National Park
One of the foremost Queensland national parks is undoubtedly Orpheus Island. With the chance to experience pristine beaches, tropical rainforests, and a luxurious holiday destination at the same time, this national park experience is reserved for a rare and privileged selection of guests.
Queensland National Park - Orpheus Island
Orpheus Island is a true Great Barrier Reef island. The surrounding waters contain what is regarded by experts to be some of the best coral on the entire Barrier Reef. In 1960, the entire island of 1,368 hectares (11 kilometres in length, 1 kilometre in the widest area) was declared a National Park and a little later the surrounding waters were declared part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The resort is the only privately owned area. Including the main beach in front of the resort, Orpheus has seven beautiful, sandy beaches.
There are three clear walking tracks within the national park. Being a national park we can not cut further tracks, but it not a difficult trek over the majority of the island. The resort offers various guided walks.
The map below shows some of the locations accessible across Orpheus and surrounding islands.
Wildlife
The island's native mammals are mostly nocturnal and you can sometimes see these foraging around the restaurant during the early morning or late evening. Echidnas, bandicoots, harmless brown and green tree snakes, green tree frogs are common in the rainforest, woodland and around the resort.
Many types of birds can be found on the island. Orange-footed scrub fowl's distinctive call may be heard at any time, day or night. A few examples of others you may see whilst you are on the island :
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The resort offers various nature interpretive activities on the local flora, fauna and wildlife.
Viewing of the Giant Clam in their natural environment can be done by snorkelling. The island's fringing reefs are best explored by snorkelling or diving. 1,100 species of fish and 340 of the 350 known species of reef coral can be found in the underwater gardens of the islands several sheltered bays. The channel at the southern point of Orpheus is believed to host the reef's largest range of soft corals. The fathomless wonders of the Outer Reef are just a boat charter away.
