We chat to Kelly Lloyd from AUREC Migration and Mobility (our podcast sponsor) about visas to Australia. This episode includes many mind-blowing things we never knew about applying for a visa to Australia. If you are thinking about emigrating to Australia, this episode is for you.
This is an amazing episode full of so many tips and advice, Kelly truly shares amazing insights which you shouldn't miss if you're thinking of applying to an Australian visa.
Adventure Yeppoon Keppel Island Exploration />
Kelly also spills the tea about hidden loopholes you may not know about, the most common questions she gets asked and the common mistakes people make when applying for a visa to Australia.
Great Keppel Island Hopping (5 In 1) Adventure Tour: Islands, Beaches, Reef, Snorkelling And Lunch » Great Keppel Island Tour
This podcast series is sponsored by AUREC Migration & Mobility. They are the only migration agents we have ever used or spoken about to our readers. If you have any questions about moving to Australia, mention THE EXPAT REALITY PODCAST for a free initial assessment so you can ask them any questions or concerns you have about applying for the right visa to live in Australia atmigration@aurec.com
I’ve shared all of my visa process to Australia on my site, from Working Holiday, right up to citizenship which you can find here: https:///expat-tips/australia-visa-tips/
Are you wondering what to do on a Great Keppel Island day trip? We had no idea what to expect either until our recent visit. We’re sharing with you how to spend the day on Great Keppel Island in the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Plus it’s a fantastic way to see the Great Barrier Reef on a budget!
Reasons That Great Keppel Is Our Favourite Great Barrier Reef Island
It wasn’t until we moved up to the Southern Great Barrier Reef town of Agnes Water did I know how many amazing islands there are just waiting to be visited. After our trip to Lady Musgrave Island recently, we were keen to check out more Great Barrier Reef islands.
Just a three hour drive from Agnes Water is the beautiful coastal town of Yeppoon (and 30 minutes from the city of Rockhampton). This town popped up on our radar a while ago after we kept hearing great things about this gem. We had no idea how beautiful it would really be.
From Yeppoon we could see the many islands out to the Great Barrier Reef. So, with a long weekend on our hands, we jumped on the 30 minute Freedom Fast Cat Ferry to embark on a day trip to Great Keppel Island.
Great Keppel Island Boat Tour
Initially we were going to stay at a Great Keppel Island accommodation called Great Keppel Island Hideaway. We were pressed for time because there were so many places we wanted to visit near Yeppoon, so we decided to go on a day trip instead.
So how did we spend our day on the island? Here’s everything you need to know about what to do on a Great Keppel Island day trip.
There are two ferry services to Great Keppel Island. We actually went with Freedom Ferry Fast Cats just because the timings matched up for us.
Island Hopping Around The Keppel Islands
Otherwise you can go with Keppel Konnections which we learnt at the end of our day trip is actually a much smaller boat. If you tend to get a bit sea sick, I would take some sea-sickness tablets if you go on the smaller boat to be on the safe side.
We went on hikes around the island too so you can easily spend the day in paradise without spending much at all.
We were a bit unsure about how long to spend on Great Keppel Island. Because we visited not long after the travel restrictions had been lifted in Queensland, a lot of the Great Keppel Island activities weren’t available.
Great Keppel Island Beaches
We didn’t want to be hanging around waiting for the ferry back to Rosslyn Bay in Yeppoon because the weather wasn’t predicted to be the best on the day we went.
In actual fact, we almost ran out of time and I’m glad we chose to go on the 9:15am ferry and return on the 3:45pm ferry. These times were actually spot on for us.
We visited Great Keppel Island in June on a bit of a windy day. If it had been a bit warmer, we would have absolutely LOVED to stay for the weekend. It’s a great place to get away from everyone in an authentic and rustic paradise.
Awesome Things To Do On Great Keppel Island
We were unprepared with our visit to Great Keppel Island and didn’t bring as much water with us as we usually would have done so. We were glad to see there is a shop open called Tropical Vibes so we could get any snacks and water once we arrived.
We also had a quick late lunch at the Great Keppel Island Hideaway Resort before we got back on the boat to Yeppoon.
When you get off the ferry from Yeppoon to Great Keppel Island, you’ll be greeted by Fisherman Beach which is absolutely gorgeous. Lined with palm trees and clear turquoise water, it’s paradise at its best. All we could think of is;
Things To Do On Great Keppel Island These School Holidays
We had no idea where to go and just followed the crowds walking up to a walking path. Here we found an old shark’s mouth statue from what looked like a playground or maybe an aquarium. It turns out this has been on the island for years and years, something many generations come back to take photos of.
Just passed the sharks mouth, we came to Tropical Paradise, a tourist shop selling beach clothes, drinks, snacks and burgers. Here we met the shop owners, Dot and Shane, really lovely couple who had lived on the island for a long time. They showed us a map of Great Keppel Island and we asked them about the best walks to discover. You can also find a Great Keppel Island map on the ferry as well so just take a photo of it on your phone.
I had done my research on Great Keppel Island walks but it’s always good to ask a local who will be able to give you better insights. It was a toss up between Mount Wyndham and the Long Beach & Monkey Beach walks.
From Yeppoon: Great Keppel Island Snorkeling Trip With Lunch
We heard Mount Wyndham walk is a fantastic walk to the highest point of Great Keppel Island where you can see the beaches to the other side of the island. It was supposed to take around 3 hours return.
Or we could hike over to Long Beach which has been voted one of the best beaches in Australia (11th to be precise) and onto Monkey Beach which has the best snorkelling in Great Keppel Island. It was going to take a couple of hours return to go this hike.
We opted to go to Long Beach & Monkey Beach on our Great Keppel Island day trip and we weren’t disappointed! We hired out a snorkel set each from the shop for $15 and we went off on our adventure.
Ready To Ditch Winter? Escape To Great Keppel Island...
Steve told me he remembered always seeing ads on TV about Great Keppel Island being a party island. I couldn’t believe it as I just hadn’t heard anything about Australia actually having a party island before.
When we asked Shane from the shop about the islands party days, he told me he used to drive the boats back and forth with everyone from 18 year olds and upwards to the legendary party resort. I wanted to know more as I could see he surely must have had some wild stories to tell.
Luckily, when we left the shop and started on our walk, we passed by the old party resort. It was situated right on Fisherman Beach and had just been left there as it was.
Hot Tips For A Cool Day Trip To Great Keppel Island
At the time of visiting, the locals told us they were waiting a new resort to be built. Plans for a casino, golf course and much more had been propositioned by investors.
We read Great Keppel Island wasn’t the best for providing directions on the walks. When we walked down to the end of Fisherman Beach (on the left from Tropical Paradise), we came to a sign which offered up directions to Long Beach or Monkey Beach. I read somewhere to go the Long Beach way instead, so we opted for that way.
Within two minutes we were already lost. There was a barrel with an arrow pointing to Long Beach which had been turned upside down. Which way did it want us to go? After a while, we took the road up the hill on the right from the barrel. This is the right way to go.
Visit Great Keppel Island
We walked for about 40 minutes or so before we came to Long Beach. Along the way, you’ll see signs saying how far away the beach is but it’s just that initial way to get there is confusing.
You’ll also need to walk up hill for a bit but it’s gradual so it shouldn’t be too hard unless you’re visiting when it’s really hot. There isn’t any ocean views on this hike until you get to Long Beach but it’s worth doing.
When we arrived at Long Beach on Great Keppel Island, we were blown away by its beauty. There’s a sign when you get there stating that’s it’s a nudist beach on