← Gladstone cruise guide
water · Gladstone

Heron Island: Private Great Barrier Reef Snorkel & Dive

Reach one of the Great Barrier Reef's most pristine coral cays — a true bucket-list immersion where turtles, reef sharks and thousands of tropical fish surround you the moment you wade in.

What to expect

A scenic 45-minute high-speed catamaran from Gladstone Marina delivers you to this 16-hectare coral cay encircled by 24 km² of protected reef. Drift snorkel above staghorn coral gardens teeming with hawksbill turtles and leopard sharks. Guided dive packages pair you with PADI-certified resident instructors who know every bombora and bommie. Non-divers can join a guided reef walk at low tide with a marine biologist narrating the ecosystem underfoot.

Booking
We have not yet verified a bookable operator and price for this one.

Good to know

Ferry departs Gladstone Marina at 11:00 AM; confirm the return sailing aligns with your all-aboard time. Pre-book the ferry and any dive packages directly on the Heron Island website — spaces are strictly limited. Bring reef-safe sunscreen; standard sunscreen is banned on the island.

Sail there

Luxury cruises that call at Gladstone — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.

Azamara · Azamara Pursuit
10 nights · calls at Gladstone
from $2,999
View sailing →
Regent · Seven Seas Explorer
12 nights · calls at Gladstone
from $11,249
View sailing →
See all cruises to Gladstone →

More to do in Gladstone

← Back to the full Gladstone guide

⚓ Your bucket-list concierge

Doing the whole cruise?

Tell us your sailing and we'll send the bucket list for every port — the operator to call, real prices, and an honest verdict on each ship tour.

We send the plan to your account’s own address — never to one typed into a box. Free, and Google works.