Fitzroy Island

Fitzroy Island sits in the Coral Sea about 29 kilometres south-east of Cairns, connected to the mainland by daily ferry services that take approximately 45 minutes. The island is 339 hectares of steep, densely forested granite with fringing coral reefs on all sides. It is almost entirely national park, with the only developed area being a small resort, a beach bar and a jetty on the western (leeward) side.

The snorkelling at Fitzroy Island is among the best readily accessible from Cairns. The main snorkelling area is around the Nudey Beach headland (a short walk north from the resort), where the coral is in excellent condition and the water clarity is high. Nudey Beach itself has been repeatedly voted one of the best beaches in Australia, despite its small size, because of the combination of turquoise water, granite boulders and the surrounding rainforest canopy coming right down to the shore.

The Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre operates on the island and is open to visitors at scheduled times. The centre takes in sick and injured green and hawksbill sea turtles from the surrounding reef, rehabilitates them in onshore tanks, and releases them back into the wild when recovered. Volunteers staff the centre and the guided presentations explain the biology and conservation challenges facing reef turtle populations.

The Summit Track is a steep 3.6 kilometre return walk through dense rainforest to the island's 269 metre lighthouse summit. The walk takes about two hours return and the top delivers panoramic views across the reef, the Coral Sea, the mainland mountains and the nearby Frankland Islands. The Secret Garden walk is a shorter, flatter loop that passes through thick forest with epiphytes, ferns and palm species typical of Wet Tropics rainforest.

Fitzroy Island Resort is the only accommodation on the island, with a range of rooms from budget studios to ocean suites. Day visitors can use the pool, the beach bar and hire snorkelling gear, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. The island is a year-round destination, though stinger season (October to May) means a stinger suit is recommended for any water activities during those months. The ferry runs daily from the Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal.