Fraser Island History

Fraser Island is a place with an amazing natural and cultural history! Long before the appearance of Europeans on the east coast of Australia, Fraser Island was inhabited by numerous Aboriginal clans known collectively as the Butchulla people. Their name for Fraser Island was ‘K’gari’, which means ‘Paradise’. The Butchulla had an elaborate system of social ties and developed a complex pattern of land-use focused on the island's rich sea-foods. The local population fluctuated in number depending on the season. It is thought that it ranged from 400-600 and up to 2000-3000 during the winter months when there was an abundance of seafood available.

The late 1800's saw many of the remaining Butchullas already hard hit by European diseases brought to Bogimbah Mission, which was located on the island's west coast. The island was also used as a quarantine and immigration outpost during the Gympie Gold rush, when a large influx of Chinese and other foreign miners came into Australia. There was a great deal of enslaving of the indigenous people of the island during this time and although the island was designated an aboriginal reserve in 1860, the poor treatment continued. Evidence of early Aboriginal life on the island can be seen in the form of shell middens, stone tools and scarred trees.

Captain Cook was the first European to sight Fraser Island back in 1770 but he didn’t actually come to realise that Fraser Island and Hervey Bay were not actually joined. It wasn’t until Mathew Flinders arrived years later who discovered this. He landed at Dayman Point in Urangan in 1799 and he was the first European to step ashore to Hervey Bay.

The most colourful episode in Fraser Island's history began in 1836 with the wreck of the Stirling Castle east of Mackay. The captain of the ship was James Fraser and was accompanied by his wife Eliza and his crew, who drifted for several weeks before landing on the shores of Fraser Island where they were immediately taken by the Aborigines. Many of the crew including Caption James Fraser died before a rescue crew arrived, but from that point on Eliza Fraser went down in history for her dramatic account of her time in captivity.

From 1842 is was recognised that Fraser Island had a huge potential for its timber which is when the logging operations began near Wanggoolba Creek. The kauri pines were extremely sought after and shipped all around the world. But was later stopped in 1991 when Fraser Island first attained its World Heritage Listing.

In 1971 the popularity of the island grew even more so with the huge potential for mining with the large deposits of black mineral sands located on the island. But with much controversy the mining came to a grinding halt in 1976 following a recommendation by Commission of Inquiry. Another section of history is when the 'Z-Force Commando School' with up to 100 trainees, came to Fraser Island for training for World War II. The stranded Maheno Shipwreck was used as aerial bombing practice and they constructed their own hospital, canteen, post office and cinema for those who were here.

There are many stories for the history books relating to Fraser Island and all will never be forgotten.