Heron Island is famous around the world for its spectacular coral reef, extraordinary variety of aquatic life, migrating whales, nesting turtles and as a breeding ground for an abundance of birdlife. The Heron Island Resort is Great Barrier Reef ecotourism at its best, which is no doubt why it has been awarded an Advanced Eco-Certification by Ecotourism Australia.


As well as running our own power generator, potable water producing and treating wastewater, we also provide these services to the independent Heron Island Research Station and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Ranger Station.

Heron Island Research Station

The Heron Island Research Station, Heron Island Resort and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) are the only tenants on Heron Island.
 
Guests at Heron Island resort have the chance to join a one-hour Research Walk (check the Heron Times for details) around the Heron Island Research Station, which is the largest island research centre in the Southern Hemisphere. These informative walks are led by the resort's degree-holding activity guides and are the only way guests can see the research station. It's not always possible to talk with research staff on the walk itself, however researchers come to the resort's Wistari Room to discuss details of their research projects. Check the Heron Times for details.
 
The research station has been part of Heron Island since 1951 - more than 60 years ago - and has been the research hub for thousands of school students, undergrad and postgrad students over the years. The first group of undergraduates arrived from the University of Queensland before the Second World War, and made use of the facilities of the abandoned turtle factory complex. Studies at the island continued after the war and in 1951, the first research station was built.
 
Today the research station has a base team of 10 that keeps it running by providing boating, housekeeping and maintenance support. The station's population increases at various times of the year (June is probably the quietest time) when research students arrive to study everything from snails to whales. The population further increases when school groups arrive at the station to learn about the complexities of life in the Great Barrier Reef.


Learn more about the Heron Island Research Station.