Snorkel Brisbane's sunken wonderland

One of Australia’s best shipwreck snorkelling experiences is right on Brisbane’s doorstep

Tangalooma wreck aerial view

One of Australia’s best shipwreck snorkelling experiences is right on Brisbane’s doorstep

There are many joys that come with living in southeast Queensland. From pristine beaches to lush rainforests, we’re spoiled for choice. But for a unique experience close to the city, nothing compares to Tangalooma Island Resort.

Set amid the pristine national and marine parks of Moreton Island, at Tangalooma you can engage with nature and experience a true escape from the city by jumping on a day cruise direct to the island.

While there are a multitude of activities to do on when you get there, the famous Tangalooma Wrecks are a must-see, and a day spent exploring them will leave you with memories that last a lifetime. It’s a true bucket list experience.

Located just north of the Resort and between 100 to 200m offshore are 15 wrecks, deliberately sunk by the Queensland government between 1963 and 1984 to provide a safe anchorage spot for boaties.

Coral has since formed in and around the Wrecks, providing a haven for more than 200 species of fish, along with turtles, dolphins, dugongs and wobbegongs. This marine life community in turn attracts visitors looking to experience the best snorkelling opportunity this side of the Great Barrier Reef.

The snorkelling tours provided by Tangalooma Island Resort are a safe way to experience the Wrecks, and a great choice for families.

The Resort’s tour includes the provision of snorkels, masks, flippers and wetsuits, plus the services of an experienced guide who will lead you through the Wrecks, highlighting the best viewing points. The guide will put even inexperienced snorkelers at ease. Guests also have access to the Resort’s facilities, a choice of complimentary Eco Ranger shows, and receive a lunch voucher to redeem at a choice of dining outlets.

Tanga Tours co-owner Brad Ross has been operating daily tours to the Wrecks for several years, and he’s a big fan of the island and its pristine environment.

“There’s nothing like Tangalooma,” he says.

“From the diversity of marine life to the idyllic location, nothing compares. I’m very lucky to have worked nearby the Great Barrier Reef in the past, but Tangalooma is unique. It’s awesome being able to show people my backyard every day.”

After operating daily tours for several years, Brad began to experiment with designs for a glass-bottom vessel that would light up at night, along with kayaks that would illuminate in the water. The designs are now a popular tour option among guests of the Resort and allow them to encounter marine species they won’t see during daylight hours.

Perfectly located on iconic Moreton Island, the world’s third-largest sand island, Tangalooma is a short 75-minute catamaran cruise from Brisbane.  And whether you’re a thrill-seeker or a nature lover, there is much to see and experience.

Day trippers to Tangalooma can feed wild dolphins, take a jet boat ride, join the Marine Discovery Cruise, or take a Desert Safari tour complete with sand tobogganing.

Tours operate 365 days a year – even on Christmas Day when the whole island comes together to celebrate and sees quad bikes transformed into reindeers and Santa travelling via a beach buggy.

Tangalooma’s myriad of land and water-based tours are available exclusively for guests of the Resort, while visitors to the island can still experience the wrecks for themselves via a range of day tours. The Classic Day Cruise, departing from Holt Street Wharf in Pinkenba Brisbane, at 7am and 10am daily, includes a full day of exploring, a lunch voucher and a signature tour or activity, departing Tangalooma at 4pm.

For those wishing to see the wild dolphins that frequent the marina at night, the Dolphin Viewing  or Premium Dolphin Feeding Day Cruises offer an extended day trip and includes your choice of the Desert Safari Tour, Marine Discovery Cruise, Wrecks Snorkel Tour, Aussie Jet Boat or Whale Watching Cruise (June to October).

The perfect end to your day is watching the sun set over the water, and as you sail for home with sand still between your toes, you’ll be planning your next visit to Tangalooma Island Resort.

Learn more about day trips to Tangalooma Island Resort here.

Originally published as Snorkel Brisbane's sunken wonderland