Heron Island

Anyone been diving over at Heron Island, Queensland?

We are riding over there soon for our belated honey moon

Been a long time since I was there but it was a nice place to escape from Sydney.

The best, most private beach area is on the South side of the island where not many people bother to walk there. It's still pretty packed for such a small island so try not to get too amoUrous on the beach.

Diving wise, be prepared for the infamous QLD 18m rule to be enforced! They brought us to places where the only way to go deeper was to dig in the sand. Humpbacks pass in the channel but you can forget about getting in with them. I can't find my notes on the dive sites so I'm afraid I can't help you there. But then again I was very preoccupied that I didn't even bring a housing to the island. What I do remember is that is was nice diving but nothing I'd write to Wetpixel about

Roomwise, we were at the beach house but moved to the inside places for more privacy. Not much point of having a beach front place where every other guest can walk past your place (which they do with regularity for those reef walks). Spa was decent but overall below par.

Also bring earplugs if bird noise annoys you... depending on when you go, there can be tens of thousands of birds like shearwaters screaming! Also if the wind shift slightly.... guano smell can be whiffy at times but it didn't happen too often.

Make sure the guys at the dive shop take you AWAY from the island house reefs, which were excellent in their day, but it is where they take all the day trippers and the coral is so bumped around it is smooth!

Rather, get to know them a bit and get them to take you to the adjacent reefs (I remember Wistari sp? Lighthouse Reef etc - but there are lots close by) that they keep for themselves and 'in control' divers, pros, etc

Heather and I were there some years ago and did an unthinkable thing - we stayed for two weeks! Most divers do two to three days and then hop to the next island. When on day three they started taking us back to the same tired sites we said ' hey guys there has to be etter stuff than this!' and they opened up and we had some incredible diving after that ....

Happy honeymoon Paul and Kelly!

Thanks guys for that information.

Going to take the D70 and EVO with us but more of just a relaxing switch off trip.

We have got 5 days there, going to fly out to it in a Helicopter

Should be fun riding the bike from here as well and will make sure we do a photo diary along the way.

The infamous QLD 18m rule....well Im sure they will get a laugh when we come back up with 150 bar still in our tank.

Then back to Cairns for some realestate hunting.

Drew you really have been everywhere

Also bring earplugs if bird noise annoys you... depending on when you go, there can be tens of thousands of birds like shearwaters screaming! Also if the wind shift slightly.... guano smell can be whiffy at times but it didn't happen too often.

hmmmm ... that doesn't sound like a good honeymoon scenario

we had some incredible diving after that ....

... that's somewhat more encouraging

Have yourselves a great honeymoon !!

Ha - I'd forgotten about the shearwaters. We went in April and there were hundreds of them, burrowing under the chalets and wailing like unattended babies. We met one guest who had complained to the staff that her neighbour was being cruel to her children and wasn't feeding them. The cry is so human it's been known to make broody ladies lactate. Just as well you bought that motorcycle substitute Paul!

BTW later in the year it's not meant to be so bad and hopefully it won't distract you too much.

To be honest Nick, the birds were the coolest part of the whole island. For that money, Fiji is much better and more secluded.

Chopper ride is fun... make sure the guy approaches over the channel just in case humpbacks are going through.

That's tru - great photo ops too ...

Mmm just looked at the dive prices as we would need all gear as well.

It would be like $350 AUS for both of us to do just 2 dives.

So I guess we will not be spending too much time diving there.

Pool & Bar.

Best to save the money for the liveaboards further north later on.