Bedarra Island

“Bedarra is the island you find when you’re finally ready to stop rushing. It doesn’t advertise itself. It simply waits.”

Bedarra Island – Queensland’s Most Private Tropical Retreat

Bedarra Island is one of Australia’s most exclusive island destinations — a small, densely rainforested island off the coast of Mission Beach in far north Queensland. Located within the Great Barrier Reef island system, it’s accessible only by water taxi from Mission Beach and has maintained an atmosphere of true seclusion that its guests return to again and again.

The island is primarily known for the Bedarra Island Resort, one of Queensland’s most private luxury retreats, which accommodates only a small number of guests at any time. Its reputation is built entirely on privacy, stillness, and the extraordinary natural environment that surrounds it.

The Natural Environment of Bedarra Island

Bedarra is a continental island — formed from the ancient geological foundations of mainland Australia, not from coral — and its rainforest interior reaches to the water’s edge in many places. The island is covered in dense tropical vegetation, including fig trees, palms, and a remarkable diversity of bird life including the Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher and the Emerald Dove.

The fringing reefs around Bedarra offer snorkelling and gentle reef exploration, and the surrounding waters are calm enough for kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming from the beach.

Dunk IslandA rainforest island off Mission Beach with walks and snorkelling.Read more →Fitzroy IslandA rainforest island near Cairns with snorkelling, beaches and walks.Read more →Green IslandA coral cay near Cairns with snorkelling, beaches and rainforest walks.Read more →Hamilton IslandBeaches, snorkelling, reef tours and sailing in the Whitsundays.Read more →Lady Elliot IslandA coral cay at the southern tip of the reef, known for manta rays.Read more →Lizard IslandA remote northern island resort with beaches and world-class reef.Read more →Orpheus IslandA small, private island lodge with excellent snorkelling.Read more →Whitsunday IslandHome of Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet.Read more →

Getting to Bedarra Island

Bedarra Island is accessed by water taxi from Dunk Island or from the mainland at Mission Beach. The journey takes approximately 15–20 minutes. Mission Beach itself is located approximately 140 kilometres south of Cairns.

For travellers exploring the Mission Beach and Dunk Island region, Bedarra makes for a remarkable addition to a far north Queensland itinerary — a world completely removed from the tourist trail, quietly extraordinary.

A Hot Getaways destination. Where Care is Our Compass.

Frequently Asked Questions