwell.
- low quality and old equipment, most of which didn’t fit the tour group.
- very disengaged and absent tour guide with no knowledge of the island. Rude and offensive comments made about our nationality.
- dirty and uncomfortable van used for transportation.
- lack of prioritisation for health and safety, particularly in the water with very strong current and jellyfish.
Kind regards,
Shannon
Do not use this company!
We waited half an hour at our pick up spot and never got picked. Tried calling them several times and didn’t pick up until probably the 5th call and were very rude in response to us saying that our booking was cancelled when we already had confirmation of the booking and just abruptly hung up at least we will be our refund but I definitely don’t recommend going through this provider at all!! Very disappointed
My first and foremost complaint is regarding safety. I did not feel as though my tour guide took sufficient precautions to ensure our safety on this tour. In fact, there was no safety talk whatsoever. We were not warned about the shark-infested water on the beaches until AFTER our guide left us to swim in the water. Similarly, we were not warned about dingoes until after one came up to a girl on our tour and snatched her purse; she attempted to grab the purse out of its mouth because she was not taught how to deal with the situation. Finally, our tour guide told me that thong shoes were appropriate for our hike up Indian Head when I asked if I should change into the sneakers I had in my bag. Thong shoes were NOT appropriate for the slippery and rocky path up Indian Head, and I easily could have fallen and hurt myself. I paid a premium for this tour because I expected a guide who would look out for my safety - warn me of sharks, dingoes, and other dangers - and I did not receive that on this trip.
Moreover, Olly was not enthusiastic. On the contrary, he was rather negative. He told us - albeit honestly - of all of the attractions we were missing out on due to the tides and due to 2 day trips being "too short to see anything on Fraser Island" and winter being an off season. If your tour guide believes that a two day trip in winter is not sufficient to provide guests an enjoyable experience, perhaps you should not offer such a trip, and should certainly not charge nearly $400 for it. I do not feel at all that I got any value for my money, especially considering the similar trips we considered (your competitors) are charging about half as much for the same experience.
On that note, my third complaint is with the food and accomodation. For the price (more than competitors), the food should have been much better than rolled up sandwich meat at a picnic table and a continental breakfast (when the tour group next to us was allowed to access the hot breakfast buffet). As an aside, our guide admitted that he only bought food for 9 although there were 12 of us. Moreover, if time was of the essence, we should not have spent over two hours wasting time driving to and eating at a picnic table. Our guide explained that usually there is a table in the van, but he didn't have one so we had to drive an hour to tables. On such a short trip, this is unacceptable. Moreover, EVEN IF we had to waste time driving to and from tables, we should have eaten quickly and continued on our day. We told our guide we wanted to spend as much time as possible on the beach and viewing other attractions, but he did not honor our request. We lingered at the picnic tables for a while after our meal, even once we were done and ready to move onto the next activity. During this time, our guide was smoking cigarettes (which he did often on this trip) and we were stuck waiting for him. The first day on the island, despite leaving at 7am, we saw only picnic tables and one lake (after the sun had pretty much gone down and it was therefore too cold to swim).
Additionally, the intercom on the vehicle was broken and so we did not learn anything about the island and he made no effort to explain anything in our (short) times off the bus.
Like the usual tourist new to the area, I was initally brimming with excitement for the activity-filled day excursion. Unfortunately my flight was cancelled late in the day, the day before the excursion. I immediately dialled the number provided on the confirmation email. From there, I spoke to a man by the name of Rob, who kindly offered to move my tour to the following day and advised me to promptly send an email to the office to inform them of my impending delay.
The following morning, I received a phone call to confirm whether I required pick up, to which I politely declined as we were not physically in Brisbane. Moments later, I received an unprovoked phone call from the alleged owner, who I initially thought was Rob. Throughout the entire phone call, he was incessantly raising his voice at me, insisting that my aforementioned phone call was never placed and that Rob did not work that day.
Befuddled, I dialled the same number from the email and was put back through to the same owner. Another angry but brief conversation with the owner ensued, insisting there was no Rob, there was never a call or email from me and that the office closed at 3pm. This owner is unaware that he has an automated forwarding system set up and is in the habit of blaming his customers for his shortcomings. A great way to run his business into the ground.
What an unmitigated disaster. A wonder how they stay in business. I'd strongly suggest a period of intense customer service training for the owner.
Once hitting the island, we made a beeline to the sanboarding area, and had the whole area to ourselves. Should have could have done more, but the climb up was super tiring. Lunch was a simple affair, and then we went off to do the snorkelling.
Unfortunately, the Sunrover camp site was burned down in the recent bushfire and all the equipment was lost. Sunrover is only slowly replenishing the equipment again, and we had no shorty wet suits for snorkeling (we had done a snorkel the previous day and even with the shorty, our kids were shivering from the cold). Matt was very thorough with how to clean and put on the snorkel, which was a plus.
Wayne took us out as we had a few in our group that signed up with snorkel but could not swim (Mark took care of that group on a kayak). Wayne was really experienced around the wrecks and took us into areas that had little current and plentiful of fishes; but was a bit dicey as we were going through the wrecks (luckily no injuries). We had a lot of time to snorkel and just enjoyed the underwater scenes.
Getting back to shore meant having to swim against the current for a bit to get around the yachts moored close to the wrecks. So better to have stronger swimmers in your group. My kids (the strong ones) had to help me get around the yachts.
All in all, it was a good day trip for us, with a much better snorkeling experience.
We found the tour through a brochure at our hotel. I wish we'd looked at Google reviews before booking - we'd have seen the other reviews saying this isn't the first time they've ruined someone's trip.
We found the tour through a brochure at our hotel. I wish we'd looked at Google reviews before booking - we'd have seen the other reviews saying this isn't the first time they've ruined someone's trip.
They did not answer my emails until the last day before the planned tour.
They confirmed the trip.
Later, late afternoon, about 4pm they canceled the excursion.
I asked for any other optional offer to avoid spending time at a hotel.
They told me to call them the day after tomorrow and ask,
but they did not promise anything for sure.
I explained that I am a tourist from Europe and I spend only
three days in Brisbane area.
Then I was told that I can take my money back and get off.
Because of very late cancellation I had no chance to buy any
other activities elsewhere.
They did not answer my emails until the last day before the planned tour.
They confirmed the trip.
Later, late afternoon, about 4pm they canceled the excursion.
I asked for any other optional offer to avoid spending time at a hotel.
They told me to call them the day after tomorrow and ask,
but they did not promise anything for sure.
I explained that I am a tourist from Europe and I spend only
three days in Brisbane area.
Then I was told that I can take my money back and get off.
Because of very late cancellation I had no chance to buy any
other activities elsewhere.



















