🐠 The Great Barrier Reef is Australia’s most prized and visited natural destination.
The marine park stretches over 2000 km (1200 miles) almost parallel to the Queensland coast, from the coastal town of Bundaberg, up past Port Douglas.
The Great Barrier Reef is the most extensive coral reef system in the world.
It is considered to be one of the world’s greatest destinations for diving, sailing and other outdoor activities, including fishing, swimming and kayaking.
✈️ Getting There:
By Air: The main gateway to The Great Barrier Reef is Cairns airport.
International visitors fly direct to Sydney or Brisbane, then connect to Cairns.
Flight time: Sydney —> Cairns (3) hrs; from Brisbane —> Cairns, 2.5 hrs.
Within Australia, Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia provide regular flights from various cities.
Service is available into many towns along the Great Barrier coast; i.e. Proserpine, Mackay, Townsville, Bundaberg, Gladstone and others.
Driving from Sydney to Cairns takes about 27 hours via the Gregory Highway, covering 2,419 km (1,512 miles).
Car rental is your best option in getting around.
The best time to visit:
The best time to visit is June to early October. Temperatures range from the low 60s to mid-80s, with little rain, making the water clearer and diving better.
What to bring:
Pack sunscreen, sun hat, sunglasses, loose comfortable clothing, walking shoes.
Travel Adaptor - Type I
Other things to know:
Visa required - register online
Entry fees for visiting National Parks.
Travel Guides - Lonely Planet East Coast Australia and Moon Sydney & the Great Barrier Reef.
Driving times:
SOUTHERN REEF ISLANDS:
Bundeberg to Gladstone: 2 hrs. 15 min
Gladstone to Rockhampton: 1 hr. 15 min.
Rockhampton to MacKay: 4 hrs.
WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS:
MacKay to Airlie Beach: 2 hrs.
Airlie Beach to Shute Harbor: 15 min.
Shute Harbor to Townsville 4 hrs.
TROPICAL NORTH ISLANDS:
Townsville to Cairns: 4 hrs. 15 min.
Cairns to Port Douglas: 1 hr.
Northern Great Barrier Reef
⛱️ Townsville - offers excellent day trips, close proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and is not overwhelmed by tourism.
Magnetic Island-a 20-minute ferry will take you to another embarkation point where many of the dive tours operate.
Magnetic Island located just off Townsville has gorgeous, isolated beaches and is a tranquil, beautiful spot.
Walking is the best way to see the island. Forts Walk is a popular scenic 4 km trail starting at Radical Bay.
Getting there: Sealink Ferry
Orpheus Island-is located north-east from Townsville is well known for its luxury and simple pleasures.
As a listed National Park, Orpheus Island is an exclusive retreat offering premium service and total seclusion.
<Day Tour>
If your staying overnight: Orpheus Island Resort.
Townsville is home to the Reef HQ Great Barrier Reef Aquarium, the world's largest living coral reef aquarium.
⛱️ Cairns - renowned as the gateway to the tropical North.
Cairns located near Port Douglas, Palm Cove, Mission Beach, and the Daintree Rainforest, Cairns is one of Australia's top five holiday spots for international tourists.and offers plenty of things to do in Cairns.
Cairns Highlights: 3 or 4 days.
🏖️ Best beaches in Cairns.
Palm Cove – Beautiful palm-lined beach with safe swimming, resort vibes, and great dining.
Mission Beach – 14 km of swimmable coast linking rainforest and reef; ideal for relaxed stays.
Ellis Beach – Quiet, scenic, local favorite with a beach bar and patrolled swimming area.
Stroll the Cairns Esplanade. The Esplanade is a tree-lined walkway by the sea with restaurants and gardens. It has bike paths, walking trails, playgrounds, barbecues, exercise spots, and a saltwater lagoo
Tours from Cairns.
Fitzroy Island - it’s a 45-minute ferry ride departing from the Cairns Reef Terminal (harbor).
Fitzroy Island, the closest island to Cairns, is a natural tropical paradise with walking trails through the rainforest. It also has the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre and lovely beaches.
Those visitors looking to stay overnight, we recommend the Fitzroy Island resort. <activities>
Nudey Beach – picture-perfect with white sand and great snorkeling; just 45 mins ⛴️ by ferry.
Getting there: Fitzroy Flyer.
Green Island - also a 45-minute ferry ride from Cairns, is one of the most popular day trips. <Tours>
The coral cay is surrounded by golden sandy beaches, but the best part is snorkeling around the nearby coral reef.
Visitors looking to stay overnight, we recommend the Green Island resort. <activities>
Hartley's Crocodile Adventures - is a wildlife sanctuary and ecotourism park located between Cairns and Port Douglas. <location>
The wildlife collection now includes koalas, wombats, alligators, komodo dragons, birds of prey, and exotic snakes and reptiles. It is the biggest wildlife attraction in Northern Australia.
Palm Cove - a 30-minute drive north of Cairns, the charming village sits between the Coral Sea and the rainforest. Port Douglas is a top destination just over an hour from Cairns.
⛱️ Port Douglas - is brimming with natural beauty and adventure. <video>
The town is close to the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest, and the palm-lined Four Mile Beach.
The coastline drive from Cairns to Port Douglas is magnificent. This small town offers visitors everything they need from small shops and good restaurants, a four-mile beach, to stunning scenery.
<Where to stay> in Port Douglas.
Port Douglas Highlights: 3 or 4 days.
Low Isles located 15 km from the coast, Low Isles offers island tours and beach snorkeling. It has 15 types of soft corals and is home to colorful parrotfish, angelfish, damselfish, and clownfish.
Mackay Coral Cay A stunning, remote coral island in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef, perfect for snorkeling.
Four Mile Beach - this is Port Douglas's best beach. It's less than a 5-minute walk from the town center. You can walk along the sandy shore for hours. The beach starts at a rocky area in the north, perfect for kids to explore.
Daintree National Park - this rainforest park is 100 km north of Cairns. It has many unique plants and animals found nowhere else. It is also one of the oldest rainforests in the world.
The beautiful Daintree area starts at the Wet Tropics rainforest of Mossman Gorge, a one-hour drive north of Cairns. It stretches through valleys and over the Daintree River to the old rainforests of the Cape Tribulation section of Daintree National Park.
Learn about the Daintree ferry. The vehicle ferry is the only way to cross the Daintree River and reach Cape Tribulation.
Located one (1) hour northwest of Port Douglas. <route>
<Tours> from Port Douglas to Daintree.
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Port Douglas is highly rated as one of Australia's and the world's premier sports fishing and game fishing holiday destinations.
Light and heavy game tackle fishing and reef fishing opportunities include Blue and Black Marlin, Sailfish, Mackerel, Wahoo, Giant Trevally, Mahi Mahi, Tuna, Dogtooth Tuna, Coral Trout, Red Emperor and Sea Perch.
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Go on a glass-bottom boat. It is a good option for non-swimmers, those with disability or small children wanting to spot the colorful creatures and coral below.
Cairns, Mission Beach and Port Douglas all have dedicated glass-bottom boat tours, as do many of the island resorts.
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Stinger Season runs from late October through May.
Stinger Season refers to an influx of jellyfish species around the Great Barrier Reef. Tthey come to this area because of the warm, tropical waters. Since there is a rise in the jellyfish population, there is also a slightly elevated risk of visitors getting stung.
The Cairns Jellyfish are plentiful during this time, but people have snorkelled with these animals for decades with little to no incidents. Certain species of jellyfish can give very painful, and even fatal stings, reports of a killer jellyfish sting is a rare occurrence. This infrequency is due in part to the safety barriers that go up to separate beachgoers and the jellyfish, and partly due to people being respectful and mindful of other creatures that are sharing the water.
If you do get stung on tour, the tour company will take you to the proper medical authorities.
Additionally, some tour companies offer everyone a range of protective lycra/wetsuits that typically cover part of your hands, neck, and come with a hood. If you choose to take this suit and listen to the tour guides, you can reduce your chances of a sting.
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Climate for the Port Douglas Region
Winter:
A proven hotspot for all Australian tourists with the southern states escaping the Australian Winter. The end of May until the beginning of August is winter in Australia. But not in Port Douglas. The humidity is relatively dry, rainfall is very rare and the day time temperature is around 25°C dropping to 16°C at night. Water temperature is around 25.
Summer:
September through March are our are our tropical summer months with impeccable blues sky days and barmy nights up until until December. In December we usually experience the first of our summer rains during the nights. This releases much of the heat and humidity leading up until this time and is a welcome relief to many locals and tourists alike.
Summer is a very popular time for the North European and Northern American visitors escaping their freezing winters.
From January to March the region experience many rain filled nights and majestic sun shower days with most visitors taking the time to go to the rivers and waterholes to experience a true tropical rainforest experience. Visitor also flock to the reef where the days are usually still in full sun due to the coastal weather patterns.
The reef is at its best in these month with zero winds and the clearest visibility experienced over the entire year.
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Port Douglas to Cairns Airport: 72 km, 50 min.
Port Douglas to Cairns city center: 80 km, 1-hr.
Port Douglas to Daintree Village: 55 km, 45 min.
Port Douglas to Daintree Ferry: 60 km, 40 min.
Port Douglas to Cape Trib.: 85 km, 1h 45m
Port Douglas to Mossman Gorge: 20 km, 15m
Port Douglas to Julaten: 35 km, 30m
Map
Driving time between Cairns and Port Douglas is 1 hr.
Visit Cape Tribulation National Park - here the Daintree Rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef.
You can visit the long, sandy beaches and bays, observe crocodiles along the rivers, or hike along boardwalks.
Plan to stay overnight at the park. A day trip to Cape Tribulation is difficult because the park has a lot to see..
Read more - download the visitor guide.
Tours: Jungle Tours and Tropical Horizons Tours.
<Where to stay> at Cape Tribulation Park.
Located 2 hours one way, north of Port Douglas. <route>
Central
Great Barrier Reef
Southern
Great Barrier Reef
Central Great Barrier Reef
The central Great Barrier Reef area is a popular destination for tourists because of its access to Cairns and Port Douglas.
The Central Itinerary spans from MacKay to Townsville.
MacKay region:
Keswick Island - not far from Mackay, is a truly natural wonderland and discover its natural treasures.
Getting there from MacKay:
Keswick Explorer operates from MacKay Marina Gate C on most Mondays & Fridays, weather permitting. Duration ~ 45 min.
Wild Cat Adventures has daily tours.
Download the MacKay Visitor Guide.
Airlie Beach:
Hamilton Island- it is the most famous and largest inhabited island in the Whitsundays, with its own airport, restaurants, and a nearby island with a golf course. It is about 27 km from Airlie Beach and can be reached by ferry or direct flight.
Hayman Island is the be-all, end-all of the Whitsundays. Definitely, the most expensive and exclusive way to see the islands.
Hook Island is one of the lesser known of the top five Whitsunday Islands. Famous for its diverse and beautiful fringing reefs, offers spectacular natural surroundings and excellent snorkelling and diving sites.
Daydream Island - just 5 km from the mainland, this family-friendly spot has a day spa and an outdoor aquarium. A 30-minute ferry ride makes it great for day trips. You can swim, snorkel, canoe, and sail hobie cats. There are different places to stay and packages for a quick weekend trip.
Whitsunday Island -the biggest island in the Whitsundays, it has the famous Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet Lookout. Millions visit each year to enjoy the soft, white sand and stunning views. It is one of the world’s most famous beaches and one of Australia’s top 3 tourist spots.
Note: the island does not have a resort or any amenities aside from toilets.
Southern Great Barrier Reef
The southern marine park, consist of the base cities of Bundeberg, Gladstone and Rockhampton and its idyllic islands of Great Keppel, Pumpkin, Wilson, Heron, Lady Musgrave and Lady Elliot. A lifetime travel experience.
The Southern Itinerary spans from Bundeburg north ending at the town of MacKay.
Bundaberg:—the gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef. A four (4) hour drive north of Brisbane.
Visit Lady Musgrave Island with Lady Musgrave Experience.
Enjoy an all-inclusive day trip of turtle spotting, snorkeling and marine biologist guided island tours.
You depart from the Bundaberg Port Marin (2-hr) boat ride each way.
Visit Lady Elliot Island.
Spend your day exploring this coral cay, taking glass bottom boat tours and turtle spotting.
You can choose a day trip or a overnight stay.
Overnight: Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort.
Where to stay in Bundeberg.
Gladstone:— is the jumping-off point for some of the best island adventures on the coastline.
Heron Island - a great place for snorkeling and diving in the Great Barrier Reef.
Getting there: The Heron Islander is a two-hour cruise from Gladstone. Book in advance.
Wilson Island - an adults only island. This small and unique coral cay is a untainted and untouched getaway with safari-style tented accommodation.
Rockhampton region:
Pumpkin Island — one of the best-kept secrets nestled in the Southern Great Barrier Reef,
Depart from the Yeppoon’s Keppel Bay Marina, (located at 1 Waterline Way, Yeppoon).
It’s a 40-minute ferry ride.
Great Keppel Island — is the largest in the Keppel Group.
Check out video about the island.
It’s a great place to snorkel. The best beaches for snorkeling are Shelving Beach, Clam Bay and Monkey Point .
Depart from the Yeppoon’s Keppel Bay Marina.
It’s a 30-minute ferry ride.
Air Tours:
Tour operators available around the Great Barrier Reef include GBR Helicopters, Air Whitsunday, GSL Aviation and Hamilton Island Air.
GBR Helicopters offers scenic flights from Cairns and Port Douglas,
Air Whitsunday or GSL Aviation (near Airlie beach) offers trips to the Whitsunday Islands.
For visitors staying on Hamilton Island, there's Hamilton Island Air, tours depart from the island's Great Barrier Reef Airport.
Tour lengths and prices vary by company, from 10-minute scenic flights to half-day trips with island stops and boat rides. Prices usually range from 139 to 799 Australian dollars per person. Check with your hotel's concierge before booking, as they might offer cheaper packages.
WHAT WILL THE TRIP COST ?
Search for your hotel.
🌤️ Climate Guide
Winter, or the 'Dry' season, begins in May and ends in October offering sunshine, fresh breezes and low humidity.
Summer, or the 'Wet' season, extends from November to April and refreshes the region with tropical downpours of an afternoon and occasional dramatic electrical storms.
The best time to visit is winter (June to October). The weather has clear skies, cool breezes, and great scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef.
