Fitzroy Island Travel Guide

  White parrot on the loose
by Assenczo
 
  • White parrot on the loose
      White parrot on the loose
    by Assenczo
  • Mainland across whale-infested channel
      Mainland across whale-infested channel
    by Assenczo
  • View of the reef on a bad day
      View of the reef on a bad day
    by Assenczo
  •   Fitzroy Island
    by rocketgirl
  • fitzroy island beach
      fitzroy island beach
    by mario_spring_83
 

Pro

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 Cheaper and closer than most of the other islands on the GBR. 


Con

Marpessa profile photo

 after a while - the smell of mangroves 


In a nutshell

Assenczo profile photo

 Offers more than just diving 

 

Explore Fitzroy Island

Things to Do  

Underwater

Underwater, Fitzroy Island

 mario_spring_83 Says:  The island is in the heart of the australian barrier reef so at least doing some snorkeling is a must when coming here. the underwater world is wonderful and it offers a large variety of tropical fishes and great coral formations.At the resort you can hire all you need for... 

Beach

Beach, Fitzroy Island

 mario_spring_83 Says:  Fitzroy island is plenty of wonderful coral beaches which lay betwwen the sea and the rainforest. Usually they consist in little bays and are mainly made of little rocks and corals tough in some places you can also find thin white sand.Beaches are interrupted by big stones... 

Walking on the island

Walking on the island, Fitzroy Island

 mario_spring_83 Says:  Fitzroy island consists of two little hills covered by rainforest. Here you can have beatyful walks to the nice light-house or to the highest point of the island from where you get an amazing view over the ocean and the reef. There are a few little path to get till there so... 

Little Fitzroy Island

Little Fitzroy Island, Fitzroy Island

 seamandrew Says:  Off to the northern tip of Fitzroy Island lies the tiny island of Little Fitzroy Island. Not much is found there except a small beach and a light house. I did not get to see this island close up, let alone go to it. I do believe that the kayak trip around the island includes... 

Fitzroy Island's Rainforests

Fitzroy Island's Rainforests, Fitzroy Island

 seamandrew Says:  One of Fitzroy Islands greatest attibutes is it's beaches. The first thing you'll notice as you approach Fitzroy Island is another of its great attributes and that is its lush, vibrant, and dense rainforest. With several trails coursing their way through it, the rainforest... 

Hotels  

Fitzroy Island Resort

 5 Reviews and 224 Opinions  It's the only possibility of accommodation in the island and it's really nice. It consist of some... 

Restaurants  

Don't go hungry!
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4.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Marpessa 535 reviews

Okay, while I have written that the food can be a bit expensive if you're a backpacker, it is still definitely worth the price. There is only one restaurant for dining at on the island, but you do have the choice of buying your own food (meat, etc.) and cooking it on the BBQ or in one of the guest-kitchens.

The menu has a range to suite everyone; salads, seafood, red meat, chicken and all of it fresh and beautifully presented when served.

My suggestion is to grab one of the tables closest to the beach a bit before sunset, and just enjoy your dinner whilst listening to the sounds of the ocean.

Favorite Dish: My favourite meal was when I had chicken satay and rice. Simple, but mouth-watering.

Written Jan 29, 2004

Related to:
 Study Abroad
 Family Travel

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Transportation  

Fitzroy ferry

Fitzroy ferry, Fitzroy Island

 Assenczo Says:  Fitzroy island is closest to the mainland and it takes no more than 45min to reach it by ferry from Cairns. The word ferry is used loosely in this case. There is one trip in the morning(8:30h) to the island and one trip back in the afternoon(17:00h). There is a great chance... 

From Cairns to Fitzroy island

From Cairns to Fitzroy island, Fitzroy Island

 mario_spring_83 Says:  Here is a good boat service between cairns and Fitzroy Island. The journey lasts abpout 40 minutes and offers beautyful views over the australian coast and the ocean. 

Ferry to Fitzroy Island

Ferry to Fitzroy Island, Fitzroy Island

 Marpessa Says:  The only way to get to Fitzroy Island is by ferry. It is a 45 minute trip from Cairns to Fitzroy Island. There are 3 departures a day from either side:Dep. Cairns: 8.30am, 9.30am, 10.30am & 3.45pmDep. Fitzroy: 9.30am, 3.00pm, 4.00pm & 5.00pm (Check the website for any... 

Getting To Fitzroy.

Getting To Fitzroy., Fitzroy Island

 seamandrew Says:  Well, there's really only one way to the island and that's by ship. The ferry service runs from the Trinity Wharf in Cairns to Fitzroy and runs several times a day. Reservations in advance are encouraged, but the ship is pretty big so I don't think it will be too much... 

Warnings and Dangers  

The not so soft beaches.
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4.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

seamandrew 739 reviews
The beach substrate at Fitzroy Island.

From this picture, you should get a good sense of how rugged the beach substrate is. It's made up of large coral pieces which have broken off the fringing reefs surrounding the island. These pieces make their way to shore and accumulate to create this large beaches. In the hot sun, these pieces of broken coral can get quite hot, and on top of it, they're not very comfortable to walk on. As such, I suggest wearing a pair of aqua-shoes as they will keep your feet protected. Flip-flop sandals (thongs) are not suggested because your feet will slide in them and occasionally meet the scalding substrate.

Written Sep 18, 2004

Related to:
 Beaches
 Adventure Travel
 National/State Park

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What to Pack  

Tanning is okay, but UV is not.

Tanning is okay, but UV is not., Fitzroy Island

 seamandrew Says:   Any bathing suit will do. Bring your own towels as they are not provided on the island. Also, a pair of aqua-shoes would be good as the hot coral is awkwardly shaped and burns the feet (well my sensitive feet at least). Be sure to pack the waterproof UV protectant.... 

Sun! Sun! Sun!

Sun! Sun! Sun!, Fitzroy Island

 Marpessa Says:  Pack light - except on food and water! (For summer)Hmm, bathers, boardshorts and a nice loose shirt - nothing too heavy or you'll over heat.Sandles are good, but sneakers that are "breathable" - so your feet don't get too sweaty, are good if you go on one of the walks... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Bird Rock

Bird Rock, Fitzroy Island

 seamandrew Says:  Walking north from the pier the beach ends in a bunch of rocks (where I caught the sand crab). Out in the water, the big massive rock is known as Bird Rock. You guessed it, it gets its name from all the birds that perch on it time and time again. Funny enough, the whole time... 

Tidal Pools or Fresh water pools

Tidal Pools or Fresh water pools, Fitzroy Island

 seamandrew Says:  In a couple of spots on the island, I came across these crystal clear pools of water that I couldn't figure if they were tidal pools or fresh water pools. I think it depended on the location really, but I guess I could have figured it out by tasting the water. I was too... 

Nudey Beach

Nudey Beach, Fitzroy Island

 seamandrew Says:  Well, did you really think I would post pictures of a nudey beach here. Heck, did you think I would have the audacity to take a camera to the nudey beach. I think not! The nudey beach is accessible by hiking a small trail that takes a mere 15-20 minutes at most to hike to.... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Scuba diving off of Fitzroy Island

Scuba diving off of Fitzroy Island, Fitzroy Island

 seamandrew Says:  Fitzroy Island houses its own Scuba center staffed by friendly and knowledgable Dive Masters and Dive Instructors. Reservations can be made in advance or on the island if space is available. The center has it's own small boat which they use to take you to only the best spots... 

Hiking on Fitzroy Island

Hiking on Fitzroy Island, Fitzroy Island

 seamandrew Says:  Surprisingly enough, there are some nice trails to hike on Fitzroy Island. It seems the most traversed is the one leading to the nudey beach. Perhaps it's because of the short distance or maybe it's because of other reasons. Well it is certainly not the only trail and all of... 

Favorites  

The little Sand Crab.

The little Sand Crab., Fitzroy Island

 seamandrew Says:  Fitzroy Island is certainly teeming with wildlife. Most of it is of course from the sea, but they still count. If you head towards Little Fitzroy island, there is are a number of rocks on the beach when explored more closely, yield a huge amount of sea creatures. I was... 

A nice shaded spot.

A nice shaded spot., Fitzroy Island

 seamandrew Says:  One of the best things about Fitzroy Island is it's proximity to Cairns. Just a swift 45 minute ride away, it is so easy to get to. Within moments, you leave a small, touristy city, and make your way to a tropical paradise. The weather in this part of the world is warm so be... 

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Map of Fitzroy Island