Tangalooma Island Resort - Moreton Bay

Australia has many outstanding and treasured islands, but non as well-kept and interesting as Moreton Island. 
What makes Moreton Island so special is that it has one of the least polluted and least disturbed coastal environments along the Queensland-New South Wales coastline, and is the third largest sand island in the world with a list of very unique and protected wildlife. 

Aerial View of Tangalooma Island Resort

If you are looking for the perfect stay to experience this natural dime, then Tangalooma Island Resort is where to take yourself. Tangalooma Island Resort is located on Moreton Island, approximately 40 kilometres off the coast from Brisbane, Queensland. 

The resort nestles on Moreton Bay Marine Park, which was established in 1993 to protect the ecologically significant habitats of Moreton Bay. Moreton Bay Marine Park is the only place in the world where significant populations of dugongs and turtles can still be found close to a major metropolitan centre. 

Tangalooma Island Resort has over 80 tours and activities, the most popular being its whale watching cruises, where you are 100% guaranteed to see a whale or you get your money back! Encounter the majestic humpback whales and their playful calves as they breach and play in the winter waters of the bay between June and October. 

Whale watching

Tangalooma also has Dolphin viewing and feeding tours, where you can get up close and personal and feed the wild bottlenose dolphin’s that come ashore to Tangalooma each evening at sunset.

If Tangalooma’s abundant wildlife can’t keep you busy enough, then the resort has many other activities on offer such as beach volleyball, ATV quad bike touring, catamaran hire, kayak hire, guided snorkelling tours of the Tangalooma wrecks, parasailing, desert safari tour, sand boarding on the desert, helicopter joy flights, archery, banana boating, beach cricket, putt putt golf, segways and plenty more.  

Sand tobogganing

Bound by perfect waters and untouched national parks, Tangalooma Island Resort is the perfect destination for your next escape.

Right now you can experience Tangalooma Island Resort for the hot price of $399 per person twin share. The package includes 2 nights in a Hotel Room, buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, return launch transfers and dolphin feeding on one night of the stay. Valid for sale and travel until 21 September 2012. To book click here or call 13 88 33.

4 Places to swim with amazing sea creatures

Whale Sharks in Ningaloo Reef

Ningaloo Reef is an incredible aquatic environment filled with an amazing diversity of seasonal marine life ranging from colourful corals and reef fish, manta rays, turtles, whales and dolphins to the world's largest fish, the magnificent whale shark. Between late March and July the award winning Three Islands Whale Shark Dive specialises in whale shark snorkelling adventures with professional, friendly staff ensuring each tour is operated to the highest standard giving a magical marine wildlife experience. This unique adventure begins with a reef snorkel before moving to the outer reef for the star attraction, the Whale Sharks.

Snorkel with the Whale Sharks, Three Islands Whale Shark Dive

Seals in Port Lincoln

Set off on an unforgettable underwater adventure in beautiful Port Lincoln. These fascinating puppy dogs of the sea will welcome you to the crystal clear waters of Seal Cove. Watch them as they bound out to the boat with excitement to begin their awaited performance. These inquisitive sea mammals will engage you in their underwater production. Summersaults, back flips, and graceful swirls will fascinate and amaze you. The leaps and twists out of the water right in front of you - truly electrifying! Join the Australian Sea Lion and become part of their underwater playground.

Sharks at Seaworld, Gold Coast

This experience gives you the opportunity to get up close and personal with sharks and other marine life, while accompanied by a qualified Shark Bay diver. You will swim in Shark Bay’s reef lagoon as smaller whitetip and blacktip reef sharks swim around you. There is also an opportunity for you to look through to the Shark lagoon to see the larger Sharks which are just a window length away. Each dive is an educational experience and all participants must hold a current Diving Certificate and will receive their very own souvenir photo taken by a professional photographer.

Shark at Seaworld, Gold Coast

Dolphins at Mornington Peninsula

Join the team at 'Moonraker Dolphin Swims' as they take you on a snorkelling experience like no other. Snorkel with resident Bottlenose Dolphins, swim alongside cheeky Australian Fur Seals, explore underwater marine parks filled with colourful fish and join the search for weedy sea dragons. Tours depart Sorrento Pier just 1.5 hours from Melbourne on the picturesque Mornington Peninsula. Tour activities include morning or afternoon tea, all snorkelling equipment, wetsuit and guided snorkel tour with marine naturalist.

Moonraker Dolphin Swim, Victoria

Sea World: Animal Adventures

Sea World, located on the Gold Coast, has an array of marine animals for you to see - but for those looking for a bit more there are animal adventures. In these adventures you can get up close and personal with the animal of your choice and have an experience of a lifetime.

Dolphin Aqua Adventure

A dolphin aqua adventure is a dream comes true for any dolphin lover as you have the opportunity to encounter and observe Sea World's beautiful dolphins in their natural habitat. Be amazed while the dolphins show off their personality and tricks only metres away. You will also be provided with some interesting facts and information by your group’s personal dolphin trainer. Each animal adventure comes with a souvenir photo taken by a professional photographer and for a little extra why not get a souvenir DVD to remember you experience. Each adventure is unique to you, the trainer and the dolphin. Dolphin aqua adventures are available in adult, child or family sessions.

Sea World dolphins

Shark Encounter

For the brave that love sharks or those who want to face their fears, a shark encounter will bring you face to face with large shark species. You will experience a thrilling shark feeding session - but don’t worry about loosing an arm because you will be inside an acrylic cage. The shark lagoon is inhabited by large sharks including poetically dangerous species such as the Dusky Whaler Shark which would excite any shark lover or thrill seeker. This is a thrilling and educational experience of a lifetime for anyone over 14 years of age.

Shark at Sea World

Shark SCUBA

This experiences gives you the opportunity to get up close and personal with sharks and other marine life, while accompanied by a qualified Shark bay diver. You will swim in Shark Bay’s reef lagoon as smaller whitetip and blacktip reef sharks swim around you. There is also an opportunity for you to look through to the Shark lagoon to see the larger Sharks which are just a window length away. Each dive is an educational experience and all participants must hold a current Diving Certificate and will receive their very own souvenir photo taken by a professional photographer. Also note that this adventure is only available in the holiday periods.

Tropical Reef Snorkel

For the not so brave, but still want to experience the ‘not so dangerous’ sharks there is the tropical reef snorkel. This allows you to swim inside Sea World’s own barrier reef lagoon and come face to face with tropical fish, rays, plus harmless leopard and whitetip reef sharks. This beautiful reef experience is available for anyone 10 years of age and up. Each participant will receive their very own souvenir photo taken by a professional photographer.

Sea World Experience

Seal Safari

A Seal Safari is perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to get soaking wet, but is happy to hug a huge, wet furry seal. This experience is open to anyone 5 years of age and over. Every participant will get hands on with these big, fun and furry creatures and the lucky ones may even get a kiss. You will sure to be walk away with fishy hands, a souvenir photo and an educational experience that you will always remember. Each seal safari is unique, made up of just you, the trainer and the seal.

Seal Aqua Adventure

If you want to get wet and swim with these furry friends then consider the Seal Aqua Adventure. You will learn about these amazing creatures as you experience full water based interaction. To capture and remember this once in a lifetime experience every participant will receive a souvenir photo of you and your new friend. For even more memories, purchase a souvenir DVD for a small extra cost. Each seal safari provides a one on one experience with a seal, with just a trainer to guide you. Available to anyone aged 14 years and up.

Penguin Antarctic Adventure

They may walk a bit strange…  but enter their below freezing enclosure and you will see how cute, furry and playful they are up close. You will feel like you are in Antarctica while personally interact with the King and Gentoo penguins and exploring their impressive enclosure. If you are a fan of the movies March of The Penguins or Happy Feet this is a great experience for you to learn more about these incredible creatures. Each adventurer will receive a souvenir photo with their favourite penguin. This adventure is available to persons 14 years and over.

Sea World dolphin interaction

All animal adventures are an additional price to your Sea World entry and must be booked in advance. Be aware that each adventure has separate conditions and different age requirements.

There is plenty to see and do at Sea World and there are great accommodation options near by. Stay in nearby Main Beach with glamour 4 and 5 star accommodation or the central tourist hub of Surfers Paradise. If you’d love to travel to Sea World by monorail why not stay at Sea World Resort. The property has a WaterPlay aqua playground open from September to March plus a kids club for children aged 4.5 – 12 years. For tickets to Sea World contact Sunlover Holidays on 13 88 33 or visit  www.sunloverholidays.com.au/attractions.

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!