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The Discovery Coast is a stretch of about 150 km of largely intact and unspoiled Queensland coastline located between latitudes 24o and 25o. It starts in the north at Rodds Peninsula and runs down to the mouth of Baffle Creek in the south. And this is were the Great Barrier Reef begins: Lady Elliott Island, the most southerly island of the Capricorn/Bunker group of coral islands, and a string of reefs starting from Lady Musgrave Island to Heron Island in the north. | ||||
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Turkey Beach | ||||
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Turkey Beach in the north is a fishing paradise. It is sheltered by Rodds Peninsula National Park and opens to a large protected bay: Rodds Harbour. Bustard Head with its lighthouse is still guarding boats around the treacherous waters of Inner Rock, Middle Rock and Outer Rock. These underwater rock formations, although hated by seafarers, provide a heaven for scuba divers and anglers. The diversity of rock structure, coral growth and fish life is astounding. | |
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The lighthouse draws your imagination back into the past to the hardship and isolation of the lighthouse keepers as they were well over 100 years ago. The light (now operated automatically) of the lighthouse is 320 feet above sea level and its beam is visible from 25 miles away. | ||||||
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To the north Bustard Head faces Pan Cake Creek known to insiders for excellent snorkelling, scuba diving and fishing - and for those in for some adventure. The beach of Pan Cake Creek is ideal for camping. | ||||||
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On the western side of Bustard Head is Jenny Lind Creek and further on Middle Island (only called an island because the tidal waters block it off from the mainland every six hours). This island features a huge sand dune sculptured to ever changing formations by the wind. | ||||||
View to Middle Island | ||||||
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 | Access to Middle Island has always been restricted. No wonder! For more than 50 years the only inhabitants were the daughters of a former lighthouse keeper, the two sisters who, so the saga goes, only left the island once or twice in all their lives. Today nobody lives there permanently and access is provided by an amphibious vehicle which conducts day tours to the island and to the foot of the lighthouse. | ||
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Sand boarding down the huge dune on Middle Island is great fun for the board riders and entertaining for the spectators especially if one unfortunate rider lands in the sea. | |||
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