Fitzroy Island National Park – things to do on a budget

Fitzroy Island National Park tips for travellers

Fitzroy Island National Park is a tropical island surrounded by lush rainforest, marvelous coral reef and pristine white sandy beaches. The calm sea makes it a wonderful place to go diving.  This is a fantastic place for family breaks or a special romantic getaway.

Fitzroy Island Ferry Info

In just 45 minutes the Fitzroy Island Ferry brings you to this secluded, idyllic coral island. Simply hop on at the Cairns Marina, and away you go!  We recommend getting your tickets via this website as they are cheaper at bookme.com.au.

The majority of this dream like island is protected and inaccessible to tourists.  Don’t let that spoil your adventure as there are plenty of places you can visit!  Below is our guide to things to do at Fitzroy Island National Park on a budget.  Many of these recommends come from our customers travelling around Australia in our campervans for hire.  You can also check out the travelwheels campervan hire facebook page for more tips about Fitzroy Island.

Snorkel the reef at Fitzroy Island National Park

Welcome Bay and Nudey Beach are ideal places to dip your toes into the water. You can hire all snorkel equipment right at the beach, but we recommend buying your own cheap set of goggles at Kmart in Cairns. With so many amazing places to go snorkeling in Australia, it well worth buying some and leaving them in your campervan.  As soon as you hit the water you will be surprised how close the corals and a variety of colorful fish are to the beach. You can explore the deep reef just a few meters from shore.  All this if for free once you have some snorkeling gear to explore Fitzroy Island.

Scuba Diving Great Barrier Reef Vs Fitzroy Island

Who would want to go on a crowed dive expedition from Cairns when the Great Barrier Reef is right in front of you at Fitzroy Island? You can go for a “resort dive” or head to the Dive and Adventure Centre who offer PADI dive certificates. They offer training right from the beach and take you to the outer reef by boat once a day.  Here are some reviews about this company based in Fitzroy Island on Trip Advisor.

Giant Ocean Trampoline on Fitzroy Island

If you are more of a hyper active type of person you will love this, the “Giant Ocean Trampoline” can be hired for just $5/day and you can play on it all day!   Travelwheels cheap tip – if you are a Raging Thunder customer, then this bombastic huge trampoline is already included in the ticket price.

Kayaking in turquoise water on Fitzroy

Borrow one of the kayaks at “Dive and Adventure Centre and paddle through the turquoise sea to Little Fitzroy Island which is another paradise just next to the main island. Again, you will find many secluded beaches and exclusive snorkel locations.  The great thing is you need a kayak to explore this area, so less crowds and more fun times!

Great Barrier Reef by Glass Bottom Boat Tour

Fancy touring Fitzroy Island National Park the lazy or relaxed way? We recommend exploring the island on this fascinating glass bottom boat. It will allow you to see many colorful fish and some impressive corals without getting wet exploring this National Park.  Check out the timetables as this tour only takes place twice a day.

Sea turtles at Fitzroy Island National Park

You can find many sea turtles at Fitzroy Island National Park, in addition you might get luck and even swim with them!! Some tips from locals on Fitzroy Island suggest looking to the left hand side of the resort and have the ocean behind you.  This is a great place to find these wonderful sea turtles as this is one of their favorite feeding spots on Fitzroy.

If you didn’t get the chance to see them in the wild, how about a little stop over at the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre? After the floods in late 2010 and Cyclone Yasi in January 2011 there has been an 800% increase in Turtle strandings along the Queensland coast. Thanks to the rehab center they are fed twice a day and and consequently treated if they have some sort of illness. An important point to note is that there are no entry fee, however donations are gladly accepted to help the turtles.

Hiking at the Fitzroy Island National Park

The “Fitzroy Island National Park” offers some amazing opportunities to go hiking on Fitzroy. Walking is the best way to get to know the impressive flora and fauna of the island. The wildlife will surprise you with beautiful birds and interesting reptiles, and it’s all for free! Select one or more of the four marked trails on the island and here is a useful link for Fitzroy Island walks. The shortest walk is 45 minutes and the longest takes up to three hours which will give you a good overview of the Island.

Fitzroy Island Ferry

What are you waiting for? Get cheap ferry tickets online or at the Marina in Cairns. Our tip is to take the first ferry in the morning to Fitzroy Island National Park.  Book the final one back in the late afternoon to get the most out of your trip to Fitzroy National Park.

Tips for your holiday in Cairns

Are you wondering about what are the best things to see?  Likewise you might not be sure about what activities you can do in Cairns during your holiday across Australia? For example, why not check out our trip advisor guides for free activities in Cairns. Planning on heading to the North of Queensland, then read our cairns route planner for Northern Queensland. These free trip plans will help you make the most of your time in Queensland and will be a great way to spice up your campervan hire holiday in Australia.

Our team at Travelwheels Campervan Hire Cairns have many years experience in planning and organising campervan holidays in Queensland.  We have plenty of free route planners and travel tips for you. You can check out more information on our website’s travel section or call us on 0412766616 and we will help you plan your trip to Australia.