The east coast of Australia never fails to surprise me. While the beautiful travel memories of Far North Queensland are still fresh in my mind, this time it’s time to explore the area around Brisbane. Although the mainland of Australia is already fantastic, the paradise islands are an absolute treat to visit. This time, Martin and I visited the beautiful Moreton Island, an island of 186 km² located 1.5 hours by boat from the Port of Brisbane. Read our experiences and the best things to do on Moreton Island in Australia now.
Port of Brisbane
We had chosen the 1 Day Moreton Island Snorkel Kayak & Sandboard Adventure tour. We were picked up at quarter to seven in the morning from Adina Apartments Hotel. After a 30-minute drive we arrived at the Port of Brisbane, where other Australians and tourists were already waiting to board the Micat ferry. At Moreton Island, you are allowed to bring your own car onto the island, provided it is a four-wheel drive. The island only has sandy tracks, so a 4WD is an absolute must!
The weather in Queensland lately (and also in New South Wales) has been a bit unpredictable. The weather phenomenon La Niña has brought a lot of rain, making Queensland’s nickname, “the Sunshine State,” not always seem very fitting. During our tour, it also looked like things were heading in the wrong direction weather-wise. In the distance, we could see heavy rain falling and the skies were getting quite dark. But the closer we got to the island, the thinner the clouds seemed to become. Once we arrived on the island, it appeared the weather gods were on our side: the sun came out and stayed with us for the rest of the day. 🙂
Snorkeling at Tangalooma Wrecks
The main highlight of Moreton Island is the famous Tangalooma Wrecks, a group of ships that were deliberately sunk by the Queensland government between 1963 and 1984 to create a safe anchorage for recreational boat owners on the eastern side of Moreton Bay. Over the years, coral has formed around these 15 wrecks, creating a home for more than 100 different species of fish. It is therefore the perfect place for snorkeling.
We started our tour by snorkeling at the Tangalooma Wrecks because of the tide conditions at the time. We were lucky that the sun had come out, and according to our tour guide Livio, this is truly one of the highlights of the tour. We had already snorkeled several times before in Australia during our visits to the Whitsunday Islands, Fitzroy Island, and Hamilton Island. However, snorkeling around old shipwrecks was completely new to us in Australia, so our curiosity was high.
While we already spotted a few fish within the first few meters, it only really became spectacular once we got closer to the wrecks. Thousands of colorful fish were swimming all around me, each one more beautiful than the last. I have truly never seen so many fish surrounding me while snorkeling. If this is just the beginning of our snorkeling adventure, then it definitely promises great things ahead. 😉
As we swam closer to the shipwrecks, we saw more and more coral, home to completely different types of fish. From bright yellow to vivid blue, it was absolutely stunning here!!
Fish in all shapes and colours
We were given the tip to use a snorkel noodle while snorkeling. This helps you stay lightly afloat, making snorkeling much easier. It is also possible to snorkel with a life jacket, but staying underwater becomes a lot more difficult. I would really recommend (if you have a bit of snorkeling experience) using a noodle.
Beforehand, I did not expect to spot so many fish at once, so I was completely amazed by this unique place. If I had to rank my snorkeling experiences over the past few years, Moreton Island would now definitely be number one!
Unlike Far North Queensland, you don’t need to wear a wetsuit on Moreton Island for protection against dangerous jellyfish. Of course, you can still wear one if the water is too cold for you. I have experience with the cold North Sea in the Netherlands, and I can tell you the temperature of the water felt lovely. However, the water temperature naturally depends on the time of year you visit Moreton Island.
In addition to snorkeling, it is also possible to visit this spot in a transparent kayak. This means you don’t have to get into the water yourself and can look down from your kayak. If you have to choose between snorkeling and kayaking, I would personally go for snorkeling, as it allows you to experience the underwater life just a little more closely.
Snorkeling at Moreton Island was even more amazing than I had expected beforehand. And this was only the beginning of the tour, I was curious to see what the other activities would be like.
Lunch at the campsite
Time for lunch, which we had at the campsite where you can also stay overnight during a longer 2- or 3-day tour. This was also the perfect moment to get to know the group better.
After a delicious lunch and sharing great stories with each other, it was time to continue our journey across the island. Our transport was a 4WD, and our destination was the Tangalooma Desert.
Four-wheel driving
With a fully loaded jeep full of enthusiastic travellers, we drove along the beach for a short stretch before quickly taking a bumpy inland track. We had to hold on tight, as things got quite rough at times. But that also made the ride so special.
Sandboarding at Tangalooma Desert
After about 15 minutes of driving, we arrived at Tangalooma Desert, where even more adrenaline was waiting for us. It was time for sandboarding!
Tangalooma Desert is a beautiful, vast landscape where sand takes centre stage. When visiting this place, it’s wise to apply sunscreen well, wear a cap, and bring water, as it can get very hot. It’s also advisable to bring an outdoor camera (e.g. a GoPro with a protective housing) that can withstand sand, and not to bring any fragile equipment with moving parts. After your visit to Tangalooma Desert, you will find sand everywhere.
After a beautiful walk across the desert, we reached the top of the hill. Time for some adrenaline! After a short instruction from our tour guide, it was time for our sandboarding adventure. Although it had rained heavily on Moreton Island in the days before, luckily it had been dry since the moment we arrived. The sand conditions were therefore excellent, which meant we gained a lot of speed during the descent.
Although the photos don’t always show the correct height, I can tell you it was quite high. While sandboarding, speeds of up to 40 km per hour can be reached! A really cool experience! One thing you definitely have to accept during this activity is that the sand gets absolutely everywhere, literally everywhere, haha. 😉
Before I started, I had planned in my mind to go down the hill regularly, because I’m definitely up for a bit of adrenaline. Unfortunately, reality turned out slightly different. 😉 Climbing the hill was quite a workout, and I had to stick to just two rounds. In any case, I got plenty of exercise that day, as well as a good dose of vitamin D and sea air. 😉
After sandboarding, we drove back to the beach and were able to board the ferry straight away. After waiting about half an hour on the boat, we set off again towards bustling Brisbane.
About Moreton Island
While most travellers choose Fraser Island, its more well-known sibling, we decided to explore Moreton Island instead. One of the big advantages of Moreton Island is that it can easily be combined with a visit to Brisbane. The relatively short travel time makes it an attractive option for a day tour from Brisbane.
We wouldn’t have wanted to miss this day tour during our city trip to Brisbane. The island really surprised us, especially because of the incredible underwater life at the Tangalooma Wrecks. For me, it was without a doubt the most beautiful snorkeling spot I have visited so far (anywhere in the world). Combined with the adventurous sandboarding and the 4WD experience, it made for an unforgettable day!
Visiting Moreton Island
Moreton Island is an unforgettable adventure from Brisbane. Snorkel the Tangalooma Wrecks, sandboard dunes, and explore by 4WD. If you’re visiting, don’t miss this unique island experience, book this amazing tour on Moreton Island now
