Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

is VisitHeron Island

Location: 23.44151, 151.91713
Size: 29 hectares

Heron Island is located 72 kilometres from the Queensland coast of Australia. Here you will find a spectacular coral cay and stunning turquoise waters. Marine enthusiasts will enjoy 20 dive sites, all easily accessed by boat. The crystal clear waters are teeming with colourful fish, turtles and rays.

This island is a natural paradise with pristine clear water, ideal for scuba diving and snorkelling.

Things to doFrom Heron Island, you can see turtles, manta rays, clownfish, and even sharks. Here’s how to find them. Heron Island is a snorkelling enthusiast’s dream. You don’t need a boat to spot something special; put on your flippers and jump into the water from the beach to see starfish, sea cucumbers, and other sea creatures.

Accommodation

Once on the island, visitors can stay in the 3.5-star resort, here, you will find several room types suitable for couples, families and groups.

Visitors have a choice of Reef rooms, beachside rooms and suites.

The underwater paradise of Heron Island, part of the Capricornia Cays group, is a scuba-diving heaven celebrated among the world’s best.

Above ground are a resort and research station, a thickly treed national park, magnificent beaches offering superb snorkelling conditions, and seasonal Turtle activity.

This island has a laid-back and casual atmosphere, making it ideal for the family. It is blessed with more than 20 sq km of Reef and 80km northeast of Gladstone and is accessible by ferry and seaplane.

Heron Island is a coral cay near the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern Great Barrier Reef. It is situated 460 kilometres north-northwest of Brisbane and 80 kilometres northeast of Gladstone, Queensland, Australia.

Heron Island, a magnificent coral cay in Queensland’s Southern Great Barrier Reef, may easily savour its flawless beauty. But there is much more to this island than first meets the eye, including an abundance of exotic activities and stunning wildlife.

Heron Island and Wilson Islands are both Great Barrier Reef islands owned by the Aldesta Group, a Chinese family company.

Marine Animals and birds

It is a crucial home for numerous species and a National Marine Park protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Various animals come to the island at different year periods for breeding, foraging, and migratory purposes.

Here you can interact with the incredible wildlife that also calls Heron Island home. During guided tours, our naturalist guides urge you to learn about the island’s flora and animals and observe processes like nesting and hatching.

Turtles on Heron Island

The Green Sea Turtle makes up around 98 per cent of the population.

Hawksbill and Loggerhead turtles have been spotted near Heron Island. Scuba divers and snorkelers will frequently reveal sea turtles.

Additionally, many Green and Loggerhead sea turtles nest on Heron Island.

Every year, starting around October, the island transforms into a crucial breeding habitat when the breeding population migrates there to mate.

From November to March, you may observe the ladies coming ashore on Heron Island to lay their eggs after spending 7 to 10 days mating.

From early January to early May,

Hatchling turtles can be seen leaving their nests and making their way to the ocean to begin their long journey.

Rays

Occurring most regularly are the following rays

Giant Shovel-nosed Ray,
White-spotted Eagle Ray,
Blue-spotted Fantail Ray,
Cow-tail Ray,

The spectacular Reef Manta Ray is another seasonal sighting, typically occurring in the winter.

Sharks

Shark sightings of the following sharks are common near Heron Island.

Lemon Sharks,
Blacktip and Whitetip Reef Sharks
The Epaulette shark, the only shark is known to walk on land, may even be spotted at low tide!

Whales

Heron Island is a prime spot where you may observe Humpback whales moving north from June to September each year.

With one record reaching over 8000 kilometres, humpback whales have the longest reported migration of any solitary mammal.

Humpback Whales migrate north-south between locations with cold water for feeding in the summer and areas with temperate to tropical climates for reproducing in the winter.

HMS Protector shipwreck

Nowadays, a shipwreck is providing a stunning scuba diving wreck dive. While in World War two, the HMS Protector had a collision with a tug boat on its way to Papua New Guinea.