We woke this morning to glorious sunshine which bode well for our trip by ferry to Great Keppel Island.

With an early morning departure, Andy was up even earlier pounding the suburban streets of Yeppoon at 6am.

This will be our last day at our boutique B&B, the Coral Inn Resort, which is a blast of colour all splendid in yellow and blue!!

Our ferry at 8.30am was from Keppel Bay Marina, before a 45min sail across to Great Keppel Island where white sandy beaches, turquoise waters and coral reefs await.

We boarded the high speed ferry and got comfortable on the top deck ready to take in the views.

Whilst the ferry was busy, we had expected a packed boat given today is a national holiday in Australia. Thankfully we had a great spot on the deck and were able to take in the various smaller Keppel Islands. We landed in Rosslyn Bay at Fishermen’s Beach and it was like arriving on a desert island.

Landing on the beach, we hired snorkelling gear before walking down the main beach in search of coral reefs.

The island was blessed with an array of wonderful white sandy beaches akin to those found in the Whitsundays, but with less people!

After renting some snorkelling gear and getting tips from the local guide about places to visit to swim and sunbathe. Shelving Beach was our first stop, after walking through the stunning palm tree lane. There were a couple of small lodges that offered nights stay, but aside from this there was just one bar/restaurant and a single beach road around parts of the island.

An historical fact- the islands were named by Captain James Cook in April 1770 after the then Admiral Augustus Keppel.

The tropical climate and numerous beaches on the island attract up to 50,000 tourists each year.

There are 17 white sandy beaches with some of the highest cover of hard coral reefs on the Great Barrier Reef.  

As Michelle got comfortable on the beach and finished off her latest Stephen Fry novel, Andy made his first foray into the turquoise ocean.

After spending an hour or two on Fisherman’s beach we moved on to Shelving and then Monkey beaches.

After a perilous walk, then climb down around the rocks to Shelving Beach, we were ready to celebrate with a spot of star jumping when safely on the sands.

Our walk through the bush of Great Keppel Island meant we ended up doing some proper hiking rewarded by a lunch of a chicken burger and fries.

With a few hours left before we returned to the mainland, Michelle took up the opportunity to snorkel and explore the wonderful coral reefs.

Mid-afternoon the weather turned and we had a 30min interlude with heavy torrential rain, then the sun returned and we made our way back to the beach.

Before we knew it, 3.45pm had arrived and it was time to leave the sandy beaches of Great Keppel Island and return to the mainland.

After a choppy boat ride going out, the afternoon was a lot less eventful and we were soon back in port after an enjoyable trip on the water.

Early evening we returned to our favourite Yeppoon haunt, Keppel Bay Sailing Club for a coffee and read.

Tomorrow we are driving 3hrs North on our way to Mackay, with a nights stay in Sarina, another beach town we’ve been recommended and home to the largest Cane Toad Statue as well as the Sugar Shed, the town’s famous export.