Overview
Ask any local water lover where you should swim, snorkel or dive in Australia and they are likely to mention the Great Barrier Reef. This is the world’s largest coral reef system, which stretches over 2,300 kilometres and is clearly visible when photographed from the International Space Station. There are many locations to choose from, but our trip takes us to the southern reefs and a stunning coral cay, known as Heron Island, nestled among a cluster of neighbouring islands. The waters we will explore are filled with incredible creatures and we will meet as many of them as we can on our escorted daily swims. We aim to cover around 2 kilometres each day, but there is no rush, and you can travel at your own pace. So, if you spot something you want to inspect more closely, you can do so. Local species vary depending on the time of year we visit. From June to November, humpback whales breach and wave their flippers as they migrate through, while Manta rays can be seen as late as November although are more common June to September. October rolls around and turtles start to lay eggs in the sand, which start to hatch from December until to June when hatchlings break free and attempt their perilous crawl to the waves.
Highlights
Explore the southern Great Barrier Reef
Join escorted daily swims and explore the southern reaches of the Great Barrier Reef.
Stay on a coral cay called 'Heron Island'
Stay on a coral cay, known as Heron Island, ringed by tropical shallows.
Meet the local reef wildlife
Thread your way over coral gardens filled with marine animals, including turtles!
Itinerary
We launch adventures from Heron Island Resort and explore the southern reaches of the iconic Great Barrier Reef:
Previous
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Arrive on Heron Island (Day 1)
We take the morning ferry from Gladstone Marina to Heron Island Resort. Upon arrival, we will be greeted by the resort staff and have an induction to the Island and welcome drinks.
After completing a health and fitness form, we enjoy lunch and check in at 13:30. There is time to relax and soak up your idyllic surrounds.
All meals are included during your stay and are provided at the resort's Shearwater Restaurant.
Shearwater and local swims (Day 2)
We begin the day with a morning swim, a great opportunity to acclimatise before our longer swims. After breakfast, we head back into the water for escorted swims on a scenic round trip.
We return to the Shearwater Restaurant for lunch, and the afternoon is free for you to relax or explore. Dinner is served at the restaurant in the evening.
More wildlife and swims (Day 3)
Today follows a similar pattern as Day 2: we start with a swim in the tropical shallows, followed by breakfast. We then set out for another escorted swim trip.
During the day, you’ll have plenty of chances to encounter local marine life — perhaps sea turtles, rays, reef sharks, and colourful fish.
After lunch at Shearwater, the rest of the afternoon is yours to enjoy. Dinner is served back at the restaurant.
Morning and midday swims (Day 4)
By now, you’ll be familiar with the rhythm of our days. We’ll begin with a morning swim, followed by breakfast, and then set off to explore new reefs and atolls with another round of escorted swims.
Lunch is at Shearwater, and you’ll have the afternoon free to enjoy the island at your leisure. Dinner is again served at the restaurant.
Last full day of swims (Day 5)
Our final full day gives us one more chance to spot any wildlife we may have missed. We begin with a swim, then enjoy breakfast before heading out for another tropical swimming adventure.
We return to the resort for lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure. Dinner is served at Shearwater Restaurant.
Depart the island (Day 6)
On our final day, we enjoy a last swim together before breakfast. Afterwards, we prepare for departure by placing our bags outside our rooms for collection.
After checking out, there’s time to relax before we gather and travel together back to Gladstone by ferry.
What's included
What's Included
5 nights accommodation at the Heron Island Resort
All meals at the resort (5 days x 3 meals)
Daily swims along nearby reefs (escorted, conditions allowing)
Return ferry transfers from Gladstone
Whilst not part of our safari, the resort offers some great island tours for non-swimmers and swimmers alike, including reef tours, birdwatching, sunset cruise and trips to the turtle research station - contact us and we can help you arrange
What's Not Included
Flights
Accommodation
Heron Island Resort
Experience nature at its best on Heron Island - world famous for its spectacular coral reef. In fact, the island itself is a natural coral cay and serves as a sanctuary for a diverse array of Australian marine life.
From here, we have unique opportunities to swim over the world’s largest coral system: the Great Barrier Reef. It is the perfect base for our daily adventures, surrounded by tropical waters, teeming with colourful fish, turtles, rays, reef sharks, and more...
Room options
Beachside Rooms
Offering easy access to the resort’s beachfront, Beachside Rooms are spacious, with glass sliding doors that open onto a large balcony. The living area features ocean views partly through trees, two day beds, an oversized cane chair and a coffee table. These rooms are available on both the upper level and ground floor.
Beach House
The Beach House features a bright, airy living space, a separate bedroom with a King bed, luxurious en-suite bathroom with bath and shower, and living area that open to a private patio. From your patio, you can easily step onto a boardwalk leading to the white sands of North Beach. The Beach Houses can accommodate up to three guests.
Wistari Suites
Located in natural gardens, the Wistari Suites are air-conditioned, accommodate up to two guests and feature bright, spacious interiors and downlights, with an en-suite bathroom The outdoor terrace is just a short stroll from your favourite Heron Island features: the reef, beaches and jetty.
Point Suites
Offering stunning views of reef sunsets, our air-conditioned Point Suites are spacious and designed with downlights and large en-suite bathrooms. These suites also feature lounge areas and outdoor terraces. The Point Suites accommodate up to two guests.
Reef Rooms
Located on beautiful North Beach, Reef Rooms are comfortable and spacious with an en-suite bathroom with shower and an outdoor terrace. Each room has views through natural vegetation that overlooks the reef.
Reef Family Rooms
Available on the ground floor or upper levels, Reef Family Rooms are located on the beautiful North Beach and offer partial beach views. These comfortable, spacious rooms feature an en-suite with shower and outdoor terrace to enjoy the changing hues of every sunset.
Turtle Room
All Turtle Rooms are set amongst Heron Island’s ancient Pisonia Forest, which comes alive with hundreds of thousands of seabirds during nesting season from October through March. Comfortable and compact, these ground-level rooms are appointed with an en-suite with shower and feature a delightful timber deck or patio.
Turtle Family Room
All Turtle Family Rooms are set amongst Heron Island’s ancient Pisonia Forest, which comes alive with hundreds of thousands of seabirds during nesting season from October through March. Convenient to the pool and a short walk from the beach, these spacious rooms feature an en-suite bathroom with shower. Family rooms offer a ground floor setting, however one block of four rooms is available in a double storey.
Getting there
Getting to Heron Island
We include transit to and from Heron Island via the Gladstone ferry as part of your safari, and will contact you ahead of the safari starting to confirm times. Gladstone is a dynamic regional city located around 550km north of Brisbane, Australia, with flights into Gladstone Airport operated by Qantas and Virgin. From the airport, Gladstone's city centre is a short 3km taxi drive. An overnight stay in the city prior to the ferry to Heron Island is advised.
Dates
21 - 26 October 2026
Stay on a coral cay and explore the southern Great Barrier Reef...
4 - 9 November 2026
Stay on a coral cay and explore the southern Great Barrier Reef...
What You Ask Us
Do you take group bookings? Is there a group discount? Can you help with this?
Yes we can! A group booking can be any number of guests, but typically includes 5 or more swimmers wanting to travel together on one of our safaris. Your group might consist of family or friends, like-minded people you’ve met on a previous safari, or perhaps fellow swimmers from your local swim or surf club.
But however formed, we can help through:
- Advising on suitable safaris
- Arranging the booking on your behalf
- Making an existing trip private or finding your own date if your group is sufficiently large
- Providing a group saving or discount, depending on group size
Send us an email here with your group size, preferred safaris and dates, and we’ll get back to you to discuss options.
Will I be able to swim the distances in the trip itinerary?
We aim for every swim to be a pleasure, not a chore. We are not about swimming the longest distance in the shortest time. We are not about ticking boxes. We are there to soak up the experience of some very special places and moments and some extraordinary water and swim courses. We want everyone to enjoy their swims - we are inclusive, not elitist.
That said, to join us on swims as part of the itinerary for the group we do need you to be able to swim 1km in open water, so we can manage the group safely and enjoyably. You don't need to be fast and you don't need to be a world-beater, and there will be plenty of opportunities to pause and take in the experience.
We generally swim 1.5km - 3km in a session depending on the location and conditions, broken up as the group would like, and reflecting the experience and capacity of the group.
Do I have to take part in every swim?
Absolutely not! This is your holiday and you choose to swim as much or as little as you would like. Join the sessions you want, stay onboard the boat for others, or just take time to relax and enjoy the resort.
How safe are your locations?
The safety of our guests, guides and other local partners is the number one priority in every decision we make.
From monitoring up-to-date travel advice for each location, to making adjustments to a planned itinerary during your time away, the well-being of each and every person who joins our safaris is always at the forefront of our minds.
What will my fellow swimmers be like?
Swimming is a low impact and medium intensity activity, which enables a wide variety of ages and experience levels to take part.
Your fellow guests could include young students, retired couples, solo travellers, groups of friends, experienced open water swimmers or those unfamiliar with life outside the pool.
Whatever the makeup of your group, you can be sure that you’ll have a mix of fascinating personalities from all around the world.
Do you cater for non-swimmers?
We do. In fact, you might not even be a swimmer yourself and may just be accompanying someone on safari who does - some guests do just come along for the ride.
To join the swims themselves as part of the group's itinerary we do require you to be able to swim 1km in open water, but there will be other opportunities for you to take a dip in some locations where you are less confident in the water.
And remember: while swimming is the catalyst for our presence, there's much more to the places we visit than just that, which is why we build other activities into our safaris. The places we take you are rich in culture, history, cuisine, and character, and whether swimmer or non-swimmer we want you to sample as much of that as possible.
At Heron Island various extras can be arranged through the resort, outside of our safari, including reef tours, bird watching excursions, seeing the 'starry sky at night' and a visit to the turtle research station - great for non-swimmers and swimmers alike. Contact us at info@oceanswimsafaris.com and we can help you arrange.
Do I need to take out travel insurance before joining a trip?
Travel Insurance is compulsory and a condition of your booking with us. You must take out travel insurance to cover the period of your tour covering loss, theft, damage, illness, accident, and consequent medical treatment, transport and related events.
These contingencies are not the responsibility of oceanswimsafaris.com or their principals or representatives. We will not be responsible if you ignore or act contrary to the directions or advice of your oceanswimsafaris tour leaders, or if you breach the terms of your personal travel insurance.
For information see the Travel Insurance section of our main FAQs.
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