Just a 45 minute boat ride from Cairns is a slice of tropical paradise known as Fitzroy Island. With an ocean the bluest of blue, washing onto white coral sand, lined by stunning rainforest, Fitzroy Island will take your breath away. Not only is it the perfect place for relaxation, but it is a destination for adventure be it diving the Great Barrier Reef or trekking to the Summit!
Whether you have one day, one week, one month, one year, heck you may just want to stay there forever after you see it, Fitzroy is a place for your bucket list.
The Fitzroy Fast Cat will get you there in no time. Currently the ferry departs Cairns three times a day; 8am (for the early birds), 11am (if you like a lie in like Farley and I) and 1:30pm (if you’re just plain lazy!). I’m kidding, but seriously how are you still in bed! You can head home on the 9:30am, 12:15pm or 5pm boat. The ferry will set you back just $79.
If you find yourself in Cairns, then without any hesitation, get your bikini bum over to Fitzroy. I’m already planning my next visit. For now I will just have to imagine and reminisce whilst writing this blog post for you. Below you’re going to hear about what Farley and I got up too, which I think are the best things Fitzroy has to offer!
Nudey Beach
Nudey by name only. Sorry guys. Just a short walk from Welcome Bay Jetty through ancient rainforest is one of Australia’s best ranked beaches. It is hardly surprising why this beach ranks so highly. Natural white coral sand, untouched and perched in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. You can’t get much more of a paradise.
Farley and I set ourselves up under the shade of the rainforest for the afternoon and watched the world go by. And when we got took hot you we dived straight into ocean and met Fitzroy’s underwater locals. 
Turtles, fish, sharks, sting ray, coral
Just to name a few of what you might swim across in the underwater world of Fitzroy. We wasted no time getting up close and personal with the Fitzroy’s fringing reef and local marine animals. From the ferry, we headed to the Dive & Adventure Centre to hire a snorkel set for $20 per day. Here you can also hire paddle boards and kayaks if you don’t fancy getting wrinkly in the water. We found the best spots for snorkelling and turtle spotting were around the boulders at each end of Welcome Bay.
Another awesome spot for water sport adventure was the floating trampoline. I have never seen anything so cool! We were like two giant kids jumping up and down having the time of our lives. Farley trying to keep his balance was a highlight of the day. 
Turtle Rehabilitation Centre
Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre (CTRC) on Fitzroy Island is a non-profit organisation run by passionate volunteers who are dedicated to the rehabilitation of sick and injured turtles.
45 minute tours run daily, but these are capped at 15 guests so as soon as you’re off the ferry, head to the General Store to sign up. Tours can only be booked on the day. The tour costs $8.80 per adult or $5.50 per child. The money you pay goes directly to supporting the rehabilitation of the turtles. 
FOXY’S
A few minutes from Welcome Bay Jetty is Foxy’s. The best spot to fuel up on food and drink whilst listening to live music before your afternoon adventures.
If you’re like Farley and I, and like to save money, then you’ve probably already thought about taking a picnic to the island with you. We took our own picnic which just meant we had more to spend on the Foxy Cocktails!! 
Lighthouse Trek and Summit Hike
Now, these two, sadly we didn’t get time for. We had been highly recommend the two walks but with just a day on the island it, we chose relaxation over adventure. It does give us an excuse to go back though right?!
The trek to the lighthouse is a 3.6km return steep climb. Taking this on in the middle of the day is not recommend. The walk will have you huffing, puffing and wondering why on earth you chose to climb it but I have heard the view from the top is completely worth it. The Summit trek continues on from the lighthouse with more windy tracks and steep climbs. 
Like I said previously, I’m already planning my next adventure to Fitzroy Island. Next time I plan to stay a night or two, enjoy the resort, meet more turtles, and challenge myself to the Summit walk. I’d love to know if you’ve been to Fitzroy and tackled the climb?!
For now, I will continue to reminisce and dream about the tropical paradise I’ve just left.
See you on soon,
Steph