Sea Turtle Research & Snorkel Experience
Join a sea turtle research program at Mon Repos, the largest loggerhead turtle nesting site in the South Pacific, then snorkel the Bundaberg reef for underwater turtle encounters.
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Mon Repos Conservation Park
Mon Repos near Bundaberg hosts Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service turtle tours from November to March — loggerhead turtles nest here in significant numbers, with nightly ranger-guided viewing sessions.
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Loggerhead Nest Site
Female loggerheads return to the beach where they were born to nest — the oldest tracked turtle at Mon Repos is estimated at over 100 years old, and her offspring have been tracked across the Pacific Ocean.
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Turtle Hatchery Research Area
The turtle research centre processes data from the longest-running marine turtle monitoring program in the Southern Hemisphere — hatchling success rates and long-term population trends are tracked and presented to visitors.
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Coral Cays Snorkel Zone
Day trips from Bundaberg reach the Coral Cays — a cluster of reef formations offshore where green turtles feeding on the seagrass beds can be observed snorkelling in shallow, clear water.
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Turtle Release Beach
In the morning after the nesting research nights, hatchlings released at the waterline make their first ocean swim — the run of dozens of tiny turtles to the surf is one of the most emotionally affecting wildlife experiences in Australia.
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Reef HQ Aquarium Cairns
Reef HQ Aquarium in Cairns is the world's largest living coral reef aquarium — the facility serves as a sea turtle hospital and rehabilitation centre, and visitors can see recovering turtles before their release back to the reef.