Central Station

[V8100]

We are booked in at central station as we have small children with us and wanted the security of the dingo fence.  Just wondering if anyone has stayed there and if you have any pics and did it seemm ok.
cheers eddy

[seqfisho]

Hi Mate,

The MySwag group either stayed at Cathedral Resort Campgrounds or just up the beach from there behind the dunes in the first camp zone north of Cathedral, and as it was our first time at Fraser I cant give you much more info other than it will be fantastic wherever you stay, but certainly watch the littlies with the dogs up there.

[ddr]

Just had a look at the pics I have here & dont have any of Central, i might have one at home.

It was very shaded, but IMO quite bland & quite a long way from the beach.

We also had young children but we camped on the Beach, id camp on the beach everytime I go there, just magic.

Whats your concern with camping without the fence??

We saw 2 dingoes in the 2 weeks we were there & the running bet was it was the same one, the rangers moved it around on a daily basis

[BigJules]

I camped there for a week with ~2yo, 5-6 years.

It was nice, taps on each site, $1 hot showers, flushing loos (to keep the ladies happy) and fully fenced to keep the dingoes away. It is very shady, as ddr notes, which was nice in hot weather.

Yes, it's a fair way from the beach, but unless you're fishing, the beach is only one of many destinations on Fraser. We visited so many lakes, crossed over to Kingfisher etc, as well as all the Eastern side beach attractions.

It was not expensive, and for that trip was well worth the money. I'd consider camping on the beach as well, but recommend Central Station.

The only dingo we saw was on the beach, on our way to the barge as we left.

[tonyl]

dundaburra campground on the eastern beach also has dingo fence as to does Waddy point but it is a long way up. Personally stick to the beach or everytime you want to go somewhere you will be battling inland tracks with tour buses at least from the beach you can take alternatives

[Beachman]

Maybe I'm lucky or unlucky depending on how you look at things, but we always see heaps of dingo's while camping at Fraser.

Mind you most of the time most trips we have had fish in eskies and bait in the back of 4WD's, so maybe they can smell that. Most of our trips have been pretty easy in regards to Dingo even to the extent of basic camping (4 men in one 4WD = not much gear)  so that means everyone sleeps under a tarp. Seeing we smelt of fish/bait it was common to be woken by a dingo sniffing you. Just needed to shoo them away and no problems.

Last trip with my Wife (no fishing involved) we had a pack of dingo's circling our camp each night. Have to say this is the first time I was ever concerned about Dingo as they occasionally snarled at us while we moved around the camp. For this reason a spade was always beside me if they decided to attack. Have to say this is a very scary feeling.

We now have kids and are reluctant to camp on Fraser until they are a bit older.  Yes I know I can camp in the dingo fenced camping grounds, but we prefer remote beach camping, so unless we rent a house I personally won't return with my kids. I know that that chances are extremely low of anything happening, but that's the choice I made.

[MrCruza]

When I go to Fraser it's to go to the beach. Central Station is about as far away from the beach as you can get on Fraser. Lots of good prison camps fenced campgrounds close to the beach and many unfenced areas on the beach itself. The dingoes aren't a problem with a little common sense.

[pajames]

Central Station is a great place to camp with the family, we spent a week there last September and had a great time. The camping area has large sites as you can see by the below photo, the only problem as others have said is the distance to the beach. Allow 30 minutes each way along a soft and bumpy track, after a few days it became a big PITA. Next time I camp, i'll camp at Waddy Point.

[Bird]

Just had a look at the pics I have here & dont have any of Central, i might have one at home.

It was very shaded, but IMO quite bland & quite a long way from the beach.

We also had young children but we camped on the Beach, id camp on the beach everytime I go there, just magic.

Whats your concern with camping without the fence??

We saw 2 dingoes in the 2 weeks we were there & the running bet was it was the same one, the rangers moved it around on a daily basis

I'll bet your house on it being the only one! I'm still sure its either a cardboard cutout, or its one of those japanese robot dogs painted up..


I'll stay at the exact same spot as we did next time up there.

[maca76]

We seen 3 dingoes together whilst fishing near eli creek, and one solo up at dundaburra, when we take the kids over camping next time we are going to try dilli village, dingo fenced, grass sites etc to see what it is like. We usually stay at dundaburra as its were the better fishing is

[SteveandViv]

I think dundaburra campground is the best. In the middle of every where and close enough to fish. Just another opinion

[BigJules]

I'd have no hesitation in staying at Dilli Village again. Lots of grassy sites, hot showers and flushing dunnies, for the ladies, plus the only place on Fraser where you can have a fire.

It is a long way south though, but we enjoyed the daily trips to the other sites on the island.

[SteveandViv]

I'd have no hesitation in staying at Dilli Village again. Lots of grassy sites, hot showers and flushing dunnies, for the ladies, plus the only place on Fraser where you can have a fire.

It is a long way south though, but we enjoyed the daily trips to the other sites on the island.

Have they removed the fire pits at  dundaburra

[LC]

I think what Julian meant was that Dili is the only commercial campground that a fire is allowed i.e.   You can't have a fire at central station or cathedral beach.

[dazzler]

When I go to Fraser it's to go to the beach. Central Station is about as far away from the beach as you can get on Fraser. Lots of good prison camps fenced campgrounds close to the beach and many unfenced areas on the beach itself. The dingoes aren't a problem with a little common sense.

How does common sense pertain to a child being attacked by a dingo?

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/travel/travel-news/dingo-attacks-4yo-on-fraser-island-20090807-ec3y.html

[SteveandViv]

I think what Julian meant was that Dili is the only commercial campground that a fire is allowed i.e.   You can't have a fire at central station or cathedral beach.

Sorry, you lost me. Dundaburra is commercial as well and had fire pits when we were there. Wasn't talking about Central & Cathedral just wondered if they had stopped fires at the Dundaburra camp ground.

[LC]

Sorry, you lost me. Dundaburra is commercial as well and had fire pits when we were there. Wasn't talking about Central & Cathedral just wondered if they had stopped fires at the Dundaburra camp ground.

Sorry didn't realise that Dundaburra was a commercial campground, just assumed it was one of the national parks controlled areas, and I have no idea if fires are allowed there or not.

Cheers
Lindsay

[Kit_e_kat9]

How does common sense pertain to a child being attacked by a dingo?

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/travel/travel-news/dingo-attacks-4yo-on-fraser-island-20090807-ec3y.html

I believe theses comment from the article pertains to the common sense issue you enquire about:  

"His parents and other witnesses in a nearby car were able to ward off the dingo, which continued to menace them for some time ... The pack is well known in the area and is believed to have been regularly fed by an individual who frequents the island ... This leads to dingoes losing their natural wariness of humans and unsupervised children can be particularly vulnerable."

Don't feed the Dingo's.
Don't leave your kids unattended (even for a minute).

There is signage all over the island that states they are NOT domestic dogs ... don't feed them ... be wary of them in regards to children, so I believe it's common sense to do as they suggest.  I reckon this advise would also be good in Africa in regards to Lions and Hyena's, and Northern Australia in regards to Crocodiles ...

You really can't blame the dogs for the human interferrance.  

Doesn't mean I don't feel bad for the family and their experience though ...

Kit_e

P.S.  This is NOT a can of worms ...

[dazzler]

Hi

Thats why I thought common sensical thing to do, if you have kids, is to stay in one of the fenced off areas as its almost impossible to keep your eyes on kids all the time. I only have two eyes and four kids so I would probably end up cross eyed  .

Kids will be kids.  When my 8yo was five he was in the yard and came in and said come and look at the pretty snake.  Went out and it was a 2m long carpet python.....and he had been playing with its tail  ....could have been a tiger snake for all he knew! 

cheers

[GS]

Hi

Dingos will continue to be an issue on Fraser as long as visitors continue to ignore the advice that is commonly available. On each occasion that I have visited I have seen people feed the Dingos and keep their rubbish and food unsecured (this is the same as feeding them).

Love the place though and can't wait to return.

Dundubara Campground is a National Park campground. Looks like fires in communal pits only. Each site used to have a fire when I was there last.

http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/fraser/camping.html#dundubara_campground

Grant