DrFannyWe were looking for tropical seas, white sand and good snorkeling; we had all this and more in late October. We went island hopping!
The good times started in Bowen, which, I should say, is not actually an island. I didn’t hold out much hope, given that we were on the mainland and that most of the best snorkeling is said to be on the outer parts of the reef; arriving in Bowen also didn’t particularly inspire excitement. The caravan park (Wangaratta Caravan Park) was on Queen’s Beach, and we had a quick cool-off dip at sunset after setting up – refreshing, yes, but also silty with dark grey sand.
However, the caravan park was a delight – the breeze off the beach kept us all cool, it was great value, and the toilet block was absolutely spotless.
Our first day in Bowen was spent paddle boarding in Queens Bay. The bay was protected somewhat from the south-easterly breeze which had hindered our time on Magnetic Island, so we had a fabulous time SUPing on smooth azure waters. It’s hard, hot work pumping them up but then paddling about afterwards (and jumping in whenever it gets too hot) is worth the effort!
Dr Dick had asked a local where one might go in Bowen to watch the sunset. They said, “Nowhere”. Perhaps we asked the wrong local? We found ourselves at the top of Flagstaff Hill, quite by accident, and were blown away by the gorgeous view of the Whitsunday Islands just to the south, and the sunset over Bowen to the west. Sadly we didn’t have a drink in hand to enjoy it! So, should you ever find yourself in Bowen on a sunny evening, take yourself here (and ignore the locals!).
The next morning we woke up to sunshine and stillness… Could today be the day we went snorkeling? We had our second breakfast at the Bowen Sunday markets and walked in the already stifling humidity to the lookout above Horseshoe Bay. Wow. Brilliant!
And it was!! The water was still a little choppy, but in we dived and there, just to the left off the beach, was the reef, alive with fish and several magnificent splashes of bright purple coral!! We snorkeled for about an hour, until both girls were blue with cold. We came in, happy and relieved to have broken what felt like a great snorkeling drought.
Our next stop on the reef was Great Keppel Island. A fellow camping family had recommended the day trip from Yeppoon – we booked with Keppel Konnections, which was fantastic value – return 30 minute boat rides to the island, lunch and a beer! As we were on the early (7:30am) boat, we also were treated to a complimentary coffee on arrival.
The boat ride was great fun, bumpy and breezy, and the arrival pure desert island bliss – the boat drives right up on the beach, and you step off directly onto brilliant white sand.
Adequately caffeinated, we wandered along the turquoise beach and then got our swimmers on for some snorkeling. There was not much visibility, but it was still lovely and I caught sight of a turtle which was exhilarating – it was just swimming along in the deep, totally cool.
The nice thing about Great Keppel is that it is very open and relaxed – dogs are allowed, despite there being lots of bushland, and it felt as though you could just wander in and out of the various resorts as you pleased. We walked through the bush to Monkey Beach, which was similarly gorgeous with white sand and crystal blue water, but sadly the visibility wasn’t much better!
There wasn’t much point trying again after lunch, but that was probably just as well as it meant we could have a rest under the shady palms while the girls built sand castles.
Our final Great Barrier Reef experience was at Heron Island. We had booked this right at the start of our travels, as a very special treat for us all. We made our way fairly quickly down the coast to Gladstone, and caught the ferry out to Heron. This transfer boat was much bigger and faster than the Great Keppel Island boat, and we whizzed along at top speed in the glorious blue sunshine.
We had five nights at Heron Island. Five nights!! We hadn’t stayed anywhere for that long on this trip, so it really felt like a holiday within a holiday.
Stepping off the boat onto the wharf at Heron Island was just incredible. It was like the resort had paid the turtles, sharks and sting rays to be there to welcome the new arrivals in the sparkling aquamarine water. Wow!
We had an incredible time here. It really was worth every penny we paid (apart from the food – be warned: it was average at best!). The wildlife was amazing, in and out of the water. The accommodation was fairly simple, but it suited us just fine – we had a ground floor room that opened straight out onto the beach. Wow!
Most people don’t come to Heron for the birds, and one of the first things to confront visitors is the rather pungent odour of their droppings, thanks to the large population of black noddy terns (some are resident here; others return in spring to breed). However, it really was fascinating to learn about their habits, along with that of other birdlife on the island, on a walking tour (a casual, friendly stroll, not really anything formal!) with one of the park rangers. The noddies were everywhere, and it was nesting season, so there was constant activity as the male birds rushed around trying to find the perfect leaf to complete his lover’s nest – she throws it out if it isn’t up to standard!
The shearwaters also started arriving the week we were there – one of the guides told us we’d know they were around because of the eery ghostly notes we would hear. And yes, one night we heard a low moaning and wailing… They were here! No wonder European explorers thought the islands were haunted!
We made the most of our five days here, snorkeling as much as possible. The water was clear the whole time we were there, which was a relief after the disappointing run we’d had so far. Because the island is so small it is fairly easy to gently swim your way around it, even with two small ones in tow.
The big marine animals were amazing. In one section of sand rested about a dozen or more eagle rays and shovel-nosed rays, and we just drifted over the top of them in wonder.
The turtles were the main drawcard. It wasn’t egg-laying season yet (although we saw some turtle tracks one morning on the beach – they must have wandered up overnight to check things out!) but there were still lots of them around. The best place to see them was at the ‘turtle cleaning station’ just beside the wharf. This is where the turtles go to chill out and have little fish clean the algae off their shells.
Two special moments with our girls will stay with me as defining our time on Heron. The first is of Maddy (3) finally putting her head in the water and starting to snorkel – she resisted right up until the last day, and then Dr Dick helped her look again through her goggles into the clear water. Suddenly, just like that, she was off! Head down, snorkel in – her first ever snorkel was around a wreck with the turtles and sharks!
The second was that same afternoon, when I took Ruby out to the turtle cleaning station. It was late, she was a bit tired and starting to get cold. We had swum past a little earlier, and hadn’t seen any turtles, so we were a little bit despondent. Despite hearing all about the turtles from the guides, Ruby had yet to see one In Real Life. So we decided to pop out, one last time.
The cleaning area is marked by a small buoy about 50m off the beach , so it’s not difficult to get to unless you’re 6 and tired. So she hitched a ride on my back – a fabulous way to get the kids into feeling comfortable in deep water!
When we got there and started counting the turtles – 5, 6, no! Nine! Ruby’s face just lit up with excitement, wonder and delight. I feel so lucky that we could share this incredible sight – it’s something I’ll cherish forever. The turtles were just resting on the bottom or floating about without any regard to us above them. It was amazing.
Dr Dick and I also squeezed in two scuba dives while on Heron – they were great fun but to be honest I think we saw just as much with the snorkels!
The elephant in the room, you may have noticed, is the coral. I’m not an expert at identifying bleaching, but there was very little colour in the reef, other than the fish. I can imagine that it’s not talked about much to keep the tourists coming in, but I was quite disturbed by what I saw. I knew there had been severe bleaching, but didn’t expect things to be quite so bad. It doesn’t surprise me that UNESCO has recommended placing the reef on the ‘In Danger’ list. It shocks me, however, that the Australian government plans to lobby against this! Is saving face (or the tourist dollar) more important than acknowledging reality?
Our Barrier Reef experiences hold very special memories for all of us – the white sand of Great Keppel, the turtles on Heron, the surprise delights of Bowen. I’m not sure we’ve had that perfect snorkel yet though…!
