Who knew that my in my own backyard of Brisbane, Australia, I was able to visit paradise in a short 70 min ferry ride to Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island! Whether you’re visiting Brisbane or even a local that is looking for your next weekend getaway to a beautiful beach with crystal clear turquoise waters then you need to add Tangalooma Island Resort to your list. This post will cover all the great, fun things to do at Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island.
First let’s make sure you have everything you need for your trip away-
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Things to do at Tangalooma Island Resort & Moreton Island
1. Weekend Getaway at Tangalooma Island Resort
Tangalooma is such a beautiful destination and a really great place to unwind for the weekend. The ferry does a few trips per day to Moreton Island from the Holt St wharf in Pinkenba and only takes around 70mins to get there.
See what dates are available below for your next weekend getaway!
2. Book Day Trip Tours to Moreton Island
If you don’t have the time to plan a weekend away, you can also book Day Trips to Moreton Island! An organised tour can give you a taste of this beautiful destination and what it has to offer.
Check out the tours below-
3. Snorkelling
I love the ocean and I love water activities! Snorkelling the Tangalooma Wrecks are one of the most popular if not famous activities to do when visiting the island.
It is definitely possible to walk to the wrecks and BYO snorkel gear. The walk for me took around 30mins from the resort along the beach. They also have a truck set up on the beach in front of the wrecks where you can hire gear or book a tour.
Another option is to book a tour from the resort and they will take you on a boat from the resort to the wrecks so you don’t have to walk, plus they provide the snorkel gear as well.
4. Sand Tobogganing
There are many popular activities to do at Tangalooma Island Resort and sand tobogganing the big sand dunes is one of them! No better place than to do it on the third-largest sand island in the world, this exhilarating activity involves sliding down sand dues at speeds of up to 40km/h!
You can see from my photo, a true professional tobogganer goes down with their mouth closed LOL. You don’t want to eat sand on your way down.
5. Feed Wild Dolphins from the Jetty
A lot of people come to Tangalooma just for the wild Dolphin feeding! The wild bottlenose Dolphins come to the Tangalooma shores every sunset at their own accord. You can get a free dolphin feeding when you book accommodation at the resort. Otherwise you can also book to partake in the dolphin feeding as part of your day trip.
6. Experience Whale Watching
Whale watching has become increasingly popular at Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island. A great alternative to a day trip to the island is to book a Whale watching day cruise. This includes return ferry, 3 hours of whale watching, light lunch and refreshments, expert commentary as well as resort access and much more.
The best time to spot whales in this region is between June and October.
7. ATV Quad Bike Tour
Experience the thrill of riding on an ATV quad bike along the beach and through bushland at Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island. The tour run for about 45 minutes and there a couple of different times they run throughout the day.
8. Scenic Helicopter Flights over Tangalooma Island Resort
See Tangalooma Island Resort and the rest of Moreton Island via a short 10 min flight. You’ll get to see the Tangalooma wrecks, sand dunes, Cape Moreton and more with an aerial view.
9. Glass Bottom Kayaking
A beautiful way to see the diverse underwater life and get a clear view of all the pretty and colourful fish and other marine life in the region. You could even paddle around the Tangalooma Wrecks, all without having to get wet.
10. Diving
Diving the Tangalooma Wrecks is possible to organise from the island or via a day trip from Brisbane. It’s a great dive site for both new and experienced divers alike and there are over 100 species of fish and other marine life that inhabit this region including sea urchins, nudibranchs, eels and wobbegong sharks!
11. Visit Cape Moreton Lighthouse
Journey to the northern end of Moreton Island and visit the oldest lighthouse in Queensland at Cape Moreton. There are stunning views of the turquoise waters and even a chance to spot dolphins and turtles swimming here.
You can arrange a tour with Tangalooma Island Resort or drive there yourself if you have your own 4WD. Taking a tour with the resort also means you get to see other places like Honeymoon Bay and Champagne Pools.
12. Daily Bird Feeds
The Tangalooma Island Resort have a couple different feedings scheduled through the day. Daily Kookaburra and Pelican feedings are held at the Tangalooma Island Resort and are actually quite enjoyable to watch as well as very informative. I had time to attend the Pelican feeding in particular and watched as the Tangalooma Ranger hand fed the local Pied Cormorants some fish – these are often mistaken as baby Pelican. We even got to see a whistling kite drop by and caught a few fish in mid-flight!
Lots of options for Water & Land based activities
There is loads of options on water and land based things to do at Tangalooma Resort Island on Moreton Island. Some of which include the following: Banana boat, Sea scooter, Segway Beach Tours, Parasailing, Kayaking by night around the Tangalooma Wrecks, Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Tangalooma Squash Court, Tangalooma Tennis Court, Tangalooma Massage & Beauty, sit in the Resort Pools sipping a Cocktail, or go Swimming. As you can see your time on the island can be jam packed or chilled and relaxing, its up to you.
And don’t forget to enjoy some of the most beautiful sunsets you will see at this beautiful destination!
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More Things about Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island
Where is Tangalooma Island Resort & Moreton Island
Tangalooma Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island is located in Queensland, Australia. The closest city is Brisbane and is about a 70 min ferry ride to the island from Brisbane.
Is Tangalooma Worth Visiting?
I’ve been to Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island and I say it’s a definite yes! The island is a tropical paradise that is super easy and quick to get to- especially if you already live in Brisbane. With so many things to do at Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island you have almost limitless options to how you want to spend your time there. Tangalooma Island is definitely worth a visit.
FAQS – Things to do at Tangalooma & Moreton Island
What are the Tangalooma Wrecks
Located just north of the Tangalooma Island Resort are the Tangalooma Wrecks, a cluster of 15 ships scuttled by the Queensland Government between 1963 and 1984 to provide a safe anchorage spot for recreational boat owners on the eastern side of Moreton Bay. The depth of the water ranges from 16-27 metres however some of the wrecks are only about 12 metres down.
Can you swim to the wrecks at Tangalooma?
Yes you can swim to the wrecks at Tangalooma. It is actually pretty close and would only take a few mins to swim up to them.
Be aware that there is no lifeguard on duty at the wrecks, no safety line and be especially cautious of the currents. Sometimes the friendly people at the snorkel hire trucks in front of the wrecks will let you know whether there are strong currents that day or not.
Are there sharks at Tangalooma wrecks?
The wrecks act as an artificial reef, proving a place for the fish to hide or hunt their prey. Yes there are sharks at Tangalooma wrecks and the most common you will see at the wobbegong and reef sharks.
How far are the wrecks from Tangalooma Island Resort?
The walk to the Tangalooma wrecks took me around 30 mins at a leisurely pace also while taking some photos along the way.
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As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
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