Heron Island, Australia
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Heron Island is a true coral cay right on the World Heritage listed Great
Barrier Reef. Here you can swim straight off the beach to an endless garden of
coral where the waters are literally teeming with beautifully coloured fish and
marine life.
It's what you don't see around Heron that makes the resort so
special. You won't see any buildings above the tree line. And you won't
bump into any daytrippers either. The reef experience on Heron is
exclusively for guests, a unique experience few other resorts in the
world can offer. There's a relaxed island lifestyle that sets Heron
apart, a sophisticated yet casual resort atmosphere. Here the emphasis
is on exploring and discovering the natural attractions that have made
Heron famous around the world.
You'll enjoy some of the world's best reef diving. There's a choice of
spectacular sites just minutes from the beach. Can you imagine a better place to
learn to dive?
Join a guided reef walk to learn more about the unique ecology of the Great
Barrier Reef or snorkel off the beach and come face to face with the
kaleidoscope of marine life just below the surface. Enjoy a day trip to explore
an idyllic, uninhabited coral cay or spend the day just lazing by the pool. The
choice is yours.
At night there's live entertainment, dancing or a quiet drink at the Pandanus
Lounge. On Heron, all meals are included in your tariff and you'll find a range
of accommodation to suit your budget. As you would expect, Heron takes great
pride in maintaining the highest standards of food and service.
Heron is renowned for its abundance of birdlife with dense Pisonia forests
which are home to thousands of Noddy Terns. A Heron holiday combines the rare
excitement of nature with all the comforts of an international resort.
Accommodations
The Beach House
The Beach House offers a superior style of accommodation with a high
degree of privacy. Set within a grove of trees, a private boardwalk provides
access to the beach. Air conditioned, the Beach House offers a separate bedroom
with spacious ensuite including a bath and shower and an expansive living area
including oversized sofa and a work desk with direct dial STD/IDD telephone.
Other in-room features include a fully stocked mini bar (replenished daily) and
CD player. Guests receive a deluxe fruit basket on arrival and a sunset canape
platter and ice is delivered each afternoon. The Beach House also offers its own
private outdoor shower.
Point Suites
Set in a premium beachfront position with an outlook that offers
uninterrupted reef views and magical sunsets, Point Suites are Heron's superior
grade of accommodation. With an interior designed for relaxation, Point Suites
are air-conditioned and enjoy a range of additional services and in-room
comforts including a fully stocked mini bar (replenished daily), a CD player and
phone. Guests receive a deluxe fruit basket on arrival and a sunset canape
platter and an ice bucket - perfect for pre-dinner drinks - is delivered each
afternoon.
Point Suites are spacious in design and include a large ensuite and separate
dressing room. A generous living area extends through glass doors to an
extensive outdoor terrace where sun lounges, for the exclusive use of Point
Suite guests, can be found.
Wistari Suites
Wistari Suites are an excellent alternative for guests seeking maximum
privacy. They are located on the point and situated within a garden setting with
ocean views. Interiors are spacious with contemporary design elements including
a 3 seater couch, an armchair and King Size bed in an area separate to living. A
private outdoor terrace features stylish wooden furniture and a two person
hammock. Wistari Suites are air-conditioned and have a fully stocked mini-bar
with CD Player and telephone in each room. Similarl to the Point Suites and
Beach House, Wistari Suite guests receive a deluxe fruit basket on arrival and a
sunset canape platter and fresh ice each afternoon.
Heron Beachside Suites
Offering absolute beach frontage with direct access to the water and
views of the reef, Heron Beachside Suites are generous in size with villa-style
inclusions. Double glass sliding doors fill the room with natural light and
connect both the spacious bedroom and separate living space to a large outdoor
balcony. The living area features a divan as well as comfortable armchairs and
coffee table. A large bathroom and an in-room CD are among some of the other
features of a Heron Suite.
Reef Suites
Positioned closer to the beach, Reef Suites offer filtered reef and
water views through a canopy of beachside trees. The living area extends
outdoors to a balcony or garden setting, interiors are light-filled, modern and
comfortable.
Turtle Rooms
Located in a garden setting a short walk away from the beach, these
cottages have a relaxed casual style. Built in duplex fashion with two rooms per
block, all Turtle Rooms are at ground level and feature a large deck and outdoor
area. Interiors are bright and fresh, compact but comfortable. Standard and
Family Rooms are available.
Activities
Complimentary Activities
- Interpretative reef walks
- Island ecology walks
- Birdlife walks
- Turtle viewing (peak nesting times)
- Wildlife presentations
- Beach picnic hampers
- Snorkelling lessons in swimming pool
- Tennis (night & day)
- Reef creature interpretative workshops
- Research station walks
- Nightly entertainment
Other Activities (charges apply)
- Snorkelling excursions to the reef edge
- Heron Kids Junior Ranger Program
- Semi-submersible coral viewing cruises with commentary by reef
interpretor
- Guided glass bottom surf ski tours
- Scuba diving
- MV Wahoo Diving and Fishing charters
- Night dives
- Adventure dives
- Discover Scuba (1 day resort course)
- PADI Dive Courses
- Fishing trips
- Scenic helicopter flights
- Sunset wine & cheese cruises
- Wine & cheese tastings
- Therapeutic massage
Dining
Shearwater Restaurant
3 superb meals are included each day. Breakfast and lunch are buffet
style while dinner features a 3 course table d'hote or themed buffet. Open for
breakfast from 7.30am - 9.30am, lunch is served from 12.30pm - 2.00pm & dinner
is served 6.30pm - 9.00pm. Special diets catered for by prior arrangement. Non
Smoking.
A picnic hamper service is available on request.
Pandanus Lounge & Baillie's Bar
The Bar & Lounge features panoramic reef views, with a cocktail bar,
entertainment lounge, dance floor and a mezzanine level library area. The Bar &
Lounge opens to an outdoor terrace. Open from 9.30am to midnight.
Wistari Room
An air conditioned presentation room for evening nature presentations
and latest release movies.
Services & Facilities
- Reception is open from 8.30am to 7.00pm
- Major credit cards accepted
- Foreign exchange and travellers cheques cashed
- Eftpos facilities
- Facsimile facilities
- Postal service
- Public telephones
- Onward flight confirmations
- Daily activity sheet - The Heron Times
- Swimming pool
- Cots available
- Registered nurse & first aid centre
- Heron Kids Junior Rangers Program
- Conference facility for up to 100 people
- Disabled facilities available
- Internet access available at reception
Diving the Great Barrier Reef
Heron Island is famous around the world because it is exciting diving
made easy. There's no need for day trips to the Reef because you're already
there, so you can easily enjoy up to three full dives a day. There are over
twenty different dive sites, more than half of which are just fifteen minutes
from the beach. With so many acres of living coral literally teeming with fish,
it's easy to see why keen divers keep coming back to Heron.
The Heron Advantage
- Minimal time to dive sites (5-15 minutes)
- Shallow dives available (18 metres maximum)
- Long bottom times can be obtained (up to 45 minutes)
- Buoyed dive sites
- Stable platform style boats with shaded canopies
- Divemasters dive all dives
- Giant stride entries - exit via wide ladders
- No carrying of tanks or weights at any time
- All dive sites located within a Marine National Park
- Highest quality dive equipment
- Up to three dives per day
- Two tank morning dives
- Night Dives
- Adventure Dives
Water Temperature Range
Winter: 20-22 degrees C (68-70 degrees F) Summer: 25-27 degrees C
(77-80 degrees F)
A full wetsuit is recommended between March and October.
Location/Getting There
Covering 18 hectares, Heron Island lies on the Tropic of Capricorn (23
degrees south of the equator), 72 kilometres NE off the coast from Gladstone,
central Queensland. 534 kilometres north of Brisbane. 1,183 kilometres south of
Cairns. Heron Island operates 1 hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST) all
year round.
Price: From $2968 AUD per week
Size: 44.5 Acres
Location: 72 km NE off the coast of Gladstone,
Queensland, Australia
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