Boat Transfers

Boat Transfer duration: approximately 2 hours.

Cost - $99.50 per person each way / Children 12 and under $49.75 per person each way.

At 34 metres, The Heron Islander is specifically designed to provide a comfortable and spacious transfer from the Queensland mainland to Heron Island. Launched in 2007, she comfortably seats 170 and has a top speed of 30 knots (55kmh).

QF2308 Sat 10:00 am 11:00 am 2:00 pm

QF2308 / QF2332 Sun - Fri 9:55 am 11:00 am 2:00 pm

VC520 Mon - Fri 07:15 am 11:00 am 2:00 pm

Guests arriving into Gladstone on the above flights will be provided with a transfer from the Airport to the Marina. Please make your way to the front of the Terminal once you have collected your luggage to meet the transfer service (transfer departs approx. 10:15 am).

If you’re making your own way to Gladstone Marina you’ll find it at Bryan Jordan Drive, Gladstone. Secure car lock-up facilities are available for approximately $12 per day ($60 per week) for a covered car park or $10 per day ($50 per week) for an uncovered park.

In the crystal clear aquamarine waters surrounding the island, stunning coral gardens and sea creatures great and small flourish in abundance and colour. It makes Heron Island a natural place for divers, swimmers, and people who love to snorkel. It also offers an array of choices for those who like to explore and laze on beaches far from crowds , with no reef ‘day-trippers’ to spoil the peace and quiet.

Of course all the wildlife isn’t purely aquatic, Green turtles have made the beaches on the island their nesting home. So too have birds of all sizes and kinds, in numbers you simply will not believe. Little wonder that Heron Island is part of a World Heritage listed area and home to one of Australia’s premier marine research stations. The reef and its surroundings are in pristine condition. Meticulous planning has gone into making sure the environment and all the wildlife on the island are protected at all costs.

Heron Island enjoys a pleasant sub-tropical climate with balmy temperatures all year round.

At Shearwater, both breakfast and lunch are buffet style on the deck overlooking the Coral Sea. You can enjoy a three-course 'table d'hote' menu for dinner five days a week and try an 'Aussie BBQ' on Tuesday nights and a selection of local seafood presented on a Seafood Buffet on Saturday nights.

On top of that, we cater for special diets and special requests. Picnic hampers you can enjoy anywhere on the island are a popular favourite.

The Bar & Lounge are the place to relax with a cold drink after a warm day. The complex is designed to make the most of panoramic reef views, with an outdoor terrace, a cocktail bar, entertainment lounge, dance floor and a mezzanine level library area.

Any time is a good time, open from 9.30am till late.

Heron Island is known the world over for its excellent Great Barrier dive sites and fantastic coral gardens and pinnacles. So good is the diving that Jacques Cousteau – the world’s most famous undersea explorer of our time - listed The Heron Bommie as one of his top ten favourite dive sites.

A natural coral cay, located directly on the reef, there are plenty of dive sites to explore, more than half of which are just 15 minutes from the beach. The waters of the reef around Heron Island are teeming with reef fish, turtles, manta rays, reef sharks and a sheer endless variety of marine invertebrates. Around 60% of the 1,500 species of fish and around 72% of the coral species found on the Great Barrier Reef call the reefs around our beautiful island their home.

Heron Island caters to all levels of marine enthusiasts from the novice snorkeller to experienced underwater explorers. Diving at Heron Island is relatively shallow, with average depths between 10 and 25 metres. Snorkellers can enjoy the shallow reefs that come up to within two or three metres of the surface in places.March / April: Water Temperature 22-29˚C (72-84˚F) - End of turtle nesting season.May / June: Water Temperature 19-23˚C (66-73˚F) - Humpback Whales northern migration begins.July / August: Water Temperature 18-23˚C (64-73˚F) - Humpback Whales frequently sighted. - Visibility up to 50mSeptember / October: Water Temperature 20-26˚C (68-79˚F) - Humpback Whales active. Turtle mating may be observed.November / December: Water Temperature 22-29˚C (72-84˚F) - Turtle egg laying begins - some first hatchlings emerge in December. Annual synchronised coral spawning.Heron Island caters to all levels of marine enthusiasts from the novice snorkeller to experienced underwater explorers. Diving at Heron Island is relatively shallow, with average depths between 10 and 25 metres. Snorkellers can enjoy the shallow reefs that come up to within two or three metres of the surface in places.

Complimentary Activities•Informative guided reef walks help to understand one of our national treasures (operate daily subject to tides)•Island ecology walks•Guided birdlife walks•Stargazing•Wildlife presentations•Snorkeling lessons in the swimming pool•Tennis (night & day) & table tennis•Nature slide show presentations and marine documentaries•Trivia night Other Activities (charges apply)•Dive the Great Barrier Reef with more than 20 dive and snorkelling sites, including the Heron Bommie, one of Jacques Cousteau's favourite dives!•Enjoy Half-Day Reef Snorkelling Tours offering a kaleidoscope of coloured fish and coral on Heron and Wistari Reefs, all within easy reach of Heron Island•Enjoy the reef without getting wet on our semi-submersible coral viewing cruises, with our naturalist guide providing commentary•Join a Turtle Tour to spot turtles nesting and hatchlings (peak nesting times December through to April)•Inspire your children to become eco warriors on the Junior Ranger Program, available for children aged 7 to 12 years old (only available during Australian school holidays)•Enjoy scenic views of Heron Island and the magical reef with a scenic helicopter flight (by prior arrangement)•Watch magnificent sunsets on the Sunset Cruises (adults 18+ only)•Take off to a secluded beach on Heron Island and enjoy a specially prepared Beach Picnic Hamper•Indulge yourself with a spa treatment at the Aqua Soul Spa•Enjoy a guided tour of the Southern night sky with Spacewatch - binoculars and a telescope are provided.

Heron Island Marine Centre is a 5 Star PADI Dive Resort and featuring a fully equipped dive shop and offers an extensive range of PADI Dive courses from Open Water Referral to a select number of specialties.

There is a good range of excellent quality dive & snorkel gear for sale and hire. The current hire and sale range features the latest Aqualung equipment. The Heron Island Dive Shop offers a wide range of wetsuits for hire form 5mm shorties for the warm summer months to 5mm full length 2-piece wetsuits for the colder months.

Three fully equipped dive boats with capacities of up to 24 divers make diving from Heron Island a well organised and spacious experience. Apart from the massive amounts of space on our dive boats there is also a full canopy cover for sun protection.

Complimentary snorkel lessons are conducted daily at 2pm in the swimming pool. No booking is required. You will require mask, snorkel and fins to participate, which are available for hire from the Marine Centre. Being right on the reef means that you can snorkel off the beach. If you have not snorkelled before or would like to practice, try Shark Bay (named after the harmless Shovel Nose Ray) or from the Gantry just in front of the Pandanus Lounge.

To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the “Special or Accessibility Requests” section of “Trip Preferences” when you book your hotel.

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.

• No onsite parking is available.

No elevators

The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.

• Fee for wireless Internet in all public areas: AUD 3 (for 20 minutes, rates may vary)
• Self parking fee: AUD 10 per night

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

Guests must transfer via boat to the property. Guests must contact the property at least 72 hours before travel, using the contact information on the confirmation received after booking. A resort fee is included in the total price displayed. All guests staying in hotel guestrooms must be registered with the hotel.

This property does not have an official STAR Rating from AAA Tourism Pty Ltd. For the benefit of our customers, we have provided a rating based on our rating system.