Fitzroy Island

Enjoy both land based and in-water activities as students experience Fitzroy Island, a stunning continental island located off the coast of Cairns. Fitzroy Island allows immersive experiences on one of Australia’s most iconic beaches, stunning natural rainforest and World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef.

Travel 45 minutes from Cairns via a comfortable catamaran ride. Upon arrival students and teachers will have roughly 6 hours to participate in place-based learning and engaging activities. The activities can be differentiated to meet the specific needs of your class and desired student outcomes.

Enjoy easy access to the clear blue waters of Fitzroy Island straight from the beach. Fitzroy Island offers a choice of snorkelling locations that your Marine Biologist will determine on the day, with weather conditions, tides and visibility.

During this activity students will be working with a designated Marine Biologist or Cultural Guide for a personalised and private tour. Students will explore the surrounding reef of Fitzroy Island. Along the way your Marine Biologist will be sharing interpretation and stories of the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef and its’ inhabitants. Providing the most up to date information and helping to subdue misconceptions associate with this ecosystem. Your Marine Biologist can discuss biological and ecological process of the Great Barrier Reef and information on the management of the reef system and the threats it faces. All of out talks and presentations can be customised to meet the curriculum requirements of your excursions, just talk to your friendly guides.

On the tour, students can engage in citizen science on the reef. Collecting real-world monitoring data, including the Eye on the Reef program with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority [GBRMPA] and submitting images through the sightings network. Students can learn the importance of indicator species, how the reef is monitored and be able to submit their findings into the GBRMPA’s database.

The story of the creation of Fitzroy Island through a dreamtime story is about a big mountain (Kookaburra) surrounded by coastal plains, which were later flooded by the seawater.  The island and its surrounding waters are of cultural significance and importance as they were used for hunting and gathering, fishing, totemic values and ceremonies. The Gurabana Gunggandji people once hunted goannas and goats on the island, collected crayfish from the south-eastern shores and gathered coral rubble, which they later crushed to apply to orchards as lime.

Learn the cultural and ecological value of Fitzroy Island and its stunning natural rainforest as you are accompanied by your Indigenous Guide through the forest. Bring enclosed shoes as you will be exploring walking trails and paths through the rainforest. Engaging in the history and dreamtime stories of the creation of Fitzroy Island.