Wrecks at Tangalooma, Moreton Island submitted by Paul Campbell
The world's second largest sand island, Moreton is 95% national park, with development restricted to just three small villages and a resort. A natural playground, it features crystal-clear creeks and lagoons, tall sand dunes, abundant wildflowers, an historic lighthouse and miles of pristine beaches. It's famous as one of only a handful of places in the world where you can hand feed dolphins in the wild at Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort.
For those seeking a natural island idyll close to Brisbane, Moreton is the perfect escape, offering leisure activities like swimming, snorkelling, fishing, sand tobogganing, bushwalking, dolphin and whale watching.
Getting there
Located in the northern part of Moreton Bay, Moreton Island is only a short boat trip from Brisbane (40km). A high-speed catamaran leaves from Holt Street Wharf, Pinkenba, to Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort on Moreton Ireland. The trip takes approximately 75 minutes. Check the latest timetable and fares.
Micat is a large, luxurious catamaran that runs daily trips across to Moreton Island, catering for both vehicles and passenger transport. Check here for the latest timetable and fares.
Four-wheel-drive vehicles are essential for driving on the island. All vehicles must be registered and have a valid Moreton Island Recreation Area vehicle access permit - available from the EPA website (fees apply).
Highlights
Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort
You can arrange to stay at Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort and enjoy activities such as hand feeding wild bottlenose dolphins or speeding down sand hills on a toboggan. The resort offers heaps of self-contained accommodation options set in lush tropical gardens. Day visitors are also welcome to take part in activities and use resort facilities such as the restaurant.
Snorkel and dive trips
With mysterious wrecks, colourful coral reefs and abundant marine life in the area, scuba diving and snorkelling are popular additions to the usual aquatic pursuits of swimming and surfing. Guided snorkelling tours of the famous Tangalooma Wrecks are provided by Micat as well as Tangalooma Resort.
Sand tobogganing, quad bikes, 4WDs
Adrenalin seekers can enjoy the thrill of their lives, sand-tobogganing down the world's tallest stabilised sand dune, Mt Tempest. Tangalooma also offers ATV quad-biking tours around the island. Alternatively, you can hire a 4WD to explore the island's beaches and tracks.
Blue lagoon
Towards the northern end of the island, within Moreton Island National Park, the freshwater lake of Blue Lagoon offers year-round swimming along with a host of birdlife and wildflowers during spring - perfect for bird watching and bushwalking.
Moreton Island Lighthouse
The oldest lighthouse in Queensland - first lit on February 14, 1857 - stands at Cape Moreton on the northern point of the island. Built to cope with increased shipping movements along the northern coast, the lighthouse was, for a long time, the only light on the entire east coast of Australia.
Moreton Island National Park
Fancy camping on a stretch of perfect beach? Given that most of Moreton Island is both national park and recreation area, there are abundant opportunities to reprise the Robinson Crusoe experience. However, you'll need to obtain a camping permit before you arrive on the island (there is no self-registration on site). Fees apply.
The island is laced with walking tracks, ranging from short, easy strolls to half-day hikes. Taking a hike is one of the best ways to appreciate the island's beauty and diverse wildlife habitats. You can get more detailed information about the park's walking tracks and facilities from the Moreton Island National Park information centre, near the lighthouse, or the Moreton Bay Marine Park. Dugong feed on the bay's seagrass communities while migratory and resident shorebirds feed and roost on the island's beaches. Humpback whales can be seen from Cape Moreton during their migration from June to November.
