Is Fitzroy Island worth visiting?

Short answer: yes, you betcha! Fitzroy Island is the lush tropical hub of the islands that make up Cairns’ Great Barrier Reef.

It is a pristine piece of land that boasts gorgeous tropical rainforest and sandy beaches that lead into the cobalt blue waters that the Great Barrier Reef is world famous for.

No visit to the Great Barrier Reef is complete without a day trip to Fitzroy Island, and here is exactly why.

• It’s a snorkeller’s paradise

  One of the main reasons travellers flock to the reef is for snorkelling, and Fitzroy Island easily provides some of the best opportunities to take in the marine diversity of the natural wonder. From vibrant coral to a near-endless abundance of unique wildlife, snorkelling off Fitzroy Island is something a nature lover could simply never pass up. There are a number of beaches on Fitzroy Island worth snorkelling around, with Welcome Bay and Nudey Beach offering hard coral smatterings just metres offshore.

• Well you’re already at the beach…

  Fitzroy Island no doubt boasts some of the Great Barrier Reef’s best beaches, which, collectively, make up some of the world’s beaches. The aforementioned Nudey Beach (don’t worry, it’s not actually a nude beach), has been named the best in Australia by Brad Farmer of Tourism Australia. It’s not hard to see why, as after a short trek through the vibrant tropical rainforest you come out to an Australian beach at its absolute purest, with beautiful white sand giving way to coral-lined crystal waters.

• Hike the forests

  Hikers rejoice in the opportunity for a Fitzroy Island day trip, as it gives them the opportunity to traverse some of Far North Queensland’s most beautiful natural scenery. The Nudey Beach Track is a great way to hike before cooling off at the beach itself, whilst the Summit Track provides more avid (and fit) hikers with the opportunity to climb their way up to the eponymous summit, providing astounding views of the surrounding island and reef in all its otherworldly splendour.

  Finally, we’re not sure if Bruce Springsteen wrote the song about the Secret Garden Track, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he had, given the tranquil natural beauty and impressive granite boulders that dot this incredible nature walk.

Fitzroy Island is most certainly worth visiting, in fact it is certainly worth not even considering missing when you find yourself in this most incredible part of Australia.

Related article: Our Other Awesome Cairns Tours Are Available Now

Cameron Ward

Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.