The King Reef Resort is named after King Reef, which sits only 800m off Kurrimine Beach. It is a truly unique North Queensland experience and to make it even better it is free, no expensive boat trips! Just bring some reef shoes, be prepared to get wet and take advice from a local!

King Reef is the largest fringing reef on the Great Barrier Reef and it is heritage listed. King Reef features hundreds of examples of all three coral types – hard, soft, and flowering. The warm, shallow waters are home to a myriad of marine life including tropical reef fish, the world-famous painted crays, manta rays and giant clams. Our beach is a rare nesting ground for turtles, and you will see many species of turtles on King Reef.

To the left of the reef are the unspoilt, often deserted tropical Barnard Islands, to the right is picturesque and virtually deserted Garners Beach. Right in front of us is Dunk Island, once a tropical resort paradise but now a more low-key campground and local weekend watering hole.

Apart from their stunning beauty, the uninhabited Barnard Islands are a birdwatcher’s paradise. They are important nesting grounds for endangered seabirds and are partly closed during nesting season. These islands are one of the most important bird nesting areas in the world and are protected by an international treaty.

This area is worth a good look, take your time and enjoy what nature has to offer.