Things to do on Fitzroy Island, Queensland

 

Things to do in Hobar

Fitzroy Island is a beautiful tropical island getaway close to Cairns in North Queensland. With picturesque beaches, great water sports and a spacious resort, it is a favourite getaway with both locals and tourists.
We’ve spent many weekends on Fitzroy Island and can’t rave about it highly enough. Only a short 30 kilometre ferry ride from Cairns it’s a beautiful island with a very relaxed fun atmosphere.
And there’s also plenty to do when you’re there. Here’s our rundown of things to do on Fitzroy Island.

1. meet the local sea creatures

Turtle Rehabilitation Centre

Doug Gamble, the owner of Fitzroy Island Resort, generously donated the land for this centre to be built and visitors can book a tour to visit the patients and learn more about the plight of sea turtles on the Great Barrier Reef.
We love visiting this centre and were lucky enough to help feed the turtles the last time we visited, but this isn’t always available to the public. Tours cost $7.70 for adults and $4.40 for kids and the money goes towards helping the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre.
Fish Feeding

Twice a day tourists can head down to the jetty (pier) and watch the fish swim to the surface as staff from the resort feed the fish at a designated area on the jetty.
If you have young kids this is always a fun activity for families. Fish feeding is at 11.30am and 4.00pm.

2. walking tracks

Since Fitzroy is an island rather than a coral cay, it has hills to climb with great views of the surrounding area. So if you’ve got the time, exploring some of the island’s walking trails should definitely be on your list of things to do on Fitzroy Island.
These are the trails we would recommend:
Walk to the Lighthouse


This is a 3.6 kilometre return walk that requires a degree of fitness, some sturdy shoes and plenty of water.
It is a very steep path and winds through rainforest and around the island giving breathtaking views of the ocean.
It is worth the steep climb once you reach the lighthouse at the top and feel the sense of achievement.
The lighthouse is no longer active and the channel uses an automated light on Little Fitzroy Island. However, you can have a look inside as the ground floor is open to the public.
The Summit Track
This track leads further on from the lighthouse road and is yet another winding track that takes you to the summit of the island. The views are spectacular but this walk is only advised for fit walkers.
Nudey Beach


Nudey Beach is about a 20-minute walk from the resort and it involves a bit of rock hopping so don’t attempt it with a pram or wheelchair.
It is one of the most photographed beaches in Queensland and, unlike the beach in front of the Fitzroy Island Resort which is all washed up coral, Nudey Beach is made up of pure white sand and crystal clear water.
This is a great place to swim and snorkel but hire stinger suits from the resort during stinger season (October-May).
Don’t let the name Nudey Beach fool you, swimsuits are definitely required!

3. water activities

Snorkelling & Swimming
Fitzroy Island is part of the Great Barrier Reef so swimming and snorkelling should definitely be on your agenda. Snorkelling gear can be hired for $15 per day, which includes mask, snorkel and fins.
Water Sports


There is a hut on the beach hiring equipment for a range of water sports including kayaking and stand up paddle boarding.
We took out a few double kayaks when the water was still fairly calm and paddled under the pier and around the beach area.
It was great fun and the perfect way to spend a few hours.
There is also an ocean trampoline just off the beach in front of the resort.
Scuba Diving
The resort offers introductory diving as well as scuba diving tours for accredited divers. You can hire all the equipment on the island. For more information about diving tours contact the resort directly.

4. day tours

If you still run out of things to do on Fitzroy Island, there are many day tours available too. These include:

• Glass Bottom Boat Tours depart daily at 10am, 1.30pm and 3pm (if 1.30pm tour is booked out), and are a great way for those tourists who want to see the reef without getting wet.

• Photography Tours are a fantastic way to see the island and the perfect backdrop for keen photographers. Calypso Productions run a Reef & Rainforest Photography Tour at Fitzroy Island costing $265 for the day and includes transfers to and from Fitzroy Island, lunch and use of an underwater camera.

• Guided Eco Walks run on Tuesdays and Sundays, otherwise visitors to Fitzroy Island can go on their own self-guided walks. Maps are available from the resort reception.

• Night Coral Viewing Tours give tourists a chance to see life on the reef after the sun goes down and can be booked at the Resort Dive Centre.

Jet Boating on the Gold Coast

 Hobart Attractions

As the name implies, Broadbeach is a good holiday destination if you’re thinking about water activities. One of the best things you can try while in Broadbeach is the series of jet boating rides. You can experience 360 jet spins and even go through powerful slides. If you feel the need for speed, some jet boating rides allow you to speed across the Broadbeach water using twin jet power. The turbo jets used for this rides are some of the best in the world.

There are several things you can expect from the jet boating ride experience in Broadbeach. Some of the highlights include an adventure trip riding the most powerful and largest boat in the Gold Coast. You are also well assured that all jet boat rides are safe and secure. There are individual bucket seats that safely hold the passengers allowing them to enjoy the whole ride without the fear of falling off the boat. You also get the chance to view some of the most scenic sports on Surfers Paradise.

Most jet rides last for 55 minutes and costs around $35 up to $100 depending on the package you will choose. Jet boats are mostly 5-star luxury boats so you are guaranteed that you are getting your money’s worth. Our Broadbeach holiday apartments are just right around the corner providing a convenient access to really good jet boat rides. Likewise, our Gold Coast family apartments offer the necessary assistance to get your good jet board ride schedules. After a day of ride, you can return back to the apartment and relax by the scenic view beside. There are also nearby dining attractions allowing you to choose a varied range of cuisines to try. From restaurants to cafes and bars, you will surely find the right spot for your preferences. 

Information credit - Administrator

Water Sports and Diving

  

 Flyboard Hose

 WATER SPORTS like Kayaking, Jet Ski, Banana boat, bumpy ride, white water rafting.

Kayaking:

It is a water sport kayak is used for moving across water, this sport is gaining popularity among youngsters and it is thrilling simultaneously, the guides are alert and are well trained in this water sport.

Jet Ski:

It is a personal watercraft/ motorsport where individual can enjoy his rides from the Jet Ski instructor and have an exciting water ride.

Banana Boat:

This sport is fun, the boat is in banana shape yellow in color, this ride is safer also, it is an hot air balloon leisure boat intended for pulling/ towing, riders are given life jackets for safety reasons, kids are not allowed for this ride.

White water rafting:

It is thrilling and refreshing water sport undertaken on Kali River called Ganeshgudi to extreme end of Dandeli at a stretch of 9.5 Kms for 3 hrs filled with fun and excitement for first timers, this ride is monitored by a trained.
                                                                       
Information By- http://kudlebeachview.com

The Coolest New Water Sport to Hit the Texas Skies!

Gold Coast Attractions

When I woke up this morning, I didn’t know that in a few hours I would be strapping a jet pack onto my feet and hurtling straight up in the air. But let me tell you, I had one of the coolest thrills of my life, and I can’t wait to try flyboarding again.

Flyboarding?  What is that?

I had never heard of it until today. We were driving across the Lake Lewisville Bridge and out of the corner of my eye, I saw something odd in the distance.  It looked like a person being catapulted upward with jets of water coming out of their feet. I had to get a closer look.

Flyboarding is a relatively new “extreme” watersport which originated in France and is becoming a new craze around the world. The appeal is obvious: it’s an amazing, thrilling experience and it’s easy. It’s safe too, for ages 12 and up. Little or no skill is needed.  Just a quick lesson to learn the feel of the board and how to use the controls and 10 minutes later, you are flying! Beginners typically start by hovering just a bit over the water, maybe 5-10 feet. As you gain experience, though, you can get higher and higher. More experienced flyers hit heights of up to 30 feet and can do some very cool tricks. 

Flyboards are fairly simple devices — essentially, a pair of jetski boots, attached to a board and powered by water pressure. A hose connects the board to the motor of a jet ski, which provides the power to rocket the board upwards. It lets you fly, straight up vertically, like Iron Man. With a little practice, you can also leap headfirst through the waves like a dolphin.

Imagine the sheer exhilaration of rocketing high above the water’s surface. In only seconds, you are flying!!!  It is amazing! I can’t even compare it to any other activity I’ve done before.  You just HAVE to try this for yourself.

There are flyboarding locations all around Texas.  In the south, you’ll find lots of options along the gulf coast beaches.  Further inland, look for large lakes that offer water activities.

Prices vary widely, but on average, an hour of flyboarding, including instructions, will run you approximately $200.  Some places offer discounts for multiple riders and groups. Others have coupons or Groupons available.  I would suggest calling and inquiring about any available promotions before going.  I’d also urge you to make a reservation.  While I was able to just drive up spontaneously and get a spot, you may not be as lucky.

Add this one to your bucket list! Whether you make it part of a memorable Texas vacation or simply a weekend adventure, it’s sure to be an adrenalin rush you won’t forget!

Here is a list of just a few options around Texas to try this incredible activity.

By - blog.tourtexas.com

Top 10 Adventure Sports In Australia

 Flyboard Gold Coast

Australia is an adventure lover’s delight. Even the sky isn’t the limit when it comes to adrenaline pumping activities in Australia. With a bustling coastline, sprawling outback and a mild climate year round, it proves to be a paradise for all adventure lovers with the endless list of indoor and outdoor activities. Here is a list of 10 most lured activities in Australia.

Hang Gliding – NSW





Ever wanted to fly like a bird? well, now you can. Experience the thrill of Hang Gliding in Sydney over world famous ‘Bald Hill’ at Stanwell Park and ‘Hill 60’ near Wollongong. You will be airborne for 30 minutes approximately along the spectacular Illawarra escarpment and land on the beach at Stanwell Park. For first timers, they have the advanced technology which allows you to fly with an instructor. Courses also commence regularly with the best time to learn September through to the end of May with a Tandem Instructional Flight the recommended place to begin.

Windsurfing and Kitesurfing – WA






Western Australia’s world-class waves and consistent winds create perfect port tack sailing conditions for novices and professionals alike. The windsurfing capital of Geraldton is one of the windiest spots on Australia’s west coast-WA. When the strongest sea breezes roll in from November to March, make a beeline for the jumps and easy wave riding on Coronation Beach. The surfing capital of Margaret River, allows you to test your skills on some of the most spectacular surf on Earth. Here, the swell is often mast high or more and conditions can be unforgiving to even the most experienced kiters and surfers. Also, the Swan River and many of Perth’s 19 beaches offer perfect conditions for wind sailing and kitesurfing between December and March, when the southerly sea breezes are up.

SkyDiving



For pure fear, it’s hard to beat sitting in an open doorway of a plane knowing you’re about to jump into absolutely nothing. Nothing can make you smile as much as the realisation of knowing you are not dead after jumping out of a plane. There are lots of places to skydive in Australia and nearly all of them offer something spectacular to look at while you’re plummeting earthwards. The view from Byron is among the best though. Flight time is 15 minutes or so, free fall around 45 seconds, while the entire jump lasts around four to five minutes. The adrenaline rush lasts much longer.


Hot air ballooning





Ascend into the heavens on a sunrise hot air balloon flight, suitable for all ages. Take a balloon ride and feel the magic of soaring over a changing landscape at sunrise, suspended in a basket under a glorious hot air balloon. Most flights begin set up well before dawn in order to catch the early morning breezes. There are plenty of places suitable for hot air ballooning around Australia with the best being the Yarra Valley in Victoria, the Barossa Valley in South Australia, Alice Springs and Canberra.

Scuba diving – Great Barrier or Ningaloo Reef



Completely surrounded by water and rich in islands and reefs, Australia is a diver’s dream with more than 4000 species of fish and the world’s highest diversity of seagrass. Learn to dive in Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef-the world’s largest living organism which stretches most of the way down the north-east coast. The Ningaloo Reef, on Western Australia’s west coast is a bit smaller, a lot quieter but still provides some stunning dives.


Diving with Sharks – SA






Experience the chance to see the legendary Great White Shark in its natural habitat with a glass viewing area of 360 degree views underwater. Rising steeply from deep water in the mouth of Spencer Gulf, the remote, windswept Neptune Islands are the setting for one of the world’s greatest underwater experiences: cage diving with the Great White Shark. SA is one of the few places in the world and only place in Australia where you can get personal with the Great White.

White Water Rafting – Tasmania


Tasmania has a strong white water kayak community and the rafting opportunities are numerous. The Franklin River is Australia’s best river rafting destination. On your adventure you will experience surging rapids, exciting whitewater, tranquil gorges and rare pristine temperate rainforests. Native wildlife including platypus, wallabies, quolls, yellow-tailed black cockatoos and white breasted sea eagles are often encountered. Most Franklin River trips take between five to ten days but some other rivers offer shorter duration rafting experiences.


Abseiling and Rock Climbing-Victoria



For those who prefer a challenge that only nature can provide, the Grampians National Park in western Victoria provide hundreds of exciting climbs, especially on the rugged cliff faces of Mount Stapylton at the park’s northern end and Mount Rosea, just south of Halls Gap. However Australia’s best known climbing site is nearby Mount Arapiles, located near the small town of Natimuk.


Mountain Biking – NSW




$12.95
The extensive network of roads through state forests in NSW provides the enthusiastic mountain bikers the much needed biking experience. Thredbo is the capital of mountain biking in Australia, with a range of trails from easy-riding for casual riders to complex terrain for the downhill dynamos, as well as regular championship racing events. So just take your bike up to the top of the mountain and start pedalling down the slope as fast as you can.

Jet Fighter Flights – NSW

Ever wanted to become a fighter pilot but couldn’t eh? Here’s a chance for you to become one for a day. You’ll get to experience extreme G-Forces, perform aerobatic manoeuvres and travel at speed that will blow your mind in an ex-military fighter jet. Also get the privilege of choosing your mission and aircraft. You can also customize your mission according to your preferences. The mission is to be completed from 15 to 40 minutes depending upon your choice and level from the scale of mild to wild.

Credit : www.cartographics.com.au

Cairns River Tubing: Free-Floating Fun on the Mulgrave River

Adrenalin

The Wet Tropics region of Far North Queensland, Australia, is perfect territory for river activities with full flowing rivers coursing through luscious green rainforest.

Local tour companies around the Cairns and Port Douglas area offer everything from white water rafting to kayaking and paddle boarding, but if you want to be able to enjoy the river without learning how to paddle, then River Tubing might be for you.

what is river tubing?

 

River tubing involves free floating down river on an inner tube.

All you have to do is sit in your tube (which has mesh in the bottom so you don’t fall through) and go with the flow.

It might look a bit tame compared to rafting but it is fun and since it’s pretty easy, it is ideal for families and people who want to experience a river activity more gentle than white water rafting.

Foaming fury

Foaming Fury is a small and friendly local tour company.

We recently joined their River Tubing tour on the Mulgrave River in the Goldsborough Valley, about 30 minutes drive south of Cairns.

It was the perfect day for messing about on the river – sunny weather and reasonably high water levels.

There were 10 of us on the tour including our two lively river guides, Mikey and Max, who clearly love their jobs (and who wouldn’t?!).

The Tour

 

At the start we had about a five-minute walk along a rocky riverbed to get to the area where we launched ourselves into the river.

Pushing our tubes into the river we started on some very gentle rapids and then drifted along while our guides talked us through some basic tips and tried to get us wet by making us stand on our tubes!

Getting wet is obviously all a part of the trip and, lucky for us, on the day we went the water temperature was perfect.

Floating downstream we soon came to a bigger set of rapids where we spent most of the morning going up and down river.

 

The guides pulled a rope across the river below the rapids so we could grab hold of it, pull ourselves out and walk back up along the riverbank for another go.

It was great fun trying out lots of different ways to ride the river.

It’s basically just like being in a waterpark but with much better scenery and no queues!

Secret Swim Hole

 

After about 5-6 runs, Mikey and Max showed us a secret little swim hole just nearby.

There is another creek that joins the river at this point with much cooler water and if you follow it uphill for about 3-4 minutes you come across a fantastic swim hole that clearly nobody else knows about.

We spent some time having a very refreshing swim, jumping in from the rocks and trying to climb trees to swing from, before making our way back to the main river. Then we jumped back in our tubes and drifted down to the end of the tour.

This Foaming Fury river tubing tour is a great way to spend half a day. It’s lots of fun and a wonderful way to enjoy the scenery around Cairns.

By Elaine Seager

The Top 5 Water Sport Locations Around the World

Flyboard Gold Coast

Whether it’s surfing, scuba diving, jet ski-riding or waterskiing, be sure to pack your wetsuit when next making travel plans because the world is full of fabulous places to enjoy some leisure time on the water. Here’s a glimpse of the top five water sport locations around the world to get your travel plans started.

The Whitsundays, Australia

Scuba diving, jet skiing and boating are all staple activities in this fabulous location that is a prominent fixture of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Take in one of the Seven Wonders of the World by diving into the reef and see some of the most amazing coral on the planet or enjoy the yachting that is a mainstay of the region.
If speed is more your thing, then this is a jet skiing and boating paradise with the 74 Whitsunday Islands as either your destination or backdrop. For equipment and inspiration, check out websites such as JSW Powersports.

Milford Sound, New Zealand

Another great Southern hemisphere watersports location is Milford Sound, on New Zealand’s South Island. An ideal kayaking location, it features the spectacular scenery of vast mountains and the chance of meeting penguins, dolphins or seals. Milford Sound is also home to Mitre Peak, which stands at 1,682m and rises more than a kilometre out of the waters of the fjord.

Oahu, Hawaii, USA

Head to Hawaii, the home of surfing, and ride the world-renowned waves of Oahu. Oahu boasts hundreds of fabulous spots to catch a wave, with the North Shore well recognised for its rolling winter swells. A must-do for surf pros and casual surfers alike, the region boasts consistently warm water temperatures.

Dakhla, Morocco

One of the most spectacular windsurfing locations in the world, Dakhla is situated on a 40 kilometre peninsula in the Western Sahara region of Morocco. The peninsula shelters the Bay of Dakhla from the Atlantic Ocean, meaning the region boasts fabulous beaches, waves, a 48km-long lake and spectacular desert scenery all in one location. Surfing and wake boarding are also catered for, making this a water sports paradise set in one of the most striking locations on earth.

The French Riviera

The French Riviera has long been a haven for those seeking to holiday on the water and it has the sporting facilities to match its fun-loving heritage. From diving to power boating, and kitesurfing to water skiing, the French Riviera is the ultimate water lover’s playground. While the summer season is the most popular time to visit the Mediterranean, the French Riviera has a great climate all year round. And should you become waterlogged, there’s a host of land activities and sights to also take your fancy.
Whether you’re looking to embrace the popular water sports locations or find a new paradise somewhere a little more off the beaten track, there’s fabulous water sports destinations across the globe. Once you’ve picked that destination, the question is what other than a wetsuit do you need to pack for the trip?

Information Credit : www.balibackpacking.com