Snorkel the Tangalooma Wrecks

The Tangalooma Wrecks are one of the most iconic scenes on Moreton Island!

Moreton Island is one of Australia’s great adventure islands. Here you can find epic sand dunes, turquoise waters, abundant wildlife and plenty of activities on land and water! One such legendary spot on the amazing Moreton Island is the Tangalooma Wrecks.

The history of the Tangalooma Wrecks

In the 1960s, the government sank fifteen boats along the shores of Moreton Island. This was done in response to locals asking for a harbour to be built. The sunken ships acted similarly as a break wall and a place for boats to drop their anchors.

Soon after, the Tangalooma Wrecks became a very popular location for visitors. The unique site began drawing in more and more spectators as they wanted to view the sunken ships. Over time, the ships started playing a part in the ocean ecosystem, merging with coral and becoming home to schools of fish.

Today, the Tangalooma Wrecks make for the perfect snorkel spot. Keen divers and snorkellers duck down beneath the waters to check out the rusted ships, colourful sea species, coral and even a few sea turtles!

So, of course you can snorkel the Tangalooma Wrecks! They may have once been used as a break wall, but today they are very much an awesome snorkel spot. This destination is definitely an adventure to be added to your Moreton Island itinerary!    

Join a tour to the Tangalooma Wrecks

You can either join one of the numerous Tangalooma snorkel tours or hire your own gear and swim out there yourself. However, the latter can be quite difficult even for stronger swimmers. Because of this, we recommend jumping aboard a tour that will take you straight out to the wrecks so that you don’t have to battle those strong Moreton Island currents!

This tour of Moreton Island is the perfect opportunity to explore the wrecks. After departing from Brisbane, you’ll be brought to the Tangalooma Resort where you’ll have over five hours to explore. One of the best things to do while here is to go snorkelling at the Tangalooma Wrecks!

Other activities on the island

Once you’ve thoroughly explored the wrecks, there are more activities you can enjoy. Relax on the beach, go quad biking or go whale watching. The activities on Moreton Island are truly endless!

• Sand tobogganing

Moreton Island is one massive sand island, so it’s understandable that there are going to be a few epic dunes awaiting your tobogganing fancy! Climb all the way up these giant dunes, hop on your toboggan and glide all the way to the bottom. This unique experience is an amazing Moreton Island land adventure to contrast your time out snorkelling amongst the Tangalooma Wrecks!

• Dolphin feeding

The Tangalooma Island Resort is blessed with a cheeky congregation of dolphins that come swimming up to shore every night. They swim up close to shore to catch a little grub before swimming back off and continuing their adventures.

Luckily, you have the opportunity to feed these sea geniuses by hand! The dolphin feeding experience is free if you are staying at the resort or can be purchased as a part of a day trip package to the island. Either way it’s a miraculous experience and one that you definitely won’t forget for a long time. If you decide not to partake in the dolphin feeding experience, you can still watch the creatures swimming around close to shore!

• Head down to the sand tracks on 4WD

Moreton Island, being a sand island, is a 4WDer’s paradise. Hire yourself a 4WD and explore the epic Ocean Beach course. In between driving around,  you can swim, fish and explore the sublime freshwater creeks.

• Enjoy some whale watching

The wildlife spotting opportunities on this island are quite incredible! You can join a whale watching cruise to spend the day viewing these majestic creatures. You’re guaranteed to see at least one whale while cruising around Moreton Bay.

You will also get the opportunity to learn all about the fascinating animals during your whale watching cruise. In addition to a knowledgeable captain, the cruises will have informative eco rangers on board to tell you everything you need to know about whales!

Other activity: Visit the Eumundi Markets