Fisherman's Beach
Where the ferry drops you. Long, gentle, family-friendly, with the island's main accommodation and food clustered just back from the sand — Hideaway Bar, beach kiosks, snorkel hire. The obvious base for a day trip.
Plan a day trip
🏝️ Southern Great Barrier Reef
🏖️ 17 White-Sand Beaches
🤿 Snorkel From Shore
⛴️ 30-min Ferry
Great Keppel Island, the Southern Reef's quiet jewel.
Seventeen white-sand beaches across 1,400 hectares of bush and headland. Fringing reef you can snorkel straight off the shore. A lookout walk to Mt Wyndham, day-trip ferries that land you on the beach, and a sense — once the day-boats leave — that you've found the quiet corner of the Great Barrier Reef.
17
White-Sand Beaches
1,400 ha
Of Bushland
13 km
Offshore
30 min
Ferry · Rosslyn Bay
2
Ferry Operators
Great Keppel Island sits about 13 kilometres off the coast of Yeppoon — the largest of the Keppel Group of islands and the easy southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. It's nearly 1,400 hectares of low-key island wilderness: 17 white-sand beaches, walking tracks through eucalypt bushland, and fringing coral reef so close to shore you can snorkel it directly off the beach. The ferry from Keppel Bay Marina at Rosslyn Bay takes 30 minutes and lands directly on the sand at Fisherman's Beach. We acknowledge the Woppaburra people as the Traditional Custodians of Great Keppel and the Keppel Group — their connection to these islands extends across tens of thousands of years.
Great Keppel Island sits at the southern reach of the Great Barrier Reef — close enough to day-trip, quiet enough to stay.
Things to Do on Great Keppel Island
Beaches, snorkel, bushwalks, a lookout, a beach bar and not much else. That's the point.
Long Beach
A 20-minute bushwalk from Fisherman's Beach delivers you to one of the longest, quietest stretches of sand on the island — 1.5 kilometres of white sand with usually nobody on it. Bring a towel and a book and disappear for the afternoon.
Plan your visit
Monkey Beach Snorkel
The island's best-known snorkel spot — a short walk around the headland from Fisherman's Beach. Fringing reef starting just metres from the sand, soft and hard coral, parrotfish, and clear water on calm days. Bring snorkel gear or hire on arrival.
Plan your snorkel
Mt Wyndham Lookout Walk
The island's highest point at 175 metres — a 2.5-hour return bushwalk from Fisherman's Beach through eucalypt forest to a 360-degree panorama across the Keppel Group, the Capricorn Coast and the Southern Reef. Pack water and sturdy shoes.
Hike planning
Ferry from Rosslyn Bay
Two operators run year-round services from Keppel Bay Marina: Freedom Fast Cats (from $60 adult return) and Keppel Konnections (around $39 each way). Both land at Fisherman's Beach. Book ahead in school holidays and peak season.
Plan ferry day
Hideaway Bar & Eats
The island's beachfront bar and casual eatery, set back from Fisherman's Beach. Cold beer, burgers, fish and chips, a cocktail at sunset. The natural endpoint for a day-trip afternoon before the return ferry.
Book the day
Glass Bottom Boat Reef Tour
For non-swimmers and reef-curious travellers, the glass bottom boat tour off Great Keppel delivers the reef without getting wet — usually around an hour, often led by a Master Reef Guide. A perfect add-on to a day-trip ferry ticket.
Add to your day
Kayak & Paddleboard
Kayaks and paddleboards are available for hire on Fisherman's Beach — the sheltered bays around the south of the island are usually flat and clear, ideal for a slow paddle along the fringing reef or around to Monkey Beach.
Plan paddle day
Stay Overnight
To experience Great Keppel properly, stay a night or two. Great Keppel Island Hideaway offers beachfront cabins and casual rooms; campers can book sites at Svendsen's Beach. After the day-boats leave at 4pm, the island goes quiet in the best possible way.
Plan an overnight
📅 2026 Seasons
When to Plan a Keppel Trip
Great Keppel is year-round, but a few windows are better than others.
Apr–Nov
Dry Season
The sweet spot — clear water, dry days, low humidity. April through November is when the snorkel is best and the bushwalks comfortable.
Jun–Nov
Humpback Whale Season
Humpbacks migrate past the Capricorn Coast — sometimes visible from the ferry crossings. Some operators run dedicated whale-watching cruises.
Sep–Oct
Shoulder Sweet Spot
Warm, dry, fewer school-holiday crowds, calm seas. Locals' favourite window. Ferries less booked, beach cabins easier to secure.
Nov–May
Stinger Season
Marine stingers (Irukandji and box jellyfish) are present in tropical Queensland waters during the warm months. Stinger suits recommended for ocean swimming.
Plan Your Great Keppel Day
The island rewards slow days. A few notes that make the most of a single visit.
☀️ Best Time
April–November dry season for snorkel and bushwalk comfort. June–November for whale-watching ferry crossings. Shoulder months (May, September) are the locals' picks.
⛴️ Getting There
Drive to Keppel Bay Marina at Rosslyn Bay (10 min south of Yeppoon). Book ferries with Freedom Fast Cats or Keppel Konnections — arrive 30 min early. The ferry lands on Fisherman's Beach; no jetty, just sand.
👨👩👧 For Families
Fisherman's Beach is gentle, shallow and family-friendly. Glass-bottom boat tours for non-swimmers. Bring reef shoes for snorkelling spots. Pack snacks — island prices apply.
💡 Pro Tips
Take your own snorkel gear if you have it (saves hire fees). Walk to Monkey Beach at high tide for the best snorkel. Last ferry is usually 4pm — don't miss it. Cash and card both work at the bar.
🐠 Hidden Gem
Clam Bay on the western side requires a slightly longer walk but rewards with quieter snorkelling and giant clams visible at low tide. Check tide times before setting off.
🌙 Overnight
Stay a night to see the island after the day-boats leave. Great Keppel Island Hideaway beachfront cabins, casual rooms, or camping at Svendsen's Beach. Dinner and drinks at the Hideaway Bar, and a sky full of stars.
🗺️
Your Capricorn Coast base
Pair a Keppel day with the rest of the Capricorn Coast: Yeppoon's foreshore lagoon, Cooee Bay's Wreck Point sunset, and Byfield National Park's coastal rainforest. Contact Cooee Tours to plan the trip.
Nearby Destinations
Yeppoon Guide
The Capricorn Coast hub — lagoon, foreshore, marina, the easy base for a Keppels trip.
Explore Yeppoon
Byfield National Park
Coastal rainforest, ancient cycads, sand dunes and creek-side camping just north.
Byfield guide
Emu Park & the Singing Ship
Twenty minutes south — coastal village, the Singing Ship sculpture and the ANZAC walk.
Emu Park guideGreat Keppel Island FAQs
Where is Great Keppel Island?
Great Keppel Island sits about 13 kilometres off the coast of Yeppoon on Queensland's Capricorn Coast — the largest of the Keppel Group and the southern reaches of the Great Barrier Reef. Around 1,400 hectares, mostly bushland and beach.
How do you get to Great Keppel Island?
By ferry from Keppel Bay Marina at Rosslyn Bay (10 minutes south of Yeppoon). Two operators run year-round services: Freedom Fast Cats (30-minute crossing, fares from $60 adult return) and Keppel Konnections (around $39 each way). Both land at Fisherman's Beach.
Can you snorkel from the beach at Great Keppel?
Yes. Great Keppel Island has fringing coral reef accessible directly from shore at several beaches — Monkey Beach, Shelving Beach and Clam Bay are local favourites. Snorkel gear can be hired on the island. Best at high tide on calm days.
Is Great Keppel Island a day trip or overnight?
Both work. A day trip on the ferry (depart 9am-ish, return 4pm-ish) gives you 5–6 hours on the island — enough for a swim, a snorkel, a bushwalk and lunch. Overnight stays at Great Keppel Island Hideaway and a handful of other operators let you experience the island after the day-trippers leave.
Who are the Traditional Custodians of Great Keppel Island?
The Woppaburra people are the Traditional Custodians of Great Keppel and the Keppel Group of islands. Their connection to these islands extends back tens of thousands of years.
What's the best time to visit Great Keppel Island?
April–November is the dry, calm window — clearest water, lowest humidity, best snorkel conditions. June–November is also humpback whale season. December–March is hotter, more humid, with the possibility of cyclones. Marine stingers are present in tropical Queensland waters November–May; stinger suits are recommended for ocean swimming.
Can you swim safely at Great Keppel?
Yes. Beaches like Fisherman's are sheltered and gentle. There are no patrolled lifeguards on the island, so swim within your ability and watch for stingers in summer months (Nov–May). Stinger-resistant beach pools are not provided here as they are on more developed reef islands.
A Keppel day, sorted by Cooee Tours.
Transport, ferries, snorkel gear, lunch and a guide who knows the best snorkel spots — Cooee Tours runs guided Great Keppel Island days from Yeppoon and the wider Capricorn Coast.
Book Your Keppel Day →