5 Best Snorkelling spots on Great Keppel Island, right off the beach

Snorkelling on Great Keppel Island is a must do when you visit Yeppoon. With Great Keppel Island a short 30min ferry ride from Rosslyn Bay Marina, you don’t have to go too far to be able to enjoy the wonders of the Southern Great Barrier Reef where you can snorkel directly from the from the beach with easy to reach locations.

In this post I will guide you through the spots that can be easily reached from the main beach, right around to the locations with some requiring the assistance of the local tour guides or a more distant walk via scenic tracks to a more isolated location.

Each location I will describe the starting point from Fishermans Beach. This is the main beach where the ferries drop and pick up passengers and is located near the Hideaway restaurant and Bar.

There are 2 locations that are slightly further from the shore but can be reached if your adventurous enough. They are a short kayak or boat ride to get to but are well worth it.

I will let you know about these at eh end of this article.

2 Snorkelling spots on Great Keppel within easy walking distance from Fishermans Beach

There are 2 snorkelling spots within walking distance from Fishermans beach. These are both located at the southern end of Fishermans beach.

Shelving Beach Great Keppel Island

Shelving Beach is located at the southern end of Fishermans Beach. When you reach the end of the beach you will find a track that tacks you over the hill and into Shelving Beach.

Shelving Beach is a small cove that is popular with day trippers due to its proximity to Fishermans Beach.

There are fringing reefs to the north and south of the beach where you can walk straight off the beach. 

This is ideal to introduce the young ones into snorkelling where you can gradually take them to explore what the amazing underworld has to offer and for the less confident swimmers to be able to enjoy what the reef has to offer. 

Monkey Beach

Monkey Beach is located further south from Shelving Beach with a walk that would be classed as intermediate and provide some amazing scenery as you work your way over the hill and down into the beach.

Again, the reef can be reached right from the beach and the reek extends along the beach south to Monkey Point.

Tis beach is quite popular with the bigger boats due to its protection, quietness and ability to be able to enjoy the reef so close by.

This is a bit further away from the amenities of the island located back at Fishermans Beach, so it is advised to take some provisions if you plan to stay the full day.

Monkey Beach

3 Snorkelling spots on Great Keppel Island for the more adventurous 

Clam Bay

Clam Bay is located further around the island on the southern side.

The walk to this part of the island requires a level of fitness and requires some planning being further away from the amenities.

If you’re up for the walk, then there are tracks that take you to the beach. The reef sits just off the beach and extends the full beach and out the point to the southeast or left if you are standing on the beach.

This is known as a Coral Trout breeding area and is in a Green Zone. The Green Zone has strict no take rules, and further information can be found on the Marine National Parks website.

Wreck Beach

Wreck Beach is located on the furthest side from Fishermans Beach. I have not walked to this beach, but I would imagine it would require a full day with planning and supplies.

The beach faces east which receives most of the bad weather but when it is calm, and the winds are right it is a beautiful location to explore.

The coral reef is located to the north of the beach or to the right as you look out to see.

It extends right around the point, past Big Peninsula and into Secret Bay.

It would be recommended that if the weather is right, you take advantage of the services of the hire companies have and get a ride out there. As part of this they may be able to incorporate a stop at my next snorkelling destination on the norther side at Butterfish Bay.

Butterfish Bay

Like I mentioned, Butterfish Bay is located on the Northern side of the land.

This would also require the bast part of a day. The walk to Butterfish Bay will take you from Fishermans Beach via some amazing lookouts and past the Old Homestead.

I write more about the homestead in another post Visiting Great Keppel Island.

The reef at Butterfish Bay is located at the eastern end or right side of the beach.

As for Wreck Beach, it would be recommended to get a boat to this location, as this walk would be considered advanced.

As promised below are the 2 snorkelling locations a little further of the shore but located close enough so you can get there without a boat.

2 Snorkelling Spot on Great Keppel Island that you don’t need a boat for.

Passage Rocks

The final location is Passage Rocks. This is located to the north and is right at the end of Putney Beach. Putney beach is located to the north or left side of the hideaway if your looking from the water back to the beach.

I was reluctant to put this location in as it is hard to access from land. You may be able to access it from the rocks at the northern tip of Putney beach.

It is preferred to be accessed by Kayaks that can be hired from Keppel Water Sports or Keppel Dive and Snorkel.

The Observatory – Middle Island

The Observatory is located North from Fishermans Beach and can be easily seen from the beach across a small channel.

Although you don't need a boat, you will some sort of water craft to get you there, you can't walk there.

Getting there can be quite easy. You can either arrange guided tour or drop off through the likes of Keppel Dive and Snorkelling or you can hire a kayak and head out there yourself.

The Observatory was in full use when Great Keppel Island had an operation resort run by Contiki which closed in 2008.

As part of the resort The Observatory was a destination for the holiday makers to be able to descend into the concrete columns and through the viewing platforms, observe the underwater world, without getting wet.

The boat would pull up and people would disembark via the suspended walkway, onto the Observatory platform and down into the underwater columns.

Today the structure remains which has created a fish habitat that thrives today providing an amazing snorkelling and diving spot for all to explore.

Observatory

Things to take to Great Keppel Island for a day trip

Whether you’re heading out for the day to explore the close fringing reefs or looking to head out a little further for those more secluded beaches, here is a list of items needed when heading to Great Keppel Island:

1.      Snorkelling Gear

2.      Hat

3.      Sunscreen

4.      Appropriate footwear

5.      Water

6.      Sufficient Food

7.      Insect repellent

8.      Camera or any other device that you can capture the moments that you can share with family and friends

Remember to enjoy the island and protect the reefs.

Leave only your footprints for many others to enjoy.

Share your photos and tag @here_in_yeppoon 

The snorkels that we use are from Ninja Shark Australia and are fantastic for the family.

They are full face snorkelling masks making them easy to use and perfect for the the snorkelling that we do as a family on Great Keppel Island.

I have an affiliate with Ninja Shark where we get a small amount that helps me provide the posts and information on this blog.

There is no additional cost to you however, if you don't click on the above link, go and check them out at Ninja Shark Australia because I truly love the Ninja Shark Full Face Snorkelling Masks and recommend them for you and your family.