COLORS OF THE REEF
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Diving Heron Island

Heron Island is one of the few places on the Great Barrier Reef where you can stay directly on the reef itself. The small coral cay lies about 70 km off the coast of Gladstone, close to the Tropic of Capricorn, at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef.

The island has a long and sometimes surprising history. In the 19th century it was used as a turtle cannery, which is hard to imagine today. Guano was also mined on the island for a period of time. In the 1930s, Heron Island gradually developed into a tourist destination, and today it is known both as a resort island and as a marine research location. The Heron Island Research Station, operated by the University of Queensland, is one of the best-known research stations on the Great Barrier Reef.

Heron Island is also part of a protected national park area. Most of the island is managed as Heron Island National Park, while the surrounding reef lies within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Because of this, access and activities are regulated. Some areas are restricted, and diving or snorkelling is only allowed at approved sites and under the local rules. This is especially important during turtle nesting season, when parts of the beach may be sensitive or temporarily limited to protect nesting turtles and hatchlings.

There is a resort on the island, with accommodation ranging from fairly simple to comfortable rooms. For current information about rooms, transfers, and island facilities, it is best to check the official Heron Island website. The resort website also provides a map of the local dive sites.

Diving Heron Island

Diving is run by the island’s dive operator. When I visited in July 2007, they offered three boat trips per day: two in the morning and one in the afternoon. The dive sites are very close to shore and usually reached within a few minutes by a small open dive boat. The setup was relaxed, with friendly crew and generally small groups — often around three to five divers per trip.

The sites around Heron Island are mostly shallow, with maximum depths generally below 20 metres. Depending on the tides, currents can be strong, so it is worth paying attention to the briefing and local conditions. Visibility is usually around 10–20 metres.

Because Heron Island is within a protected marine park, diving is not possible everywhere around the reef. Some zones are closed or restricted, and boats use designated moorings to avoid anchor damage. The island dive operator will normally choose sites according to conditions, tides, and the current regulations.

In winter, around July, the water temperature is about 21°C. The air can also feel cool, especially early in the morning and after the dive. A 5 mm or 7 mm wetsuit is a good idea, and a hood can make the dives noticeably more comfortable.

Turtles on Heron Island

Heron Island is well known for its turtles. Green turtles and loggerhead turtles nest on the island, with the main nesting season usually running from around November to March. During this time, females come ashore at night to lay their eggs in the sand. Later in the season, hatchlings make their way down to the water, often in the evening or at night.

For divers and snorkellers, turtles are a regular sight around the island. Green turtles in particular are often seen resting on the reef or feeding in the shallows. As always, keep some distance, avoid blocking their route to the surface, and let them move at their own pace.

Even outside the nesting season, Heron Island is a good place to encounter turtles in the water, and they are one of the reasons many divers remember the island so clearly.