090 - SAND DUNE IN THE HEART OF VEGETATION ON FRASER ISLAND, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA (25°17' S, 153°12' E).
Fraser Island, off the coast of Queensland, Australia, is named after Eliza Fraser, who was shipwrecked on the island in 1836.120 km long and 15 km wide, it is the world’s largest sand island. Yet on top of this rather infertile substratum, a humid tropical forest has developed in the midst of which wide dunes intrude, moving with the wind. Fraser Island has important water resources, including nearly 200 freshwater dune lakes, and has varied fauna such as marsupials, birds, and reptiles. Since 1860, Fraser Island has been exploited for its timber, which was used for the construction of the Suez Canal. Its valuable mineral deposits were coveted by sand companies during the 1970s. Now, the tourist industry is beginning to expand. Welcoming 200,000 visitors a year, without damaging the local fauna and flora, is a real challenge to sustainable development on the island, which was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1992.

View a Satellite Image of the area