Name: Heron Island Resort
Address: Great Barrier Reef, 4680 Heron Island, Australia, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, 4680, Australia
Price range: Prices for upcoming dates start at $210 per night (We Price Match)
Rating: 8.1

Info & prices
Facilities
House rules
The fine print
Guest reviews (192)

Resort Heron Island Resort

Beachfront · Private Beach. Property is on or next to a beach and has a private beach (free access). Airport shuttle. Airport shuttle available at an additional charge. You can request this in the next step.

Great Barrier Reef, 4680 Heron Island, Australia – Excellent location – show map

A bird's-eye view of Heron Island Resort

Spa and/or other wellness facilities at Heron Island Resort

A bed or beds in a room at Heron Island Resort

Lock in a great price for Heron Island Resort – rated 8.1 by recent guests!

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The cabin was roomy. It is quaint and a bit rustic but plenty of hot water.

Mary

United States of America

The island was beautiful, staff were friendly and professional and there was plenty to enjoy and see whilst staying.

Anthony

Australia

Heron Island was an amazing experience! I was there in mid- January. Turtles: Walking the beach, you are sure to get lucky a few times and see turtle hatchlings. I woke up at 4:45 a.m. every morning to walk the beach and see the mama turtles go back into the ocean. I stayed out for 2-3 hours. I saw about 15 each morning. I even saw some finishing with their nests.(The turtles comes up at night, but it's too dark to see them. You are not supposed to use flashlights because the light could cause the turtle to go back into water. Please respect the turtles and the rules.) Guided Walks/Talks: We took the free Turtle Walk and Reef Walk led by a marine biologist. We learned a lot, and it made for a better experience on the island. Sea life: Sharks, Rays, turtles, sea stars, and more! Although, I did not see many fish when I snorkeled off the island and on the snorkel boat trip.

Amy

United States of America

Heron Island is a picture postcard location. Beautiful and stunning scenery everywhere. Spa is amazing with very professional and experienced staff. The bar was well run and Mike the barman in the evening was very good

Jonathan

United Kingdom

Food is always Exceptional and the location/ holiday as a whole amazing even after my fifth and not last visit.

Martin

Australia

Everything. Great mix of things to do.....lectures, beach and reef walks, diving and snorkling bird and island walks. Good food and good facilities

Helen

Australia

Clean , tidy , friendly staff , lots to do , really enjoyed our staff

Katrina

Australia

The island is beautiful...loved the birds, the beaches & the reef. The staff were very nice too, the accomodation was basic but very clean & comfortable.

Maggie

Australia

Location and accessibility to snorkelling straight off the beach! Amazing spot to see all kinds of fish and other sea creatures. The harbour is the best place to snorkel - lots of rays, sharks, fish, turtles. Buffet dinner and breakfast meals were good and the chefs did a good job in keeping all the dishes well stocked,

Sally

Australia

Amazing location on the southern Great Barrier Reef. Beautiful spacious room (Wistari suite) and easy access to jetty, beaches, bar and restaurant. Our room was quite secluded so we often felt as though we were the only ones on the island. Great snorkeling off the beach - saw loads of tropical fish, turtles, sharks and rays- and on the snorkel boat trips (extra cost) to deeper areas on the edge of the reefs.

Jason

Australia

9.6

Excellent location!
Highly rated for:
Nearby beaches
Highly rated for:
Nearby beaches
Highly rated for:
Nearby beaches
Highly rated for:
Nearby beaches
Highly rated for:
Nearby beaches

What guests loved the most:
“The cabin was roomy. It is quaint and a bit rustic but plenty of hot water.”

Mary United States of America
“The island was beautiful, staff were friendly and professional and there was plenty to enjoy and see whilst staying.”

Anthony Australia
“Heron Island was an amazing experience! I was there in mid- January. Turtles: Walking the beach, you are sure to get lucky a few times and see turtle hatchlings. I woke up at 4:45 a.m.”

Amy United States of America
“Heron Island is a picture postcard location. Beautiful and stunning scenery everywhere. Spa is amazing with very professional and experienced staff.”

Jonathan United Kingdom
“Food is always Exceptional and the location/ holiday as a whole amazing even after my fifth and not last visit.”

Martin Australia
“Everything. Great mix of things to do.....lectures, beach and reef walks, diving and snorkling bird and island walks. Good food and good facilities”

Helen Australia
“Clean , tidy , friendly staff , lots to do , really enjoyed our staff”

Katrina Australia
“The island is beautiful...loved the birds, the beaches & the reef. The staff were very nice too, the accomodation was basic but very clean & comfortable.”

Maggie Australia
“Location and accessibility to snorkelling straight off the beach! Amazing spot to see all kinds of fish and other sea creatures.”

Sally Australia
“Amazing location on the southern Great Barrier Reef. Beautiful spacious room (Wistari suite) and easy access to jetty, beaches, bar and restaurant.”

Jason Australia

Located on the World-Heritage-listed Heron Island, this resort offers free snorkeling lessons in the outdoor pool and free guided reef walks.

Rooms at the Heron Island Resort feature bright living areas, which open onto balconies or terraces with forest or sea views. Each has a fridge and tea/coffee making facilities. All include beach towels and sun umbrellas.

Heron Island Resort has a day spa offering massages and facials. The tour desk organizes a variety of diving and snorkeling tours around many Great Barrier Reef locations. Shearwater Restaurant offers buffet and á la carte options with views over the Coral Sea. Guests can sip cocktails on the outdoor terrace or relax in the Pandanus Lounge.

Heron Island Resort is accessible by boat, seaplane and helicopter from Gladstone. The boat departs Gladstone at 14:00 and departs the resort at 10:00 each day, except Tuesdays and Thursdays. A coach service to/from Gladstone Airport is available.

Couples in particular like the location – they rated it 9.7 for a two-person trip.

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Heron Island Resort has been welcoming Booking.com guests since Sept 13, 2010

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Most popular facilities

Bar

Beachfront

Private beach area

ATM: Need cash? This property has an ATM on site.

Bookers love...

“friendly staff”
9 related reviews

“amazing location”
7 related reviews

“sea life”
6 related reviews

Top Location: Highly rated by recent guests (9.6)

Breakfast Info

Buffet

Activities:

Fishing

Spa

Pool table

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Availability

When would you like to stay at Heron Island Resort?

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Rooms

Adults

Children

Sleeps	Room Type
Max adults: 2	Turtle Room 1 queen bed	Show prices
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Max adults: 3	Reef Room 1 sofa bed and 1 queen bed	Show prices
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Max adults: 4	Beachside Suite 1 king bed and 2 sofa beds	Show prices
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Max adults: 5	Turtle Family Room 2 twin beds and 1 full bed	Show prices
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Max adults: 5	Reef Family Room 2 twin beds and 1 queen bed	Show prices
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Booked once in the last 6 hours

Area Info

–

Natural Beauty *

Heron Island Ocean/Sea
0 miles

Beaches in the Neighborhood

Heron Island Beach
100 feet

Closest Airports *

Gladstone Airport
52.8 miles

All distances are measured in straight lines. Actual travel distances may vary.

What Travelers Love About This Location

“Heron Island is a picture postcard location. Beautiful and stunning scenery everywhere. Spa is amazing with very professional and experienced staff. The bar was...”

Jonathan

United Kingdom

9.5

“Food is always Exceptional and the location/ holiday as a whole amazing even after my fifth and not last visit.”

Martin

Australia

“Everything. Great mix of things to do.....lectures, beach and reef walks, diving and snorkling bird and island walks. Good food and good facilities ”

Helen

Australia

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1 Restaurant On Site

Shearwater Restaurant

Food: Australian

Menu: Buffet & À La Carte

4 reasons to choose Heron Island Resort

Why book with us?

Manage your bookings online

The staff speaks English

Booking is safe

House rules Heron Island Resort takes special requests – add in the next step!

Check-in

3:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Check-out

7:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Cancellation/
prepayment

Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to accommodations type. Please enter the dates of your stay and check what conditions apply to your preferred room.

Children & Beds

Children of all ages are welcome.

To see correct prices and occupancy info, add the number and ages of children in your group to your search.

0 - 2 years

Can use a crib

FREE

This property doesn't offer extra beds.

The maximum number of cribs allowed depends on the room you choose. Double-check the maximum capacity for the room you selected.

All cribs and extra beds are subject to availability.

Pets

Pets are not allowed.

American Express Visa Mastercard Diners Club Heron Island Resort accepts these cards and reserves the right to temporarily hold an amount prior to arrival.

The fine print

Heron Island is accessible by boat, seaplane and helicopter from Gladstone. The boat transfer will depart Gladstone for Heron Island at 09:30 daily, except Tuesday's and Thursday's. The return boat transfer will depart from Heron Island at 12:45 daily, except Tuesday’s and Thursday’s. The Heron Islander will not be operating on Christmas Day, Wednesday 25 December 2019. However will operate on Thursday 26 December 2019. The cost of the transfer on the Heron Islander is AU $69 per adult one way ($75 from 01 April 2020) and AU $32 per child one way ($38 from 01 April 2020). A coach service to from the Gladstone Airport is available and included in the boat transfer cost.

The shuttle coach will pick guests up from the airport at 08:00 and will arrive at the Marina approximately 10 minutes later. Guests are requested to inform the property in advance if they wish to make use of the shuttle service. Contact details can be found on your booking confirmation.

Please note there is no mobile phone coverage on Heron Island.

An Environmental Management Charge (EMC) of AU $6.50 ($7 from 01 April 2020) per person per day (for guests 5 years and older) to a maximum of AU $19.50 ($21 from 01 April 2020) per person per stay will be charged direct to guests. Price is subject to change.

Upon arriving to Heron Island, the Environmental Management Charge will be applied for the first three nights of your stay in accordance with the number of guests in the room.

“Heron Island was an amazing experience! I was there in mid- January. Turtles: Walking the beach, you are sure to get lucky a few times and see turtle hatchlings. I woke up at 4:45 a.m. every morning to walk the beach and see the mama turtles go back into the ocean. I stayed out for 2-3 hours. I saw about 15 each morning. I even saw some finishing with their nests.(The turtles comes up at night, but it's too dark to see them. You are not supposed to use flashlights because the light could cause the turtle to go back into water. Please respect the turtles and the rules.) Guided Walks/Talks: We took the free Turtle Walk and Reef Walk led by a marine biologist. We learned a lot, and it made for a better experience on the island. Sea life: Sharks, Rays, turtles, sea stars, and more! Although, I did not see many fish when I snorkeled off the island and on the snorkel boat trip.”

“Heron Island is a picture postcard location. Beautiful and stunning scenery everywhere. Spa is amazing with very professional and experienced staff. The bar was well run and Mike the barman in the evening was very good”

“Location and accessibility to snorkelling straight off the beach! Amazing spot to see all kinds of fish and other sea creatures. The harbour is the best place to snorkel - lots of rays, sharks, fish, turtles. Buffet dinner and breakfast meals were good and the chefs did a good job in keeping all the dishes well stocked,”

“Amazing location on the southern Great Barrier Reef. Beautiful spacious room (Wistari suite) and easy access to jetty, beaches, bar and restaurant. Our room was quite secluded so we often felt as though we were the only ones on the island. Great snorkeling off the beach - saw loads of tropical fish, turtles, sharks and rays- and on the snorkel boat trips (extra cost) to deeper areas on the edge of the reefs. ”

See all guest reviews for Heron Island Resort

Newest Reviews for Heron Island Resort

Reviewed: November 14, 2019

Jonathan
United Kingdom

6 helpful votes
9.6

“Beautiful Island. Amazing wildlife”
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Stayed 4 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
The only issue was really the attitude and quality of the staff and dining. As it’s a small Island you are limited to eating in the one restaurant. Staff seem stressed and understaffed. The quality of the food was inconsistent, sometimes excellent and sometimes poor. They do not appear to have had any hospitality or service training.
Heron Island is a picture postcard location. Beautiful and stunning scenery everywhere. Spa is amazing with very professional and experienced staff. The bar was well run and Mike the barman in the evening was very good

Stayed in November 2019
Reviewed: November 14, 2019

Martin
Australia
10

“Simply awesome place to visit”
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Stayed 3 nights
Food is always Exceptional and the location/ holiday as a whole amazing even after my fifth and not last visit.

Stayed in October 2019
Reviewed: October 31, 2019

Helen
Australia
10

“Excellent experience ”
- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Nothing
Everything. Great mix of things to do.....lectures, beach and reef walks, diving and snorkling bird and island walks. Good food and good facilities

Stayed in October 2019
Reviewed: October 27, 2019

Katrina
Australia
8.3

Very Good
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Stayed 6 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Clean , tidy , friendly staff , lots to do , really enjoyed our staff

Stayed in October 2019
Reviewed: October 22, 2019

Belinda
United Kingdom

1 helpful vote
9.6

Exceptional
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Stayed 2 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Somewhat shambolically run. Not all staff know what to do. Others brilliant
Amazing location. Very beautiful

Stayed in October 2019
Reviewed: October 18, 2019

Christine
Australia
9.2

Awesome
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Stayed 4 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
The setting

Stayed in October 2019
Reviewed: October 17, 2019

Maggie
Australia
9.2

“Glad I went and would probably go again, but not in School holidays.”
- • Leisure trip
- • Solo traveler
- • Stayed 5 nights
Felt that too many people are allowed on the island at one time...unfortunately it was still school holidays and I felt that the Shearwater Restaurant wasn't prepared for the amount of people. There was limited staff who were run off their feet trying to clean up after patrons, especially during the breakfast & dinner buffets...they needed at least another 3 staff during these times.
The island is beautiful...loved the birds, the beaches & the reef. The staff were very nice too, the accomodation was basic but very clean & comfortable.

Stayed in October 2019
Reviewed: October 15, 2019

Hamish
Australia
6.7

“The rooms are quite old now and run down for the price it cost to stay there.”
- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Stayed 3 nights
On our first day we were disappointed with waiting over half an hour for our drinks while waiting for our room to be ready. It was quiet and staff were very slow and unorganised.
Breakfast was ok, but things ran out very quickly and you sometimes had to wait for the food to be re-filled, like the scrambled eggs/hash browns/bacon etc. I would have liked to have seen more fresh fruit cuts for breakfast instead of tinned fruit.

Stayed in October 2019
Reviewed: October 14, 2019

Michelle
Australia

1 helpful vote
6.3

“Beautiful island, cosy accommodation, shame the restaurant & staff training has deteriorated so much”
- • Leisure trip
- • Solo traveler
- • Stayed 3 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
The staff are mostly friendly but often completely clueless. Despite a phone call in advance to check the airport shuttle would be running on Sunday, it didn’t show up. About twenty of us waited more than half an hour at the jetty for a booked semi-submersible that never showed. The staff forgot to tell us they’d cancelled it, despite me having popped in to the marine centre an hour before to confirm the time. The restaurant staff don’t seem to have any hospitality training - no clearing of plates between courses, no checking if you’d like some water, having to chase someone around to ask for a coffee at the end of a meal, and then having no clue who you are or where you’re sitting to deliver it to your table. The food quality has declined significantly since my last visit. The toilets stopped working. The pool was green, like swimming in a stagnant pond. There didn’t seem to be any attempt by staff to address this.
Heron Island is beautiful and I really enjoyed being there. I love the little Turtle rooms with their relaxing porch. I was lucky to have one heron nesting on her two eggs beneath my room, and another couple busily creating their nest up in the tree. I spent a lot of time reading a book while quietly observing the birds. The snorkeling teacher was excellent and gave me the confidence to go out on the boat for an ocean snorkel.

Stayed in October 2019
Reviewed: October 8, 2019

Christopher
Canada
8.8

Excellent
- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Stayed 4 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Fabulous location and wild life

Stayed in October 2019
Reviewed: October 6, 2019

Sally
Australia
9.0

“Amazing location right on the reef. Even non-snorkellers can spot the sea life from the jetty!”
- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Stayed 3 nights
Clearing plates from the tables and replenishing things like cutlery, cups, sugar, etc in the restaurant could have been a bit more efficient.
Location and accessibility to snorkelling straight off the beach! Amazing spot to see all kinds of fish and other sea creatures. The harbour is the best place to snorkel - lots of rays, sharks, fish, turtles. Buffet dinner and breakfast meals were good and the chefs did a good job in keeping all the dishes well stocked,

Stayed in October 2019
Reviewed: October 5, 2019

Brec
Australia

1 helpful vote
8.0

“Heron is a beautiful place. Would love to go back!”
- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Stayed 3 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Service at times was not very good. Particularly in the restaurant.
Location is magic. Beautiful spot.

Stayed in October 2019
Reviewed: October 4, 2019

David
Australia
6.0

“I will go back out of school holidays”
- • Leisure trip
- • Group
- • Stayed 5 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Lack of staff numbers and lack of training for the staff The food at meals was cold and there were shortages of cups and spoons at breakfast The staff were working hard but lacked direction at meal times
The reef and the peace

Stayed in September 2019
Reviewed: October 3, 2019

Jason
Australia
10

“Island Paradise”
- • Leisure trip
- • Couple
- • Stayed 3 nights
- • Submitted from a mobile device
Food was really great and idyllic views from restaurant are fabulous but the restaurant seemed to be short staffed and the friendly wait staff and kitchen staff seemed to be run off their feet and service seemed to suffer as a result.
Amazing location on the southern Great Barrier Reef. Beautiful spacious room (Wistari suite) and easy access to jetty, beaches, bar and restaurant. Our room was quite secluded so we often felt as though we were the only ones on the island. Great snorkeling off the beach - saw loads of tropical fish, turtles, sharks and rays- and on the snorkel boat trips (extra cost) to deeper areas on the edge of the reefs.

Stayed in October 2019
Reviewed: October 3, 2019

Sally
Australia

2 helpful votes
9.0

“Great location for snorkelling straight off the beach. Works out about $250 per person per day.”
- • Leisure trip
- • Family with young children
- • Stayed 3 nights
Restaurant staff could clear tables a lot quicker. If you weren't early enough for the first sittings, tables had lots of used plates and cutlery on them and things like clean cups, cutlery, sugar, coffee, etc were not available until you pointed it out to staff. Food was plentiful and well prepared. The chefs kept the food area well stocked and looking good. Could not fault the food, just the wait staff looking a bit slow plus one girl in the bar who didn't appear too friendly.
Location - perfect place to see the reef - amazing amount of fish and sea life such as turtles, rays, reef sharks, gropers, etc. Tito who greeted us at reception and when checking out is lovely, friendly and very efficient. Rachel who did the reef walk, kids club and trivia night was great too.

Stayed in October 2019

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Resort Heron Island Resort

Heron Island Resort This rating is a reflection of how the property compares to the industry standard when it comes to price, facilities and services available. It's based on a self-evaluation by the property. Use this rating to help choose your stay!

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Area Info

Natural Beauty *

Beaches in the Neighborhood

Closest Airports *

What Travelers Love About This Location

Shearwater Restaurant

4 reasons to choose Heron Island Resort

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The fine print