Lake Wabby

K'gari, Queensland

If you want to swim in the deepest lake on K'gari, get here before the Hammerstone Sandblow swallows it up completely. In a facscinating example of nature re-inventing itself, this lake is gradually being filled by the onward march of the sandblow. Above: Overlooking Lake Wabby from the lip of the Hammerstone Sandblow (Order this image)

The 1.5 km walk from the car park heads out along flat ground to the lookout platform, where there is an obscured view of the lake through the trees. From there the walk heads downhill along an open bush track, flattening out briefly again before you reach an eery landscape of a world being overwhelmed by sand. Ascending steeply up the front of the sandblow, the sand gets progressively higher and higher up the tree trunks until you burst out through the canopy into a massive expanse of sand, with sunlight blaring at your eyeballs from above and below. From there it is a few hundred metre walk along the top of the sandblow to find the least steep descent down to the water. Above: Looking across Lake Wabby (Order this image)

The wall of sand at the lake edge is tens of metres high in parts and continues steeply into the water. After three or four steps from the shore I was in deep water, with gravity pushing me over to swim out across the lake. When I swam here, the lake was about 100 metres across and couple of hundred metres long, so ample room for an extended swim. An inflatable would be ideal here in between swims, if you are prepared to carry it in or blow it up when you reach the lake. The steep slope means that there is no beach that you can comfortably stand on at the water's edge, but you can perch yourself up on the bank, overlooking the water, with the only flat sand some 10-15 metres back up the dune at its lowest point. From an elevated position it is very tempting to propel yourself down the bank into the water, but the practice is prohibited here after serious spinal injuries occurred when others have done that in the past. Above: The steepest section of sand dune leading down to the water at Lake Wabby (Order this image)

The water has a yellow to orange hue near the shore, but visibility in the water quickly reduces in the deeper, darker water. Apparently there are catfish that hang around in the shallows sometimes, but I did not see any while I was in the water. Before you head out, make sure to read the swimming safety information and check with the managing authority for any current change of conditions. There have been attacks on people on K'gari by the local dingoes. Whilst these are rare, heed the numerous warning signs on site to be dingo safe. Running down the sand dunes and jumping or diving into the lake is prohibited, as serious spinal injuries have occurred in the past here, and running down the dunes can cause serious injury or death. For your safety the managing authority also advises that walking over sandblows or up steep sections of track can be very tiring, and on hot days some people have suffered fatigue and heat exhaustion. Stay with your children at all times, stay on formed walking tracks, wear sturdy footwear (not thongs), walk in groups, avoid walking in the hottest part of the day, carry sufficient drinking water, protect yourself from the sun, look for and observe all signs, and let someone know your destination and itinerary. The marker indicates the approximate location of the car park on Lake Wabby Road at the start of the walk to the lake. If the map is not zoomed in locally, as can sometimes occur when loading, simply click or tap on "View Larger Map" below.
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