Guide
By Melissa Delaware
What to do on Heron Island | Where to stay on Heron Island | Where to eat and drink on Heron Island
Heron Island is one of the best places in Queensland for snorkelling and diving in the Great Barrier Reef. Here you’re in the very heart of the reef and the crystal-clear water surrounding the island is perfect for viewing coral and an array of marine life, including turtles, fish, rays and reef sharks. Heron Island is also a nesting ground for turtles and a wide range of birds, making it the ideal holiday destination for nature lovers.
If you’re keen to explore all the natural beauty of Heron Island and have some of the best marine animal encounters on the reef, this guide covers everything you need to know.
The number one activity on Heron Island is snorkelling and diving. At high tide, you can snorkel right off the shore and be almost guaranteed to see turtles, tropical fish, rays and reef sharks within moments of entering the water. Join boat tours that take you to some fantastic snorkel and dive sites within minutes from the island, so you can easily visit multiple locations in one day. Tours run three times a day, with all equipment provided.
Even if you’re not into snorkelling or diving, you’ll see a range of marine life right from the water's edge. One of the best places to do this is just outside the bar area, by the resort’s swimming pool. During high tide, order yourself a drink, pull up a chair and sit back and relax while watching nature’s highway of turtles, rays and reef sharks. Other ways to see the marine life without getting wet include kayak, SUP or semi-submersible boat tours.
People also visit Heron Island for turtles, with the island being an important nesting ground for the Green Turtle and Loggerhead Turtle. During the nesting and hatching season (October to May), you can see these incredible creatures hauling themselves up the beach to lay their eggs, then some months later see their hatchlings waddling down to the ocean. It’s well worth visiting Heron Island for this incredible experience alone.
To learn more about Heron Island and its incredible array of wildlife, book one of the free guided tours. Choose from birdwatching tours, turtles tours or general island tours. The rangers who run the tours are incredibly knowledgeable and happy to answer questions.
Island holidays are for relaxing too, so when it's time to slow the pace, there are also daily sunset cruises, a day spa or grab your favourite drink from the bar and get horizontal by the pool.
There is just the one place to stay on Heron Island, the Heron Island Resort. The resort offers basic rooms to spacious suites. Rooms are available for couples to families of up to five people.
While the accommodation is fairly basic, each room comes with all you need for a comfortable stay. Rooms are extremely spacious and feature comfortable beds, a small fridge, tea and coffee-making facilities, an ensuite bathroom and an outdoor patio or balcony with a table and chairs. While all rooms have ceiling fans, you’ll need to book one of the suites or the Beach House if you've got your heart set on air conditioning.
Top Tip: If you can afford a splurge, book the Point Suites, which come with fantastic views across the reef and are also super close to all the resorts facilities.
For food and drinks, you’ve got the Shearwater Restaurant and Baillie’s Bar. Shearwater serves a pretty standard buffet breakfast each morning, which is included in the room price. Lunch is from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm daily and is well-priced, with most items around the $20 mark. All the usual suspects are here to fuel your adventures like fish and chips, burgers and salads, while dinner is either a la carte or a themed buffet such as pasta night or DIY burgers.
Baillie’s Bar has prime position on the island, with views across the reef. As well as a full bar, here you can buy coffee, ice creams and sandwiches (although get in early as the sandwiches go quick!)
The resort also has a small shop that sells basic food items such as chips, chocolates and ice creams, as well as souvenirs.
Top Tip: Grab yourself a drink and sit facing the reef on the ledge outside Ballie’s Bar. Within minutes you’re sure to see turtles, rays, reef sharks and fish passing by.
Heron Island is in the southern part of the Southern Great Barrier Reef, around 72km northeast off the Gladstone coast. Getting to Gladstone is easy from Brisbane, with Qantas or Virgin Airlines flying direct daily. Alternatively, it's around a 6-7 hour drive from Brisbane for those on a Queensland road trip.
From Gladstone, Heron Island is only accessible via a ferry or helicopter. The ferry to and from Heron Island operates daily except Tuesdays, Thursdays and Christmas Day. The ferry takes two hours and departs from the Gladstone Marina at 9.30 am and departs for Gladstone at 12.45 pm. The ferry ride can sometimes be rough, so be prepared for seasickness.
If you want to make a real entrance to Heron Island, it's highly recommended to take the helicopter. Even if you can make the splurge just one way, it's well worth it for the spectacular bird's eye view of the reef. The 30-minute helicopter rides operate regularly throughout the day between the Gladstone Airport and Heron Island.
You can visit Heron Island any time of the year. If you enjoy the warmer weather, head to the island between November and May. Keep in mind though, that the warmer months also bring tropical storms, although rarely as severe as you might expect further north. During the winter months, expect warm days and cool nights.
Inspired to visit? Here’s our suggested 3-day Heron Island itinerary.