The Dreamiest Islands To Visit Off Cairns

Play castaway on one of these unmissable islands to visit off the coast of Cairns.

Take a patch of white sand, add a few palm trees, some crystalline waters, fringe it with coral formations, and you have yourself a tropical island paradise. But rather than just dreaming about your island idyll, why not start planning the perfect escape to one of these unique islands off the coast of Cairns?

1. Fitzroy Island

The fact that 95 per cent of Fitzroy Island is a designated national park only adds to its allure. There are two sides to the islands: there are the beaches lined with swaying palms, and the jade-green rainforest crisscrossed with walking tracks. The four-kilometre path to the summit takes about two hours return and includes a loop to the historic lighthouse, which was an observation point for ships coming into Cairns Harbour during the Second World War. From the top of the craggy peak, you can see all the way to the outer reef.

Distance from Cairns: 15 nautical miles (38 kilometres) away from Cairns by boat.

Getting there: Get there in your own yacht or catch a ride on the Fitzroy Flyer, which takes about 45 minutes.

Best for: Families and those who suffer from sea sickness, as it is only a 45-minute boat ride from Cairns.

Highlight for visitors: Fitzroy Island is home to the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre , which is dedicated to the conservation of sick and injured turtles.

2. Michaelmas Cay

Michaelmas Cay turtle — Michaelmas Cay is rich with a myriad of sea life. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Michaelmas Cay is a sand island curled like a comma in the middle of the Coral Sea, on the western tip of Michaelmas Reef. The island, which was formed by the accumulation of broken coral, has a tangle of vegetation and stretches for 1.8 hectares, making it a paradise for first-time snorkellers and divers. In addition to having great cultural significance to the local Gungandji, Mandingalbay-Yidinji and Yirriganydji indigenous peoples, the island is a sanctuary for migratory sea birds.

Distance from Cairns: 43 kilometres northeast of Cairns (about two hours by boat).

Getting there: Get onboard Reef Runner Charters, which travels to the cay and beyond.

Best for: Inexperienced snorkellers, first-time divers and keen fisher folk.

Highlight for visitors: Spotting turtles and swimming with giant trevally around the shallow waters off the island.

3. Low Isles

Woody Island and Low Isles are the two islands that make up Low Isles, which are considered important cultural sites for both the Kuku Yalanji and Yirraganydji tribes. Surrounded by 22 hectares of reef, the island’s proximity to the coastline makes it perfect for either a full or half-day adventure. There are about 150 different species of hard corals in the waters off the two small islands, as well as 15 species of soft corals. You can swim or snorkel straight from the beach at Low Isles, where you are likely to spy species such as parrotfish, angelfish, clownfish, trevally and moon wrasse. The Isles are also a protected paradise for nesting turtles.

Distance from Cairns: Low Isles is located 9.1 nautical miles (15 kilometres) off the coast of Port Douglas.

Getting there: The sandy coral cay islands that make up Low Isles are best reached by driving to Port Douglas, from where it is just a short sailboat ride to Low Isles with a local tour operator.

Best for: Families with first-time snorkelers who will appreciate the shallow waters and wide stretch of sand.

Highlight for visitors: The old heritage lighthouse on Low Isle, which has been operational since 1878.

4. Dunk Island

The Traditional Owners of Dunk Island are the Bandjin and Djiru people, who have lived in this pocket of Tropical North Queensland for tens of thousands of years. The Indigenous name for Dunk Island is Coonanglebah (which translates to ‘the island of peace and plenty’), and you will gain an understanding of why when you explore the island, which is home to a diverse array of marine life, such as crabs, shellfish, sea turtles, fish and dugongs. Keep an eye out for the incredible Ulysses butterfly, which has become the emblem for the island, and about 150 different species of birds.

Distance from Cairns: It takes about two hours to drive to Mission Beach from Cairns, which is 138.9 kilometres north.

Getting there: Catch the Mission Beach Dunk Island Water Taxi for the 10-minute ride from Wongaling Beach to Dunk Island.

Best for: Active types who are missing their elliptical trainer and want to burn off a few calories hiking to the summit of Mt Kootaloo.

Highlight for visitors: Play castaway for a few days and choose from one of just eight camp sites for an overnight stay on the island.

5. Green Island

As well as being a protected marine park, Green Island has a luxury eco-certified resort that will help you get into go-slow holiday mode. As well as the eco attitude of the resort, the fact that you can roll out of bed and be on the beach before the day-trippers descend is heavenly. Continue that feeling of castaway cool by padding from the beach to the poolside bar for cocktails and then back to your room overlooking the island’s emerald-green rainforest. Write your Out of Office memo in the sand and stay a few extra days so you can take up some windsurfing lessons, enjoy an evening nature tour and daily fish-feeding presentation.

Distance from Cairns: Green Island is located 14 nautical miles (27 kilometres) off the coast of Cairns.

Getting there: Get onboard the Great Adventures fast catamaran for the 45-minute journey to the 6000-year-old coral cay.

Best for: Romantics who are partial to a luxury resort after lazing on white coral sand beaches.

Highlight for visitors: There is a wide range of activities on offer on the island – from glass-bottom-boat tours to walking underwater with Seawalker helmet diving – but the daily crocodile show at Marineland Melanasia Crocodile Habitat is a must.

6. Frankland Islands

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on the planet. If you’re going to see this natural wonder of the world, do so in the pristine environment around the Frankland Islands’ archipelago, where the reef is truly breathtaking. The Frankland Islands include Normanby, High, Russel, Round and Mabel Islands, which are all uninhabited islands in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Snorkel or dive with Frankland Island Reef Cruises and see giant pink-rimmed clams and a technicolour kaleidoscope of coral and reef fish.

Distance from Cairns: The Frankland Islands are about 45 kilometres southeast of Cairns by road and just five nautical miles (10 kilometres) offshore.

Getting there: You must drive to the township of Deeral before detouring to the coast, where you will find the jumping-off point for the islands.

Best for: Lovers of nature and wildlife. The fringing reefs around the Frankland Islands are home to green sea turtles, feather stars, butterfly fish, manta rays, wrasse, stingrays and more.

Highlight for visitors: Frankland Island Reef Cruises is the only company with a permit to visit Normandy Island, so if this snorkelling experience here feels exclusive, it is because it is. The guided walk by a marine naturalist is another highlight.

City buzz, gourmet trails, surf breaks and art scenes are all at your fingertips.

When it comes to planning a trip, picking a holiday destination is the easy part. The real dilemma is where to set yourself up for the night. Do you go coastal, city, or countryside? Somewhere remote and rugged, or right in the action? Luckily, the Sunshine Coast, and huge number of amazing Sunshine Coast day trips, have kindly made the choice for you.

Ditch the hotel-hopping and suitcase-lugging. Instead, base yourself at Novotel Sunshine Coast or Mantra Mooloolaba , where big-city culture, vine-covered valleys, and theme parks are all within a two-hour drive.

1. Sunshine Coast to Brisbane

Drive time: 1 hour 20 minutes (105km)

Shake off the sand from your sandals and swap the beach for the throb of the Queensland capital. Ease in gently with a bougainvillea-filled stroll through South Bank, iced latte in hand, before cooling off at Streets Beach lagoon – Brisbane’s answer to the coast (but without the waves).

Once firmly in big-city mode, hit up the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) , home to Australia’s largest collection of modern and contemporary artworks. Dive into the past at the Queensland Museum, where prehistoric fossils of Australian dinosaurs and megafauna collide with First Nations cultural collections and interactive science exhibits.

All this learning got you hungry? Howard Smith Wharves calls. Here, riverside dining delivers breweries with meat-forward menus, Japanese fine dining and overwater bars. If you’ve got room for more, Fortitude Valley’s shopping boutiques await you and your wallet.

woman walking around Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) — Wander the Gallery of Modern Art. (Image: TEQ)

2. Sunshine Coast to the Scenic Rim

Drive time: 2 hours 15 minutes (170km)

Make your way inland to the Scenic Rim for the state’s best vineyards and age-old volcanic slopes. Start your day early (like, sparrow’s breakfast early) at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in Lamington National Park . Here, take a treetop walk through the canopy and hand-feed the wild birds who flock here.

Next, it’s your turn to eat. Here, the food scene operates where locally sourced produce is an expectation, not an exception. Order a picnic basket crammed with regional wine and cheese to devour next to the creek at Canungra Valley Vineyards . Or perhaps a grazing platter of vegan and non-vegan cheeses at Witches Falls Winery .

Feeling bold? Tackle the Twin Falls circuit in Springbrook National Park. Or keep the gourmet life going with a Scenic Rim Brewery tasting paddle, best enjoyed while taking in the rise of the Great Dividing Range.

woman with cheese and wine at Witches Falls Winery — Enjoy a cheese platter at Witches Falls Winery. (Image: TEQ)

3. Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast

Drive time: 2 hours (180km)

Surf, sand and sparkling skylines might be the Gold Coast’s MO, but there’s more to Surfers Paradise and beyond. Kick things off with a beachfront coffee at Burleigh Heads, then hike through Burleigh Head National Park to look over the ocean and whale sightings (dependent on the season, of course).

Cool off in the calm waters of Tallebudgera Creek before chowing down on the famously buttery Moreton Bay bug rolls at Rick Shores . Travelling with the kids? Then you can’t miss Australia’s theme park capital, with Dreamworld ’s big rides and Warner Bros. Movie World ’s Hollywood treatment at hand to keep the family entertained.

aerial view of Tallebudgera Creek — Dive into Tallebudgera Creek. (Image: TEQ)

4. Sunshine Coast to Tweed Heads

Drive time: 2 hours 15 minutes (200km)

Dare to cross enemy lines? Then welcome to New South Wales. Tweed Heads blends the laid-back attitude of the Northern Rivers with high-quality dining, experimental art, and farm-fresh indulgence – a combo worth the drive.

Start strong with a long, lazy brunch at Tweed River House , then swing by Tropical Fruit World for exotic finds like red dragon fruit, handfuls of lychees and black sapote. Next, hit M|Arts Precinct – an art deco hub of micro galleries, artist workshops and one-off boutiques.

Round off the day with sunset drinks at Husk Distillers among the glowing cane fields, and order one with their famous Ink Gin. You’ll thank us later.

exterior of Husk Distillers — Taste the famous Ink Gin at Husk Distillers. (Image: Destination NSW)

5. Sunshine Coast Hinterland

Drive time: 1 hour (70km)

Strap on those hiking boots and make tracks inland, where volcanic peaks, misty rainforest and hinterland townships beckon. Ease in with the Glass House Mountains Lookout Walk, or, if you have energy to burn, tackle the Mount Ngungun Summit Walk for a 360-degree sight of the surrounding summits.

Next: Montville. This township delivers European-style architecture and old-world appeal. Nearby, settle in at Flame Hill Vineyard, where a large pour of estate-grown wine comes with encompassing views of the countryside.

Not ready to leave the hinterland villages just yet? Of course not. Meander past art galleries and indie shops at Maleny. Nab some fudge from Sweets on Maple for a sweet fix. Or go salty at Maleny Dairies with a farm tour and a chunky wedge of their deliciously creamy cheese.

End the day among the eucalypts and rainforests of Kondalilla National Park. Here, the Kondalilla Falls Circuit winds down through trees humming with life to a rock pool beneath a waterfall – as if designed for soaking tired feet before heading back to the coast.

view of Mount Ngungun on the scenic rim queensland — Take on the Mount Ngungun Summit Walk (Image: TEQ)

Start planning your Sunshine home base at all.com.

6 of the most dreamy islands to visit off Cairns