Turtle Sands resort opens at Mon Repos with strict set of rules

A new eco-resort will bring guests up close and personal with nesting and hatching turtles, but there’s a long list of don’ts.

Sisters Sienna and Emily Boyd enjoy the new pool at Turtle Sands. Picture: Paul Beutel

Holidaymakers at a new-look Queensland eco-resort will have to sign a “turtle protection promise” when they check in.

The famous Mon Repos sea turtles will be the star attractions of the NRMA Turtle Sands, which opens on Thursday, and guests must make a pledge to protect them.

The motoring body bought the long-established family holiday park in 2022 and embarked on a $28m makeover, including new state-of-the-art villas, a premium beach house, glamping tents and turtle-shaped swimming pool.

Turtle Sands is set behind the sand dunes at Mon Repos, near Bundaberg, home to the Australian mainland’s largest population of nesting marine turtles.

Guests checking in between October and April, when thousands of loggerhead turtles nest and hatch, have to sign a turtle protection promise to safeguard the super-cute creatures.

The code of conduct includes not accessing the beach between 6pm and 6am, turning off outdoor lights, using red-light torches, not playing loud music, driving at no more than 8km/h and even not erecting beach umbrellas and cabanas or flattening sand castles.

A loggerhead turtle laying eggs in the sand dunes at Mon Repos near Bundaberg

Experiences will include turtle tours with First Nations guides, rainforest walks, coastal hikes and whale-watching.

Accommodation has been light-proofed and soundproofed to help protect the sensitive turtles while solar power and other energy-saving initiatives means the resort will operate off-grid.

NRMA Parks and Resort CEO Paul Davies said: “Turtle Sands is set to offer our guests and NRMA members an incredible experience, celebrating and supporting the conservation of marine turtles in their natural environment and creating a beautiful year-round beachfront resort easily accessible to everything the Bundaberg and Southern Great Barrier Reef has to offer.”

Tourism Minister Michael Healy said the state government had partnered with the NRMA and other stakeholders to deliver what would be an iconic new tourism experience.

“Visitors from Queensland, interstate and overseas will experience a wonderful encounter with marine turtles thriving in their own natural environment, and year- round nature-based attractions in this very special part of the state,” he said.

Originally published as Turtle Sands resort opens at Mon Repos with strict set of rules