Queensland · Heron Island Resort (Aldesta Hotels) - Heron Islander
~135 min
Heron Island Resort (Aldesta Hotels) - Heron Islander
From $99.00
Southern Great Barrier Reef
Next departure
LIVE
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Timetable shown as 'Current' on the resort's Getting Here page on 15 October 2026, with no end date. One return trip a day; no sailings Tuesday and Thursday. · Representative services only — check the operator for today's full timetable
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~135 min
Operator
Heron Island Resort (Aldesta Hotels) - Heron Islander
Map – Heron Island Ferry
Fare type
Price
Adult, each way (base fare, before the 7.9% fuel levy)
$99.00
Child (3 to 12), each way (base fare, before the 7.9% fuel levy)
$80.00
Each extra or oversize checked bag over 23 kg
$20.00
This is the resort's own guest transfer. The resort says return boat transfers are added to a room reservation automatically at an extra charge, and the University of Queensland research station says its guests' tickets are arranged as part of their booking. Neither site publishes a way for someone without a booking to buy a seat. The resort quotes $99 each way for an adult and $80 each way for a child aged 3 to 12, and its transfer section adds that new bookings carry a 7.9% fuel levy on charter and seat rates until further notice. A boat seat is a seat rate, so the $99 and $80 below are base fares before that levy; the resort prints a levy-inclusive total only for the helicopter ($710 becomes $766.09). The helicopter alternative from Gladstone Airport is a separate service, with a minimum of four adult seats on a return flight. All fares in Australian dollars (AUD).
Heron Island sits about 72 km off Gladstone on the southern Great Barrier Reef, and the boat that serves it is the resort's own. It is the Heron Islander, a 34-metre catamaran that Heron Island Resort runs to bring its guests across from Gladstone Marina. The University of Queensland's research station uses the same boat and says its tickets are arranged as part of a station booking.
The resort describes the Heron Islander as seating 170 with a top speed of 30 knots. It makes one return trip a day: out of Gladstone at 9:30 a.m., back from the island at 12:45 p.m. The research station's table gives arrivals of 11:45 a.m. at the island and 3:00 p.m. back in Gladstone, which is 2 hours 15 minutes each way; the resort's own copy says about two and a half hours. There are no sailings on Tuesdays or Thursdays, and none on Christmas Day.
Check-in is at the Heron Island Ferry Terminal inside the Gladstone Visitor Information building at 72 Bryan Jordan Drive. It opens at 7:45 a.m. and closes at 9:00 a.m. sharp, and the resort warns that late arrivals may be denied boarding. Each person may bring one sealed 23 kg bag, checked in before boarding, plus a carry-on of up to 10 kg that stays at the seat. The resort says it does not allow food, alcohol or eskies to be carried over.
The question most visitors have is whether a seat can be bought without a room. On the pages read, it cannot be worked out: the resort says return transfers are added to a reservation, the research station says tickets come with a booking, and neither describes a standalone or day-visit ticket. Ring the resort's reservations line before building a trip around the boat.
Crossing conditions matter too. The resort says transfers depend on weather, tide and marine conditions, so it recommends travel insurance and a flight into Gladstone well ahead of the 9:30 a.m. departure.
Arrive at the terminal a few minutes before departure; vehicle boarding usually closes earlier.
Check the operator's service alerts before travelling — weather, tides and river levels affect services.
Confirm accepted payment methods and whether a booking is required for vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
The resort and the University of Queensland research station describe the boat transfer only as part of a booking: the resort adds return transfers to a room reservation and the station arranges tickets with its own booking. Neither page publishes a standalone ticket or a day-visit option, so call 1800 875 343 to ask.
The Heron Islander leaves Gladstone Marina at 9:30 a.m. and the return leaves Heron Island at 12:45 p.m. The research station's table shows arrivals at 11:45 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. There is one return trip per running day.
There are no sailings on Tuesdays or Thursdays. The resort also says the Heron Islander will not operate on Christmas Day. It runs Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The resort quotes base fares of $99 each way for an adult and $80 each way for a child aged 3 to 12. It says a 7.9% fuel levy applies to all charter and seat rates on new bookings until further notice, so expect it on top; it prints a levy-inclusive total only for the helicopter.
About 2 hours 15 minutes by the research station's timetable (9:30 to 11:45 out, 12:45 to 3:00 back). The resort's page says approximately two and a half hours. The resort recommends motion sickness precautions before boarding.
At the Heron Island Ferry Terminal in the Gladstone Visitor Information building, 72 Bryan Jordan Drive, Gladstone Marina Parklands. Check-in opens at 7:45 a.m. and closes at 9:00 a.m. Research station guests are asked to check in by 8:30 a.m.
One carry-on up to 10 kg, and one sealed checked bag of 23 kg per person, adults, children and infants alike. Extra or heavier items cost $20 each. Food, alcohol and eskies are not allowed on board.
Yes, by helicopter from Gladstone Airport, about 30 minutes. The resort lists it from $710 one way (shown as $766.09 with the fuel levy) with a minimum of four adult seats on a return flight, subject to weather.