Camping trip to popular holiday island ends in disaster after 4WD 'floats away'
The 4WD group missed their turning and ended up getting stuck on popular tourist island K'gari.
As the days get shorter and the temperature drops, Aussies around the country are hitting the outdoors to get their last moments of sunshine before winter hits.
But things didn’t go to plan this weekend for one group of campers at a popular holiday island – highlighting the “unforgiving” terrain many Aussies face while 4WDing.
The holidaymakers were travelling along the beach track on the western side of Queensland island K’gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, when they realised they missed their campsite and did a u-turn with their camper attached.
4WD 'floated away' as tide rose
Disastrously, their camper became stuck in the sand as the tide began to rise. Despite attempts to rescue the car, the tide rose too high and it wasn’t long before the vehicle was completely submerged in water.
“These campers trip to Coongal Creek on the Western Side of the island didn’t go to plan,” said Fraser Island towing who came to the rescue when the water receded, adding that “once under water, the vehicle then floated further away 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 find themselves in strife can expect to pay a minimum of $800 to be towed off the island.
The owner of a towing service at a popular Aussie tourist spot Bribie Island previously told Yahoo that he has rescued "hundreds" of cars from being bogged on the beach – with more and more tourists falling victim this past summer.
Images of Rick Williams' business regularly feature on social media, showing how often 4WDs become stuck on the sand island on the northern part of Moreton Bay. Last month, a man's Toyota Land Cruiser was snapped half submerged in the water after only having been on the beach "for five minutes".
Williams said although he's "helped a lot of locals over the years" he's also rescued tourists "from really almost every country around 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, too," Williams said. During one incident on Monday last week, a driver attempted to "go through a lagoon" that was over a metre in depth. "That vehicle is going to be a total loss now," he lamented.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
