Getting There -- Hervey (pronounced Har-vey) Bay is the main gateway to the island. Take the Bruce Highway to Maryborough, then the 34km (21-mile) road to Hervey Bay. From the north, turn off the highway at Torbanlea, north of Maryborough, and cut across to Hervey Bay. Allow 3 hours from the Sunshine Coast, a good 5 hours from Brisbane.

Virgin Blue (tel. 13 67 89 in Australia) flies direct from Sydney to Hervey Bay four times a week, with connections from Adelaide and Melbourne.

Greyhound Australia (tel. 13 14 99 in Australia) coaches stop in Hervey Bay on the Brisbane-Cairns-Brisbane routes. The 5-hour trip from Brisbane costs A$48 (US$38). From Cairns, the fare is A$183 (US$146) and the trip is almost 24 hours.

The nearest train station is in Maryborough West, 34km (20 miles) from Hervey Bay. Passengers on the high-speed Tilt Train (Sun-Fri) can book connecting bus service to Pialba (a suburb of Hervey Bay) through Queensland Rail (tel. 13 22 32 in Queensland, or 07/3235 1122; www.qr.com.au). The fare from Brisbane for the 3 1/2-hour Tilt Train trip is A$64 (US$51) in economy class and A$92 (US$74) in business class, including the bus fare. Fares are A$175 (US$140) in a seat and A$334 (US$267) in a first-class sleeper from Cairns (trip time: just under 27 hr.). Train passengers from the north must take a courtesy shuttle from Maryborough West to Maryborough Central, then take the next available local bus to Pialba.

Guests at Kingfisher Bay Resort can get to the resort aboard the Kingfisher Bay Fastcat, which departs Urangan Boat Harbour at Hervey Bay at 8:45am, noon, 4, 6:30 (7pm Fri-Sat), and 10pm. Round-trip fare for the 40-minute crossing is A$44 (US$35) adults and A$22 (US$18) kids 4 to 14. The resort runs a courtesy shuttle from Hervey Bay's airport and coach terminal to the harbor. You can park free at the Fastcat terminal. Drive to the terminal first to unload your luggage at the Kingfisher Bay reception desk, then return to the parking lot and walk back (only 100m/328 ft.). Fraser Coast Secure Vehicle Storage, 629 The Esplanade (tel. 07/4125 2783), a 5-minute walk from the terminal, has covered parking for less than A$10 (US$8) per 24 hours.

Getting There & Getting Around By Four-Wheel-Drive -- Four-wheel-drives are the only vehicle transportation on the island. Many four-wheel-drive-rental outfits are based in Hervey Bay. You must be 21 or over to rent a 4WD. You'll pay about A$110 to A$230 (US$88-US$184) a day, plus around A$20 to A$35 (US$16-US$28) per day to reduce the deductible (usually A$4,000/US$3,200), plus a bond (typically A$500/US$400). You must also buy a government Vehicle Access Permit, which costs A$33 (US$26) from your rental-car company, Urangan Boat Harbour, or the River Heads boat ramp; or A$40 (US$32) from a Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service office on the island.

Both Bay 4WD Centre (tel. 1800/687 178 in Australia, or 07/4128 2981; www.bay4wd.com.au) and Ausbay 4WD Rentals (tel. 1800/679 479 in Australia, or 07/4124 6177) rent four-wheel-drives; offer four-wheel-drive packages that include camping or accommodations; rent camping gear; organize Vehicle Access Permits, barge bookings, camping permits, and secure storage for your car; and pick you up from the airport, the coach terminal, or your hotel. Kingfisher Bay 4WD Hire (tel. 1800/249 330 in Australia, or 07/4120 3366; www.kingfisher-bay-4wdhire.com.au), at Kingfisher Bay Resort , rents four-wheel-drives for A$230 (US$184) a day, plus a A$33 (US$26) Fraser Island driving permit and a A$2,000 (US$1,600) security deposit (by credit card) held until return of the vehicle in the original condition. The company allows half-day and 1-day rentals. Rates are cheaper if you book for a week. Book well in advance.

Four-wheel-drives reach the island on the Fraser Venture barge (tel. 07/4125 4444), which runs three times a day (four times on Sat) from River Heads, 17km (11 miles) south of Urangan Boat Harbour. Kingfisher Bay Resort also runs a barge from River Heads. The round-trip fare for a vehicle with up to four occupants is A$115 (US$92), plus A$5.50 (US$4.40) per extra passenger. It is a good idea to book a place for the 45-minute crossing.

The Rainbow Venture and Fraser Explorer barges (tel. 07/5486 3154) provide access to Rainbow Beach and operate continuously between Inskip Point and Hook Point between 6am and 5:30pm daily. The cost is A$65 (US$52) return for a vehicle and four passengers.

Fraser Island Taxi Service (tel. 07/4127 9188) is another option for getting around. There is only one taxi on the island (a 4WD, of course), so it's important to book ahead. They will pick you up anywhere on the island, and will give you a quote on price before you set off. The taxi seats five, and there's also room for your luggage and fishing rods.

Visitor Information -- Contact the Hervey Bay Tourism Bureau, Urraween Road at Maryborough-Hervey Bay Road, Pialba (P.O. Box 8, Hervey Bay, QLD 4655; tel. 1800/811 728 in Australia, or 07/4125 9855; www.herveybaytourism.com.au). A better online source is www.hervey.com.au. The Marina Kiosk (tel. 07/4128 9800) at Urangan Boat Harbour is a one-stop booking and information agency for all Fraser-related travel. Several Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service information offices are on the island.

There are no towns and very few facilities, food stores, or services on the island, so if you're camping, take all supplies with you.

Four-Wheel-Drive Fundamentals-- Driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle is great fun and not hard to learn, but if you've never driven one before, get a good briefing from your rental company before you head out. Fraser's loose sand tracks can be tricky, and getting "bogged" (stuck) is common. The beach can be dangerous for the novice -- if you travel too high up on the beach, you can get trapped in soft sand; if you travel too low, a surprise wave can bog your vehicle in treacherously soft sand under the water (and rust your car). Rental companies don't like that, and the attendants can smell salt on an axle a mile away! Stick to the firmest tracks, know the tides, and don't be afraid to ask for advice. You'll have to drive a lot slower on a four-wheel-drive trail than you would on a conventional road; take that into account when you plan your day. For example, it takes a full day to get to Indian Head and back, and then only when the tide is favorable. Look out for light planes landing on the beach (which is a runway as well as a road).