Ask a Cairns local which island they’d take a day off for and most will answer before you finish the question: Fitzroy. Not because Green Island isn’t lovely (it is; that argument is settled elsewhere), but because Fitzroy is a proper island adventure: a rainforest-covered mountain rising out of reef-fringed water, with beaches you earn, trails that sweat, kayaks, turtles, a campground, and one beach so photogenic it keeps winning national polls.
It’s 45 to 50 minutes from the Cairns marina by ferry, and it repays every kind of day, from horizontal to strenuous. Here’s the playbook.
On this page
Nudey Beach (the famous one; bring togs, despite the name)
A 1.2 kilometre return rainforest-and-boulder path from the resort area delivers you to Nudey Beach: brilliant white coral-rubble sand, granite boulders, impossibly clear water and the green wall of the island behind. It’s regularly ranked among Australia’s most beautiful beaches, and unusually for that genre of list, nobody who’s been argues. The name is a historical leftover; swimwear is standard and the crowd is families and honeymooners, not nudists.
Two local notes: coral-rubble sand is gorgeous and sharp, so reef shoes earn their keep, and the beach is at its emptiest before the mid-morning ferries land. First boat, straight to Nudey, thank us later.
In the water
Fitzroy’s fringing reef starts metres off its beaches, and the snorkelling around Welcome Bay and the island’s edges delivers coral, reef fish and regular green sea turtle traffic without a second boat trip. Stinger suits in season (roughly November to May), flotation gear available, easygoing conditions most days.
The kayak and paddleboard hire turns the shoreline into a slow adventure; guided kayak options paddle the quieter corners. And the island’s most quietly wonderful attraction is the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, where injured sea turtles convalesce before release: the guided tours are small, cheap, genuinely educational and frequently the thing kids remember longest. Book at the island.
On land: the walks
The island is a mountain, and the trails treat it as one. The Summit Track climbs to Fitzroy’s peak for a panorama over reef, sea and the mainland ranges; it’s steep enough to earn the view (Queensland Parks grades it difficult, 4 kilometres return including the Lighthouse Road, and says allow 3 hours; take water). The Lighthouse Track offers a gentler sealed alternative with big coastal views, and short rainforest loops fill the gaps. Do the summit early, then spend the afternoon face-down over coral as a reward system.
Staying: resort or tent
Fitzroy Island Resort runs the island’s accommodation, restaurants and hire operations, from suites to beach cabins, and overnight guests inherit the island after the last ferry: sunset at Nudey with nobody in frame, dawn snorkels, the works. The campground next to the resort is the budget version of the same magic, and island camping this close to a city remains one of Queensland’s best-value experiences. Book both well ahead for holidays. The overnight is the centrepiece of our Cairns for couples guide for a reason.
Where to stay on Fitzroy Island
The island is yours after the last ferry
Overnight guests get Nudey Beach at sunset with nobody in frame and a dawn snorkel before the day boats arrive. Compare stays with our accommodation partner Booking.com.
Booking through these links may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. It keeps the site running and the fact-checks flowing.
Getting there
Ferries run daily from the Cairns marina precinct, taking 45 to 50 minutes, with morning departures and afternoon returns; day trip packages bundle snorkel gear, glass-bottom boat rides or kayak time. Day visitors can use the resort’s food and drink outlets, so travelling light works fine.
Two ways to reach Fitzroy Island, and they are not the same day. Fares checked 11 September 2026.
| Fitzroy Flyer | Sunlover | |
|---|---|---|
| Return ferry fare | From $99 adult, from $55 child aged 4 to 13 | $109 adult, $63 child, $281 family |
| Day trip with snorkel gear or the glass bottom boat | Not bundled, hire it on the island | Island Essentials. Adult $134, child $85, family $353 |
| Departs Cairns | 8am, 11am or 1.30pm | 8.45am or 10.15am |
| Leaves the island | 9.30am, 12.15pm or 5pm | 3.30pm, back in Cairns 4.30pm |
| Longest day you can get | About 9 hours, on the 8am out and the 5pm back | About 6 hours |
| Worth knowing | The 11am service does not run Monday to Thursday through February and March | The 72-hour advance fare is the cheapest way onto the island |
Our answer: the Flyer, on the 8am out and the 5pm back. Nine hours is the difference between seeing Nudey Beach and actually swimming at it, and the walk up to the summit needs the morning before it gets hot. Take Sunlover if you want the snorkel gear and glass bottom boat bundled in. Its $67 promo fare closed to bookings on 27 September 2026.
Check before you bookEvery fare above was checked against the operators’ own websites on 11 September 2026. Ferry prices move constantly, sometimes within the same day, and advance-purchase fares, seasonal timetables and resort-guest rates all change what you actually pay at checkout. Treat this as a guide to the shape of the decision, not a quote. Confirm the current fare and the sailing times direct with Fitzroy Island Adventures and Sunlover Reef Cruises before you commit.
Things to do on Fitzroy Island
Fitzroy is the walking and snorkelling island, and it is close enough to do properly in a day.
- Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre. Meet the Reef’s Recovering Locals.
- Green Island or Fitzroy Island? The Honest Cairns Answer.
- Beach Snorkelling Near Cairns. The Honest Guide.
- How to Choose a Great Barrier Reef Trip from Cairns.
Book tours and experiences
Check live prices and availability with our booking partner Viator:
Bookings made through these links may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. It keeps the site running and the fact-checks flowing.
FAQs
Is Fitzroy Island worth it? For anyone who likes their islands with adventure attached, it’s the best day out of Cairns: Nudey Beach, off-the-sand snorkelling, rainforest hikes, kayaks and turtles, all 45 minutes from the city.
How do you get to Nudey Beach? Via a 1.2 kilometre return walking path from the resort area, through rainforest and over granite. Queensland Parks grades it moderate and says allow 45 minutes for the return walk, with steep stone steps and boulders in places. Reef shoes help on the coral-rubble sand itself.
Fitzroy Island or Green Island? Fitzroy for walks, wilder beauty and a locals’ pace; Green for effortless reef-off-the-beach snorkelling and glass-bottom convenience. Different days entirely; the ambitious do both. Full comparison, fares and track grades in our Green Island or Fitzroy Island head-to-head.
Can you snorkel at Fitzroy Island? Yes, straight off the beaches: the fringing reef around Welcome Bay and Nudey delivers coral, fish and frequent turtles. Gear hire and stinger suits (in season) are available on the island.
Can you stay overnight on Fitzroy Island? Yes: Fitzroy Island Resort has rooms, suites and cabins, plus a bookable campground next door. Overnighters get the island’s best hours, after the day boats leave and before they return.
How hard is the Summit Track? Honestly steep: Queensland Parks grades it difficult, 4 kilometres return including a section of the Lighthouse Road, and says allow 3 hours and that it should only be undertaken by fit and healthy walkers. Proper shoes and water. The payoff is a full panorama of reef and coast. The Lighthouse Track is the gentler big-view alternative.
What is the turtle centre on Fitzroy Island? The Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre cares for injured sea turtles ahead of release, and runs small guided tours on the island. It’s inexpensive, genuinely moving and worth planning around; book when you arrive.
Is Fitzroy Island good with kids? Very, with the caveat that everything involves a bit of walking. Calm snorkelling, the turtle centre, kayaks, a resort pool and a beach made of coral confetti: primary-age kids tend to rate it the trip’s best day.
Nearby
Header photo: Tom Park Photography. Courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.
