Punkyl44

Hello Everyone! I just wanted to thank everyone on this board because it has been a huge help.

We wanted to know if anyone has an opinion about Heron v. Dunk Island in August. We are a couple in our mid-twenties, like snorkel and are in the process of being certified for Scuba, like a range of activities to keep us bust but we are not nightlife-type people. Planning to stay 4-5 nights. We are concerned about the weather in August. Any info on this?

We are also planning on staying on the mainland in Port Douglas for 5 nights. Would we be better off there the whole time? Or taking a cruise?

Thanks!

Judy_in_Calgary

Punky, I cannot help you out with a comparison between Heron and Dunk Islands.

As far as mainland versus cruise is concerned, I highly recommend that you round out the variety of your trip by spending time on the mainland. The mainland of Far North Queensland has so many different things to offer, I would not give up a single one of those 5 nights you have planned for Port Douglas.

This is coming from a person who did a most delightful cruise around the Whitsundays in September. I LOVED the cruise, but then I previously had been to Port Douglas and done some of that fun stuff on the mainland.

The climate, vegetation and landscape change so dramatically when one leaves the coastal plain and climbs the Atherton Tableland. FNQ offers vastly different scenery within just a few miles.

Brilliant as FNQ's coastline is, I feel you would be missing out if you concentrated your entire vacation on coastal pursuits.

Louise

Being an avid snorkeler and having visited both islands it would be a no-brainer for me - Heron Island. Diving is supposed to be even better than snorkeling. That said, my absolutely first choice would be Lizard Island although expensive. Do a board search and you will find plenty of information on all of them.

johhj_au

heron for sure

pat_woolford

Hi Punky - In August, which is winter here, the weather will be warmer at Dunk. Dunk is hardly any distance from the mainland but has easy access to the reef beyond. Seeing you'll be PADI certified, why not a 3 or 4 night liveaboard which take you to the best dives sites with night dives included. Have a look at Spirit of Freedom, Pro-Dive, Nimrod - out of Cairns.

olivedz

Punky,

I am heading to the area in June and have been doing tons of research. I just got word from a well travelled Aussie that Heron Island is THE place to go to see the Reef. It is untouched there and because more remote, you can explore the area without slews of others around you. The resort is not inexpensive, but certainly better priced than most of the island resorts.
Apparently, you fly Brisbane to Gladstone and the resort picks you up on a launch from the airport. The boat ride to the island from Gladstone is a couple hours, I think.

I can give you better data once I return (end of June), but not sure you want to wait to book until then.

Also, my friends (same age as you) went to Dunk two years ago - it is very "activities-focused". There is a lot to do there - so if you're interested in being busy all day and night, Dunk might be the place to be. My friends did love it, but they didn't have anything else to compare it to.

lizF

as a person who lived near Heron Island for 23 years IT IS NOT THE PLACE TO BE IN AUGUST - it is only the place to be if you cannot go further north and that goes for any time of year actually. It is cheap because there is very little there and certainly nothing else to do if it rains. Getting to Gladstone is expensive because its not on the regular tourist route and is a dreadful place.
As far as unspoilt goes then the best answer to that is Hinchinbrook or the 70 uninhabited islands in the Whitsunday group - although they are too cold around August too - better to be right up north in PD or Cairns

ozwild

LizF -- are the Whitsundays really that cold in August? We're considering going there at that time - mostly b/c the islands up north are expensive and we don't have much desire for a liveaboard. From what I've read, it sounds like highs in the mid 70s with lows in the high 50s or low 60s which sounds quite pleasant. What am I missing? Thanks!

lizF

We graduated from F to Celcius neally 40 years ago so I cannot tell you what you will expect in F. I lived in Mackay for a while and it does get cold in winter and can get down to about 5 degC at night. Therefore the water temps are not really lovely and balmy. Even in Cairns in July I have been cold. Got up one morning and the temp was 13C and I had absolutely nothing warm to wear. However because the reef is shallow and close to the shore the water tends not to get too cold further north.
If you are from NY, Canada or Iceland it should be really nice for you around the Whitsundays. It is a lovely place that it would be worth trying anyway.
Still I harp on Hinchinbrook but it is overlooked all the time - it is cheaper than most of the other islands near Cairns yet offers so much more for so much less $$$$$$. Take a look at it and search up about it - you may be surprised what you find.

ozwild

Hi LizF -- no worries. While we Americans are quite backward in our temperature readings, they do teach us enough math to do the conversions. We're from the San Francisco area, so while it may be summer here it sounds like the weather will be quite similar in August.

I'm intrigued by Hinchinbrook. I've done some research but can't seem to find many reports on it. Any chance you could say what you've done there and why you find it so attractive? The lodge looks nice, and it sounds like activities primarily center around hiking, but not as much chance for snorkeling. Some pictures I've seen of people hiking the Thorsborne Trail look beautiful, but I'm guessing that this is not readily accessible from the lodge area.

Any comments you have would be greatly appreciated - thanks!

lizF

Stayed there for a week a few years ago and went there for a day trip about 5 years ago.
Its a big island and something like you would expect to find Mr Crusoe on. There are few people allowed at any one time and because it is a big island and a National Park you can have a beach to yourself or half an island.
I knew the people who first set the place up and I guess it is my idea of peace and tranquility. They do have tours to other areas and the surrounds are a beautiful dugong breeding area - apart from other marine life.
It does not have the expensive things that other islands have and if you want quiet and if you want to explore then this is for you.

lizF

Stayed there for a week a few years ago and went there for a day trip about 5 years ago.
Its a big island and something like you would expect to find Mr Crusoe on. There are few people allowed at any one time and because it is a big island and a National Park you can have a beach to yourself or half an island.
I knew the people who first set the place up and I guess it is my idea of peace and tranquility. They do have tours to other areas and the surrounds are a beautiful dugong breeding area - apart from other marine life.
It does not have the expensive things that other islands have and if you want quiet and if you want to explore then this is for you. You won't find much on reviews about it because it is not owned by P&O and therefore is not promoted by the Travel people and therefore tourists don't get there - probably just as well anyway because it would be spoilt otherwise.

lizF

I don't know what you have found out about Hinchinbrook but here is the website that I think is good.
http://www.hinchinbrookresort.com.au/
As you see it won the award in 2003.

ozwild

Sorry for hijacking your thread Punky.

I found the resort and ferry pages on Hinchinbrook as well as many other descriptions, but they really don't include that much information on what is offered. For example, breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in the price, but I have no idea what type of food to expect. Is it gourmet, buffet, sandwiches, bbq? It's a big island -- can I walk to Orchid Beach or hike up Mt. Bowen from the resort? It says snorkeling exists, but no details are given - is this fringing reef, GBR, available from the resort? Where do the day cruises go, and are they on the ferry or a separate boat? What kind of fees am I looking at for these extra activities? What makes it unique as a national park?

Anyway, it looks really nice, I'm just not sure what I would be getting into. If you do know any of this information it would be quite helpful for our decision. Thanks again!

lizF

Why not just email the resort and ask those very same questions that you have asked here - OR phone them. That information is
PO Box 3
Cardwell Queensland
Australia. 4849 Ph: 07 4066 8270
Fax: 07 4066 8271
FREECALL: 1800 777 021 Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
For phoning Australia drop the 0 and add at the front 61 - therefore the phone number is 617 4066 8270 remember to put your country exit number in front of that again!