What To Do in Fitzroy Island in a Day: 2020 Itinerary
Fitzroy Island is a beautiful tropical island located on the Great Barrier Reef.
While that may seem intimidatingly expensive, there are a variety of vacation options for all kinds of budgets.
You can even go to the island for just a day.
It’s only a 45-minute boat ride from Cairns, which is in Far North Queensland.
Further in the article you will find ideas for spending a great time in Fitzroy Island whether you are staying just for a day or the entire month.
Let’s start with some useful information to maximize your stay!
How to Get to Fitzroy Island
To get to the island, you can take your own boat or catch a ride through the Fitzroy Flyer, which is the boat that regularly brings guests to the island from Cairns and back.
You may board from Berth 20 on Marlin Wharf, if you booked on “Fitzroy Flyer”, 30 minutes before departure or you may board from the “Big Cat Cruises” desk in the Reef Fleet Terminal, if you booked with “Fitzroy Island Adventures”, 30 minutes before departure.
Departure times from Cairns to Fitzroy Island are 8:00 am, 11:00 am, and 1:30 pm, although the 11:00 am service from Monday to Friday during February and March.
Rates are $215 for family with two adults and two children, $82 for an adult of 14 years and above, $41 for children of 4 – 13 years old, and free for infants aged 0 – 3 years old.
Once you have arrived on the island, there are so many things you can do. The island offers a variety of activities. For a day trip, here are some things you can do.
Things to do in a Day in Fitzroy Island
Here are some of the best things to do in Fitzroy Island. You can check the video from the Fitzroy Island Resort first:
Relax on the beach
Many people go to the islands just for this. What better way to relax than to lie on pristine white sand that feels luxurious on your body?
You can stay under a palm tree’s shade to read a book, take a nap, or even just the beauty of the nature surrounding you.
Nudey Beach, on the Southwest shores of Fitzroy Island, is the perfect place to do this. Ranking no. 2 on Australia’s Best Beaches of 2017, it’s a beautiful, relaxing beach perfect for a lazy tropical getaway.
Don’t forget to check the ultimate beach vacation packing list!
Go on a picnic on the beach
Don’t want to just laze the day away?
How about some food in addition to relaxation?
Fitzroy Island offers you the opportunity to have a picnic on the beach. You can order from the restaurant and bar or you can prepare and bring your own food and drinks, except for alcohol.
Just imagine enjoying food and drinks with friends or family or a special someone, on a picnic blanket on the beach with a view of blue green waters, white sand, and trees and mountains.
Snorkeling
Getting to see the Great Barrier Reef is definitely one of the highlights of going to Fitzroy Island. Anywhere you swim around the island, you will be able to see fantastic reefs and colorful marine life.
You can just go right to the waters from anywhere on the beach, armed with your goggles or snorkeling gear. If you don’t have your own snorkeling gear, you are able to rent some for only $15 per day.
If you feel like swimming near the beach isn’t enough, you may also go on some boat tours or do scuba diving.
Go on the ocean trampoline
Fitzroy Island offers a variety of beach and water activities, one of which is the ocean trampoline.
It’s only 25 meters off the shore at Welcome Bay and costs only $5 per day. It’s perfect for kids or the young at heart to be entertained and to have fun. It’s definitely a unique and really fun way to spend at the beach.
Swim at the resort pool
If you would rather spend some time away from salty waters but still want to swim, you may also swim at the resort pool. It’s refreshing and can equally, if not more, be relaxing.
The pool has a swim-up bar, which makes it perfect to have a cocktail while staying relaxed in the waters. Good thing about it is that it’s free to use for all resort guests.
Go for a massage
The Fitzroy Island Resort offers massage services through Oiled Massage. Just imagine getting an oil shiatsu style massage, while lounging or napping in your room or getting a foot massage by the pool area. You can book a massage from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Trekking
Fitzroy Island has several trails that are great for a relaxing walk or even for a more vigorous exercise. Being mostly a national park, there is much to see in these trails.
It has a rich tropical forest, where you can see fascinating and unique wildlife. The Secret Garden is one of the more easier walks, where you go through the rainforest, as well as the Nudey Beach Track, where you can see the rainforest as well and the giant granite boulders.
Visit the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre
Fitzroy Island’s Turtle Rehabilitation Centre is a non-profit organization run by volunteers. They rehabilitate sick and injured turtles.
While you will of course meet turtles, you will also get to learn about a turtle’s journey from when they get sick or injured while they’re at the centre and when they’re finally released back into the ocean.
You will also learn about the organization’s history. Their tours go for 45 minutes beginning at 1 pm and cost $8.80 for adults and $5.50 for children.
Go diving
The resort has a dive shop that offers a variety of dives, from beginner ones to night ones, if you want to explore the Great Barrier Reef Further.
This is also the place to borrow all those diving or snorkeling gear. They even offer some activities, like kayaking, stand up paddling, and glass bottom boat tours.
Most of these activities are affordable and can be done on a day trip. Going to Fitzroy Island, while it may seem like it would be expensive, a lot of their activities are really not, which, of course, adds fun to the trip.
Where to stay
In case you and your family or friends or special someone decides to stay in Fitzroy Island, there are several accommodations to choose from.
An affordable option is to go camping. The island has a camping ground, called Council Campground, which is located just a few steps away from the beach.
They have around 20 campsites with a pergola where you can eat, beachfront barbeques, and a modern and fancy shower area. Their tent requirements are 3 meters x 3 meters and can only contain two adults and two children. It costs $37 per tent per night for four people.
The only other accommodation on the island is the Fitzroy Island Resort. It has 99 rooms and has a swimming pool, a pool bar, massage services in the room or by the pool, games room, movie theatre, table tennis, and a children’s playroom.
Other accommodations are available outside of the island, like The Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, in Cairns, Green Island Resort, and Hilton Cairns are just some of the few accommodations that you may also check out.
Enter ‘Fitzroy Island’ and compare accommodation options at that moment:
Places to eat or drink
Zephyr Restaurant
This beautiful restaurant overlooks the waters of Welcome Bay. They’re open for breakfast and dinner and offer an exquisite dining experience, whether it’s for a family, friends, or for a romantic meal.
Having a wide selection of beverages and wine, you may even book a private dinner if you have something special to celebrate, like a congratulatory event or even a proposal for $90 per person.
Their menu has local and international flavors, perfect for a variety of food palettes, specializing in modern Australian cuisine. They even have vegetarian and gluten free options.
Zephyr Restaurant is open for Breakfast from Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 11:30 am, Saturday and Sunday, 7:00 am to 11:30.
For dinner, everyday, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm, with a last booking at 8:00 pm. Meanwhile, their pool bar is open everyday from 10:00 am to 8:30 pm.
It is recommended that you book a reservation for a better and more efficient dining experience.
Foxy’s Bar
Situated right on the beach front, this large Pacific Islands Bar, has a 1970’s structural theme. It has indoor and outdoor seating with a number of pool tables and a dance floor.
The food they offer is casual style dining with a big beverage and alcohol menu. It’s perfect for a relaxing hangout with family or friends.
Located just 100 meters from the resort buildings, south of the main creek, Foxy’s Bar is open from Sunday to Thursday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Friday and Saturday, 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.
General Store
If you are looking to just get some snacks, the General Store is the place to go to. They have a variety of packaged food, drinks, sandwiches, pies, ice cream, BBQ packs, and soft drinks. The store is located adjacent to Foxy’s Bar. They’re open from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
This was an overview of the best things you can do in Fitzroy Island if you come here for a day or longer. The island has a variety of ways to help you relax. Have a great trip!
