Heron Island
Ecotourism
Heron Island is famous around the world for its spectacular coral reef, its extraordinary variety of aquatic life, migrating whales, nestling turtles and as a breading ground for an abundance of birdlife.
Voyages is committed to nurturing and sharing Australia's sensitive and complex eco and cultural destinations and also to protecting them for generations to come. Heron Island Resort was awarded Advanced Eco-Certification by Ecotourism Australia.
On Heron Island, as well as running our own power generation, potable water production and wastewater treatment we also provide these services to the independent Heron Island Research Station and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Ranger Station.
Awareness
Keeping our guests well informed is important to allow them to enjoy their holiday without impacting upon the environment. The “Meet and Greet” is the first step to awareness for guests and outlines the need for guests to respect the environment they are in.
Our qualified Interpretive Activities guides conduct a range of guided walks, interpretive hands-on workshops, video and slide-show presentations and telescope sky viewings. Guided walks to watch female turtles nesting or new hatchlings race to the ocean are carefully managed so that the turtles are not disturbed or disorientated. No torches are allowed at anytime during turtle viewing.
The Information Centre at the Resort provides informative displays, including written information, posters and pictures, and three-dimensional marine environment displays. The Centre is manned by professional and informed guides/attendants who provide further depth to the information available and can also advise on options for tours, guiding and presentations.
The Junior Ranger Program allows children to participate in hands-on activities to learn more about the environment and wildlife. A one-off registration fee helps generate funds for the Queensland Turtle Conservation Program.
Extensive written material is available in handouts, pamphlets and guidelines which cover a range of topics including Turtle Watching, Birds, Whale Watching, the shipwreck HMCS Protector and a self-guided Island and Forest Circuit.
Ecosystems
A highlight of Heron Island is its close proximity to spectacular snorkelling and dive sites of the Great Barrier Reef. Voyages is now involved in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority's voluntary Marine Monitoring Program where staff take samples and install passive samplers to monitor potential mainland risks to the reef's water quality, including pesticides and fertilisers.
Heron Island is also a significant nesting location for two vulnerable turtle species, the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) and Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta). Strict guidelines are place for the viewing of nesting and hatching turtles.
The island is dominated by Pisonia (Pisonia grandis) forest.
Through all but a few months the island is a breeding and nesting sanctuary for a variety of birds, primarily the Black Noddy Terns (Anous minutus) and the Wedge-Tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus). Bird nesting holes are protected with covering boards as the nests are often found in the middle of a trail or path.
Please refer also to the Heron Island Biological Calendar for a full overview of Heron Island's birding and wildlife seasons.
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