Possibly the best day of our entire trip!
There are a few different ways to see the Keppel Islands in the southern Great Barrier Reef. Large catamaran tours are very popular, and we considered these because they are extremely well-advertised. They look like a lot of fun and offer food on board, as well as activities such as snorkelling and boomnetting off the back of the boat. There is also a ferry service to Great Keppel Island, which is a more affordable (but also more limited) way to experience the islands.
We, instead, opted to join captain Scotty on the Keppel Explorer tour. This tour came recommended by the staff at Oshen Apartments – I asked for their advice when booking. It was a perfect recommendation for our group and one that I am happy to pass on to you!
Keppel Explorer Tour
The basics:
9 am – 2 pm tour leaving from the Rosslyn Bay Marina
Approximately $160 per person
Limited to 12 people per tour
Lunch included
This is a small, personalised tour which is different depending on the day. The host, Scotty, owns the boat and runs the business. He knows the islands like the back of his hand and this means he can pick the best spots to enjoy snorkeling on the reef, exploring the islands and spotting wildlife (such as turtles) depending on the tides, weather, time of year, etc.
We had to arrive early to be fitted for bright yellow wetsuit jackets and black wetsuit pants. If there is one tiny (and I mean, tiny) criticism we had of the tour, it’s that there wasn’t really any small child-sized gear available. Our six-year-old had to roll up the sleeves of the smallest jacket available, and, because she took items which might have fitted one of the older children better, they all ended up in things which were slightly too big for them. It was a very minor issue, and not one which interfered with our enjoyment once we got out on the water.
Our group had the maximum capacity for the tour, which is twelve people. Our two families made up ten and another young couple rounded out the twelve. We did joke with the other couple that they may not have signed up for that particular date had they known that they’d be spending it with us, but they were lovely and relaxed and even got to know the kids’ names throughout the day. Speaking of which, so did Scotty, who seemed to have a real knack for remembering names and preferences, even though he must see thousands of guests a year.
The ride out to the islands was exciting and the kids especially enjoyed the thrill of the air in their hair. The weather was lovely and the gentle sea spray was not an issue in the warm weather. (I could see how this might be a bit unpleasant in cooler weather, though.) Using a smaller craft meant the boat moved quickly and seasickness wasn’t really an issue. Seating in the boat was sort of like sitting in a saddle, in two columns with two abreast – to be honest, it felt a bit like a theme park ride or similar, with the speed of the boat on the water and our hair flying everywhere, with the kids laughing and taking it all in. It was a lot of fun!
We travelled more slowly once we got out to the islands and stopped at various spots, including over an area of reef which included a ‘brain coral’ and another area in which members of our group spotted some turtles. Snorkels and flippers were provided, so we were able to drop easily into the water and start swimming around as we liked. Our youngest wasn’t a huge fan of snorkelling, so she enjoyed the underwater viewers provided (though she did let them go more than once and they had to be retrieved as they bobbed away on the surface of the water!). Fish were also abundant and, while our group didn’t see any, Scotty reported seeing whales on some tours depending on the time of year.
Included in this tour was a bit of island time. We stopped near some steep sand dunes that the kids enjoyed climbing and sliding down. The view from the top of the dunes was spectacular – though truthfully, looking down through pristine water around the boat all day was equally spectacular. It’s an experience where beauty surrounds you no matter what your vantage point.
Credit to our travel buddies for these amazing photos!
In keeping with Scotty’s respectful, thoughtful and outdoorsy approach to the tour, lunch came supplied and was enjoyed on an island, picnic-style. Our bento-style metal lunchboxes contained a mixture of delicious ham and salad wraps, protein balls and trail mix. There was also plenty of fruit on offer. Even our relatively fussy eaters were able to enjoy something during our lunch break. The delicious food came packed freshly by The Waterline, which just happens to be the highest-rated restaurant in the Yeppoon area on TripAdvisor.
We had one stop at an island with a campground for a bathroom break, but otherwise, Scotty spent the morning finding beautiful, private spots for our group.
All in all, it was a wonderful day on the water. We continued to reflect on it during the rest of our trip. Nearly all of us reported it to be our favourite day of the entire adventure!
Now, here’s where I need to share a lesson learned on our trip. Our Keppel Island tour was amazing. We arrived back at the marina around 2 pm and made it back to our apartments before 3 pm (we stopped at a roadside doughnut stand on the way back). Everyone had been active and had seen a lot of sun in the five hours we were out on the water. We should have called it a day and enjoyed a quiet night in the apartments with an early bedtime. Instead, we felt like we should top it off with dinner out.
Unfortunately, we left it very late to start trying to make dinner reservations for our group of ten and it turns out that Yeppoon is very popular on Saturday nights (I suspect both a mix of tourists and Rockhampton locals driving out to enjoy the seaside vibe). We called down the list of restaurants recommended on TripAdvisor, but they were all booked out. Finally, after almost giving up, we were able to book dinner. I’m not even going to name the restaurant here, because we wouldn’t recommend it (though it wasn’t terrible). We were all just very tired at dinner. We couldn’t have topped the amazing day on the Keppel Explorer tour and we should have just accepted this and enjoyed a quiet meal while appreciating the wonderful views from our apartment. Sometimes, even when travelling, simple is best!
Day 7 Outback Queensland Family Road Trip Summary
Start:
Yeppoon
End:
Yeppoon
Driving:
26 mins (13 mins each way to the Marina) - 18 km
Accommodation:
Oshen Apartments, Yeppoon
Notable Stops:
Keppel Explorer Tour, Rosslyn Bay Marina
(and the various islands making up the Keppels)
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