Fitzroy Island Getaway
Ok, so you love a coastal holiday - the chill vibes, the beach, the sun, the classic sunsets. What if you could do all of that on a secluded island off the coast of Queensland, Australia?
**Drum roll**
The island we want to introduce you to is Fitzroy Island in the Cairns region, on the door step of the spectacular Great Barrier Reef. Fitzroy Island is a tropical island with picturesque scenery with breathtaking beaches, rainforest hiking trails, and the one and only resort on the island - Fitzroy Island Resort.
You have the option to do a day trip to the island or stay at the exclusive island resort for an extended trip.
Fitzroy Island
WHAT IS THERE TO DO?
There are number of activities to do on Fitzroy Island such as:
Water sports - snorkelling, kayaking, standup paddle boarding and swimming. All water sport equipment can be hired from the Fitzroy Island Sports Hub service in the resort near reception. It's not the cheapest hire, but it is at a very scenic and beautiful location indeed.
You should also be aware of Irukandji (a venomous species of the box jelly fish) season which is from November to May each year. If you're going to be in the water during that time, make sure you have a stinger suit (available for hire at the resort, purchase at the resort store or bring your own).
Hiking - There are a few hike options on the island depending on your preference:
Lighthouse Road - 3.6km return (This took us just over 1.5 hours walking at a brisk pace with some photo stops. Parts of this walk can be quite exposed so bring a hat, water and wear sunscreen)
Summit Track - 2.6km return (This track formed part of the Lighthouse Road)
Nudey Beach Track - 1km return
Secret Garden Track - 1km return
Click here to access the Queensland Government Fitzroy Island map. We recommend downloading it prior to your hike as reception can be limited in some areas of the island.
Visit the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre - They are a non-profit organisation that aids in rehabilitating injured turtles until they're healthy enough to be released back into the wild! To see the turtles, you just have to join the tour for $12 (per adult).
You get to see the rehabilitating turtles up close and the guide provides education on what the volunteers do, how the turtle came to be rescued, and what happens to the turtles once they're released back into the wild. It's only a short tour but we definitely recommend it.
Glass bottom boat - Should you fancy seeing beneath the water without being in the water, the glass bottom boat option is a fantastic choice, especially in Irukandji season!
You can also book this at the Fitzroy Island Sports Hub near the resort reception.
Join a day tour - You have the option to join day tours such as a day tour by boat to the outer reefs. We didn't get time to visit this during our trip but we've been told by the locals of Cairns it's an amazing place to visit!
You can do some more research here.
WHEN TO GO?
We were told by the locals to travel around August to October each year because the weather is nice and there aren't many Irukandjis around. Although August is technically winter in Australia, given the northern location of Fitzroy Island and the tropical environment, the temperature will range around a comfortable 19-28 degrees celsius (66.2-82.4 fahrenheit) during those months.
HOW TO GET THERE?
The Fitzroy Flyer is the main mode of transport heading out to Fitzroy Island. Click here for the most up to date timetable and prices whether you're planning on doing a day trip or whether you're staying for longer. The ferry ride is about 45mins and was reasonably stable on a sunny day.
The Fitzroy Flyer departs from the Cairns Marlin Marina:
We thought we'd get to the marina early and just get some food at the nearby restaurants. There were so many waterfront options available but we went with Vitalia's Italian Restaurant and wow.. their food, specifically their pizza, was amazing! The 'Quattro formaggi e tartufo' was our favourite.
ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS
The Fitzroy Island Resort is the only accommodation on the island, but we absolutely loved the stay! The resort offers vanilla room bookings, but also offers packages (which is what we got) which include the accommodation, transfers to and from the island, and sometimes breakfast (depending on the package you get). The package we selected was about $599 which included 3D 2N accommodation with ferry transfers, 2x welcome drinks, a $50 voucher for Zephyrs and breakfast daily. Our room also had partial ocean views (as we were on the ground floor), but it was absolutely stunning!
The accommodation itself has 99 rooms, many of which have full or partial ocean views. In terms of food, the resort has a few options:
Zephyr - the main restaurant (the breakfast and sunset/dinner views here are amazing),
Foxy's Bar - a casual 'pub' style restaurant with ocean views and pool tables, and
Pool Bar - open for afternoon happy hour every day.
There is also a general store at the resort stocked with groceries, everyday personal essential items, rashies, sunscreen, sunglasses, ice creams and much much more. We understand most rooms are equipped with cooking facilities so you can buy some basic food items to cook your own meals if you wish! We will note it's slightly pricer than the mainland groceries of course.
There is also a pool table and games room at the resort. Perfect for the spare time you have just before or after dinner!
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We hope this has given you a coastal getaway idea! If you found this helpful, please share it with your family and friends so you can all experience the relaxation we did too!
Happy travels.
Wandonist
**Please note we're not affiliated with the linked companies. They have been linked to aid in your research and the planning of your travels.