Turtle Conservation of the Southern Great Barrier Reef

Led by marine conservationist and CoralWatch Ambassador Susy James, this tour is built around active reef science rather than passive observation. On Heron Island, you’ll complete a CoralWatch reef walk at low tide, collecting coral bleaching data using the Coral Health Chart and uploading it to a global monitoring database, then join a private tour of the University of Queensland Research Station, which has operated on the island since 1951. Guided turtle nesting walks follow green turtles and loggerhead turtles on their nesting beaches; both species are listed as threatened.

Days 4 to 6 are spent on Wilson Island, with glamping tents, no mobile reception and no Wi-Fi. Wilson Island’s isolation means its turtles often nest in the morning rather than at night, so the 5:00am sunrise walks are unlike anything on the mainland. The Wilson Bommie is a coral formation 5m tall and 5m wide, growing at roughly 1cm per year, around 500 years old, and accessible directly from the beach.

Snorkel gear is included for the whole trip. All meals from Day 1 lunch to Day 6 packed lunch are included, as are all beverages on Wilson Island. A 23kg luggage limit applies. Maximum 10 guests. Note: guests with anaphylactic allergies cannot stay on Wilson Island due to its remoteness.