Environment workers have started cleaning up the oil spill on World Heritage listed Fraser island, as the government tries to track down the source.

So far no wildlife has been hurt.

Elisabeth Moss reports.

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Blobs of oil, some as big as a five dollar five note, have been appearing over 40 kilometres of sand, stretching from Eurong Beach, to Dilli Village.

More can be seen in the rolling surf .

Maritime officials are checking recent shipping movements to catch the culprit.

Richard Leck, WWF: “By analysing the oil you can actually often track it back to particular vessels and in the past, the authorities have been able to do this.”

Experts say the spill is relatively minor… but there may be more oil floating underwater that has not reached shore.

Volunteers are slowly removing the oil the old-fashioned way… with rakes and shovels.

Those responsible for oil spills can be fined as much as 17 million dollars under commonwealth law.

Elisabeth Moss, QUT News.