Heron Island is a National Marine Park situated in the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. This area is a significant nesting location for two threatened sea turtle species, the Green Turtle and the Loggerhead Turtle. Our tour to Heron Island is in the height of baby Green and Loggerhead Turtle hatching season. During hatching season, turtle hatchlings will erupt from their nests between 25 to 50 metres from shore and make their way to the reef, just beyond the water’s edge. Heron Island is a true coral cay and is ribboned by white sands, crystal clear waters and acres of coral with beautifully coloured marine life. The emphasis is on enjoying natural beauty. Stress is replaced by adventure, and your days are filled with discovery
2 March 2025
16 Meals 3 Eco Experiences 3 Cultural & Heritage experiences
Save $200 per couple or $100 Single if booked before 30 April 2024
2 March 2025
2024 Rates
$2,880pp Twin Share
$3,620 Sole Use
2025 Rates
$3,100pp Twin Share
$3,895 Sole Use
PRE & POST TOUR EXTENDER OPTION
2 additional days (TOTAL 8 DAY TOUR)
• Return economy class flights ex Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide to Brisbane
• 2 additional nights room only (1 night pre & 1 night post tour) at Meriton Suites Brisbane
• Return Airtrain tickets ex Brisbane Domestic Terminal to Roma Street Station
Plus $999pp Twin Share
Plus $1230 Sole Use
**Subject to availability – some block out dates apply. Prices are subject to change without notice**
Deposit of $500pp required within 14 days of making booking to secure your reservation.
N.B. Tour subject to fuel levy price increases for all transport operators. See T&Cs for details.
Fun Over 50 Holidays Green Bank donation made to Research Station on Heron Island for coral reef studies and education.
Board our luxury ‘Gold’ Class’ coach, and travel responsibly knowing all coach emissions are 100% offset. Sit back and relax as we make our way to the Southern Great Barrier Reef region. We break for a cuppa and leg stretch at the Gympie Duck Ponds before continuing on to Childers. Enjoy lunch before making our way to our overnight accommodation in Gladstone.
Days 2 & 3
Embark from Gladstone Marina on the Heron Island fast cat to this nature lover’s paradise in the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef. We join the awe-inspiring turtle season encounter, led by marine biologist guides. Each night, Heron Island welcomes up to 150 turtles and their hatchlings, Immerse yourself further in the island’s wonders through a guided walk, where you’ll delve into the history, flora, and fauna of Heron Island. Explore the captivating Pisonia Forest near Shark Bay, and return along North Beach to the resort. Discover the formation of Heron Island, a thriving vegetated coral cay shaped by environmental factors. Visit the University research station where we discuss investigations and experiments in and around Heron Island before joining a knowledgeable naturalist eco guide, at low tide who will enlighten you about the formation of the reef and introduce you to the extraordinary creatures that inhabit the Heron Island reef. During your stay, you can snorkel at your leisure, walking straight off the coral sands into the azure waters where an underworld ecosystem comes to life with an abundance of fish, rays, sharks and turtles feed and play daily. Join your Tour Host and fellow guests for sundowners overlooking an amazing sunset.
**Fast cat transfers take 2 hours and are in open waters. Those who suffer motion sickness are advised to take the necessary precautions. Optionally, at additional expense you may like to organise return helicopter transfers from Gladstone.
**Disclaimer: Turtle Hatching is a naturally occurring event and we cannot guarantee hatchlings will be present.
We enjoy a leisurely morning on beautiful Heron Island, before an early afternoon departure on the fast cat. Back on the mainland, we take a short journey to the Town of Seventeen Seventy (1770). Surrounded on three sides by the Coral Sea and Bustard Bay, 1770 is a picturesque village rich in wildlife and scenery.
This morning we take the ideal getaway on the Pink Amphibious LARC and enjoy the highlights of Agnes Water by land and sea. Our adventure takes us across tidal creeks, sandy beaches and 4WD drive trails, as you explore the Town of 1770 and Bustard Bay. We cross four tidal creeks and take a 4WD tour up the steep climb to the historic Bustard Head Light Station to take in the magnificent views and tour the lighthouse itself. Enjoy lunch on Middle Island, then get your adrenaline pumping as you try sandboarding (optional) down the dunes of Middle Island.
Homeward bound this morning, we break at historic Childers for a cuppa and time to visit the Palace Backpackers Memorial. After lunch in Gympie, we make our way back to Brisbane.
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At Fun Over 50 Holidays, we understand the immense value of your dream holiday and the need for comprehensive protection, especially in the current COVID-19 landscape. That’s why we’ve introduced a COVID Refund Secure Policy, so you can have complete peace of mind when booking your next trip with us.
Fun Over 50 is proud to announce that we’ve been named as a Best Of Queensland Experience. This means that we come highly recommended by travellers, and provide exemplary tourism experiences through:
Get in touch with us to join the waitlist for this tour. Our team will get in touch with you soon to confirm your details and reserve your place.
Get in touch with us to request a booking for this tour. Our team will get in touch with you soon to confirm your details and reserve your place.
Our Gold Class coach tours let you experience the beauty of the Australian landscape in comfort and style. From the coach itself to the accommodation and meals, every detail is considered.
See Gold Class coaches
For the next level in luxury, our Diamond Class coach tours give you the business class experience every step of the way. We only book the very best options available
Make tracks for Queensland's central west on the Spirit of the Outback, an historic rail journey like no other. Then delve deep into outback life staying in Longreach, Toogunna Plains Station and Roma. Visit the Stockman's Hall of Fame and Qantas Founders Museum. Take a Station tour and Thomson River sunset cruise. Unearth dinosaurs in Winton, Waltz with Matilda, take a station tour with insights to the land overseeing all of Queensland’s iconic outback.
Joinus as we explore Queensland and its natural beauty, beginning with a guidednature walk through the breathtaking Carnarvon Gorge. Travel to Quoin Island toparticipate in volunteer activities aimed at rehabilitating injured turtles andcontributing to their eventual release back into the ocean. Escape to thesecluded paradise of Heron Island to enjoy an eco reef walk and bird watchingtour. Finally we arrive to the coastal haven of 1770 where we venture out on afull day tour aboard the iconic LARC
Join us as we explore the best of South WestQueensland and its rich history. Enjoy lunch and a tour of the historic HotelCorones, visit the Bilby Centre and experience a Big Sky Twilight tour at theCosmos Centre. Visit the Artesian Time Tunnel, discover the history of StGeorge, a tour and three course lunch with wine tasting at RiversandsWines. Arriving then in Lightning Ridge for a two-night stay where wevisit the Australian Opal Centre, housing the world’s greatest publiccollection of the Australian Opal. Nearing the end of our epic journey, enjoy acotton tour of Goondiwindi before our final lunch together at Albert RiverWines.
We take our passengers to Heron Island on our ‘Diamond’ or ‘Gold’ Class’ coaches which both produce 100% offset emissions. Passengers can enjoy a peaceful ride as we make our way up through Gympie and Childers before getting off a Gladstone. From Gladstone, we then take the ferry over to Heron Island.
Turtle nesting season on Heron Island typically occurs between November and March each year. These magnificent marine reptiles return to the island's shores to lay their eggs during this time. During Heron Island's turtle nesting season, visitors can witness the magical sight of mother turtles nesting and the baby turtles hatching and making their way to the sea.
Baby turtles typically hatch on Heron Island during early January. As darkness falls, these tiny, determined creatures break free from their sandy nests and embark on their incredible journey towards the sparkling ocean waters, guided by the moonlight.
The Marine National Park is located in the heart of Heron Island, nestled within the Great Barrier Reef of Queensland, Australia. This ecologically significant marine park is renowned for its stunning coral reefs, diverse marine life, and the preservation of this unique ecosystem, making it a haven for nature enthusiasts.
To book this tour, all you need to do is get in touch with us. We will take your details and reserve your place over the phone. We can also answer any questions you may have and give you all the information you need.
Our coach tours have a baggage restriction of 17kg per person (regardless of flight and rail allowances) due to our Occupational Health & Safety standards. You can also bring one small, soft carry-on bag not exceeding 30cm wide, 30cm high, and 15cm thick that may be stowed in the overhead compartment.
Each of our tours has a fitness rating which describes the level of physical activity involved with the tour. These ratings are very important when choosing your tour to ensure it's right for you. Our fitness ratings are:
Our Gold Class coaches have a seat capacity of between 44 and 46, but we cap Gold Class tours at 40 guests per tour. Our Diamond Class tours have a capacity of just 26 guests. Other tour types may have different capacities depending on the transport and destination. Please get in touch with our team if you have any questions about a specific tour.
In most cases, yes we can. We can accommodate guests who are vegetarian and can assist with diabetic, gluten-free and other medically-recommended diets. Please advise us at time of booking, and we can confirm with our suppliers and restaurants.
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We are a Green Travel Leader. This is awarded to businesses which have consistently proven their commitment to sustainable tourism management over ten years.
As a Sustianable Tourism accredited business, we are proud to offer engaging tourism experiences that follow sound sustainability practices and environmental appreciation.
Quality Tourism accredited businesses like Fun Over 50 lead the way by offering the highest industry standards of customer service, satisfaction, reliability, and ethical practices.
We are committed to operating in ways that respect and reinforce Indigenous cultural heritage and the authenticity and integrity of living cultures of Indigenous communities.
We have incorporated strategic climate change responses across all relevant levels of our planning and operations. We are working towards becoming carbon neutral.
With Advanced Ecotourism certification, we offer outstanding experiences which let you get back to nature, help conservation, and minimise environmental impact.
We are a credible, well trained, and professional business. We conduct business in compliance with Australian Consumer Law and in accordance with ATAS Charter and Code of Conduct.
The Council of Australian Tour Operators represents tour operators and wholesalers. As a full CATO member, we provide authentic and original holidays with sustainable travel.
We acknowledge the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them, their cultures, and to the elders both past and present.
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