A little dose of adventure
The adventurer’s guide to conquering Tangalooma – Moreton Island
Heads up! There’s never been a better excuse to break the monotonous weekend routine and embark on a short break.
Just a hop, skip and a jump from Brisbane lands you on the world’s third largest sand island - Moreton Island, with plenty of options to enthuse all types of adventure seekers.
Tangalooma Island Resort offers a huge range of land, water and air adventures to give it your best shot at exploring some of the hidden natural gems just off the coast of Brisbane. We thought its best we offer up a bit of a check-list for all the adventurer enthusiasts, bucket-list makers and everything in between!
Snorkel 15 shipwrecks
Did you know that over 200 species of tropical fish call the Tangalooma wrecks home? Snorkelling is a must-do activity for any visit to Tangalooma, and with up to 4 tours departing daily, there’s no reason why exploring this site shouldn’t be on your radar!
Originally sunk in 1963 to create a safe anchorage for recreational boaties, the Tangalooma Wrecks is undoubtedly one of the more iconic landmarks on Moreton Island, teaming with local marine and wildlife and the backdrop to so many happy holiday snaps!
Local Tip: The SS Remora wreck offers a huge diversity of protected coral and fish species. We call it the ‘aquarium’ because of the sheer number of fish and mature corals inside the wreck itself. Our local tour guides know the in’s and out’s of the Tangalooma Wrecks, so jump on a cruise and we’ll guide you through to our secret spots! - Brad Ross
For more information click here.
Explore the Tangalooma Wrecks after Dark
And there is more than one way to explore the Tangalooma Wrecks…..after dark! The Tangatours team have recently introduced the largest range of illuminated touring experiences in Australia, with illuminated night time kayak and stand up paddle boarding adventure tours operating each evening.
Or if you would prefer to take in the experience at a more leisurely pace, jump aboard the Illuminated Wrecks Tour on the glass bottom boat. Either way, the striking colours off the illuminated coral will offer some lasting holiday memories.
Local Tip: Our tour guides are always on the lookout for resident sleeping turtles which we generally spot towards the Northern end of the wrecks site. To see the marine life at night really opens up a new perspective on the island marine and wildlife. Something you can only really experience on the illuminated tours. – Brad Ross
For more information click here.
Quad Bike
Forge your way through the rugged island tracks on a quad bike, exploring Moreton Island’s untouched beauty. The quad biking tours on offer at Tangalooma give guests the opportunity to discover hidden spots to Moreton Island barely accessible to the general public. With the dedicated quad biking track extending along the ridgeline of the resort property (with million dollar views over Moreton Bay), and down onto the beach tracks, you’re adventure will be sure to keep the blood pumping as you weave your way through the island bushland.
Local Tip: Ask one of our friendly guides to make a quick pit-stop at the top of the ridge to catch a glimpse over the Tangalooma Wrecks and right across to the Glass House Mountains on a good day. On a good sunset, the photo’s some of our guests take are absolute magic! - Matt Poole
For more information click here.
Sand Toboggan
It’s hard to say you’ve had the full ‘Tanga’ experience until you’ve sand tobogganed the Tangalooma Desert. The site to one of the greatest Moreton Island spectacles….the dunes! The Tangalooma Desert is a distinctly unique and somewhat mysterious landmark on Moreton Island. The perfect playground for adventure enthusiasts with a sand toboggan in hand, and plenty of ambition to conquer the dunes!
Local Tip: In between your slides, take a hand full of sand and filter it through your fingers looking for any small rock formations. These small rocks are generally solidified ‘silica’, which are said to be formed when lightening strikes the sand due to the high ‘silica’ density. We don’t call the entrance to the Tangalooma Desert ‘Lightning Ridge’ for no reason.. – Maurie Laughlan
For more information click here.
Fly High
Fair to say the quickest and most captivating way to discover the overall beauty of Moreton Island is to jump aboard a helicopter tour! Tours run over all of the typical Moreton Island hotspots, including the Tangalooma Wrecks, the Tangalooma Desert, Cape Moreton, Blue Lagoon, Eastern Beach, North Point and more.
Local Tip: Try to secure a seat at the front of the chopper next to our pilot! When guests take photos of the island with the helicopter mechanics in the foreground, they look amazing. Also consider a sight seeing trip South! The swirling sand formations between Moreton Island and North Stradbroke Island are strikingly similar to Whitehaven Beach. – Charles Strydom
For more information click here.
For a full list of Tangalooma Island Resort activities, click here.