Getting To Keswick Island

Attractions & Activities

Keswick Island is the kind of place where you can do as little or as much as you like... Much of the island is national park, and is surrounded by the beautiful waters and coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef National Park. Teeming with wildlife, there's much for nature lovers to take in, with many varieties of native flora and fauna to observe. Here are just some of the suggested activities for you:

Adjacent to the beach is a mango grove that is home to a large fruit bat colony which take flight every evening at sunset. An awesome  sight to behold... You can hike along the walking track, past the bee hives, to beautiful Connie Bay, or wind around the rocky point from Basil Bay to Arthur Bay, and check out the local rainforests... Amble along the beach and comb the flotsam and jetsam for shells, sponges, pumice stone and coral pieces... Take a challenge and climb the mountain for spectacular views of Keswick Island and neighbouring islands. A photographic opportunity not to be missed... Grab a sea kayak and paddle around to Arthur Bay to see unusually shaped pandanus trees, and a private beach full of tiny shells. Look through the viewing holes in the kayaks to spot a shovel nosed ray or a turtle swimming beneath you... Swim the warm waters, and feel the effervescence of bubbles as they escape from the sand below at high tide... Walk the sands to the edge of the reef, and see where sting rays have been resting in the sun at low tide... Snorkel from the boat ramp to see beautiful fish and coral all around you... Throw a line in from the beach in the evening, or the shore during the day to catch coral trout, sweet lip or blue boned tusk fish... Take an oyster knife at low tide and have an impromptu meal of oysters from the beach... From March to June, you can watch the tiger blue butterflies as they flit through the rainforests... When the grass trees are in flower, you can watch the butterflies as they cover the flowers en masses... Spot a whale, or a whole pod of whales between July and September each year... See turtles swimming through the passage and foraging around the coral bommies... Watch white bellied sea eagles soaring in the warm air currents above you, and hear their whistling... Be enchanted by the tiny sunbirds as they flit around the trees in pairs and sing their sweet songs... Listen to the wail of the curlews at sunset... Lay in the shade of the trees by the beach and read a book... Watch the monitor lizards as they pass by in their continual search of food... See flocks of sulphur crested cockatoos with their unusual calls that sound like horses... Sip a cocktail and view the breathtaking sunsets... Listen as the coucal pheasants make their hooting call sound to each other... Look to the west at night and see the twinkling lights of Mackay 32km away... Or look above you to see how clear the stars are in an unpolluted environment... If you have your own boat, you can dive at 3 different shipwreck sites around Keswick Island... Or you can watch the flotilla of passing cruisers, schooners, yachts, fishing boats and navy vessels as they pass by... Eat out at the Keswick Island Guest House (bookings essential)... Or get acquainted with the friendly locals...