Turtle Season on Heron Island

Cairns Tandem Skydive up to 14,000ft

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Fly + Raft Northern Exposure Package

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Daydream Island Northern Exposure tour

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Bay Rock (70 minutes)

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Kayak Turtle Tour – Half Day

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Platypus Paradise Tour

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While Heron Reef has a resident population of around 4,000 turtles, you can spot Loggerhead and Green Turtles making their annual pilgrimage to Heron Island to breed on the shores between October and March. In September, the turtles flock to the island to mate and lay clutched of eggs, and the hatching happens from December.
You can spot this amazing natural occurrence by booking a stay on Heron Island. You can’t take day trips here, so guests are given five-star treatment without the price tag. To get to Heron Island, you can take a boat for $60 or seaplane for $338.

To find a turtle, you just have to walk along Heron Beach maybe one or two hours after high tide in the evening. Look for tracks in the sand to see where the turtles have come in from the ocean.
In order to not disturb the turtles, keep torches on a low impact, preferably 3-volt low-impact, and don’t use flash photography. Excessive movement can also disturb them, so when you see one, try and stay as still as possible. When you see a turtle, always walk behind her and don’t approach her as you may scare her off back into the ocean before she’s laid her eggs. Don’t crowd the turtle if she’s digging her nest – stay at least 10 metres away to let her get on with it in peace, and then watch her as she makes her way back into the ocean.

Book your stay on Heron Island and spot the turtles at www.heronisland.com