Eli Creek on the eastern side of the island, is the largest of the freshwater streams flowing into the ocean. Stop for a while and spot the kingfishers as they dart amongst the pandanus and casuarinas. It would be hard to imagine lakes clearer than those on Fraser Island. The water is so pure that the 40 or so lakes support relatively little life. There are three types of lakes on Fraser, window, barrage and perched lakes.
Window lakes occur when the ground drops below the water table.
The fine white sandy base acts as filters, giving the water its clarity. There are several window lakes including Yankee Jack, Ocean lake and Lake Wabby. Lake Wabby is also termed a barrage lake, which is formed by the damming action of a sandblow blocking the waters on a natural spring. It is also a good example of the sandblow phenomena, gradually encroaching on the deep green waters of Wabby as the sandblow makes its gradual progress westward across the island. Swimmers in the lake should not run and dive off the sandblow - the water is very shallow close to the edge of the lake.