Connect with nature on country with Hervey Bay Eco Marine Tours

The four-hour Turtle Discovery Tour usually includes desert islands, dugong spotting and dolphin chasing. If the tides oblige, there might be a swim or snorkel in the clear shallows.

Milbi is Hervey Bay’s only glass-bottomed boat and was custom-designed to showcase the coral gardens and marine life of this very southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. Easy to board and steady, like the sea turtles she is named for, Milbi goes gently on these pristine waters.

Indigenous guides Burad Burns, Jo Jo, Aaron and Dingka Dingka, work across all three Hervey Bay Eco Marine Tours. The Milbi Sunset Cruise and a Djinang Walking Tour offer very different experiences.

Meet Jacqui and Wil Hikuwai 

Jacqui Hikuwai has been a Hervey Bay girl for most of her life, while her New Zealand-born husband Wil is a more recent import. Four years ago, they started Hervey Bay Eco Marine Tours, ‘not to make money, but to make a difference’.

Jacqui grew up with many Butchulla mates. “They have so many wonderful stories to tell, and they need to be shared with as many people as possible,” she says. “If we’re going to be operating a business on Butchulla country, it went without saying we would have Butchulla involvement.”

“We absolutely love what we do. We love sharing the culture and how it affects other people. It’s so wonderful when people leave our boat and have a whole new perspective and appreciation of Indigenous culture. It’s a culture we should all be proud of.”

Galangoor Djali! Galangoor - Good day, welcome!

Turtle Discovery Tours start at the marina office with some leisurely snorkel and flipper fitting. The uneasiest of sailors are quickly won over with owners Jacqui and Wil Hikuwai’s easy-going ways.

They work with nature and conditions on the day, with itineraries changing with the weather and the currents. Mother Nature changes things up daily, so this relaxed tour goes with the flow. Some days, even before leaving the Marina, Wil might have to steer clear of mating green turtles!

As Milbi quietly leaves the Great Sandy Strait Marina behind, your guide begins sharing the traditional owner’s creation stories. Traditional owner and local ranger Conway Burad Burns shows how these Dreaming stories link the land, the water and wildlife with something much bigger. His connection to country goes beyond spiritual; his smile widens as you begin to see this astounding place through his eyes.

Arriving just a few minutes later at Buallum Ngiya (Pelican Bank), it’s hard to believe you’re only 31/2 hours from Brisbane. This tiny white cay immersed in endless turquoise seems blissfully remote.

It’s the birds you hear first as the engine cuts. Down the gently sloping ramp while the cormorants chatter and the water cools your toes. There’s a consistent gentle beat as crystal water teases and slaps the brilliant white sand. People have crossed these straits for millennia, while you feel like the first one here.

Burad stays on board for a quick change before he welcomes you officially to country through song, dance and didjeridoo. He sings ancient Butchulla wisdom - K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) is his homeland and his people’s paradise, forever. He also wears the paint of the Burad or ‘white-breasted sea eagle’.

According to the Creation stories, Yendingie and Princess K’gari worked hard to create the land, sea, wildlife and the Butchulla people. When they finished he gathered the people and gave them three laws: 1- what is good for the land comes first. 2 - do not touch or take anything that does not belong to you, and 3 - if you have plenty, you must share.

Wil works with the tides to find another heavenly spot for sharing a hearty, healthy lunch. Staying cool under the canopy, Burad and the skipper crack a few dad jokes while Milbi bobs in time to the tunes. Some Yothu Yindi, Bob Marley and a few 80s classics.

You get to see Wil’s big heart on show as he speaks with so much love for this place. He sought permission from the Butchulla Elders to share and honour their legacy. He recognises these waters, as the stars of the show even as he laughs that they are the ‘supporting cast’.

Next up, we arrive at a very different place - Weenandin. Wil tame his dreads with his left hand and confidently steers Milbi up on the beach with his right. This stingray shaped island is very different from Buallum Ngiya. Terracotta sand rims the brush and trees. Weenandin is a part-time island Airbnb for migrating sea birds. Sun-bleached shells and coral litter the narrow beach. The warm afternoon sun makes this a perfect spot for chilling and watching the surrounding big blue.

Wil might take the long way home for some dugong spotting. They’re a little shy even in these shallow waters. Milbi gives the racing dolphins a run for their money.

As Wil parks Milbi back at the Marina, Burad sends off happy cruisers with one last thought: “Don’t forget as you travel the Bay, make only footprints and leave only memories.”

Remember to bring

Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, camera, lightweight jacket and refillable water bottle.

Milbi is wheelchair accessible.

Milbi departs from the Great Sandy Straits Marina Terminal, Hervey Bay.

Drop into the office first for fitting snorkelling gear: Shop 6/17 Buccaneer Drive Urangan, Hervey Bay.