Join FIDO for a week of weeding! 
Sunday 15 September to Saturday 21 September.
Cost $200

Click Here to see a gallery from a recent FIDO Bush Regeneration trip.

This project is coordinated by Fraser Island Defenders Organisation (FIDO).  It is run on a not for profit basis. All tools, accommodation, food, transport (to and from Brisbane or Sunshine Coast in 4WD vehicle) and island tours are provided.

Coordinator: John Sinclair, FIDO Honorary Project Officer

Departure:   It is planned to leave Brisbane (Camp Hill) at 8.00 am on the Sunday morning and collect people by prior arrangement on our way north to Maryborough.

Rendezvous locations and times will be finalised once full composition of the team is known probably during the week before departure.  Our objective is to catch the 4.00 pm ferry from Mary River Heads arriving at Wanggoolba Creek at 4.45pm and at Eurong at 5.30.  It will be a steady trip as we will have a heavily loaded 4WD and trailer.  (Apart from carrying the gear, we need the trailer for cleaning up work when we get there, specifically taking rubbish to the dump.)

Return to Brisbane: We aim to leave Eurong by 8.00 am to catch the 9.30 am ferry to Mary River Heads.  We expect to be delivering people to the Sunshine Coast in the early afternoon and Brisbane by 5.30 pm depending on traffic and events.

Accommodation: Share accommodation is provided by FIDO, at ‘”Weroona” and / or “Talinga”, Eurong, Fraser Island.  Both houses are fully furnished and each has enough room for 8 people. They are spacious and comfortable but basic.  Each has a full kitchen, living area and an outdoor BBQ area, but no TV.  These houses have had a Sinclair family connection since “Talinga”,  was built in 1965.  You can see details at: http://www.fraserislandholidaylodges.com.au/

Fee:  FIDO asks that all volunteers on this program contribute $200 towards the cost of transport and food.  This small price for a wonderful week on Fraser Island doing good work can be deposited in FIDO’s Bank account.  See details below.

Volunteer Work:  We are aiming at a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer work during the week.   We are particularly focussing on a two part project during this week.   FIDO pioneered weeding operations on Fraser Island and has been carrying out weeding operations in Eurong for more than a decade

FIDO is carrying out this project as part of its commitment to the Fraser Island Natural Integrity Alliance (FINIA).  FINIA has supported FIDO’s proposal to establish a garden of native plants suitable for Fraser Island to encourage landholders to use only plants that naturally occur on Fraser Island in their gardens instead of importing other plants that have a potential to become weeds and introduce other problems.  These are already helping to transform community attitudes to introducing exotic plants, the casual dumping of garden waste on the roadside and the need to control weeds.

Apart from the township weeding and gardening we will also be addressing principally a Weed of National Significance (WONS) lantana within the very large township reserve.  While this weed is almost under control, further maintenance work is needed.  We will also be addressing other serious environmental weeds that will be identified in the process of our work but lantana is our main focus

Efforts will be made to ensure work is conducted in a safe manner – breaks, water, work in the shade and working to our abilities will be our aim!

The other part of this project is to monitor the impacts to the natural integrity of Fraser Island.  This will be done by visual and photographic recording  during the course of the week.

After a swim in Lake Birrabeen the team enjoys a smoko.

Recreation:  It is planned to allow ample time to explore parts of the island.  This trip is not all about pulling weeds and working hard!  Nobody knows Fraser Island better than John Sinclair and he is keen to show as much of it off as possible.  Each day we will endeavour to visit different parts of the island for walks, talks, swims, sightseeing etc. It may be that we will alter the working time during the day to fit in with the tide times so that we can visit a good variety of places over the week. There may be days that we pack our lunch and head off for more than just a few hours.

Click Here to see a gallery from a recent FIDO Bush Regeneration trip.

Food: All of the shopping for the food will be completed before departure. Please advise of any special dietary requirements (allergies etc.) and preferences for toast or cereal, tea or coffee etc. so this can be taken into consideration when planning meals and shopping. Alcohol can be purchased from the Eurong Resort for (higher than) normal prices.

Registration and Payment:

Download Application Form (pdf): Fido Weeding Application Form

Or MS Word: FIDO JS Bush Regen Briefing Sept 15

All participants are expected to contribute $200 to help cover the cost of food, fuel and accommodation. Payment is required to confirm booking.

Please deposit this directly to Commonwealth Bank Account (please advise Laura if you would like to pay by cash or cheque): 

Account Name: Fraser Island Defenders Organisation .

BSB: 064-007
Account Number: 0090 2881 

Please then Email or post confirmation of payment with your Application Form  to  john@sinclair.org.au or post to FIDO, 1/32 Weston Street, COORPAROO Q 4151 so that your place can be reserved.

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Things to Bring: 

• Sheets for a single bed (unless you are booked as a couple or advised otherwise to bring double sheets).
• Personal towels.
• Rain jacket
• Work wear – long sleeves and pants
• Casual wear for outings and around the house
• Hat
• Sturdy shoes or work boots, as well as sandals or thongs.
• Swimwear.
• Toiletries.
• Medication – there are no chemists on the island.
• Any alcohol and snacking foods out of the ordinary.
• Sunscreen, bug spray, stingoes and tea tree oil (although there are relatively few mosquitoes or insect pests at Eurong at this time of the year)

Please keep your personal items to a minimum as there will be limited space in transit and at the house. Laundry detergent will be provided for your use and there are laundry facilities (hand washing) at the house.  There is however a small coin laundry in the nearby Eurong Resort.

Fraser Island is a remote location:
The paramedic based in Happy Valley services the entire island, so there is often no doctor, no pharmacy within an hour or more travel. Mobile phone reception other than the Telstra Next G network cannot be guaranteed on the entire island although most mobile phones work from Eurong. 

Eurong Amenities:  Eurong is the largest commercial centre on Fraser Island but it doesn’t have much.  There is a coin operated laundry at the resort and the resort has 240 V power where some devices can be charged.  There is also a bakery so bread doesn’t have to be stale.   The shop sells souviniers, ice-creams etc. and there is a pub and a restaurant.