Great Australian Drives – Driving the BT-50 on K'gari (Fraser Island)
Article by James Jennings
K’Gari’s Rich History Enhancing Our 4WD Adventure
Australia is a land full of creative and imaginative people, none of whom were given the task of naming our most famous locations. Forget the Golden Gate or Ponte Vecchio, we’ve got the Sydney Harbour Bridge and, because we love to be literal, if we’ve got a Great Road on an Ocean, or a Great Sandy Desert, and we do, that’s what we call them.
It should come as no surprise then, that the famous Fraser Island, roughly 300km north of Brisbane, used to be called, imaginatively, ‘Great Sandy Island’. It certainly wasn’t a patch on its traditional, indigenous name “K’gari”, meaning “paradise”, and by which it is now known.
This translation was relayed to us during a Welcome to Country - ceremony a truly wonderful way to start this 4x4 driving experience. Knowing the history behind K’gari (Fraser Island) elevated our already highly anticipated trip. The ceremony was led by a local Butchulla man named Bruce, a gifted storyteller who regaled us with the island’s Dreaming creation story, which involves a spirit called Princess K’gari helping to conjure the area’s sea and land, and then never wanting to leave, thus laying down and becoming the island itself.
Looking around, it’s not hard to see why: the World Heritage Listed K’gari (pronounced “gurri”) is postcard-perfect, whichever direction you look. Its 166 square kilometres of stunning natural beauty takes in rainforests, eucalyptus woodland, mangrove forests, wallum and peat swamps, vast sand dunes and dramatic coastal heaths.
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Preparation for Fraser Island 4x4 Driving
Its network of rugged sandy tracks and long expanses of the pristine beach has also made it something of an off-roading Mecca for serious four-wheel-driving enthusiasts, which is why I’m here: to give the tougher-than-dingo-meat Mazda BT-50’s 4WD capability a proper workout, as well as check out some of the island’s many Instagram-worthy attractions.
Four-wheel driving isn’t quite as simple as flicking a switch, flooring it and hoping for the best, so it’s lucky there are two trusted experts on hand for my 4x4 driving day trip: former V8 Supercars racer and drive program manager Karl Reindler and Troy Bennett, a seasoned 4WD expert who runs the Sunraysia Safari Cross Country Rally.
Fortunately, Karl keeps it simple for the beginners in the back - which includes me - and instructs the assembled group to keep to the tracks that have already been carved out by previous vehicles, which will help the BT-50 to find its natural path through the slippery sand.
For beginners it can be daunting as the 4x4 driving conditions are very different from everyday driving. Read more about how to get prepared to explore K’gari Island.
Important Lessons on 4x4 Driving
“It’s really important that you avoid sharp turns and sudden braking, too,” he adds. “Take it slow and steady, without over-revving the engine. That way you’ll minimise wheel spin.”
“Let the vehicle do the work, using the torque available, and try to maintain a consistent speed that matches the surface.”
The BT-50’s torque offering is a hefty 450Nm and, coupled with a power output of 140kW, it’s plenty punchy enough to take on the challenging K’gari terrain.
Next up, Troy runs through a few 4WD must-dos:
- Brace your legs against the steering column and driver’s door
- Keep your top half loose to avoid fatigue
- Don’t tuck your thumb around the steering wheel lest it turns hard unexpectedly and bends said thumb backwards
- Point the side mirrors down for a better view of any potential hazards
BT-50 Proves itself Once Again
It’s a good thing the BT-50’s cabin has plenty of room, because we’re also instructed to lift our seats up to give ourselves a more elevated view, which is beneficial when it comes to assessing your next manoeuvre on the ever-shifting terrain (and possibly to spot and avoid one of the island’s 18 species of snake, six of which are deadly).
Although I’m itching to start my 4WD driving adventure on Fraser Island, even if there’s the vague sense of having spent only 30 brief minutes studying before a really important test, the BT-50 needs a tiny bit more prepping before we roll out.
The ute’s 4WD factory-fitted tyres are more than up to the off-road task ahead, but the tyre pressure needs to be lowered from the standard 33psi to somewhere between 18 and 24psi to give the best combination of traction and surface contact.
Just as the 3.0-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder engine growls to life, Troy gives us the nod to twist a dial on the dash from 2H to 4H (the ‘H’ standing for ‘High Range’), and advises us to switch off the stability and traction controls. This is crucial since those systems can automatically start applying the brakes when you don’t necessarily want them to, leaving you with the risk of getting bogged.
Although there’s no risk of breaking the 30km/h speed limit, thanks to a healthy supply of holes where a driving surface should be, the BT-50 and its high-tensile steel body powers through the dizzying array of dense eco-systems found on the island with aplomb.
The Feelings During the 4x4 Driving Experience on K'gari (Fraser Island)
It’s enough to have me fantasising about being Indiana Jones while being cradled in the safety of the world’s cushiest ute cabin, but what comes next feels more like being in an expensive car commercial, or starring in a Fast & Furious sequel that’s been shot on the Sunshine Coast.
I’ve arrived at the seemingly endless and relatively untouched 75 Mile Beach (actually 55 miles long), where the speed limit increases to a dizzying 80km/h.
To be fair, 80km/h may not sound that fast, but from my vantage point, and after having literally crawled to get here, I feel like I’m about to break the sound barrier, or at the very least travel through time back to 1955.
4x4 driving does not feel like regular driving, despite cruising past a speed-monitoring cop car, a reminder not to get too free with the feeling of clocking kays on a beach.
The Mazda BT-50 occasionally gives the gleeful sensation of a controlled slide on the sand, while still being safely stuck to the ground, and there are regular estuaries of fresh water trickling down into the ocean that require some rapid deceleration to cross safely.
Although there’s the vague hint of danger all around - dingoes roaming the sand and sharks aplenty in the ocean - we stop at the famed Maheno shipwreck, a beached ocean liner carcass that spends more time being photographed than the Kardashians.
After transplanting a fair amount of 75 Mile Beach back into the BT-50 - thank goodness for the hose-able rubber mats - it’s on to the next destination on our 4WD adventure.
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The Stunning Sights of K’Gari (Fraser Island)
On the eastern beach of K’gari, Eli Creek is a spectacular vista and, unsurprisingly, one of the island’s most famous tourist hotspots. Astonishingly, it pours up to four million litres of clear, fresh water into the ocean every hour.
There’s a wonderful opportunity to plough through an invitingly deep water crossing, which the BT-50 easily manages without ever once having to reach for the floaties, but somehow it turns out to be only the second-most thrilling dip of the day.
The number one submerged-in-water slot is reserved for the insanely beautiful Lake McKenzie, where I take a refreshing dip in its crystal-clear blueness after a very full day of incredible four-wheel-driving.
Surrounded by bright white sand, the perched lake is fed only by rainwater, making it so pure that barely anything can live in it - a relief, since swimming in any of K’gari’s ocean beaches is practically an invitation to go home with a set of sizeable shark bite marks on your body.
The End of Our 4x4 Fraser Island Driving Experience
Much like a dog with its favourite tennis ball, the BT-50 shows absolutely no signs of tiring, even after a hard day of exploring an island that every self-respecting Aussie - and 4WD lover - should visit at least once in their lives.
I can’t exactly say the same for myself: a full day of tough off-road driving is a rewarding but also knackering experience.
As night descends back at the Kingfisher Bay Resort and my weary head hits the pillow, I gain a deeper understanding of Princess K’gari - laying down and staying in paradise forever really doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.
