Camping trip to popular holiday island ends disastrously after 4WD ‘floats away’

As the days get shorter and temperatures drop, Aussies across the country are heading outside to soak up their last moments of sunshine before winter arrives.

But this weekend things didn’t go to plan for a group of campers on a popular holiday island – highlighting the ‘unforgiving’ terrain many Australians face when 4WDing.

The holidaymakers were traveling along the beach path on the western side of Queensland’s K’gari Island, formerly known as Fraser Island, when they realized they had missed their campsite and made a U-turn with their camper attached to it.

4WD ‘floated away’ as the tide came in

Unfortunately, their camper got stuck in the sand when the tide started to rise. Despite attempts to save the car, the tide rose too high and before long the vehicle was completely submerged.

“These campers’ journey to Coongal Creek on the west side of the island did not go to plan,” said Fraser Island sleeper, who came to the rescue as the water receded, adding that “once submerged the vehicle moved further away floated from shore.

“4WD and trailer recovered by Fraser Island Towing and Rainbow Beach Towing, with extra caution due to the unforgiving terrain on that side of the island.”

Cost of rescue on Fraser Island

4WD motorists who get into conflict can expect to pay a minimum of $800 to be towed off the island.

The owner of a towing service on the popular Australian tourist resort of Bribie Island previously told Yahoo that he has saved “hundreds” of cars from becoming stranded on the beach – killing more and more tourists last summer.

Images from Rick Williams’ business regularly appear on social media, showing how often 4WDs get stuck on the sand island in the northern part of Moreton Bay. Last month, a man’s Toyota Land Cruiser was broken half-submerged in the water after being on the beach for just “five minutes”.

Williams said that while he has helped many locals over the years, he has also rescued tourists from almost every country in the world.

“A lot of those people are still friends of ours and still send us emails and tell us what they’re doing, so you make friends as you go,” Williams said. During an incident last Monday, a driver attempted to “drive through a lagoon” that was more than a meter deep. “That vehicle will now be a total loss,” he lamented.

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