The Tangalooma Dolphin Story

Dolphin Feeding Experience

In the 1980’s resort guests kept noticing that a wild dolphin visited the jetty area after dark. They named the dolphin Eric, but soon after she appeared with her new calf Bobo, they realised Eric was a girl and renamed her Beauty. The guests fishing on the jetty at night began throwing their reject fish to Beauty and she slowly began to accept them.

Feeding dolphins at Tangalooma Island Resort

In January 1992 staff took to the water to offer fish from their hands. She wasn’t afraid of the humans and accepted the outstretched fish. With time she encouraged her children Bobo and Tinkerbell to join the feeding. Poor lighting made the dolphins shy to approach the shore, so in 1992 better lighting was set up on the jetty and Resort Guests were first allowed into the water to feed the dolphins.

In 1995 Beauty was discovered to have an infectious tumour on her rostrum. It resulted in her being unable to swim fast enough to catch fish. Unfortunately nothing could be done for her, but her calf, Shadow was only 9 months old and a plan was put together to help her survive. In a break from protocol we lifted Beauty’s feeding allowance and started to encourage Shadow with small fish. Beauty’s last visit to the jetty was on Christmas eve 1995. Three days later, when Shadow arrived by herself, staff knew Beauty had passed.

Feeding dolphins

Beauty left wonderful memories and her 3 children, Bobo, Tinkerbell and Shadow, plus Tinkerbell’s 3 children, Tangles, Storm and Phoenix, and Shadow’s 2 children Silhouette and Zephyr. Each dolphin is gentle and well mannered just like their mother and grandmother Beauty. The group includes 5 females so there is hope that Beauty's descendents will continue to visit for many more generations.

Tangalooma Island Resort offers over 80 tours and activities to make each day of your holiday an exciting adventure. Don't miss:



Sand Tobogganing on Moreton Island



Desert Safari Tour 

Take a journey to the scenic Tangalooma Desert

region as part of this thrilling 4WD tour. Then try your hand at sand tobogganing, you can reach speeds of up to 40km rushing down the sand hills.

Quad Biking on Moreton Island

ATV Quad Bike Tour 

A thrilling rush, quad bike along the bush and through Moreton Island's bushland.

Marine Discovery Cruise

Journey along in a catamaran in search of dolphins, dugongs, turtles, stingrays and more.

Kayaking Tours to the Ship Wrecks

Spot marine life and explore the sunken wrecks - all without getting wet.

Segways 

The most fun way to cruise the white sandy beaches of Tangalooma.

Stand Up Paddle Boards 

Celebrities having been spotting doing this in Hawaii. Give it a go yourself on the calm waters of Moreton Bay.

Kayaking on Moreton Island

Then there is:

- Scuba Diving

- Motor Boat and catamaran hire

- Tennis

- Mini golf

- Surf Kayaks

plus much more!