Are you a keen lover of the ocean and adventure activities? This article is for you! Fitzroy Island, a stunning tropical island located 25km off the coast of Cairns in Tropical Far North Queensland, is home to a wide array of amazing water activities. With its incredible location right in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, warm tropical ocean waters, balmy weather all year round and activities galore, Fitzroy Island truly is an adventure lover’s paradise.
Let’s take a look together now at five outstanding water activities you can enjoy during a visit to or stay on Fitzroy Island.
Snorkelling
Snorkelling is one of the most relaxing ways of exploring the beautiful Great Barrier Reef that surrounds Fitzroy Island. Dissimilar to scuba diving, snorkelling requires very little equipment (just a snorkel, mask and fins), meaning you can pop in and out of the ocean as much or as little as you like. Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef at Fitzroy Island is made even more amazing thanks to the ability to snorkel straight from the beach onto the reef, which is located mere metres from the shore.
Snorkelling equipment is available for hire from the Fitzroy Island Sports Hub, or of course, you are welcome to bring your own. Snorkelling is the perfect water activity for those a little nervous in the ocean and for families with children. Snorkelling amongst the gorgeous reef that surrounds the island, you can expect to see numerous different species of hard and soft corals, stunning tropical fish, giant clams and wondrous sea turtles (who are frequent visitors to the waters of Fitzroy Island).
Scuba Diving
Scuba diving is without a doubt one of the most incredible ways to get up close and experience the magical sea life that call the Great Barrier Reef home. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest natural structure and is in fact comprised of nearly 3,000 individual hard and soft coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef stretches over a distance of 2,000 kilometres up the beautiful Queensland coast in eastern Australia.
With the Great Barrier Reef located just metres from the shore of Fitzroy Island, you can pop your wetsuit and all relevant equipment on on the sand and scuba dive straight from the beach. The Fitzroy Island Sports Hub is PADI-accredited and operated by a team of highly experienced and enthusiastic staff, who will assist you with regards to equipment hire and any questions you may have.
If you have never been scuba diving before, don’t worry, as Fitzroy Island has its very own training pool where you can get the hang of your scuba equipment before heading out to explore the gentle waters and the reef that surrounds the island. Scuba diving amongst the Great Barrier Reef is so remarkable that many individuals then choose to take part in Fitzroy Island’s offering of PADI-certified dive courses, to make the most of all there is to see.
Sea Kayaking
Sea kayaking is becoming more and more popular around Australia, as not only is it a great means of exploring the sea life below and the environment around you, but it’s also loads of fun and great incidental exercise. Hiring a glass bottom kayak at Fitzroy Island is an incredible way to explore the Great Barrier Reef beneath you, all at your own pace.
If you are keen to learn as much as you can about Fitzroy Island and the Great Barrier Reef, consider taking part in a 3-hour Guided Sea Kayaking Tour, led by a knowledgeable and passionate guide. During this tour, you are able to access and explore unique beaches and snorkelling spots that cannot be reached by any other means. Snorkelling gear hire and a yummy picnic lunch are included in the cost of your tour.
Stand Up Paddle Boarding
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest natural structure and is in fact comprised of nearly 3,000 individual hard and soft coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef stretches over a distance of 2,000 kilometres up the beautiful Queensland coast in eastern Australia.
With the Great Barrier Reef located just metres from the shore of Fitzroy Island, why not explore it in quite a unique way and at your own pace! Stand up paddle boarding is fast becoming a favourite water sport in Australia, and that’s because you can do it in almost any body of water and you don’t really need much to get you going – you, your bathers (because you will get wet) and the board and paddle.
If you’ve never done stand up paddling before, you’re in for a good time and a lot of laughs. Once you find your balance and get standing up, you can explore the gentle waters that surrounds the island and even get into those places you can reach by foot or boat. And as a bonus, stand up paddle boarding is a great core workout! You can hire stand up paddle boards from the resort.
Resort Pool
This list wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of Fitzroy Island Resort’s stunning resort pool. Complete with sun lounges, a swim-up bar and poolside foot massage on offer, the resort pool at Fitzroy Island is the perfect spot to relax and unwind. The resort pool is accessible for guests staying at Fitzroy Island Resort and is even open at nighttime, for a relaxing tropical swim beneath the stars.
Fitzroy Island is able to be visited for just the day, or choose to indulge and stay a little longer by taking advantage of the accommodation of your choice at beautiful Fitzroy Island Resort. No matter how little or how long you have on the island, you are bound to leave with incredible memories of this slice of paradise.
