The Great Barrier Reef is an icon of Australia. It seemed a shame to come all the way to Oz and not experience this incredible place. Most tours to the reef, however, require spending all day long on a boat far out to sea with age minimums typically starting around 3-5 years old. This wasn’t going to work for our family since we have multiple people prone to sea sickness and most of our kids didn’t meet the age requirement. We found a day trip to Fitzroy Island, set within the Great Barrier Reef to be perfect with kids! Toddlers don’t last long snorkeling so this option allowed us to take turns taking the kids out snorkeling while the others were comfortable under shaded palms on the beach. The snorkeling here might not be quite the same as if going to the Outer Reef, however, we were easily able to see baby sharks, sea turtles, tons of fish and a sting ray. This was so exciting for the kids!
Fitzroy Island also has more than just snorkeling. They have a few hiking trails, a turtle rehabilitation center, glass bottom boat tours, a bar/grill, a trampoline in the middle of the ocean and an activities hut where you can rent SUPs, kayaks and snorkel gear. You can even spend the night on Fitzroy Island at either the beautiful hotel or campground.
This is one of the most cost effective ways to do the Great Barrier Reef as a family and very easy with young kids. It is just a 45 minute ferry ride from Cairns to Fitzroy Island.
Check out more about Fitzroy Island here:
